Chapter Summaries

Xiao Heng settled into his new Inner Academy courtyard, reunited with Bear Two, and cared for the seven-colored snake before recovering his strength. He planned to explore the Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower and improve his cultivation, but his empty system resources left those upgrades out of reach for now.

• Xiao Heng admired the courtyard’s flowers, cleaned and tended the grounds, and chose the upstairs room with the prettiest daisies.
• Bear Two told Xiao Heng that Su Qian had assigned him a nearby courtyard and given him a Green Fire Crystal Card with five hundred points.
• Xiao Heng promised to take Bear Two to the Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower the next day, then declined Bear Two’s offer to stay at his larger courtyard.
• The seven-colored snake emerged, ate Companion Purple Gold Source, drank Green Wind Liquid, and returned to sleep.
• Xiao Heng recovered his Dou Qi on the Cold Jade Bed and checked his system panel, finding himself at Four-Star Dou Ling with only ten Heavenly Dao Points and no upgrade points.

Xiao Heng and Bear Two arrived early at the Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower, where Xiao Heng clashed briefly with members of the White Gang before Xiao Yan arrived and made him Pan Men’s vice leader. When the tower opened, Xiao Heng sensed the Fallen Heart Flame sealed below and led the others inside.

• Xiao Yan named the freshman faction Pan Men, made himself its leader, and appointed the absent Xiao Heng as vice leader.
• Xiao Heng and Bear Two waited at the tower, where Yang Jie confronted them for occupying the White Gang’s usual spot, but Bai Cheng stopped him from escalating the dispute.
• Xiao Yan and Wu Hao arrived, and Xiao Heng accepted the vice-leader position in Pan Men.
• Xiao Heng warned Xiao Yan, Wu Hao, and Bear Two not to panic when they encountered Heart Fire and to let their Dou Qi pass through it.
• The tower gates opened, and Xiao Heng recognized the aura of the Fallen Heart Flame before leading Bear Two, Xiao Yan, and Wu Hao inside.

Xiao Heng and Bear Two entered the Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower, but the first floor’s heart flame proved too weak for Xiao Heng’s cultivation. After bribing the instructor with Ice Heart Pills and demonstrating his strength, Xiao Heng secured permission for them to descend to the lower floors.

• Xiao Yan and Wu Hao recovered from the heart flame, thanked Xiao Heng, and decided to return while Xiao Heng and Bear Two entered the tower.
• Xiao Heng and Bear Two cultivated in intermediate-level rooms, but Xiao Heng found the first floor’s heart flame too weak to be useful.
• Xiao Heng led Bear Two toward the second floor, but the instructor stopped them and reminded Xiao Heng that new students had to remain on the first floor for a week.
• Xiao Heng offered the instructor a bottle of third-tier Ice Heart Pills and argued that his Dou Ling strength made first-floor cultivation ineffective.
• The instructor accepted the pills and allowed Xiao Heng and Bear Two to descend after Bear Two revealed the aura of a fifth-tier magical beast.

After cultivating in the Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower, Xiao Heng visited Pan Men and learned that the White Gang had threatened its members. He decided to confront Bai Cheng and set out with Pan Men, viewing the fight as his first step toward climbing the Strong Ranking.

• Xiao Heng cultivated on the tower's third level for several days before leaving when the sealed darkness became unbearable.
• Xiao Heng visited Pan Men and learned that the White Gang had threatened the faction, leading Xiao Yan to make a six-month agreement with them.
• Xiao Heng decided to deal with the White Gang, and Xun Er and Wu Hao supported his confidence despite Hu Jia's concerns about Bai Cheng's six-star Dou Ling strength.
• Xiao Heng gathered Pan Men members and set out to confront the White Gang while Xiao Yan remained in cultivation.

Xiao Heng led Pan Men to confront the White Gang over its earlier bullying, despite the six-month agreement. He challenged Bai Cheng, and their battle began as Pan Men withdrew to safety.

• Hu Jia and Xun Er gathered Pan Men’s members, and Xiao Heng led the group toward the White Gang’s headquarters.
• Onlookers followed Pan Men, and Xiao Heng’s group arrived at the White Gang’s gate, where Wu Hao grew angry at the guard’s rude response.
• Bai Shan came out and recognized Xiao Heng, who told him to summon Bai Cheng and the White Gang’s members.
• Bai Cheng confronted Xiao Heng and questioned his relationship with Xiao Yan; Xiao Heng identified Xiao Yan as his younger brother and demanded that Bai Cheng attack.
• Bai Cheng charged Xiao Heng with his spear, while Xun Er ordered Pan Men to retreat from the coming battle.

Xiao Heng used his speed, swordsmanship, and flame attacks to fight Bai Cheng, an earth-attributed Strong Ranking expert, and gained the advantage despite Bai Cheng’s formidable defense. When the White Gang joined the fight, Hu Jia rallied Pan Men to counter them, leaving Xiao Heng facing a gang battle as well as Bai Cheng.

