Chapter Summaries

Xiao Li told Xiao Yan that the Misty Cloud Sect had attacked the Xiao Family and Desert Iron Mercenary Group, while mysterious shadowy attackers searched for the Family Jade. Hai Bodong had rescued the surviving family members, and Xiao Yan was left determined to avenge them while keeping the Tou She Ancient God Jade safe.

• Xiao Yu told Xiao Yan that Xiao Li had arrived at Jia Nan Academy badly injured and had warned that the Xiao Family was in trouble.
• Xiao Li woke and explained that Misty Cloud Sect forces had slaughtered members of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group and devastated the Xiao Family.
• Xiao Yan tried to rush back to the Jia Ma Empire, but Xiao Heng restrained him and persuaded him not to face Yun Shan while unprepared.
• Xiao Li revealed that mysterious attackers used iron chains to seize Xiao Family members and that the Great Elder had ordered them to protect the Family Jade.
• Xiao Yan realized the shadowy attackers were from the Soul Hall and that they sought the Tou She Ancient God Jade.
• Xiao Li said Hai Bodong had rescued the surviving Xiao Family members and that the Mittel Family had sheltered them; he and Xiao Yan vowed to avenge their family.

Xiao Heng left Jia Nan Academy to buy medicinal ingredients in Black Seal City and refined a Sixth-grade Pill in the Thousand Medicine Workshop. His cauldron exploded, but he saved the Emerald Pill, then confronted Li Xuan, who asked him to make a pill.

• Xiao Heng left Xiao Yan and Xiao Li to talk and traveled to Black Seal City to buy medicinal ingredients.
• Xiao Heng used his high-grade token at the Thousand Medicine Workshop, requested ingredients and an alchemy room, and asked about Sixth-Tier Magic Cores.
• Xiao Heng refined a Sixth-grade Pill while Li Xuan waited outside the alchemy room.
• Xiao Heng's Medicine Cauldron shattered, but he preserved the Emerald Pill despite losing some of its medicinal potency.
• Xiao Heng emerged from the room and rebuffed Li Xuan's flirtation before she admitted she wanted him to make a pill.
• Xiao Heng gave Li Xuan a fourth-grade Body Protection Pill, leaving her dissatisfied with the offer.

Xiao Heng traded a Sixth-grade healing pill for a fire-attributed Sixth-Tier Magic Core and sought a rare six-mouthed Medicine Cauldron from Li Xuan. He discovered her attempt to use aphrodisiac incense and wine to seduce him, then forced her to stay and drink with him, leaving her trapped in her own scheme.

• Li Xuan gave Xiao Heng a Sixth-Tier Magic Core, and he exchanged it for an Evergreen Spirit Fire Pill.
• Li Xuan tried to keep Xiao Heng by offering him a six-mouthed Medicine Cauldron, and he agreed to follow her to retrieve it.
• Li Xuan lit Dragon Incense Grass and prepared wine containing Snake Saliva Fruit, but Xiao Heng recognized the substances and understood her plan.
• Xiao Heng insisted that Li Xuan remain and drink with him, blocking her attempts to leave while the maids served the meal.
• Xiao Heng sent the maids away, drank a cup of the spiked wine, and watched Li Xuan reluctantly drink hers.

Xiao Heng turned Li Xuan’s attempt to drug him against her, and the two spent the night together after she succumbed to the medicine. The next day, Li Xuan woke conflicted about what happened and asked Xiao Heng to feed her.

• Li Xuan tried to leave after drinking, but Xiao Heng added Joyful Fruit Seed Powder to her wine and urged her to keep drinking.
• Li Xuan’s medicine took effect, and Xiao Heng stopped her from fleeing and revealed that he knew she had drugged the wine.
• Li Xuan offered Xiao Heng the Six-mouthed Cauldron, then pulled him close and kissed him; Xiao Heng drew the curtains, and they spent the day together.
• Xiao Heng dressed and washed up while Li Xuan slept, then waited for her to wake.
• Li Xuan confronted Xiao Heng but hesitated to kill him, and she asked him to feed her porridge.
• Xiao Heng carried a bowl of porridge to the bedside and helped Li Xuan sit up.

