Chapter Summaries

Gu Yao arrived to take Gu Xun'er back to the Ancient Clan, then attacked Xiao Yan over his relationship with her. Lin Yuan stopped him, and after Gu Zhen intervened, Gu Yao withdrew; Lin Yuan then prepared to address Gu Yao's attack on a Jia Nan Academy student.

• Gu Yao and the Black Annihilation Army publicly welcomed Gu Xun'er back to the Ancient Clan, drawing attention from Jia Nan Academy.
• Gu Yao rushed toward Pan Gate to attack Xiao Yan, and Gu Xun'er, Gu Zhen, and Ling Quan pursued him.
• Gu Yao's lethal strike at Xiao Yan was blocked by Lin Yuan, who clashed with Gu Yao and injured his palm.
• Gu Xun'er threatened to summon Gu Yuan with a space jade slip, and Gu Zhen warned Gu Yao that another attack would make him an enemy of the Ancient Clan alliance.
• Gu Yao spared Xiao Yan and identified himself, while Xiao Yan vowed to reclaim the humiliation within ten years.
• Lin Yuan declared that he would now deal with Gu Yao for attacking a Jia Nan Academy student.

Lin Yuan challenged Gu Yao to a wagered battle, offering a Venerable Beginning Pill against Gu Yao’s Earth Tier High-Grade Movement Dou Skill, Void Roam. At the Jia Nan Academy back mountain, Lin Yuan gained the upper hand by trapping Gu Yao in his Azure Lotus Separation Fire Formation, and the fight was still underway as Gu Yao’s strength rapidly waned.

• Lin Yuan confronted Gu Yao over his attack on a Jia Nan Academy student and proposed a battle with the Venerable Beginning Pill as his stake.
• Gu Yao accepted the wager and offered his Earth Tier High-Grade Movement Dou Skill, Void Roam, with Gu Xun'er appointed to witness the contest.
• Lin Yuan and Gu Yao traveled to the back mountain, where Lin Yuan turned aside Zi Yan’s offer to fight and prepared to test his strength against Gu Yao.
• Gu Yao used his speed and concealment to launch a surprise attack, but Lin Yuan detected him, caught both his hands, and overwhelmed him with close-range strikes.
• Lin Yuan formed the Azure Lotus Separation Fire Formation around them, suppressing Gu Yao’s icy Dou Qi and steadily turning the fight in his favor.

Lin Yuan fought Gu Yao through fire control, close combat, and spear techniques, forcing the Ancient Clan genius to use his Blood Transformation Technique. As Gu Yao replenished his energy, Lin Yuan judged that the Dou Di Bloodline constrained its users’ physiques and prepared to end the battle.

• Xiao Yan watched Lin Yuan’s fire control and learned from Elder Yao that powerful alchemists with Heavenly Flames could fight with two linked forces.
• Gu Yao used the Blood Transformation Technique to raise his strength by four stars, break Lin Yuan’s flame formation, and attack at close range, but Lin Yuan read his movements and countered him.
• Gu Yao summoned an ice spear and traded spear attacks with Lin Yuan, whose perception and Azure Flame neutralized his techniques.
• Gu Yao absorbed World Energy to replenish his strength while Lin Yuan reasoned that Dou Di Bloodline users avoided body tempering because it could alter their bloodlines and limit their physiques.
• Lin Yuan concluded that he had understood Gu Yao’s foundation and decided it was time to end the battle.

Lin Yuan outmaneuvered Gu Yao’s strongest three-seal attack with Space Concealment, then defeated him with a soul attack and the Sun Radiance Seal. After Gu Xun’er declared Lin Yuan the victor and awarded him the prizes, Lin Yuan invited Gu Zhen to meet him privately that night.

• Gu Yao used the Emperor’s Seal Technique, Three Seals Stacked, to destroy Lin Yuan’s apparent body and blast a mountain peak.
• Gu Yao believed he had won, but Lin Yuan emerged from concealed space and struck him with the Soul Profound Seal.
• Lin Yuan followed with the Sun Radiance Seal, severely injuring Gu Yao and ending his Blood Transformation Technique.
• Gu Xun’er declared Lin Yuan the victor and gave him the Venerable Beginning Pill and Void Roam.
• Gu Yao admitted that he had violated Jia Nan Academy’s rules and apologized, while Gu Zhen urged the Black Annihilation Army to broaden their horizons.
• Lin Yuan quietly invited Gu Zhen to meet him at the back mountain that night.

