Chapter Summaries

Xiao Ze and Zi Yan won their opening Strong Ranking Tournament matches with overwhelming force, while Xiao Xun'er and Xiao Yi Xian also advanced decisively. After the first round ended, the students looked forward to the battles for the top ten and the chance to temper their bodies with the Origin Heart Flame.

• The elder declared Xiao Ze the winner after he knocked Cheng Xiu unconscious, and students speculated about his hidden abilities.
• Su Qian drew the match between Tang Hao and Zi Yan, who shattered the platform beneath Tang Hao before the elder rescued him.
• Xiao Xun'er defeated her opponent in under five minutes with swift, golden attacks.
• Xiao Yi Xian won a brutal match that left the platform eroded by Calamity Poison Power, and her opponent thanked the elder for saving him.
• The first round continued until nightfall, and students discussed the standout fighters while anticipating the top-ten competition.

Xiao Ze drew number thirteen and advanced to the next round without fighting, while Zi Yan won by forfeit when Qin Kai refused to face her. Xiao Xun'er and Xiao Yi Xian also defeated their opponents, leaving all three newcomers through to the third round.

• At the drawing of lots, Zi Yan drew number six, and Xiao Ze drew number thirteen to receive a bye.
• Zi Yan saw Xiao Ze get the bye and glared at him, but she still treated him as a pleasant companion rather than an opponent.
• Qin Kai failed to appear for his match against Zi Yan, so the elder declared that he had forfeited and awarded Zi Yan the win.
• Xiao Xun'er and Xiao Yi Xian each defeated a higher-ranked opponent quickly and advanced to the third round.
• The spectators realized that the three newcomers could potentially claim three places in the tournament's top ten.

The third round of the Inner Academy competition determined the final top ten, with Zi Yan and Lei Jia winning their matches and Xiao Ze advancing after Bai Shao forfeited. The Top Ten Ranking Tournament began, placing Xiao Xun'er and Xiao Yi Xian at ninth and tenth and allowing them to challenge higher-ranked students.

• The Great Elder drew Zi Yan against Lin Lieyang, Xiao Ze against Bai Shao, and Lei Jia against Qin Fei.
• Zi Yan defeated Lin Lieyang with a single powerful attack, sending him flying off the arena.
• Bai Shao forfeited against Xiao Ze, giving Xiao Ze a place in the top ten without a fight.
• Lei Jia defeated Qin Fei after an intense battle dominated by Lei Jia's Lightning Attribute damage.
• The Great Elder announced that the top ten could challenge higher-ranked students, and Xiao Xun'er and Xiao Yi Xian took ninth and tenth place.

The Inner Academy Strong Ranking Tournament ended with Xiao Ze remaining second and refusing to challenge Zi Yan. Later, Zi Yan visited Xiao Ze’s cultivation room, where he offered to refine a tough medicinal ingredient she had obtained, but she worried he might burn it.

• Xiao Ze rejected Zi Yan’s request for a match, and no one else challenged the top two before the Great Elder finalized the rankings and ended the tournament.
• The Great Elder told the top ten students to rest until their instructors announced when they would enter the pagoda, and the contestants left Central Plaza.
• Xiao Ze, Xiao Xun'er, and Xiao Yi Xian cultivated in room Number Two when Zi Yan came to visit because she was bored.
• Zi Yan asked Xiao Ze for tasty, energy-rich medicinal ingredients and watched him prepare to refine pills.
• Xiao Ze offered to refine a tough ingredient Zi Yan had obtained, but she hesitated because she had fought a magical beast for it and feared he would burn it.

Xiao Ze refined Zi Yan’s medicinal herbs into tasty pills, and she told him about her lonely childhood before leaving to find more herbs. After Xiao Xun'er and Xiao Yi Xian awakened, Xiao Ze discussed their upcoming Origin Heart Flame body tempering and planned to ask Zi Yan about borrowing her cultivation room.

