Recaps

Wu Youren and Luo Xi fled the mountains after losing contact with the stranded group and learning that members of the Weird Race were nearby. They rested with the convoy outside the mountains, where the female Knight reported heavy losses and warned of movement nearby.

• Wu Youren left Luo Xi behind and walked through the rain, but Luo Xi later caught up with him on the three-wheeled motorcycle.
• Luo Xi told Wu Youren that fog had cut off contact with the six stranded people, a flash flood had blocked rescue efforts, and he had fled after hearing that members of the Weird Race were nearby.
• Wu Youren and Luo Xi continued through the mountains, passed the supply point without stopping, and were pursued by the convoy.
• After escaping the mountains, Wu Youren set traps while Luo Xi rested, and the female Knight said five people had been lost and four wounded.
• The female Knight questioned Luo Xi about Wu Youren's ability, then someone woke her to report movement nearby.

Wu Youren led Luo Xi and the Intelligence Agency away from a suspected Weird Race pursuit, choosing a route through the wilderness toward Red Pine. After resting, the group learned that the investigation of Suotu Town would continue with reinforcements, while Luo Xi left to deliver the Monkey Tiger remains to the martial academy.

• Wu Youren warned Luo Xi that something was wrong and directed him off the road, so the female Knight ordered the Intelligence Agency convoy to follow them.
• Wu Youren guided the group through the wilderness to a main road near Red Pine, though he said he had only followed a feeling of safety.
• The group stopped to rest, and the female Knight questioned Wu Youren about how he sensed weird qi and whether he had awakened an ability.
• Wu Youren said they would have to wait until night to know whether the Weird Race had followed them, and the female Knight received word that reinforcements would join the investigation of Suotu Town.
• After waking, Luo Xi rode away alone with the Monkey Tiger head, claws, and tendons to have them processed at the martial academy.

Wu Youren, Luo Xi, and the female Knight’s team spent the night in an abandoned factory in the Rust Zone, where traps alerted them to a pack of leopard cats carrying weird qi. Luo Xi killed the attackers, but found a leopard cat corpse beside Wu Youren.

• Luo Xi returned at dusk and led Wu Youren and the female Knight’s team into the Rust Zone, where they settled in an abandoned factory.
• The female Knight asked whether Wu Youren would accept a requisition, but Luo Xi said the martial academy had to be consulted.
• A trap rang during the night, and the group waited silently without finding what had triggered it.
• A leopard cat attacked one of the female Knight’s companions, and the group recognized that a pack of leopard cats had followed Luo Xi and Wu Youren.
• The female Knight told Luo Xi to handle the attackers, and he killed dozens of leopard cats with his broadsword.
• Luo Xi retreated cautiously and saw a leopard cat corpse lying beside Wu Youren.

Wu Youren helped kill a giant leopard cat while Luo Xi and the female Knight kept watch for the Weird Race. After the two Knights rushed outside to fight, Wu Youren detected a threat in the corpse and destroyed the leopard cat’s remnant soul before they returned.

• Wu Youren explained that the female Knight had landed the killing blow, and she praised his quick thinking and skill in fighting the leopard cat.
• Luo Xi abruptly rushed out of the factory, and the female Knight followed, ordering everyone to stay alert.
• The four Intelligence Agency members invited Wu Youren to join their defensive circle, and he said he was not used to relying on external aids.
• Wu Youren sensed something unusual in the leopard cat’s corpse and threw a dagger at it, destroying its remnant soul.
• Luo Xi and the female Knight returned after the remaining Knight Apprentices waited on guard.

After surviving a restless night, Luo Xi and Wu Youren assessed the leopard cat carcasses and discussed the escalating Weird threat from Suotu Town with the female Knight. Wu Youren planned to stay at most three more days before returning, while Luo Xi regretted that the trip had not brought in more money.

• The female Knight warned Luo Xi that another Weird might have followed them, and she said the situation in Suotu Town was serious after hearing how a leopard cat nearly became Weird.
• Nocturnal animals, including a python and night owls, were drawn to the carcasses and kept the groups on alert through the second half of the night.
• At dawn, Luo Xi sorted the leopard cat bodies and sold the ones permeated with Weird energy to the female Knight, while Wu Youren continued cultivating.
• The female Knight discussed Wu Youren's relentless cultivation and combat ability with Luo Xi, who noted that the large leopard cat had given Wu Youren a double harvest.
• The female Knight's team continued coordinating with reinforcements, and Wu Youren told Luo Xi they would stay at most three more days before returning.