Lin Yuan completed the first Venerable Beginning Pill and defeated Gu Yao, while Gu Xun'er left Jia Nan Academy after exchanging the agreed treasures. Gu Zhen questioned Xiao Yan about the Tou She Ancient God Jade and Xun'er, then Lin Yuan refined the Demonic Poison Spot and reached late stage Two-Star Dou Sect before preparing to give Xiao Yi Xian something.

• Lin Yuan gave Su Qian the first Venerable Beginning Pill and promised Zi Yan a Form Transformation Pill within two months.
• Gu Xun'er accepted three treasures from Gu Yao, said goodbye to Jia Nan Academy, and flew away; Gu Yao vowed to challenge Lin Yuan again.
• Gu Zhen took Xiao Yan aside, asked about the Xiao Clan's Tou She Ancient God Jade, and told him to forget Xun'er, but Xiao Yan refused.
• Gu Zhen met Ling Ying and asked him to gather their people and provide information about Lin Yuan.
• Lin Yuan refined the Demonic Poison Spot with the Azure Blue Heart Flame, raising his cultivation to late stage Two-Star Dou Sect, then told Xiao Yi Xian he had something for her.

Lin Yuan separated the Demonic Poison Spot’s poison into a lotus seed for Xiao Yi Xian to refine, then recruited Gu Zhen as his Ancient Clan agent to establish a trading channel. Gu Zhen agreed to seek contacts and a foothold in the Central Plains, while Lin Yuan prepared to use alchemy to obtain resources there.

• Lin Yuan extracted the poison from the Demonic Poison Spot into a black lotus seed, and Xiao Yi Xian confirmed it could aid her cultivation.
• Lin Yuan met Gu Zhen in the Inner Academy’s back mountain and offered to help him overcome the Ancient Clan’s bloodline-based hierarchy through cooperation.
• Lin Yuan proposed that Gu Zhen act as his intermediary in the Ancient Clan, trading access to high-grade resources for a share of the profits and pills.
• Gu Zhen accepted and agreed to find potential trading partners, secure a position allowing him to enter the Gu Realm, and establish a base in Yongning City.
• Lin Yuan promised Gu Zhen a Sect Origin Pill and planned to use generous alchemy terms to acquire resources for his coming journey to the Central Plains.

Lin Yuan used Earth Core Soul Marrow to break through to the Spirit Realm in a secluded valley, while Xiao Yi Xian and Zi Yan guarded him. After his soul breakthrough succeeded, he began using its momentum to advance his Dou Qi cultivation.

• Lin Yuan chose a secluded valley and entered a cave to break through, asking Xiao Yi Xian and Zi Yan to protect him.
• Lin Yuan refined the Gastrodia Jade Stone Essence and spent several days finding the right ratio to prepare the Earth Core Soul Marrow with Pill Spirit Sap.
• Lin Yuan drank the prepared Earth Core Soul Marrow and circulated the Heavenly Heart Soul Technique with his Blood Soul, drawing spiritual energy into his soul.
• Xiao Yi Xian sensed Lin Yuan's breakthrough drawing powerful spiritual energy and sent Zi Yan to drive off nearby magical beasts.
• After more than ten days, Lin Yuan's soul left the cave and released overwhelming soul pressure, confirming that he had reached the Spirit Realm.
• Lin Yuan's soul returned to his body, and he began drawing in world energy to use the breakthrough's momentum to advance his Dou Qi cultivation.

Xiao Yan defeated Yan Hao and learned that Lin Yuan had reached the Spirit Realm, while Lin Yuan emerged from seclusion as a three-star Dou Sect. Lin Yuan revealed that he had completed the Heavenly Heart Soul Technique and was nearing the final preparations to resolve Xiao Yi Xian’s Woeful Poison Body.

• Xiao Yan defeated Yan Hao, who agreed to stop interfering in the conflict between Pan Gate and the Medicine Gang.
• Xiao Yan and Liu Qing exchanged challenging looks before a powerful soul pressure from the back mountain revealed Lin Yuan’s breakthrough to the Spirit Realm.
• Elder Yao explained the Soul Realm to Xiao Yan and said Lin Yuan had used Earth Core Soul Marrow to advance.
• Lin Yuan emerged from more than ten days of seclusion as a three-star Dou Sect with a Spirit Realm Soul approaching its middle stage.
• Lin Yuan taught Xiao Yi Xian an improved Heavenly Heart Soul Technique and said she needed to develop her soul and flame-control skills for the Poison Pill Method.
• Lin Yuan said he would finalize the Gathering Fire to Condense Pills method with Senior Yao and promised that Xiao Yi Xian’s Woeful Poison Body could be resolved within a few months.