Xiao Heng and Li Xuan grew closer while he stayed at the Thousand Medicine Workshop, but Xiao Heng eventually told her he had to leave to complete his elder’s trial against Huang Hua. He departed with the Medicine Cauldron Li Xuan gave him, leaving her watching from the window.

• Xiao Heng fed Li Xuan porridge, let her remove his mask, and told her he trusted her as his first woman.
• Xiao Heng cared for Li Xuan as she recovered, and their intimacy continued over the following days.
• Xiao Heng told Li Xuan he had to leave and revealed that Huang Hua was a trial set for him by one of his elders.
• Li Xuan urged Xiao Heng to cultivate and accepted his departure, then offered him a Medicine Cauldron in exchange for satisfying her.
• Xiao Heng left the Thousand Medicine Workshop with the Medicine Cauldron while Li Xuan watched him disappear down the street.

Xiao Heng and Xiao Yan witnessed the Fallen Heart Flame riot in the Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower, where the elders eventually suppressed it. Su Qian warned them to keep the incident secret and asked them to help if the academy faced further trouble, while Xiao Yan admitted he wanted the flame.

• Xiao Yan returned to the Inner Academy and began winning five challenges a day while Xiao Heng cultivated in the tower.
• The Fallen Heart Flame struck the tower, prompting an evacuation as Xiao Heng, Xiao Yan, and Lin Yan left their cultivation rooms.
• The elders suppressed the flame, and Su Qian told Xiao Heng and Xiao Yan to keep what they had seen secret and asked for their help if the situation worsened.
• Su Qian praised Xiao Heng and Xiao Yan and promised rewards if they helped suppress the flame; both agreed to do what they could.
• As they left to prepare for the tournament in four days, Xiao Heng asked Xiao Yan if he wanted the Fallen Heart Flame, and Xiao Yan admitted that he did.

Xiao Heng told Xiao Yan that they would compete for the Fallen Heart Flame on their own merits, while both prepared for the Strong Ranking Tournament. Troubled by how to seize the flame inside the academy, Xiao Heng bargained with Little Grass for resources and received cultivation fruits and a Condensing Ice Fruit.

• Xiao Heng told Xiao Yan he also wanted the Fallen Heart Flame, and Xiao Yan agreed they would each rely on their own abilities.
• Xiao Yan learned from Old Yao that Xiao Heng had likely discovered him long ago, then refocused on the Strong Ranking Tournament in four days.
• Xiao Heng considered the difficulties of subduing the Fallen Heart Flame inside Jia Nan Academy and asked Little Grass for help.
• Little Grass admitted he had removed the system panel and taken away Xiao Heng's Heavenly Dao Points, so Xiao Heng demanded compensation.
• Little Grass agreed to provide Dou Qi boosts, help with fusing a Heavenly Flame and a cultivation method, and give Xiao Heng twenty cultivation fruits and a Condensing Ice Fruit.
• Little Grass explained that the Condensing Ice Fruit could suppress flame damage for up to half an hour, and Xiao Heng asked how long it would work against his current flame.

Xiao Heng cultivated with the fruit Little Grass gave him, then joined Pan Men as the Inner Academy's Strong Ranking Tournament began. Su Qian opened the tournament by calling the Strong Ranking participants into the arena.