• Zi Yan handed Xiao Ze her medicinal herbs, and he refined them into energy-rich pills that she eagerly ate.
• Zi Yan told Xiao Ze that she had grown up alone in the mountains and had fled from magical beasts that bullied her; Xiao Ze promised to make her more pills.
• Zi Yan brought Xiao Ze her remaining herbs, and he refined them into pills before working on a Purple Spirit Pill to earn Pill Credits.
• Xiao Xun'er and Xiao Yi Xian awoke and learned from Xiao Ze why Zi Yan had become close to him; Zi Yan then left, promising to bring more herbs the next day.
• Xiao Ze told Xiao Xun'er and Xiao Yi Xian to cultivate before tempering their bodies with the Origin Heart Flame in about two days, and he planned to ask Zi Yan to borrow her cultivation room.

Xiao Ze brought Xiao Xun'er and Xiao Yi Xian to try cultivating in cultivation room No. 1, where Xun'er adapted to its powerful Heart Flame but Xiao Yi Xian could not. The next day, the Strong Ranking victors entered the bottom of the Heavenly Flame Refining Pagoda, where the Origin Heart Flame appeared for their body tempering.

• Xiao Ze took Xiao Xun'er and Xiao Yi Xian to cultivation room No. 1, where Xun'er managed to cultivate but Xiao Yi Xian returned to room No. 2 because its Heart Flame was too powerful.
• Zi Yan brought Xiao Ze a hoard of medicinal herbs she had taken from the Inner Academy's Medicinal Herb Management Library, and Xiao Ze began refining them.
• An elder ordered all students to leave the Heavenly Flame Refining Pagoda for the day, and Xiao Ze's group left with Xiao Xun'er awake from cultivation.
• Xiao Ze, Xiao Xun'er, Xiao Yi Xian, and Zi Yan joined the other Strong Ranking victors at the plaza, where Great Elder Su Qian led them into the pagoda's bottom level.
• Two elders summoned the Origin Heart Flame from a deep hole, and Xiao Ze eagerly watched it appear before the victors.

The Great Elder explained the dangers and benefits of using the Origin Heart Flame to temper the body, and the Dou Spirit Peak geniuses chose to endure it. Xiao Ze’s Innate Body Cultivator talent and the Tree of Origin’s golden light made the flame’s tempering unusually effective, while the group dwindled to seven participants.

• The Great Elder warned that the Origin Heart Flame could cause severe injuries and that previous success rates were around fifty percent, but none of the participants withdrew.
• The Origin Heart Flames entered the participants’ bodies, and the elders observed Zi Yan, Xiao Xun'er, Xiao Yi Xian, and Xiao Ze enduring the tempering in unusual ways.
• The Tree of Origin’s golden light softened the flame inside Xiao Ze, while his Innate Body Cultivator talent let his body absorb the tempering energy exceptionally well.
• Xiao Ze felt close to breaking through to Dou Wang but suppressed the urge until he could cultivate somewhere more suitable.
• As the body tempering continued, some participants suffered severe injuries and withdrew, leaving only seven people.

After completing Origin Heart Flame body tempering, Xiao Ze left with Xiao Xun'er, Xiao Yi Xian, and Zi Yan, then began a breakthrough to Dou Wang near a mountain waterfall. His vast energy vortex drew Su Qian’s attention, and the Great Elder arrived to guard him.

• The Great Elder and other elders discussed the seven students’ successful body tempering and warned that the sealed threat beneath Jia Nan Academy was growing more restless.
• Xiao Ze awakened first, thanked the elders, and heard Su Qian remark on his exceptional compatibility with the Heart Flame; the other students soon awoke as well.
• The Great Elder sent the students away, and Xiao Ze left the pagoda with the three women amid the admiration of the crowd.
• Two days later, Xiao Ze returned to the waterfall and prepared to break through to Dou Wang as Xiao Xun'er, Xiao Yi Xian, and Zi Yan encouraged him.
• Xiao Ze claimed his accumulated return rewards, drawing immense energy into his body and forming a vast energy vortex around himself.
• Su Qian sensed the disturbance, found Xiao Ze at the waterfall, and stayed to protect his breakthrough.