Lin Yuan refined the Form Transformation Pill for Zi Yan and raised it to Eighth Grade, drawing Three-Colored Pill Lightning at Jia Nan Academy. He used the lightning to strengthen his Earth Demon Puppet before giving Zi Yan the pill and advising her to take it only after he helped condition her energy.

• Lin Yuan used blood and soul power to nurture the embryonic Form Transformation Pill, while Xiao Yi Xian and Zi Yan protected him during the lengthy refinement.
• After five more days, Lin Yuan completed the pill, and its energy summoned an Eighth-Grade thundercloud that grew to three colors.
• Lin Yuan sent his Earth Demon Puppet to withstand the Pill Lightning, strengthening it to Peak Dou Sect and turning half its body gold.
• Lin Yuan captured the sentient Eighth-Grade Form Transformation Pill and explained that its rank had reached the Form Transformation Pill's limit.
• Lin Yuan gave Zi Yan the pill and warned her to wait until he had conditioned her body's energy before taking it.

Lin Yuan shared alchemy and Fallen Heart Flame techniques with Jia Nan Academy, arranged help for Zi Yan and supplies for refining Sect Origin Pills, and prepared to repay those who had helped him. Meanwhile, Qing Lin and Medusa traveled toward the academy, while Protector Xuan learned of Lin Yuan’s talent and ordered his Soul Envoys to monitor him without provoking him before reporting to the Central Plains.

• Lin Yuan gave Elder Huo Seventh Grade Alchemy materials and gave Su Qian notes and a formation for improving the academy’s use of the Fallen Heart Flame.
• Lin Yuan asked Qian Mu and Bai Lie to guard Zi Yan during her secluded advancement and to obtain medicinal ingredients from the Central Plains; he planned to refine four Sect Origin Pills for the academy’s elders and his family.
• Qing Lin and Medusa crossed the Black Domain Great Plains on the Winged Snake King and set out for Jia Nan Academy, eager for Qing Lin to reunite with Lin Yuan and Xiao Yi Xian.
• Protector Xuan received intelligence confirming that Lin Yuan was a Seventh Grade Alchemist who had refined pills that attracted Pill Lightning.
• After learning of Lin Yuan’s strength and achievements, Protector Xuan forbade his Soul Envoys from hostile action and decided to report Lin Yuan to the Central Plains.

After recovering from refining the Form Transformation Pill, Lin Yuan agreed to refine an eighth-grade Bone-Growing Blood-Melting Pill for Venerable Yao in exchange for the Spirit Ascension Method. Venerable Yao also agreed to perfect Lin Yuan’s Method of Gathering Fire to Condense Pills, while Zi Yan learned she would have to wait a week before taking her pill.

• Xiao Yi Xian told Lin Yuan that Venerable Yao had visited with a deal, so Lin Yuan summoned Xiao Yan and his teacher to meet him.
• Xiao Yan defeated Hu Jia and Wu Hao in a sparring match, then went to Lin Yuan’s residence with Venerable Yao.
• Lin Yuan agreed to refine an eighth-grade Bone-Growing Blood-Melting Pill before the Power Ranking Competition, and Venerable Yao gave him the Spirit Ascension Method on the condition that he raise the pill to at least eighth grade four-colored.
• Lin Yuan asked Venerable Yao to study and improve the Method of Gathering Fire to Condense Pills, and Venerable Yao agreed to return with the revised method in a few days.
• Lin Yuan told Xiao Yi Xian he intended to help Venerable Yao revive while keeping their future partnership manageable.
• Lin Yuan examined Zi Yan and told her to wait a week before taking the Form Transformation Pill while he conditioned her with medicinal cuisine.

Xiao Yi Xian refined her first poison pill with Lin Yuan’s guidance, while Lin Yuan later extracted the Heavenly Demon Phoenix’s magic core and bone spikes with Zi Yan’s help. He prepared Zi Yan to advance and asked whether she sensed anything unusual in the lava sea.

• Xiao Yi Xian refined the Woeful Origin Nether Profound Pill, which could threaten a high-rank Dou Sect and help her cultivation rise by one star.
• Lin Yuan instructed Xiao Yi Xian on improving her alchemy and fire control.
• Lin Yuan brought Zi Yan to the lava sea beneath the Heavenly Flame Refining Tower and made her Ice Spirit Jade Liquid.
• Lin Yuan processed the Heavenly Demon Phoenix corpse, but Zi Yan explained how to draw out its magic core energy using its blood and the Heavenly Flame.
• Lin Yuan extracted the quasi-tier 8 magic core and ten bone spikes, promising to forge Zi Yan a pair of gauntlets and asking what she sensed about the lava sea.

