Chapter Summaries

After Zhao Long killed Chen Fan, Chen Fan’s death-triggered ability possessed Zhao Long and let him inherit the magistrate’s son’s body, memories, and status. Back at the Zhao residence, Chen Fan learned his father might send him to the Azure Yang Temple, a place with a genuine Martial Dao inheritance, before Lin Wan'er told him Zhao De wanted to see him.

• Zhao Long stabbed Chen Fan to death, activating Chen Fan’s Death-Substitution Rebirth ability and allowing him to possess Zhao Long.
• Chen Fan awoke in Zhao Long’s body, recognized his own corpse, and learned from Zhang San and Li Si that the ability had succeeded.
• Chen Fan concealed his identity, ordered Zhang San and Li Si to dispose of his corpse, and returned to the Zhao residence with Cui'er.
• A maid told Chen Fan that Zhao De had threatened to send him to the Azure Yang Temple if he kept misbehaving, and Chen Fan welcomed the prospect of learning Martial Dao.
• Lin Wan'er appeared and told Chen Fan that Zhao De wanted to see him in the study.

After taking over Zhao Long’s body, Chen Fan calmly accepted Zhao De’s order to spend a year at Azure Yang Temple, surprising his father and easing his way into his new life. Back at Listening to the Waves Pavilion, he reviewed Zhao Long’s household and called for his second concubine, Liu Ruyan, promising her a surprise.

• Lin Wan'er confronted Chen Fan, but he passed her without his usual attempts to win her favor.
• Chen Fan admitted to Zhao De that he had killed the woodcarving seller and said he had caused his father trouble.
• Zhao De ordered Chen Fan to go to Azure Yang Temple the next day and remain there for a year.
• Chen Fan readily agreed, leaving Zhao De stunned by his changed demeanor.
• At Listening to the Waves Pavilion, Chen Fan reviewed Zhao Long’s relationships and sent a servant to invite Liu Ruyan to his room with news of a surprise.

After taking Liu Ruyan, Su Qingyu, and Lin Wan'er by force, Chen Fan prepared to leave for Azure Yang Temple the next morning to pursue the Martial Dao. The chapter ended with him looking toward West Mountain, where the temple awaited.

• Chen Fan summoned Liu Ruyan and spent two hours with her, then dismissed her without attachment.
• Chen Fan summoned the fearful Su Qingyu and forced her into the bedroom, leaving her crying afterward.
• Chen Fan summoned Lin Wan'er, overpowered her despite her resistance, and used his father’s authority as Qinghe County’s magistrate to silence her threats.
• After dinner, Chen Fan told the steward to prepare a carriage for his trip to Azure Yang Temple the next morning.
• Chen Fan looked toward West Mountain, where Azure Yang Temple and the Martial Dao awaited.

Chen Fan arrived at Azure Yang Temple as Zhao Long to cultivate and build strength, but two young Daoists tried to humiliate him at the gate. He used the county magistrate’s influence to force them and Daoist Xuanli to treat him as an honored guest, then ordered every martial arts text in the temple brought to him.

• Chen Fan climbed the mountain to Azure Yang Temple, struggling against Zhao Long’s weakened body and resolving to gain strength of his own.
• Mingfeng and another young Daoist mocked Chen Fan and demanded that he carry his own luggage and follow temple rules.
• Chen Fan reminded the Daoists that his father controlled the temple’s annual incense funding and warned that mistreatment could jeopardize it.
• Daoist Xuanli arrived, reprimanded Mingfeng, and arranged for Chen Fan to stay in the temple’s finest courtyard, the Listening to Bamboo Pavilion.
• Chen Fan ordered Mingfeng and the other Daoist to bring him every martial arts text in Azure Yang Temple.

Chen Fan discovered that Zhao Long's damaged meridians made internal cultivation impossible, so he tried practicing external martial arts instead. After struggling through a horse stance, he decided that with Death-Substitution Rebirth as a safety net, he could lie flat rather than work hard.

• Chen Fan forced Mingfeng and Mingzheng to bring every book from the Azure Yang Temple's Scripture Pavilion to his courtyard.
• Chen Fan tried the Green Yang Breathing Method for three days and realized Zhao Long's meridians were completely blocked.
• Chen Fan abandoned internal cultivation and attempted the Stone-Shattering Fist's horse stance, but his weak body gave out after a few breaths.
• Daoist Xuanli brought Chen Fan food and offered to teach him the sect's breathing method, but Chen Fan refused and accepted his poor Root Bone.