Wu Youren returned to Red Pine and confronted Feng Qianjun and He Wenhao, who accused him of forgetting Jin’s grievances and asked why he had cut himself off from the other hostages. The chapter ended with Feng Qianjun asking whether Wu Youren wanted to know how his family was doing.

• Luo Xi and Wu Youren left Suotu Town after the female Knight asked if they would return, and Wu Youren said he needed time to consolidate his gains.
• Wu Youren returned to Red Pine, slept until morning, and headed to the vegetable patch with leopard cat meat for the groundskeeper.
• Wu Youren encountered Feng Qianjun and He Wenhao, who criticized his freedom and accused him of getting close to Instructor Hong Yan.
• Wu Youren defended his efforts to save himself and reminded them that people at Jin Garden had once pushed him into Jasper Lake.
• He Wenhao questioned why Wu Youren would not stay in touch with the other hostages, and Wu Youren kept his reasons to himself.
• Feng Qianjun asked Wu Youren whether he wanted to know how his family was doing.

Wu Youren returned to the martial academy after a successful trip, drew attention from the caretaker and the Life and Death Knot, and tried to keep his distance from his former acquaintances. When a burly man visited him at night with news from his family, Wu Youren realized another hostage had betrayed him.

• Wu Youren ignored Cynthia and Salinen when they called out to him on his way past.
• The caretaker accepted Wu Youren's leopard cat meat and liquor, acknowledged the attention surrounding him, and offered to look after his vegetable plot.
• Wu Youren reflected on being watched in Liang, then spent his ten silver dollars on goods despite the possibility of owing money to the Life and Death Knot.
• A burly man from the Life and Death Knot entered Wu Youren's room at night and challenged him about relying on Instructor Hong Yan.
• The burly man offered news from Wu Youren's family, and Wu Youren suspected one of the other four hostages had exposed him.

Wu Youren rejected a renewed attempt to recruit him into Great Liang and negotiated over his earnings, while Cynthia invited him on an exploration mission that he declined because the reward was too small. He later learned Luo Xi had no leopard cat meat left but offered him python meat, leaving Wu Youren to decide to accept it despite suspecting Luo Xi knew his identity.

• The burly man told Wu Youren about his family and offered him a chance to become a citizen of Great Liang, but Wu Youren refused and asked him to burn the letter.
• Wu Youren claimed he had made no money, then said sixty percent of his earnings belonged to Instructor Hong; the burly man told him Sister Hua would pay him without taking a cut.
• Cynthia invited Wu Youren to join a Martial Academy exploration mission in Suotu Town and offered a Cloud-Surging Pill, but he refused because the mission pay was too low.
• Cynthia's companion said she had fought with her family over the Cloud-Surging Pill, leaving Wu Youren wondering who had spread news that he was poor.
• The administrator asked Wu Youren for leopard cat meat, so Wu Youren contacted Luo Xi, who had none but offered him python meat for free.
• Wu Youren suspected Luo Xi knew his identity but decided to accept the python meat.

Wu Youren kept a low profile at the academy while following news of the worsening Weird situation in Suotu Town. After an instructor rejected him over his Jin accent and lack of money, a wealthy female martial artist offered to sponsor him in exchange for his obedience, but he refused and left her intentions unresolved.

• Wu Youren heard that Great Liang had sent troops and academy teams to Suotu Town, where multiple Great Knight-level Weird Race beings had appeared.
• An instructor asked Wu Youren to become his disciple, but withdrew the offer after Wu Youren emphasized his Jin accent and mentioned he lacked money for the tuition gift.
• Wu Youren skipped public lectures for three days after attracting attention, then his former roommate Subar brought two female martial artists to meet him.
• A viscount's daughter offered to fund Wu Youren's training in return for his future obedience, but Wu Youren rejected the arrangement by claiming he was prone to killing people in his sleep.

Wu Youren faced an investigation over his vegetable patch at Red Pine Martial Academy, but the officials backed down after he said the Life and Death Knot had taken his fee. Afterward, he tried to keep a low profile, but two female martial artists arrived with an offer from their instructor, Kaili, to help reduce his tuition.

• Wu Youren rebuffed a female martial artist who offered him help, then invited Subar and another companion to take some sow thistle when it was ready.
• Two academy officials investigated the vegetable patch after receiving a report, and Wu Youren said he had paid the Life and Death Knot for permission to farm there.
• The Knight recognized Wu Youren was from Jin and ended the investigation without ordering him to remove the vegetables.
• The caretaker advised Wu Youren to offer the officials vegetables to smooth things over, and Wu Youren then avoided drawing attention to himself.
• Two female martial artists, including one from Jin, visited Wu Youren and said their instructor, Senior Knight Kaili, would waive part of his tuition.

