Chapter Summaries

Han Beng explained why he accepted Gu He’s Instant Qi Pill, while Gu He traveled through the Space Channel to the Central Region. After reaching Ming Dan City, Gu He learned where the Pill Fire Pavilion was and heard about the alchemists’ failed attempt to force it to change its name.

• Han Beng told the Han Family elders that Gu He was likely a mid-tier Seventh-grade Alchemist, convincing them that building a connection with him was worth more than keeping the pill.
• Gu He traveled alone through the Space Channel for several days and emerged onto a stone platform in the Central Region.
• Gu He asked Lin Gu for directions to the Pill Fire Pavilion, and Lin Gu demanded two million gold coins for the insult.
• Gu He released soul pressure, frightening Lin Gu into respectfully giving directions to the Pill Fire Pavilion near Forest Sea City.
• Gu He asked why the Pill Fire Pavilion had angered alchemists, and Lin Gu explained that alchemists had objected to its name and that their confrontation with Heavenly Fire Venerable had ended without a publicly known outcome.

Gu He verified the location and reputation of the Pill Fire Pavilion before traveling to meet the Heavenly Fire Venerable near Forest Sea City. He arrived at the Pavilion’s cliffside headquarters, where the Heavenly Fire Venerable welcomed him and explained why he had chosen the site.

• Gu He questioned several people to confirm the Pill Fire Pavilion’s location and why alchemists disliked it.
• Gu He traveled north, stopping in three cities to acquire ingredients for Seventh- and Eighth-grade pills.
• Near Forest Sea City, Gu He sensed the Heavenly Fire Venerable and flew directly to the cliff where he was waiting.
• The Heavenly Fire Venerable welcomed Gu He, and Gu He thanked him for establishing the Pavilion.
• The Heavenly Fire Venerable led Gu He toward the cliff’s Earth Fire Altar, which he had chosen as the Pavilion’s headquarters and a cultivation site for alchemists.

Gu He toured the Pill Fire Pavilion with Heavenly Fire Venerable, learning why it was founded in the Pill Region and how it had grown. After hearing about its elders and their loyalties, Gu He prepared to meet them and assess the faction.

• Heavenly Fire Venerable explained that the cliff’s earthfire powered the Pill Fire Pavilion’s income and that its name combined Pill King and Heavenly Fire.
• Heavenly Fire Venerable said he had founded the faction in the Pill Region so Gu He could eventually join the Pill Tower after learning about Central Continent.
• Heavenly Fire Venerable described the Pill Fire Pavilion’s growth, its members, and plans to open a nearby Space Wormhole, while Gu He urged him to reward the faction’s members.
• Heavenly Fire Venerable warned Gu He that most of the five elders lacked loyalty and introduced their strengths and personalities, including the guarded Xuan Haoge and hostile Jing Li.
• Jing Li arrived first, and Heavenly Fire Venerable introduced him to Gu He before the other elders entered the grand hall.

Heavenly Fire Venerable appointed Gu He the Pill Fire Pavilion’s sole deputy pavilion master, overruling the elders’ objections. After the elders accepted, Gu He learned that three sets of ingredients for the Poria Azure Pill had been gathered, and he discussed the risks of refining it with Heavenly Fire Venerable.

• Heavenly Fire Venerable announced that Gu He would become the Pill Fire Pavilion’s sole deputy pavilion master, with authority equal to his own.
• Lang Haobo, Jing Wenshan, Shen Yurong, and Jing Li objected, while Xuan Haoge remained silent.
• Heavenly Fire Venerable asserted that he had established the faction for Gu He, and the elders ultimately agreed to the appointment.
• Gu He asked whether forcing the appointment would provoke resentment, and Heavenly Fire Venerable explained his views on managing the elders and cultivating loyal successors.
• Heavenly Fire Venerable told Gu He that three sets of Poria Azure Pill ingredients had been collected, and Gu He warned that he could not guarantee success at refining an Eighth-grade pill.
• Heavenly Fire Venerable accepted the possibility of failure, and Gu He explained that he was especially candid about risks when refining pills for friends.

After preparing for several days, Gu He began refining the Eighth-grade Poria Azure Pill at the Pill Fire Pavilion, while Heavenly Fire Venerable and the pavilion’s elders and disciples watched. He spent a full day refining the Poria Fruit and continued with the many auxiliary ingredients.