Chen Fan left Azure Yang Temple after a month of avoiding martial training and returned toward Qinghe County. On the road, he learned that bandits from Black Wind Mountain had robbed a merchant caravan, but he chose to continue without helping.

• Chen Fan refused Daoist Xuanli's efforts to persuade him to train and settled into a leisurely routine at Azure Yang Temple.
• Chen Fan spent a month sleeping, reading, drinking tea, and feeding an orange cat while Xuanli and the disciples left him alone.
• Daoist Xuanli saw Chen Fan off, and Chen Fan rode with Zhang San and Li Si toward Qinghe County.
• Chen Fan encountered injured merchants who said bandits from Black Wind Mountain had robbed them and killed several of their men.
• Chen Fan ignored the merchants' pleas for help and continued toward Qinghe County.

Chen Fan returned to Qinghe County, told Zhao De he had failed to cultivate, and settled back into a life of indulgence. His comfort was interrupted when Black Wind Mountain's bandits announced they were coming to kill him and rid the people of a scourge.

• Chen Fan told Zhao De that his blocked meridians and weak constitution made him a martial arts cripple, then mentioned that Black Wind Mountain's bandits had robbed a merchant caravan.
• Chen Fan returned to the Listening to the Waves Pavilion, where Liu Ruyan and Su Qingyu welcomed him, while Lin Wan'er stayed away.
• Chen Fan spent the following days feasting with friends and visiting his wives, including Lin Wan'er.
• As Chen Fan relaxed in a bath, the steward rushed in and reported that the bandits had come down from Black Wind Mountain to kill Chen Fan.

After learning that Black Wind Mountain’s bandits planned to kill him, Chen Fan remained unconcerned and enjoyed his protected life in Qinghe County. He abused Lin Wan'er and then listened to a singer at a pleasure house, reflecting that he could begin again under a new identity if he died.

• Chen Fan learned that bandits from Black Wind Mountain intended to kill him, but he calmly dressed and went to see Zhao De.
• Zhao De ordered Chen Fan to stay inside Qinghe County while he arranged for county soldiers to attack Black Wind Mountain, and Chen Fan agreed.
• As guards tightened security and townspeople discussed the threat, Chen Fan dined and drank with his fair-weather friends at the Drunken Immortal Tower.
• Chen Fan visited Lin Wan'er, taunted her about the threat, and forced himself on her despite her resistance.
• Chen Fan went to a pleasure house, listened to a singing girl perform "Immortal by the River," and reflected that death could let him start over with another identity.

Chen Fan enjoyed a carefree life at the Zhao Residence after the bandit threat eased, until Zhao De returned and ordered him back to Azure Yang Temple. Chen Fan accepted the order without protest, treating the mountain retreat as a holiday.

• After the songstress finished performing, Chen Fan rewarded her with ten taels of silver and left the pleasure house.
• For half a month, Qinghe County grew calmer after Zhao De and the county soldiers confronted the bandits near Black Wind Mountain.
• Zhao De returned to find Chen Fan relaxing with Liu Ruyan and Su Qingyu, then overturned the table and rebuked him for wasting the sacrifices made to deal with the bandits.
• Chen Fan told Zhao De that protecting the county was his duty, leaving Zhao De overwhelmed by the distance between them.
• Zhao De ordered Chen Fan to return to Azure Yang Temple and stay there until Zhao De died, and Chen Fan agreed, calling it a chance for a holiday.

Chen Fan returned to the Azure Yang Temple and resumed his leisurely life, but a confrontation with Wang Chong led him to take the bullied Zhang Shan under his protection. He left the other disciples warned that Zhao De could drive them and their families out of Qinghe County.

• Chen Fan returned to the Azure Yang Temple, where Daoist Xuanli welcomed him and arranged for him to settle back into the Listening to Bamboo Pavilion.
• Chen Fan spent several days relaxing at the temple while Mingfeng and Mingzheng catered to him.
• Chen Fan saw Wang Chong and several outer disciples beating Zhang Shan, but Wang Chong provoked him before he could leave.
• Chen Fan threatened to ask Zhao De to stop the temple’s three thousand taels of incense money, frightening Wang Chong and the other disciples.
• Daoist Xuanli slapped Wang Chong and forced him to kneel before Chen Fan.
• Chen Fan helped Zhang Shan up, declared him his underling, and ordered him to brew tea.

Chen Fan took Zhang Shan in as his servant and began guiding his martial arts training, while Wang Chong secretly arranged for Black Wind Mountain to assassinate Zhao Long. The chapter left the threat on its way to the Azure Yang Temple.