Wu Youren met Instructor Kaili, who questioned him about his trip to Suotu Town and said she would visit for vegetables that night. Cynthia then asked whether he planned to leave the academy and told him about a chance to join an internal mission to Suotu.

• Two female martial artists offered to sponsor Wu Youren and brought him to meet Instructor Kaili.
• Instructor Kaili asked Wu Youren for details about Suotu Town, but he said he knew little and noted that Intelligence Agency personnel had been there.
• Instructor Kaili dismissed the two women and said she would come to Wu Youren’s house for vegetables that night.
• Wu Youren found Cynthia waiting outside his house and told her he had no plans to leave the academy soon.
• Cynthia said Instructor Ke Li had student slots for a Suotu mission and that the Mirage Sea Alliance could help bring Wu Youren along.

Wu Youren declined Cynthia’s offer to leave the martial academy and learned from Instructor Kaili that his grandfather had died. Kaili offered to teach him if he earned money for her tuition, including by guiding her in Suotu Town, and Wu Youren left the opportunity undecided.

• Wu Youren told Cynthia he could not leave the martial academy, and Instructor Kaili arrived and claimed him as the person she had chosen.
• Kaili confronted Wu Youren about being a hostage and told him his grandfather was dead, but he said he had only met the man once.
• Kaili revealed that she was descended from the people of Xi and asked Wu Youren to earn money and pay her tuition in exchange for becoming her student.
• Wu Youren asked whether he could return to Jin, and Kaili said that depended on relations between the countries and urged him to build strength to protect himself.
• Kaili offered Wu Youren money to serve as her guide in Suotu Town, and he asked for time to think before Cynthia returned and mentioned Shali’s interest in taking him as her student.

Wu Youren sold vegetables through the academy administrator and reported Instructor Kaili as a suspected spy for Jin to the burly man from the Life and Death Knot. As he defended his actions as a hostage prince, he discovered that reporting someone had earned him experience points.

• Wu Youren arranged for the administrator to sell his vegetables, splitting the proceeds even though the dining hall paid less than half the market price.
• When the burly man from the Life and Death Knot appeared, Wu Youren reported Instructor Kaili, explaining that her grandfather was a prince of Xi and recounting their conversation.
• The burly man questioned why Wu Youren would report someone who had offered to reduce his tuition, and Wu Youren said he was fulfilling his duty as a hostage prince.
• Wu Youren noticed that his internal breath was swelling and realized the report had granted him experience points, apparently more than killing the orange Monkey Tiger had.
• Wu Youren argued that the hostage-prince code forbade being incited by others, then explained that he had waited three days because he did not know where the Life and Death Knot's office was.

Wu Youren avoided committing to either side when a burly man questioned him about Instructor Kaili and urged him to join them. He then tried to stay out of trouble, but Cynthia’s efforts to help him sell his vegetables upset the caretaker, who temporarily cut off their cafeteria supply.

• Wu Youren told the burly man he only wanted to survive and refused to share what he knew about Instructor Kaili or the other four, while the man urged him to choose their side.
• The burly man reported that Wu Youren was slippery and mature, then asked about the progress with the four others.
• Wu Youren continued his quiet routine, and Cynthia visited twice, first for vegetables and then to ask about their prices and offer to find him another cafeteria buyer.
• The caretaker confronted Wu Youren after cafeteria workers said he had complained about the low vegetable prices, but Wu Youren denied stirring trouble and mentioned the liquor he sold him.
• The caretaker said he would stop supplying the cafeteria for a while to teach them a lesson, and Wu Youren readily agreed despite privately worrying about losing the sales.

Wu Youren struggled to sell his surplus vegetables and drew Shali’s attention at the flea market. Three days later, Shali and a group of martial practitioners confronted him, and Cynthia stepped in as tensions rose.

• Wu Youren paid to sell vegetables at the flea market, but sold only a few piles before Shali arrived and bought everything.
• After a companion told Shali that Wu Youren was from Jin and had refused her arrangements, she ordered people to keep watch for him.
• Three days later, Wu Youren preserved his remaining vegetables while Cynthia visited and offered to help sell them.
• Shali arrived with several martial practitioners, and one accused Wu Youren of swindling her out of money.
• Wu Youren suggested taking the accusation to a disciplinary instructor, then answered the group’s insults by calling them brave for coming in a pack.
• Cynthia identified herself as a member of the Mirage Sea Alliance, called Wu Youren her friend, and told the group to discuss the problem instead of resorting to force.

Wu Youren turned a group’s challenge into a proposed contest hunting the Weird Race in Suotu Town, then learned he would resume supplying vegetables to the dining hall. The Knight investigating him confirmed that he had traveled to Suotu with a Knight, while Shali pressed for classified details about his combat experience.