• Xiao Heng accepted Little Grass's fruit, suspected their contract bound her to follow rules, and began cultivating with the pure energy it provided.
• Four days later, Xiao Heng, Xiao Yan, Xun Er, and Pan Men gathered at the central plaza as thousands awaited the tournament.
• Xiao Heng and Xiao Yan exchanged boasts with their friends, while Xiao Yan and Lin Xiuya discussed their hopes of reaching the top ten and advancing toward the Dou Wang realm.
• Lin Xiuya and Yan Hao revealed that the beast and valuable item they had sought in the mountains were gone, and Xiao Yan concealed his relief that they did not suspect him.
• Liu Qing acknowledged Xiao Heng before the elders arrived, and Su Qian quieted the crowd and summoned the Strong Ranking participants into the arena.

The Strong Ranking Tournament began with contestants drawing lots, and Xiao Heng drew Zhao Ziyang while Xiao Yan was matched against Bai Cheng again. The second match paired a boastful dark horse with Zi Yan, whose opponent underestimated her as she took the platform.

• Liu Qing, Lin Xiuya, Xiao Yan, Xiao Heng, and Zi Yan arrived at the tournament platform as the crowd watched.
• Su Qian warned the contestants against killing blows and explained that matching numbers on blue-backed and red-backed slips determined opponents.
• Xiao Yan drew Bai Cheng as his opponent, while Xiao Heng drew Zhao Ziyang, ranked sixth on the Strong Ranking.
• Su Qian randomly selected the first match, and the contestant with the Wood Attribute won after a close fight.
• Su Qian selected number twenty-eight for the second match, pairing a boastful dark horse with Zi Yan.
• The dark horse laughed and promised to go easy on Zi Yan, while Xiao Heng, Xiao Yan, Lin Xiuya, Liu Qing, and the others reacted with concern for him.

Zi Yan defeated Bei Jue with a single strike and left the arena after joking with Xiao Heng and Lin Xiuya. Xiao Yan and Bai Cheng began their match, and Bai Cheng unleashed his Blood Ground Eight Cracks as their battle intensified.

• Zi Yan asked Su Qian to start her match, then shattered Bei Jue’s Dou Qi Armor and struck him down with one blow.
• Su Qian declared Zi Yan the winner, and Zi Yan returned to Xiao Heng before leaving the plaza.
• Lin Xiuya asked Xiao Heng to speak to Zi Yan so she would not embarrass him if they met in the competition.
• Su Qian announced the fourth match, and Xiao Yan and Bai Cheng exchanged rapid blows with a ruler and spear.
• Bai Cheng increased his strength with a secret technique, then used Blood Ground Eight Cracks to send eight blood-red arcs toward Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan defeated Bai Cheng with his flame armor and a decisive punch, while Xiao Heng prepared to face Zhao Ziyang in the Strong Ranking competition. Zhao Ziyang asked to test himself against the sword strike Xiao Heng had used to defeat Liu Qing.

• Xiao Yan survived Bai Cheng's attacks, melted his spear with a wall of fire, and knocked him off the platform with Eight Extremes Collapse.
• Su Qian declared Xiao Yan the winner and warned the competitors against using excessive force.
• Xiao Yan reunited with Xun Er and spoke with Xiao Heng about their long road ahead and the ambition they shared.
• Liu Qing and Lin Xiuya each won their matches with ease before Xiao Heng was called to the platform for the twenty-fifth match.
• Zhao Ziyang admitted he was no match for Xiao Heng but asked to experience the sword strike Xiao Heng had used against Liu Qing, and Xiao Heng agreed.

Xiao Heng defeated Zhao Ziyang with a casual sword strike in the final match, impressing the spectators and elders before the first day of the competition ended. That night, he refined a seven-colored pill in his cultivation room as he prepared for the next day’s matches.

• Xiao Heng’s sword gleam shattered Zhao Ziyang’s Earth-Splitting Cleave, narrowly spared him, and was intercepted by Su Qian before it could hit the audience.
• Zhao Ziyang accepted his defeat, thanked Xiao Heng for what he had gained from their fight, and offered him a favor.
• Su Qian declared Xiao Heng the winner, while Lin Xiuya, Liu Qing, and Xiao Yan watched with renewed resolve to improve.
• Xiao Heng joked with Hu Jia and spoke with Lin Xiuya and the others before Su Qian ended the day’s matches.
• Xiao Heng returned to his cultivation room and refined a seven-colored pill using his Six-mouthed Cauldron.