• Heavenly Fire Venerable supplied Gu He with the Poria Azure Pill ingredients, and Gu He spent seven days preparing himself to refine an Eighth-grade pill.
• Gu He flew to the cliff summit, set down his crimson cauldron, ignited Azure Flame, and began refining the Poria Fruit.
• Heavenly Fire Venerable watched over Gu He as the five elders and the pavilion’s disciples gathered to witness the refinement.
• Xuan Haoge asked whether Gu He would succeed, Jing Wenshan acknowledged Gu He’s strength, and Shen Yurong and Lang Haobo expressed their views on serving under him.
• After refining the Poria Fruit for an entire day, Gu He turned to the pill’s one hundred and seventeen auxiliary ingredients.

Gu He attempted to refine an Eighth-grade pill before the Pill Fire Pavilion, demonstrating exceptional control over the Azure Flame and his soul power. After his first fusion failed, he learned from the mistake and began a second attempt, successfully combining all the medicinal essences into a single liquid mass.

• Gu He refined more than a hundred medicinal ingredients while Xuan Haoge and the other elders recognized the pressure of his soul as a sign of an Eighth-grade Alchemist.
• After two days, Gu He began combining the refined essences, but the mixture destabilized when he added the Soul Spirit Grass, forcing him to burn it to ashes and accept his first failure.
• Gu He traced the failure to the Sea Ice Vine powder and concluded that he should have adjusted the flame temperature before adding the Soul Spirit Grass.
• Gu He began refining the ingredients again, and after four more days he successfully fused all the medicinal essences into a five-colored liquid mass, leaving only the final merging stage.

Gu He completed the Poria Azure Pill, drawing down terrifying two-colored pill lightning. As the first bolt struck, his Earth Demon Puppet blocked it, and Heavenly Fire Venerable realized the puppet could withstand the lightning.

• After four days of tending the Medicine Cauldron, Gu He formed the Poria Azure Pill and triggered pill lightning.
• Xuan Haoge warned the gathered elders and disciples to descend, explaining that the lightning could kill anyone caught nearby.
• The thunderclouds condensed into azure-and-silver pill lightning, and the onlookers praised Gu He for refining an Eighth-grade pill.
• Heavenly Fire Venerable worried that Gu He might not survive the lightning, despite his cultivation and the Earth Demon Puppet.
• Gu He summoned the Earth Demon Puppet, which punched the first lightning bolt and emerged stronger from the strike.

Gu He completed an Eighth-grade pill while the pill lightning tempered the Earth Demon Puppet into a Sky Demon Puppet. After capturing the escaping pill, he left the three visiting alchemists watching the aftermath.

• Three Seventh-grade Alchemists flew from Forest Sea City to observe the pill lightning over Pill Fire Pavilion and realized Gu He was refining an Eighth-grade pill.
• Heavenly Fire Venerable allowed the three alchemists to approach as the first bolt of two-colored pill lightning struck the Earth Demon Puppet.
• The pill lightning poured down for nearly half an hour, strengthening the Earth Demon Puppet until it turned completely golden and became a Sky Demon Puppet.
• Gu He summoned the Sky Demon Puppet, examined its improved strength and control, and stored it in his Ring.
• The pill tried to escape from the Medicine Cauldron, but Gu He bound it with an invisible force and drew it into his palm.

Gu He refined an Eighth-grade pill, attracting three alchemists who asked for his guidance. He demanded that they settle their grievance with Heavenly Fire Venerable, and the chapter ended with them apologizing and offering compensation.

• Gu He put away the Eighth-grade pill after the three alchemists rushed over to admire it and asked his name.
• Ji Yang introduced himself, Dang Tian, and Xin Anning, then asked Gu He for alchemy guidance in exchange for access to their families' storehouses.
• Gu He refused to help until the three apologized to Heavenly Fire Venerable and compensated him for their past attack.
• When the three tried to leave, Gu He warned that he would treat them as enemies and take over Forest Sea City if they refused to make amends.
• Ji Yang, Dang Tian, and Xin Anning apologized to Heavenly Fire Venerable and offered a Bone-Regenerating Blood-Melding Pill and a Life Returning Pill, which he accepted.