Lin Yuan forged adaptive bone-spike gauntlets for Zi Yan and refined a powerful new flight Dou Skill, the Heavenly Phoenix Wings. After giving Zi Yan her gauntlets, he told her he still had one important matter to discuss and revealed an ancient jade slip.

• Lin Yuan warned Zi Yan to stay away from the dangerous Blazing Lizardmen beneath the magma, then forged her a pair of adaptive jade-white gauntlets.
• Lin Yuan extracted and purified the Heavenly Demon Phoenix’s remnant soul, then used it with its bones, blood, and Monster Core to refine the Heavenly Phoenix Wings.
• Lin Yuan strengthened the wings with refined metals, bonded them to himself, and tested their wind-and-thunder flight.
• Lin Yuan told Zi Yan the gauntlets were for her, and she happily accepted them while he cautioned her not to use them casually against people she knew.
• When Zi Yan asked to leave, Lin Yuan said he had one more important matter and brought out an ancient jade slip.

Lin Yuan hid the Tou She Ancient God Jade with Zi Yan’s help, then used Dragon Phoenix Primordial Liquid to break through to mid Four-Star Dou Sect in the magma world. Meanwhile, Medusa arrived at Jia Nan Academy and met Xiao Yi Xian before Lin Yuan emerged from seclusion.

• Lin Yuan and Zi Yan sealed the Tou She Ancient God Jade inside a disguised rock wall and agreed that Zi Yan would remember its location.
• After Zi Yan left, Lin Yuan refined Dragon Phoenix Primordial Liquid and began cultivating in the magma sea to break through.
• Medusa arrived at Jia Nan Academy with Qinglin, where Su Qian welcomed her and directed them to Lin Yuan’s courtyard.
• Qinglin and Medusa met Xiao Yi Xian, then Medusa and Xiao Yi Xian tested each other’s strength before entering the courtyard together.
• Three days later, Lin Yuan completed his breakthrough to mid Four-Star Dou Sect, calmed the magma sea, and prepared to emerge from seclusion.

Lin Yuan returned from the ancient Lava Sea, strengthened Jia Nan Academy’s Heartfall Soul-Locking Formation, and reunited with Xiao Yi Xian, Medusa, Qinglin, Zi Yan, and Little Cai. The chapter ended with Qinglin deciding to pursue a closer relationship with him as an adult.

• Lin Yuan left the ancient Lava Sea after judging that the remaining Demonic Poison Spot energy could raise him to six-star Dou Sect.
• Lin Yuan gave the Heartfall Soul-Locking Formation more of the Falling Heart Flame’s source, boosting its sub-flame by about twenty percent.
• Lin Yuan used the first stage of Void Roam to leave the Heavenly Flame Refining Tower and headed back to his courtyard.
• Xiao Yi Xian and Medusa discussed their histories with Lin Yuan and challenged him to judge their unfinished chess game when he arrived.
• Qinglin summoned Little Cai, whose arrival broke the tension between Lin Yuan, Xiao Yi Xian, and Medusa.
• Qinglin welcomed Lin Yuan back and resolved to move beyond their familiar relationship after he recognized that she had grown up.

Lin Yuan learned how Qinglin and Little Cai’s Equal Contract accelerated their cultivation, then reunited with Medusa and spent several days in private with her. Afterward, he assigned Xiao Yi Xian to help Qinglin gather powerful dependents and prepare Zi Yan for seclusion while he went to fulfill his pill-refining agreement with Venerable Yao.

• Qinglin explained that her Equal Contract with Little Cai let them share power and energy, allowing them to refine their dependents’ strength together and rapidly improve.
• Lin Yuan celebrated the reunion with a feast, then met Medusa in her room and spent several days with her; Xiao Yi Xian overheard them and resolved to hasten her Poison Pill Method.
• Lin Yuan emerged with Medusa and learned that Qinglin had gone to investigate something interesting with Zi Yan.
• Lin Yuan gave Xiao Yi Xian a map of powerful nearby magical beasts and instructed her to help Qinglin subdue dependents and take Zi Yan to the Great Elder if she sought seclusion.
• Xiao Yi Xian and Medusa resumed their chess contest after Lin Yuan left to find Xiao Yan.