The second day of the Strong Ranking Tournament began, and Xiao Heng, Wu Hao, and Xiao Yan each fought their matches. Xiao Yan defeated Yao Sheng, while Liu Qing warned Liu Fei to stop provoking Xiao Yan and his group; the tournament continued with Liu Qing taking the stage.

• Su Qian announced that Zi Yan would receive the automatic advancement and began the draw for the second round.
• Xiao Heng defeated Bluebird almost instantly, then returned to the viewing stand while the others teased him about acting bored.
• Wu Hao lost to a stronger opponent after a hard-fought match and accepted that he had done well to reach the second round.
• Xiao Yan broke Yao Sheng's Black Water Realm and defeated him with Eight Extremes Collapse.
• Liu Qing rebuked Liu Fei for cursing Xiao Yan and ordered her not to provoke Xiao Yan and his group again.
• Xun Er discussed Liu Qing and Lin Xiuya's strength with Xiao Yan before Liu Qing took the stage, while Xiao Heng and the others complained about Xiao Yan and Xun Er flirting.

Xun Er visited Xiao Heng before leaving, tested his intentions, and asked him to support Xiao Yan; Xiao Heng initially rejected her parting gift but later discovered it was a valuable Earth-tier High Grade sword technique. The next morning, Xiao Heng and the others arrived for the Strong Ranking Tournament’s final battles to determine the top ten.

• After the second round of the tournament ended, Xun Er visited Xiao Heng and questioned him about the Tou She Ancient God Jade and his origins.
• Xiao Heng assured Xun Er that he meant no harm to Xiao Yan, recognized Ling Ying in the shadows, and rebuked them for testing him.
• Xun Er apologized, asked Xiao Heng to support Xiao Yan, and offered him a scroll before leaving with Ling Ying.
• Xiao Heng later opened the scroll and found the Earth-tier High Grade Soaring Dragon Sword Art.
• The next morning, Xiao Heng and the other contestants arrived at the packed plaza for the Strong Ranking Tournament’s final battles.

Xiao Heng treated Zi Yan’s bruises after she and Bear Two were injured fighting a powerful magical beast, then promised to join her on a future expedition. At the Strong Ranking Tournament, the drawing paired Xiao Heng against Lin Xiuya for a place in the top ten.

• Zi Yan told Xiao Heng that she and Bear Two had fought a Dou Emperor-level magical beast over a spiritual herb, and Xiao Heng treated her bruises and gave her a Fifth Grade Pill.
• Xiao Heng warned Zi Yan not to take Bear Two on dangerous outings, then agreed to accompany her on a future trip.
• Lin Xiuya met Xiao Heng and Xiao Yan before the tournament draw, while Zi Yan threatened to beat him if they faced each other.
• Su Qian announced that thirteen contestants remained and drew Lin Xiuya and Xiao Heng to compete for a top ten spot.
• The arena erupted as Xiao Heng and Lin Xiuya prepared to face each other.

Su Qian’s final draws paired Xiao Yan with Liu Qing and Lin Xiuya with Xiao Heng, and the first match began. Xiao Heng’s display revealed that he had reached the Dou Wang realm, leaving the spectators and rivals awed as he faced Lin Xiuya.

• Su Qian drew the final names, pairing Xiao Yan against Liu Qing and Lin Xiuya against Xiao Heng.
• Yan Hao teased Lin Xiuya about his bad luck, while Han Yue worried over the difficult matches awaiting her friends.
• Su Qian announced Lin Xiuya versus Xiao Heng as the first match, and both fighters entered the arena.
• Xiao Heng drew his sword and released a powerful aura that led Su Qian and the elders to recognize his breakthrough to Dou Wang.
• Xiao Yan and Liu Qing watched Xiao Heng’s strength with determination, while Xun Er comforted Xiao Yan.