Xiao Ze completed his breakthrough to the Dou Wang realm after ten days of cultivation, and the Tree of Origin transformed his body while expanding his Void Space. Back in seclusion, he manifested a root of the Tree of Origin in reality and discovered it could tear through space.

• The Tree of Origin absorbed Heaven and Earth energy and strengthened Xiao Ze's entire body as his Void Space expanded.
• After ten days and ten nights, Xiao Ze broke through to the Dou Wang realm, while his meridians gained a crystalline resilience and the Tree of Origin grew beyond twenty meters.
• Xiao Ze revealed his Dou Qi Wings to Zi Yan, Xiao Xun'er, and Xiao Yi Xian, who celebrated his successful breakthrough.
• Su Qian reflected on Xiao Ze's deep foundation and revealed he had killed the high-tier magical beasts drawn by the breakthrough.
• Xiao Ze returned to the Inner Academy and secluded himself to examine Xun'er's special reward for reaching the Dou Ling realm.
• Xiao Ze manifested a golden root of the Tree of Origin and used it to slash open a thin spatial rift.

Xiao Ze tested the Golden Tree Root’s spatial cutting and energy absorption, then refined a concealed, corrosive flame by combining fire with Calamity Poison Power. He joined Zi Yan to draw away a demon ape and entered its underground lair, where he found the Earth Core Body Tempering Milk.

• Xiao Ze tested the Golden Tree Root’s ability to tear space and absorb the energy in his cultivation chamber.
• Xiao Ze adapted to his two-star Dou Wang cultivation and created a powerful, concealed flame by combining fire with Calamity Poison Power.
• Zi Yan asked Xiao Ze to help deal with a demon ape so they could split its treasure.
• Zi Yan attacked the demon ape and drew it away while Xiao Ze sneaked into the Underground World.
• Xiao Ze followed the concentrated Power of the Earth to a stalactite and found milky-white liquid beneath it, recognizing that the true Earth Core Body Tempering Milk lay inside the stalactite.

Xiao Ze obtained Earth Core Body Tempering Milk and traded Zi Yan’s share for medicinal herbs, keeping their partnership intact. After leaving Zi Yan with some diluted milk, he flew back toward the Inner Academy.

• Xiao Ze collected more than half of the jade-colored Earth Core Body Tempering Milk and filled three Jade Implements with its diluted form.
• Xiao Ze escaped the demonic ape after signaling Zi Yan, and Zi Yan soon joined him by the waterfall with bruised arms.
• Xiao Ze gave Zi Yan Healing Pills, and she thanked him for caring about her before they discussed their gains.
• Xiao Ze offered medicinal herbs in exchange for Zi Yan’s share of the genuine Earth Core Body Tempering Milk, and Zi Yan accepted a dozen herbs.
• Xiao Ze left Zi Yan a bottle of diluted Earth Core Body Tempering Milk, then flew toward the Inner Academy.

Xiao Xun'er decided to return to the Ancient Clan so she could grow stronger and stand beside Xiao Ze, and the two exchanged parting gifts and promises. Xiao Xun'er left with the Black Annihilation Army while Xiao Ze watched her go, determined to find her again.

• Xiao Ze spent several peaceful days with Xiao Xun'er while Xiao Yi Xian cultivated alone in Cultivation Room Number One.
• Xiao Xun'er gave Xiao Ze a secret Dou Technique scroll and told him she had chosen to return to the Ancient Clan to pursue her cultivation.
• Xiao Ze accepted Xiao Xun'er's decision, kissed her, and promised to overcome any obstacle to reach her, even becoming a Dou Emperor if necessary.
• Xiao Ze gave Xiao Xun'er Earth Core Body Tempering Milk and explained how to use and protect it.
• Xiao Xun'er urged Xiao Ze to leave before her clan's people arrived, then departed with the Black Annihilation Army as Xiao Ze watched from the sky.