Lin Yuan refined an eighth-grade Bone-Growing Blood-Melting Pill with Elder Yao’s help and used the Spirit Ascension Method to raise its quality to five colors. The Heavenly Demon Puppet absorbed the pill lightning and completed its transformation.

• Qing Lin interrogated a Soul Envoy and learned that the Hall of Souls had ordered him to monitor Lin Yuan without acting against him.
• Lin Yuan agreed to help Elder Yao refine a body in exchange for a wisp of Bone Chilling Flame Sub-Flame, then began refining the Bone-Growing Blood-Melting Pill with Elder Yao and Xiao Yan.
• Elder Yao gathered spiritual energy while Lin Yuan refined the pill, and Xiao Yan watched and learned from the process.
• Ten days later, Lin Yuan used the Spirit Ascension Method and Elder Yao’s gathered spiritual energy to raise the pill’s quality to five colors.
• Lin Yuan sent the Heavenly Demon Puppet to absorb the five-colored pill lightning, and the puppet completed its transformation.

Lin Yuan completed the Bone-Growing Blood-Melting Pill and advanced the Heavenly Demon Puppet into a Dou Venerate-level combat force, then learned that the Soul Palace was targeting talented alchemists. After confirming its standards through Protector Wu, he realized his exceptional talent would make him a likely target and asked how Protector Wu reported information.

• Lin Yuan named the newly advanced Heavenly Demon Puppet Puppet One, and Elder Yao captured the escaped Bone-Growing Blood-Melting Pill for Xiao Yan.
• After Lin Yuan collapsed from exhaustion, Elder Yao gave him a sub-flame of the Bone Chilling Flame and the Fu Ling Azure Pill recipe as compensation.
• Qing Lin told Lin Yuan that suspicious people in the academy were connected to the Soul Palace and that Protector Xuan was investigating him.
• Lin Yuan questioned Protector Wu, who confirmed that the Soul Palace ordered its protectors to report alchemists who reached set cultivation milestones at a young age.
• Lin Yuan recognized that his alchemy talent made him a likely target and asked Protector Wu to explain the reporting process.

Lin Yuan learned that the Hall of Souls had discovered his alchemy achievements and might come for him soon, so he planned a false report to divert their attention from Jia Nan Academy. After telling Medusa, Xiao Yi Xian, and Qing Lin that he intended to cooperate with the Hall of Souls on his own terms, he began preparing to travel to the Central Plains and separate from them.

• Lin Yuan confirmed that Protector Xuan had reported his information to the Central Plains twenty days earlier and ordered him to send a false message claiming Lin Yuan had left for the Northern Region.
• Protector Xuan sent the false message, and Lin Yuan sealed him in a soul casket after taking the souls he had collected.
• Lin Yuan explained that the false report was meant to misdirect the Hall of Souls and keep it from investigating Jia Nan Academy and the Ancient Emperor's Cave Dwelling.
• Lin Yuan told Medusa, Xiao Yi Xian, and Qing Lin that he planned to cooperate with the Hall of Souls rather than simply resist it or submit to it.
• Lin Yuan said they should prepare to travel to the Central Plains in separate groups, and he offered to help Xiao Yi Xian condense a poison pill before he left.

Lin Yuan gave Xiao Yi Xian the perfected pill-refining method and prepared the Heavenly Demon Puppet for the others to control while he focused on refining pills. He sent Medusa, Qing Lin, and—once she emerged from seclusion—Zi Yan to raid the Northwestern Continent along a route he had mapped, leaving Xiao Yi Xian to train for condensing the Poison Pill.

• Xiao Yi Xian handed Lin Yuan the scroll containing Elder Yao's perfected Method of Gathering Fire to Form Pills.
• Lin Yuan gave Xiao Yi Xian, Medusa, and Qing Lin second-tier control authority over the Heavenly Demon Puppet, retaining the highest authority for himself.
• Lin Yuan showed Medusa a map of a treasure-plundering route through countries whose ruling forces lacked Dou Venerate-level experts.
• Lin Yuan instructed Medusa to lead Zi Yan and Qing Lin on the raids after Zi Yan emerged from seclusion, and to help Qing Lin capture seventh-rank Magical Beasts as followers.
• Medusa agreed to carry out the plan, and Lin Yuan reminded her to conceal her appearance and withdraw if she met strong resistance.
• After they discussed the details, Lin Yuan headed to the Library Pavilion.