Xiao Heng defeated Lin Xiuya in a one-strike sword duel, and Su Qian declared him the winner. Zi Yan’s next opponent, Qin Zhen, withdrew by claiming he had a stomachache, leaving her disappointed.

• Xiao Heng and Lin Xiuya agreed to decide their match with one move, and each unleashed a powerful sword technique.
• Xiao Heng’s sword light overwhelmed Lin Xiuya’s Azure Roaring Sword Qi, and Su Qian stopped the attack before it could hit him.
• Lin Xiuya admitted defeat, and Su Qian announced Xiao Heng as the victor.
• Yan Hao reminded Lin Xiuya that Xiao Heng might have advanced to Dou Wang, giving Lin Xiuya hope of fighting him again after cultivating.
• Zi Yan took the stage, but Qin Zhen withdrew, saying his stomach hurt, and she returned to Xiao Heng disappointed.

Xiao Yan fought Liu Qing for the final place in the top ten, using his Azure Flame Armor and fire lotus to force Liu Qing to reveal the Mountain Splitting Spear. The two then launched Earth Grade Combat Skills at each other, leaving the match’s outcome undecided.

• Su Qian announced that Xiao Yan and Liu Qing would compete for the final top-ten spot after Qin Zhen conceded.
• Xiao Yan and Liu Qing exchanged attacks, and Liu Qing blocked Xiao Yan’s heavy ruler before the two clashed with their signature techniques.
• Xiao Yan used Azure Flame Armor to endure Liu Qing’s claws, then detonated a fire lotus that devastated the Arena and forced Liu Qing to draw the Mountain Splitting Spear.
• Liu Qing and Xiao Yan agreed to decide the match with one move, each promising to concede the top-ten place if he lost.
• Liu Qing unleashed Great Rock Split as Xiao Yan countered with Flame Splitting Wave Ruler, and their attacks collided.

After Xiao Yan and Liu Qing's battle ended in a draw, Xiao Heng gave Xiao Yan a Sixth-grade Pill to help him recover. Xiao Heng and Zi Yan then found Bear Two advancing and waited nearby as Zi Yan predicted he would succeed.

• Xiao Yan and Liu Qing's clash exploded, leaving both fighters unconscious and outside the arena.
• A bloodied arm rose, and Su Qian declared the match a draw, sending both Xiao Yan and Liu Qing into the top ten.
• The Strong Ranking was finalized with Zi Yan first, Xiao Heng second, and Yan Hao third.
• Xiao Heng gave Xun Er a Sixth-grade Pill for Xiao Yan, then left with Zi Yan to visit the injured Bear Two.
• Xiao Heng and Zi Yan reached Bear Two's home and found him absorbing energy as he advanced.
• Zi Yan assured Xiao Heng that Bear Two's minor advancement would succeed, and the two sat nearby to wait.

Bear Two completed his breakthrough, devastating his courtyard, and Xiao Heng and Zi Yan arranged for the academy to repair it. They planned to investigate a sixth-tier magical beast the next day, while Xiao Heng tried to keep Bear Two—and Zi Yan—from wrecking his home.

• Bear Two emerged from his breakthrough with strength near peak Dou Wang and eagerly proposed fighting a sixth-tier magical beast with Zi Yan.
• Xiao Heng postponed their expedition until the next day so Bear Two could consolidate his cultivation and the courtyard damage could be reported.
• Zi Yan brought a white-haired elder to inspect the ruins, and Xiao Heng gave him a jade bottle in exchange for handling the repairs.
• Zi Yan invited Bear Two to stay at the Great Elder's residence, where Bear Two had previously broken a vase, so Xiao Heng instead offered him a place to stay.
• Zi Yan insisted on going to Xiao Heng's home, pounced on him when he refused, and left two rows of teeth marks on his wrist.