• A martial artist challenged Wu Youren to a one-on-one fight on Shali’s behalf, but Wu Youren asked to choose the contest himself.
• Wu Youren proposed that they compete by hunting the Weird Race in Suotu Town, and the Knight agreed to select an experienced opponent.
• Cynthia asked why Wu Youren had not mentioned the Life and Death Knot, and he kept quiet about being a hostage.
• The administrator advised Wu Youren to avoid the group and told him to resume supplying vegetables to the dining hall in two days.
• The Knight told Shali that Wu Youren had encountered the Weird Race and traveled to Suotu with a Knight, but said the details of his fight were classified.

Shali abandoned the wager against Wu Youren but sent her men to demand protection money from him instead. Cynthia challenged their demand, and the chapter ended with the male martial artist dismissing Wu Youren’s backing as merely the Life and Death Knot.

• After learning that instructors had once considered Wu Youren as a guide, the Knight told Shali what he had found and suggested she arrange a wager through someone else.
• Wu Youren asked Cynthia to bring jars and pots, and they worked together preparing vegetables for pickling.
• The male martial artist arrived with five Knight Apprentices, canceled the wager, and demanded five silver dollars in monthly protection money from Wu Youren.
• Cynthia objected that the demand was excessive and said the Mirage Sea Alliance protected Wu Youren, but the male martial artist said the alliance had confirmed he was not covered.
• The male martial artist explained that Shali had dropped the wager to avoid appearing to bully Jin, then scoffed that Wu Youren’s other backing was only the Life and Death Knot.

Wu Youren faced a protection-money demand from Shali's people and contacted the Life and Death Knot, but it gave him no answer before their deadline. After he prepared traps for their expected attack, Cynthia appeared at his dwelling that night, accompanied by someone who threatened him over the oil.

• A martial artist from Shali's group demanded protection money from Wu Youren and gave him three days to pay.
• Wu Youren called a burly man from the Life and Death Knot to ask whether he could fight back if attacked, and the man said he would investigate.
• When the deadline passed without a response, Wu Youren told Shali's group he had paid the Life and Death Knot, but they said they would collect from him anyway.
• The administrator warned Wu Youren to stay inside, and Wu Youren thanked him before preparing for an attack.
• At night, Wu Youren sprayed oil at approaching intruders, Cynthia called out that it was her, and another voice warned him that setting a fire would be courting death.

Wu Youren accepted Instructor Ke Li’s offer to join a mission investigating Weird Race activity, while learning Ke Li would only intervene in his conflict with Shali in limited ways. As Ke Li warned Cynthia to keep the Mirage Sea Alliance out of Wu Youren’s troubles, Shali’s followers arrived to attack him.

• Wu Youren apologized to Ke Li for nearly attacking him and explained that he had set a fire while defending himself from a group of students.
• Ke Li offered Wu Youren a place on a nonmandatory mission to investigate Weird Race activity, and Wu Youren agreed to leave in two days.
• Ke Li explained that he could witness a one-on-one challenge but could not openly interfere in student conflicts, and Wu Youren accepted his limited help.
• Ke Li warned Cynthia that the Mirage Sea Alliance should stay out of Wu Youren’s troubles, though Cynthia remained eager to confront Shali.
• Shali’s seven Knight Apprentices approached to attack Wu Youren, and Ke Li demanded to know what they were doing before one claimed they had come to settle a grudge.

Instructor Ke Li stopped Oliwen and his companions from attacking Wu Youren, then forced Oliwen to accept a mission to fight the Weird Race. Two days later, Ke Li led Wu Youren, Oliwen, and his student Qigeli out of the academy, where he asked Wu Youren how he had sensed the Monkey Tiger.

• Ke Li knocked down three members of Oliwen’s group and drove the others away after they confronted Wu Youren.
• Wu Youren identified Oliwen as the man who had challenged him to fight the Weird Race, and Ke Li issued Oliwen a compulsory mission.
• Cynthia collected Oliwen’s wristwatch, while Shali told him to let the incident go after learning Ke Li had intervened.
• Two days later, Ke Li set out with Wu Youren, Oliwen, and Qigeli, who had been assigned to supervise Oliwen.
• On the road, Ke Li asked Wu Youren how he had sensed the Monkey Tiger, and Wu Youren said the Weird-Repelling Jue had reacted strangely.

Wu Youren traveled with Instructor Ke Li and the others on a reconnaissance assignment, while Ke Li lent him a pistol and explained that the Life and Death Knot had commissioned the outing. When they reached the mountains, a nearby team called for help after being surrounded by the Weird Race, and Ke Li offered only to wait for them at the roadside hill.