• Xiao Heng dodged Bai Cheng’s spear and pressured him with rapid sword attacks, drawing blood across Bai Cheng’s face.
• Bai Cheng increased his speed and counterattacked, but Xiao Heng escaped with Wind Thunder Force and engulfed Bai Cheng in purple flames.
• Xiao Heng evaded Bai Cheng’s spear barrage, and the attack instead collapsed a stone wall behind him.
• Xiao Heng continued dodging Bai Cheng and cutting him, while the spectators and Pan Men watched Bai Cheng get driven back.
• White Gang members charged into the battle, so Hu Jia ordered Pan Men to attack as well.
• Xiao Heng accused Bai Cheng of having no shame, then retreated from him and dodged another attack.

Xiao Heng led Pan Men against the White Gang and defeated Bai Cheng after overwhelming the gang’s fighters. Bai Cheng conceded, and Xiao Heng departed with Pan Men as the spectators recognized his strength.

• Bai Cheng and a young man in white attacked Xiao Heng while the White Gang clashed with Pan Men, leaving Wu Hao and the others at risk if the fight dragged on.
• Xiao Heng knocked Bai Cheng’s spear aside, used Wind Thunder Step to wound the young man in white, and forced him to withdraw.
• Xiao Heng pressed Bai Cheng with swift, flame-covered sword strikes and unleashed Breath Sever, leaving Bai Cheng badly injured.
• The White Gang stopped fighting, and Xun Er and Hu Jia ordered Pan Men to cease as well.
• Bai Cheng conceded, and Xiao Heng led Pan Men away while the spectators reacted to his victory.

After Xiao Heng’s defeat of the White Gang, he met with Xiao Yan and the others to discuss Pan Men’s lack of fire energy and proposed earning it by selling pills. The meeting ended with Hu Jia fleeing after Xun Er teased her about her feelings for Xiao Heng, leaving the others curious about their relationship.

• Xiao Heng’s standing in Pan Men rose after he defeated Bai Cheng and helped the new students overcome the White Gang.
• Xiao Heng met Xiao Yan, Xun Er, Wu Hao, and Hu Jia at Pan Men’s headquarters after learning Xiao Yan had returned.
• Xun Er raised the problem of Pan Men’s dwindling fire energy, and Xiao Heng suggested selling pills to earn more.
• Xiao Yan agreed to take charge of pill refining after Xiao Heng revealed that he was a Fifth-grade Alchemist and redirected responsibility to him.
• Xun Er teased Hu Jia about her connection with Xiao Heng, and Hu Jia denied having feelings for him before running upstairs and slamming the door.

Xiao Heng left Pan Men after demonstrating his strength, then visited the Inner Academy market to stock up on medicinal ingredients and other items. Back in his underground room, he absorbed the Sixth-Grade Alchemist Inheritance, recovering from the strain before beginning to organize its knowledge.

• Xiao Heng kicked Wu Hao out of the pavilion, and Xiao Yan admitted that he still lagged behind Xiao Heng while vowing to catch up.
• Xiao Heng realized he needed medicinal ingredients and decided to learn the Sixth-Grade Alchemist Inheritance with help from the system.
• Xiao Heng bought medicinal ingredients, cultivation methods, and Dou Techniques at the Inner Academy market, though he found few high-grade ingredients.
• Xiao Heng returned to his courtyard, prepared his underground cultivation room, and absorbed the Sixth-Grade Alchemist Inheritance.
• Xiao Heng rested until his Soul Power recovered, then spent two hours organizing the inheritance's alchemy knowledge.

After recovering from the Sixth-Grade Alchemist Inheritance, Xiao Heng refined pills and cultivated for seven days in the Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower. Queen Medusa emerged from the Sky Swallowing Python and demanded a Spirit Fusion Pill, but Xiao Heng insisted she provide the ingredients and treat him as an equal before she returned to snake form.

• Xiao Heng rested, then refined pills with his improved alchemy skills after absorbing the Sixth-Grade Alchemist Inheritance.
• Xiao Heng cultivated alone on the fifth floor of the Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower for seven days before returning to his courtyard.
• The Sky Swallowing Python transformed into Queen Medusa, who demanded to know where her Spirit Fusion Pill was.
• Xiao Heng warned Medusa against using her soul power to influence him and explained that he still lacked the ingredients needed to refine the pill.
• Medusa restrained her anger after Xiao Heng demanded that she treat him as an equal and cautioned her against threatening him.
• Medusa promised to remember his help if he refined the pill, then transformed back into the Sky Swallowing Python.