Gu He secured Pill Fire Pavilion’s cooperation, gave Heavenly Fire Venerable a pill to restore his strength, and began refining a rare Fire Bead to improve his own cultivation. The chapter ended with Forest Sea City’s three great families choosing to support Gu He and send medicinal ingredients to Pill Fire Pavilion.

• Gu He accepted the three alchemists’ agreement to supply medicinal ingredients in exchange for observing his pill refinement, while secretly keeping them under surveillance.
• Gu He gave Heavenly Fire Venerable a Poria Azure Pill, and Heavenly Fire Venerable entered seclusion to refine it.
• Gu He assigned the five elders to trade pills for medicinal ingredients and asked them about the Void Lightning Pool, which they did not know.
• Gu He restored Pill Fire Pavilion’s earth-fire trade, entered seclusion, and refined a Dou Zun-level Flame Lizardman Fire Bead to strengthen himself.
• The three great families of Forest Sea City chose to align with Gu He and began sending medicinal ingredients to Pill Fire Pavilion.

Gu He advanced to Five-star Dou Zun, collected medicinal ingredients from his elders and the three great families of Forest Sea City, and discussed Heavenly Fire Venerable’s recovery and future advancement. Heavenly Fire Venerable estimated he could reach Six-star Dou Zun in about a year, but could not tell Gu He where to find the Void Lightning Pool.

• Gu He refined his gathered energy and advanced from the peak of Four-star Dou Zun to the high stage of Five-star Dou Zun.
• The five Pill Fire Pavilion elders returned with medicinal ingredients, and Gu He accepted them and welcomed the elders who had opposed his appointment.
• Gu He inspected the ingredients submitted by the three great families of Forest Sea City and told them to return in three days to watch him refine pills.
• Heavenly Fire Venerable emerged from seclusion at the peak of Five-star Dou Zun and credited Gu He's pills for his rapid recovery.
• Heavenly Fire Venerable estimated that he could advance to Six-star Dou Zun in about a year, and Gu He offered to refine auxiliary pills to help him.
• Gu He asked Heavenly Fire Venerable about the Void Lightning Pool, but he had never heard of it.

While traveling through the Black Corner Region, Xiao Yan stumbled upon an alchemist’s cave dwelling after killing the Dou Lings who tried to rob him. Inside, he and Yao Chen found two bottles of mysterious Blood-red Pills and a sealed scroll that Yao Chen believed held their peak seventh-grade pill formula.

• After Yao Chen awakened, Xiao Yan and Qian Yue gathered medicinal ingredients, and Yao Chen refined pills for her before she left with a Soul Imprint on Xiao Yan.
• Xiao Yan and Yao Chen traveled to the Black Corner Region, where Xiao Yan reached nine-star Da Dou Shi after more than a month on the road.
• After an auction, several Dou Lings blocked Xiao Yan and pursued him into a valley; Yao Chen lent him soul strength, and Xiao Yan killed them.
• Yao Chen sensed an alchemist’s cave dwelling in the valley and directed Xiao Yan to its entrance.
• Xiao Yan and Yao Chen entered the cave and found two bottles of Blood-red Pills and a tightly sealed Blood-red Scroll.
• Yao Chen judged the pills to be peak seventh-grade but could not identify them, while Xiao Yan could not open the scroll.

Xiao Yan and Yao Chen identified the peak Seventh-grade pill as a Life Devouring Pill, which traded most of the user’s lifespan for rapid power. Xiao Yan chose to take it and woke two days later having reached the Dou Wang realm, with only three years of life remaining.

• Xiao Yan and Yao Chen discovered the pill’s power and confirmed from the scroll that it was the long-lost Life Devouring Pill.
• Xiao Yan insisted on taking the pill despite Yao Chen warning that it would leave him only three years to live.
• Xiao Yan swallowed the pill, and its power burned his life force while rapidly raising his Dou Qi.
• Yao Chen sensed the pill’s effects and knocked Xiao Yan unconscious to spare him the pain.
• Xiao Yan woke two days later, realized he had reached the Dou Wang realm, and manifested azure Dou Qi Wings.

Xiao Yan stayed in a secluded cave so Yao Chen could conceal the deathly aura caused by the Life Devouring Pill. Meanwhile, Gu He advanced his alchemy under the guidance of Pill Tower envoy Chen Huo and completed the Mystic Bodhi Foundation Building Pill in three days.