• Chen Fan protected Zhang Shan from Wang Chong, made him the Listening to Bamboo Pavilion’s servant, and promised no one would harm him while Chen Fan was Zhao Long.
• Chen Fan gave Zhang Shan occasional pointers as he practiced the Stone-Shattering Fist, and Zhang Shan quickly showed exceptional talent.
• Chen Fan gave Zhang Shan Azure Yang Temple’s best breathing method after Daoist Master Xuanli brought it to the pavilion.
• Wang Chong, humiliated and ostracized after his punishment, secretly gave a map and patrol schedule of the Azure Yang Temple to a man from Black Wind Mountain.
• Wang Chong asked Black Wind Mountain to kill Zhao Long, promising his uncle would delay the county yamen’s suppression campaign; the man agreed to pass the request to his chief.

Xuanyangzi recognized Zhang Shan's martial talent and asked to take him as a disciple, and Chen Fan readily agreed. After Zhang Shan left to train with Xuanyangzi, Chen Fan received a letter from Zhao De saying his mother was ill and decided to return home.

• Xuanyangzi watched Zhang Shan practice the Stone-Shattering Fist and declared him a rare martial arts prodigy.
• Zhang Shan refused to leave without Chen Fan's permission, but Chen Fan approved Xuanyangzi taking him as a disciple.
• Zhang Shan formally became Xuanyangzi's disciple and moved to the temple master's secluded room on the back mountain.
• A young Daoist delivered Zhao De's letter, which said bandits on Black Wind Mountain had been wiped out and Zhao Long's mother was bedridden.
• Chen Fan decided to visit his mother and ordered a horse prepared for his trip down the mountain.

Chen Fan left the mountain and was ambushed by Black Wind Baleful Intent and his bandits. As Black Wind Baleful Intent struck him, Death-Substitution Rebirth activated, transferring Chen Fan into the bandit chief’s body and leaving Zhao Long dead.

• Chen Fan ignored Zhao De’s letter, left the mountain, and rode home with Zhang San and Li Si.
• Wang Chong released a red-cloth-marked carrier pigeon toward Black Wind Mountain, hoping Zhao Long would not survive.
• Black Wind Baleful Intent’s bandits ambushed the carriage, killed the driver, Zhang San, and Li Si, and confronted Chen Fan.
• Black Wind Baleful Intent swung his saber at Chen Fan, triggering Death-Substitution Rebirth and transferring Chen Fan into the chief’s body.
• Chen Fan, now in Black Wind Baleful Intent’s body, surveyed the bandits and remarked that Zhao Long’s death was a shame.

Chen Fan awakened in the body of Black Wind Baleful Intent, an eighth-grade bandit chief, after Zhao Long was killed. He killed Wang Chong for betraying him and ordered the bandits to destroy the evidence before returning to Black Wind Mountain.

• Chen Fan absorbed Black Wind Baleful Intent’s memories and learned about the nine grades of the Martial Dao.
• Chen Fan ordered the bandits to collect the valuables and clear away the corpses.
• Wang Chong arrived, celebrated Zhao Long’s death, and claimed his uncle would protect the bandits in exchange for a share of Zhao Long’s wives.
• Chen Fan refused Wang Chong’s demands and killed him with the Gale Saber Technique.
• Chen Fan ordered the bandits to burn the bodies and clean the scene, then led them back to Black Wind Mountain.

Chen Fan settled into his role as Black Wind Baleful Intent after killing Zhao Long, while Zhao De vowed to destroy Black Wind Mountain. At the Zhao residence, Liu Ruyan, Su Qingyu, and Lin Wan'er each reacted differently to Zhao Long’s death, and Lin Wan'er was left uncertain about her feelings.

• Chen Fan inspected Black Wind Mountain’s loot, rallied the bandit chiefs with promises of food and drink, and went to his private chambers.
• Yun Niang warned Chen Fan that the county yamen would retaliate for Zhao Long’s death, but he dismissed the danger and threatened to kill Zhao De too.
• Zhao De learned that Zhao Long had been killed and ordered Zhang Cheng to destroy Black Wind Mountain within three days.
• Liu Ruyan felt the loss of her protector, while Su Qingyu rejoiced that Zhao Long was dead and she was free.
• Lin Wan'er heard of Zhao Long’s death and felt conflicted as she recalled how he had changed before his death.

Chen Fan, posing as Black Wind Baleful Intent, learned that Zhao De was leading more than five hundred county soldiers toward Black Wind Mountain to avenge the Zhao Household. He chose Iron-Armed Monkey’s plan to ambush them at One-Line Sky, then returned to his wives while the attack approached.