Xiao Heng’s Beast Skin Map entered his mind and continually urged him toward a location in the Black Corner Region, disrupting his cultivation. After deciding to investigate, he asked Xiao Yan for help leaving Jia Nan Academy, and they went to find an elder for advice.

• Xiao Heng fed the Sky Swallowing Python and practiced swordsmanship, then sensed a call from the Beast Skin Map.
• Following the system’s advice, Xiao Heng dripped blood onto the map, causing it to turn into white light and enter his mind with a new map of the Black Corner Region.
• Xiao Heng found that the map’s flashing disrupted his cultivation, so he decided to travel to its marked destination despite the risks.
• Xiao Heng told Xiao Yan that he planned to investigate, and Xiao Yan offered to accompany him, but Xiao Heng declined.
• Xiao Heng and Xiao Yan realized they needed permission to leave the Inner Academy and went to seek an elder’s advice.

Xiao Heng asked Elder Liu and Great Elder Su Qian for help with a mysterious map that had reacted and entered his body. Su Qian could not solve the problem but approved Xiao Heng’s leave request, leaving Xiao Yan worried and offering to accompany him.

• Xiao Heng asked Elder Liu how to take leave from the Inner Academy because of a cultivation problem.
• Xiao Heng explained that a map he had obtained reacted and entered his body, but he could neither draw nor describe it clearly.
• Elder Liu brought Xiao Heng and Xiao Yan to meet Great Elder Su Qian, who believed the map might be connected to a ruin and could be either a blessing or a calamity.
• Su Qian said the map had not harmed Xiao Heng and approved his leave through Elder Liu, while allowing academy members to help voluntarily.
• After they left, Xiao Yan worried about Xiao Heng and asked if he could go with him.

Xiao Heng left Jia Nan Academy alone to pursue an unknown opportunity and traveled east through the rain. He took shelter in a ruined house, where Lin Jie and his companions reluctantly allowed him inside after his sister intervened.

• Xiao Heng told Xiao Yan and Elder Liu that he intended to travel alone, and Elder Liu offered to send him out on a griffin.
• Xiao Heng asked Xiao Yan to tell Bear Two that he would be away, then left Jia Nan Academy and headed east.
• Xiao Heng stopped for the night when rain began and found a dilapidated house with three people inside.
• The bearded guard, Xue Bai, and Lin Jie warned Xiao Heng to leave, while Xiao Heng prepared to defend himself.
• Lin Jie's young sister asked him to let Xiao Heng stay, and Lin Jie agreed after sensing Xiao Heng's strength.

Xiao Heng sheltered from the rain in a ruined house with Xiao Yi, her brother Lin Jie, and Uncle Xue, a group fleeing the Huang Family. After refusing to sell them meat, he gave hungry Xiao Yi several buns and left the others to fend for themselves.

• Xiao Heng sat apart from Xiao Yi, Lin Jie, and Uncle Xue in the ruined house and roasted Fifth-tier Magical Beast meat over his Heavenly Flames.
• Lin Jie gave Xiao Yi and Uncle Xue their last fruits while they watched Xiao Heng's meal hungrily, and he refused Uncle Xue's suggestion to hunt in the rain.
• Uncle Xue asked Xiao Heng to sell them meat, but Xiao Heng rebuked him and refused Lin Jie's more polite offer to buy supplies.
• Xiao Heng took pity on Xiao Yi and offered her meat buns, but told her to eat them herself rather than share them with Lin Jie and Uncle Xue.
• Xiao Yi ate the buns gratefully, then sat quietly while Xiao Heng meditated.

Xiao Heng warned Lin Jie, Xue Hua, and Xiao Yi that armed pursuers were approaching, but Huang Ping’s group surrounded them before they could escape. As Huang Ping ordered an attack, Xiao Heng prepared to defend himself while remaining wary of being drawn into the fight.

• A black-clothed scout reported to the Gray-clothed Young Master that Lin Jie, Xiao Yi, and the injured Xue Hua were sheltering in a ruined house, and Elder Wang promised he could defeat Xue Hua.
• Xiao Heng sensed the pursuers’ killing intent and urged Lin Jie, Xiao Yi, and Xue Hua to flee, but more than a dozen enemies sealed off the courtyard.
• Xue Hua attacked the pursuers to cover the others’ escape, but a second Dou Wang blocked their path and sent them flying back into the courtyard.
• The Gray-clothed Young Master entered and taunted Xiao Yi, while Lin Jie cursed Huang Ping and vowed to avenge his family.
• Huang Ping threatened Xiao Heng but offered to compensate him if he stayed out of the conflict; Xiao Heng scanned the attackers and quietly readied himself.
• After Lin Jie refused to surrender, Huang Ping ordered his men to attack.

Xiao Heng intervened after Lin Jie was overwhelmed while protecting his sister, whose Earth Grade cultivation method and combat skill had been exposed. As Xue Hua tried to recover and hold off a Dou Wang, Xiao Heng fought the Wang Family attackers, and the elder grew greedy for Xiao Heng’s movement technique.