After Xun'er departed, Xiao Ze graduated early and became an elder of the Inner Academy. He exchanged his Pill Credits for the Dou Spirit Pill formula and headed to the pagoda’s seventh level to cultivate and try refining it.

• Xiao Ze accepted Great Elder Su Qian’s suggestion to graduate early and become an Inner Academy elder.
• Xiao Yi Xian told Xiao Ze that Xun'er had said goodbye to her and given her a parting gift.
• Xiao Ze completed his promotion and received an elder’s uniform and purple Fire Energy Card.
• Xiao Ze exchanged four thousand Pill Credits for the Dou Spirit Pill formula, and Elder Yan asked him to refine one in exchange for ingredients.
• Xiao Ze entered the seventh level of the Heavenly Flame Refining Pagoda to cultivate and attempt to refine the Dou Spirit Pill.

Xiao Ze explored the seventh level of the Heavenly Flame Refining Pagoda, claimed an exclusive cultivation room, and began refining a Dou Spirit Pill. He successfully condensed the pill, though the chapter did not reveal its final quality.

• Xiao Ze met Elder Lin on the seventh level and learned that each elder could claim an unoccupied cultivation room by registering a Fire Energy Card.
• Xiao Ze claimed an unnamed room and discovered that its energy came directly from the central black hole, providing abundant cultivation energy.
• Xiao Ze took out the Spirit Nurturing Cauldron and prepared two sets of rare ingredients, including the Blood Python Branch, to refine a Dou Spirit Pill.
• Xiao Ze controlled the violent medicinal power with his Soul Perception and the Spirit Nurturing Cauldron, then condensed the boiling medicinal liquid into a pill.

Xiao Ze successfully refined a high-quality Dou Spirit Pill, then traded it to Elder Yan for more ingredients and arranged to refine pills for other elders in exchange for practice materials. He left Elder Yan to spread the offer so he could obtain ingredients for repeated alchemy practice.

• Xiao Ze completed his first Dou Spirit Pill refinement and judged the pill to be of excellent quality.
• Xiao Ze used the elder-exclusive cultivation room, where the Tree of Origin absorbed so much energy that the room’s mist vanished.
• Xiao Ze decided his remaining Dou Spirit Pill ingredients were insufficient and went to see Elder Yan.
• Elder Yan gave Xiao Ze two sets of Dou Spirit Pill ingredients in exchange for the pill he needed to break through his stagnant cultivation.
• Xiao Ze asked Elder Yan to tell Elder Lin and the other elders that he would refine Dou Spirit Pills for free if they provided three sets of ingredients.

After Xiao Ze helped Xiao Yi Xian advance her Calamity Poison Power, he began refining Dou Spirit Pills. Elder Yan spread word that Xiao Ze would refine pills for elders who supplied ingredients, sparking a frenzy across the Inner Academy while Xiao Ze remained focused in the Heavenly Flame Refining Pagoda.

• Xiao Ze and Xiao Yi Xian exchanged Calamity Poison Power, raising their cultivation, and Xiao Ze estimated that Xiao Yi Xian would reach Dou Wang within half a year.
• Xiao Ze left Xiao Yi Xian and returned to refining Dou Spirit Pills with the medicinal ingredients he had received from Elder Yan.
• Elder Yan showed Elder Lin a Dou Spirit Pill refined by Xiao Ze and explained that Xiao Ze would refine one free for elders who had looked after him if they supplied three sets of ingredients.
• Elder Yan informed other elders that the Inner Academy had a new alchemist willing to refine Dou Spirit Pills, prompting them to compete fiercely for medicinal ingredients.
• The Inner Academy elders scoured the mountains for ingredients while Xiao Ze continued refining pills, undisturbed by the uproar.