• Chen Fan visited his wives Hong'e and Cuiqiao in the stone chamber, where a messenger reported that over five hundred county soldiers were marching on Black Wind Mountain.
• Chen Fan joined Iron-Armed Monkey and Smiling Tiger in the Gathering Hall to decide how to face the soldiers.
• Iron-Armed Monkey proposed ambushing the troops at One-Line Sky and cutting off their retreat, while Smiling Tiger urged the bandits to defend the mountain pass and wait them out.
• Chen Fan chose Iron-Armed Monkey’s ambush plan and left the other leaders to arrange the remaining preparations.
• Chen Fan returned to Hong'e and Cuiqiao and resumed their intimacy as the women worried that Zhao De might attack the mountain.

Chen Fan watched Black Wind Mountain's bandits repel the county soldiers' first assault, then examined Black Wind Baleful Intent's martial abilities. The government troops camped at the mountain's foot instead of retreating, setting up a continued siege.

• Chen Fan woke beside Hong'e and Cuiqiao as Iron-Armed Monkey reported that the government troops had begun attacking the mountain.
• Chen Fan ordered Iron-Armed Monkey to follow the plan, and bandits ambushed the advancing county soldiers at One-Line Sky with boulders, logs, and arrows.
• The surviving county soldiers retreated after leaving over a hundred bodies, and Chen Fan returned to the stone chamber to study his martial cultivation and the Gale Saber Technique.
• Smiling Tiger told Chen Fan that the government troops had camped at the foot of Black Wind Mountain and did not intend to leave.

Chen Fan ordered Black Wind Mountain to hold out against Zhao De’s attrition campaign while he trained in the rear hall. After Zhang Shan of Azure Yang Temple appeared to avenge Zhao Long, Chen Fan realized the young martial artist he had once helped had come to kill him.

• Chen Fan ordered the bandits to guard the mountain pass and endure Zhao De’s siege, while Smiling Tiger worried about their dwindling supplies.
• Zhao De launched repeated attacks over half a month, killing many bandits even as the soldiers suffered heavier losses.
• Chen Fan practiced the Gale Saber Technique and strengthened his internal power, though he judged that Black Wind Baleful Intent’s average Root Bone made a breakthrough unlikely.
• Iron-Armed Monkey reported that a young man in Daoist robes had killed three scouts with a single sword strike and threatened to avenge Zhao Long.
• Chen Fan learned the attacker was Zhang Shan of Azure Yang Temple, the gifted young man to whom he had given a breathing technique manual.

Zhang Shan hunted the bandits of Black Wind Mountain to avenge Zhao Long, but Chen Fan intervened when the wounded Daoist was surrounded. After hearing why Zhang Shan felt indebted to Zhao Long, Chen Fan let him go, leaving Zhang Shan stunned by words Zhao Long had once spoken.

• Chen Fan learned that Zhang Shan of Azure Yang Temple had come to Black Wind Mountain to avenge Zhao Long and warned Iron-Armed Monkey not to underestimate him.
• Over two days, Zhang Shan killed and injured bandits around the mountain, prompting Iron-Armed Monkey to order a search of the back mountain.
• Zhang Shan fought nearly thirty bandits, but his wounds and limited strength left him close to death.
• Chen Fan drove the bandits away and asked Zhang Shan what Zhao Long had been like.
• Zhang Shan explained that Zhao Long had saved him, given him shelter, and taught him a Cultivation Method, so he felt bound to repay the kindness.
• Chen Fan let Zhang Shan leave, saying, "I only seek a clear conscience," and Zhang Shan recognized the words as ones Zhao Long had once said.

After the soldiers withdrew from Black Wind Mountain, Chen Fan ordered his bandits to rob wealthy households while protecting poor villagers and giving refugees half the grain they took. The bandits accepted his rule under threat of his strength, and Chen Fan prepared to put his own principles into practice.

• Zhang Shan wondered why the bandit chief had used the same words as Zhao Long, then left the bloody forest for Azure Yang Temple.
• The soldiers withdrew to the county town after Zhao De learned that Zhao Long's three wives had fled with their valuables.
• Black Wind Mountain celebrated its victory, though the bandits had suffered heavy losses and were nearly out of food.
• Smiling Tiger and Iron-Armed Monkey urged Chen Fan to raid nearby villages and take grain, silver, and women.
• Chen Fan announced that the bandits would target wealthy, wicked households, leave poor commoners untouched, and give half the stolen grain to refugees.
• Chen Fan silenced Iron-Armed Monkey's objections by placing his saber on the man's shoulder and declaring that his word was law.