• The Gray-Robed Youth’s group attacked Lin Jie and his sister, while the elder blocked Xue Hua from helping them.
• Lin Jie’s Golden Yuan Shield broke under the Gray-Robed Youth’s Golden Spinning Stab, and Lin Jie threw his sister to Xiao Heng before being buried beneath the ruins.
• After learning the girl possessed an Earth Grade Cultivation Method and combat skill, Xiao Heng drew his sword and agreed to fight; Xue Hua took Xiao Heng’s pills and rushed to help Lin Jie.
• Xiao Heng evaded attacks from the elder and killed a black-clothed man before charging the Gray-Robed Youth.
• The elder recognized Xiao Heng’s remarkable movement skill and became determined to defeat him quickly and claim it.

Xiao Heng joined Xue Hua’s fight against the attackers and used his speed and sword techniques to protect Lin Xiao Yi while cutting through the enemy forces. He unleashed the Immortal Slaying Sword Art’s Nine Strikes across the courtyard, leaving everyone below engulfed in flames, Thunder, and Sword Qi.

• Xiao Heng revealed his Purple Cloud Wings and fought the Dou Wang attacker until Xue Hua stepped in to hold him back.
• Xiao Heng used Wind Thunder Step and his sword to kill a black-clothed man as the remaining attackers scattered.
• Xiao Heng rescued Lin Xiao Yi from a black-clothed man who tried to attack her, then carried her clear of the other men’s strikes.
• The Gray-Robed Youth ordered his men to attack Xiao Heng and capture Lin Xiao Yi, forcing the scattered fighters to charge together.
• Xiao Heng rose above the courtyard and unleashed the Immortal Slaying Sword Art’s Nine Strikes, sending nine flaming, thunderous swords down on the attackers.

Xiao Heng fought the Dou Wang while Xue Hua rescued Lin Jie and the girl from the burning ruins. Xiao Heng defeated the old man with a concealed sword technique, then landed wounded and reflected on the danger of the battle.

• The old man found the Gray-Robed Youth gravely wounded in the burning courtyard and vowed to kill Xiao Heng and the others.
• Xiao Heng sent Xue Hua to rescue Lin Jie and the girl, then challenged the old man alone.
• Xiao Heng traded blows with the old man, wounded his palm, and used medicinal pills as both fighters considered the danger of a prolonged battle.
• The old man launched Azure Wood Divine Gang Spike, which broke through Xiao Heng's shields before exploding.
• Xiao Heng struck the old man from behind with Immortal Slaying Sword Art, Zongheng, and brought him down.
• Xiao Heng took pills for his wounds and resolved to be more careful after realizing he had underestimated the old man's attack.

Xiao Heng defeated the Dou Wang and received the Lin Family’s Earth Tier cultivation method and combat skill from Lin Xiao Yi. He agreed to escort her, Lin Jie, and Xue Hua partway to safety, then left with them after settling how to divide the attackers’ supplies.

• Xiao Heng gave Lin Jie two medicinal pills after Xue Hua dug him out, and Lin Xiao Yi thanked Xiao Heng for saving them.
• Lin Xiao Yi handed Xiao Heng the Lin Family’s Golden Radiance Nine Heavens Scripture and Golden Radiance Moves Nine Heavens Descent, asking him not to pass them on.
• Lin Xiao Yi asked Xiao Heng to escort them, and he agreed to accompany them for part of the way.
• Xue Hua gave Xiao Heng the attackers’ eleven Storage Rings, and Xiao Heng let them take the medicinal pills and supplies while claiming the cultivation methods and combat skills.
• Xiao Heng urged the group to leave the bloodied battlefield, and Lin Xiao Yi called him Brother Xiao Heng while Xue Hua suspected she had fallen for him.

Xiao Heng led Lin Xiao Yi, Xue Hua, and the injured young man to a concealed streamside refuge after their escape, then sorted through the spoils taken from their pursuers. He gave the group supplies and a healing pill, while Lin Xiao Yi and Xue Hua learned that he was a powerful Alchemist.

• Lin Xiao Yi stumbled during the group's flight, and Xiao Heng caught her, gave her a pill, and carried her on his back.
• Xiao Heng led the group to a secluded stream, where Xue Hua scattered Beast Repelling Powder and everyone rested and ate.
• Xiao Heng broke the seals on the Storage Rings taken from the Black-clothed Men and sorted their contents, giving Xue Hua basic supplies and offering him other items.
• Xue Hua offered Xiao Heng the storage cards and asked for pills to treat the injured young man and himself; Xiao Heng accepted the cards and sorted the pills by their uses.
• Xiao Heng identified a Sixth-grade healing pill and gave it to Xue Hua, who fed it to the injured young man.