• Ke Li examined Wu Youren's jade Weird-Repelling Jue, questioned his combat abilities, and lamented that he was not from Liang.
• Ke Li changed their destination to Suotu and lent Wu Youren a pistol and Weird-Breaking Projectiles.
• Ke Li revealed that the Life and Death Knot had commissioned the outing, leaving Oliwen to realize the trip was punishment for his actions.
• The group drove into the mountains, spread out near a ridge, and heard gunshots and roars in the distance.
• Ke Li fired a signal flare and received a call from Wu Yan'er, whose team reported being surrounded by the Weird Race with four wounded.

Ke Li’s team rescued a group of Knights and Knight Apprentices fleeing the Weird Race, then retreated toward the road with the wounded aboard their vehicle. As they escaped, a wounded Knight explained that his team had been ambushed during a compulsory reconnaissance mission and lost their way in the mountains.

• Ke Li refused to send help immediately, but let the stranded group wait half an hour before they reached his position while fighting the formless Weird Race.
• Ke Li ordered everyone to ready Weird-Breaking Projectiles, and Wu Youren showed he could sense hidden enemies by hitting them even when no gray mist was visible.
• The rescued group reached Ke Li, but he threatened a Knight who ignored his orders and insisted that only the wounded could ride in the vehicle.
• Ke Li, Wu Youren, and Oliwen ran alongside the vehicle as the team retreated down the mountain, pursued by a large mass of gray mist.
• A wounded Knight told Wu Yan'er that his team had been forced deep into the mountains during reconnaissance, lost contact with its convoy, and become trapped after encountering the Weird Race.

Ke Li led the exhausted group out of the mountains after rescuing several instructors, while Oliwen fell behind and was shot with a Weird-Breaking Projectile after appearing to catch up. Ke Li refused to stop the mission, but after Lao Liu hinted that Wu Youren might be unusual, the two men drew their weapons and aimed at people resting beneath the trees.

• Ke Li and the others fled through the mountains while fighting the Weird Race, and Oliwen's diarrhea left him unable to keep pace.
• Ke Li threw Oliwen's backpack to him and abandoned him when he could no longer run or board the vehicle.
• A Knight shot Oliwen with a Weird-Breaking Projectile after he appeared behind the group, and Ke Li agreed to handle the report.
• The group escaped the mountains and rested, but Ke Li insisted on contacting the Martial Academy and continuing toward Suotu.
• Lao Liu suggested Wu Youren had something unusual about him, then he and Ke Li drew their weapons and aimed at people beneath the trees.

Ke Li, Lao Liu, and Wu Youren uncovered hidden Weirds among the survivors, but one escaped despite their attacks. After an investigation and quarantine, the martial academy released the three and asked them to join future Weird-hunting operations, prompting Ke Li to object to the lack of freedom.

• Wu Youren shot the wounded instructor, and Ke Li and Wu Yan'er attacked when the man revealed himself as a Weird before vanishing and leaving behind an iron item.
• Wu Youren warned that the Weird might not be dead, and Lao Liu began testing the survivors with Weird-Repelling Jues.
• A badly wounded Knight Apprentice attacked Lao Liu, revealing another Weird that escaped as a wisp of gray mist while Ke Li's shots missed.
• A martial academy patrol arrived, and investigators detained Ke Li, Lao Liu, Wu Youren, and Qigeli for questioning and quarantine.
• After four days, the martial academy released Ke Li, Lao Liu, and Wu Youren and urged them to join future operations in teams of at least five Knights.
• Ke Li recognized the proposed operations as compulsory missions and challenged the restrictions on operating alone.

Ke Li prepared to return to Red Pine with the Weird object while Wu Youren warned that its original owner might still be alive and that they could remain in danger. Their plans were interrupted when injured Knights arrived with Feng Qianjun, who revealed that He Wenhao was gone.

• Ke Li refused Red Pine's request, then decided to go back and trade the iron fragment while leaving Wu Youren with Qigeli.
• Wu Youren warned Ke Li that the Weird object's original owner might be alive and that selling it might not end the danger.
• Ke Li offered to trade the iron fragment for Wu Youren's Weird-Repelling Jue, but Wu Youren refused because it was the last thing he had from his homeland.
• Qigeli questioned Wu Youren about withholding information as Ke Li drove away, and Wu Youren said he had no right to trouble an instructor who had not taken him as a disciple.
• Two Knights arrived seeking help and brought in the injured Feng Qianjun, who confronted Wu Youren for not helping him.
• Feng Qianjun told Wu Youren that He Wenhao was gone.