Great Elder Su Qian learned from Elder Yan how Xiao Ze’s Dou Spirit Pill refinements had drawn Inner Academy elders to seek his help, then assigned Yan to handle the absent elders’ duties. After using all his ingredients and improving his alchemy, Xiao Ze emerged to find elders waiting outside his cultivation room and agreed to prioritize those who had shown him kindness.

• Su Qian questioned Elder Yan about the Inner Academy elders leaving their duties to seek Dou Spirit Pills, and Yan explained that Xiao Ze’s offer had started it.
• Su Qian assigned Yan to handle matters for the absent elders as punishment for expanding the arrangement on his own.
• Xiao Ze used up his medicinal ingredients while refining Dou Spirit Pills, achieved a fifty-percent success rate, and continued alternating alchemy with cultivation.
• Xiao Ze emerged from seclusion and gave Elder Lin a Dou Spirit Pill after Lin provided three sets of ingredients.
• When other elders requested pills, Xiao Ze said he would prioritize those who had shown him kindness and help the others if he had energy to spare.

Xiao Ze refined the elders’ requested Dou Spirit Pills while continuing his cultivation, then used his best pill to advance from Eight Star Dou King to Nine Star Dou King. As he considered the approaching Three-Year Agreement, he decided to return to the Xiao Family.

• Xiao Ze accepted the elders’ medicinal ingredients and began prioritizing pills for Elder Lin and the others.
• Elder Lin showed the elders Xiao Ze’s excellent Dou Spirit Pill and left to attempt a breakthrough.
• Xiao Ze refined the requested pills, drawing on his growing skill and feedback from Xiao Yan’s pill-refining ability.
• Xiao Ze swallowed his best Dou Spirit Pill and advanced to Nine Star Dou King as the Tree of Origin grew beyond ninety meters.
• Xiao Ze thought about the Three-Year Agreement and decided to return to the Xiao Family.

Xiao Ze and Xiao Yi Xian left Jia Nan Academy for the Jia Ma Empire, where Xiao Ze planned to protect and relocate the Xiao Family. After stopping in Tiger Fiend City, they discovered someone had poisoned their tea and confronted the man responsible, who named the Tiger Fiend Gang.

• Xiao Ze planned to use his Subordinate Bindings on talented people in the Jia Ma Empire and move the Xiao Family to Jia Nan City to shield them from Soul Hall and other threats.
• Xiao Ze obtained leave from the Great Elder, prepared pills for Zi Yan, and set out with Xiao Yi Xian for the Jia Ma Empire.
• At Peace Town, the Law Enforcement Team recognized Xiao Ze as an academy elder before he and Xiao Yi Xian entered the Black Corner Region.
• After several days of travel, Xiao Ze and Xiao Yi Xian reached Tiger Fiend City, where a man was beheaded in the street and they were targeted as apparent soft targets.
• Xiao Yi Xian identified poison in their tea, and Xiao Ze seized a suspect and learned that the Tiger Fiend Gang had ordered the attack.

Xiao Ze and Xiao Yi Xian destroyed the Tiger Fiend Gang and freed its captives before continuing their journey through the Black Corner Region. Xiao Ze then began targeting the strongest forces in each city he passed, looting them without attracting much attention.

• Xiao Ze killed the man who had revealed the Tiger Fiend Gang's connection to the shady inn, then led Xiao Yi Xian to the gang's residence.
• Xiao Ze and Xiao Yi Xian defeated the Tiger Fiend Gang's guards and killed its leader and subordinates.
• Xiao Ze collected storage rings and cultivation manuals while Xiao Yi Xian searched inside and found more than a dozen captive youths.
• Xiao Ze told the youths to leave the Black Corner Region, and they fled before he and Xiao Yi Xian resumed their journey.
• Xiao Ze entered the cities along his route, defeated their strongest forces, and looted them as rival groups fought over Tiger Fiend City.