• Yao Chen explained that the Life Devouring Pill had left Xiao Yan with only three years of vitality and proposed refining a pill to hide his deathly aura.
• Gu He continued refining pills in Forest Sea City, strengthening his Eighth-grade Alchemy Grandmaster foundation through practice and exchanges with three Alchemists.
• Chen Huo arrived at the Pill Fire Pavilion as Gu He was refining pills, and Gu He continued working rather than interrupting the refinement to greet him.
• Chen Huo taught Gu He techniques for using Spiritual Energy during ingredient refinement and pill formation, greatly speeding up his work.
• Gu He refined the Mystic Bodhi Foundation Building Pill in three days, then learned the envoy's name and heard Ji Yang praise Chen Huo's achievements.

Gu He accepted Chen Huo’s invitation to join the Pill Tower and learned about its benefits and the Central Continent’s recent developments. He became interested in an Ancient Cave Mansion expected to open in the Soul Burial Mountain Range in five months, especially its unusual environment for growing medicinal ingredients.

• Ji Yang explained that news of Gu He’s Eighth-grade alchemist status had spread after he required medicinal ingredients for people to watch him refine pills.
• Gu He accepted Chen Huo’s invitation to join the Pill Tower, hoping to exchange alchemy knowledge with its high-grade alchemists.
• Chen Huo told Gu He that new Eighth-grade Alchemists received discounted medicinal ingredients and a portion of a soul cultivation scroll, and could register and undergo assessment in Sacred Pill City.
• Gu He asked Chen Huo about major events in the Central Continent, and Chen Huo described an Ancient Cave Mansion in the Soul Burial Mountain Range that was expected to open in five months.
• Chen Huo explained that the cave mansion had opened once before and that its special environment made it suitable for cultivating medicinal ingredients, prompting Gu He to ask what made it unusual.

Gu He agreed to join Chen Huo in exploring the Ancient Cave Mansion and traveled with him to Sacred Pill City to build his reputation and recruit Dou Zuns. After arriving, Gu He asked whether the Pill Tower’s testing sites could certify him as an Eighth-grade Alchemist.

• Chen Huo explained that the Ancient Cave Mansion contained a lightning-rich medicinal herb environment that only cultivators below seven-star Dou Zun could enter without risking its destruction.
• Gu He decided to explore the Ancient Cave Mansion with Heavenly Fire Venerable and accepted Chen Huo’s invitation to join forces.
• Chen Huo advised Gu He to go to Sacred Pill City and refine an Eighth-grade pill to attract Dou Zuns who could join their expedition.
• Gu He decided to travel with Chen Huo to Sacred Pill City, where he would study alchemy, make a name for himself, and recruit Dou Zuns.
• After three days of travel through a Space Channel, Gu He and Chen Huo arrived in Sacred Pill City, where Chen Huo suggested Gu He obtain a Pill Tower alchemist badge.
• Gu He asked whether a Pill Tower testing site could conduct an Eighth-grade assessment.

Gu He visited the Pill Tower’s renowned outer-district branch to seek an Eighth-grade Alchemist assessment and met the examiner, Bai Zhong. The assessment began with a clash of soul power, which ended without either man gaining an advantage.

• Chen Huo led Gu He to the branch tower, where an Eighth-grade Alchemist was stationed to assess candidates.
• Chen Huo arranged for Gu He to meet Bai Zhong and use a special testing room.
• Bai Zhong explained that the assessment required Gu He to pass tests of soul power, soul control, and fire control.
• Bai Zhong began the first test by attacking Gu He with a soul-power dragon, and Gu He countered with a crystalline jade hammer.
• The clash unleashed a soul storm that cracked the testing room’s reinforced floor, but neither Bai Zhong nor Gu He gained the upper hand.

Gu He faced Bai Zhong’s soul-power assessment, observed and learned the Soul Heart Seal, then used layered soul barriers to withstand Bai Zhong’s stronger attack. Bai Zhong revealed that the test was meant to judge Gu He’s creativity as a grandmaster, not merely his ability to learn.

• Bai Zhong sensed that Gu He’s Soul Power had surged recently and warned that they would begin the second strike.
• Bai Zhong demonstrated the Soul Heart Seal, and Gu He observed its hand seals before blocking the attack with his soul jade hammer.
• Bai Zhong began a more powerful third strike, so Gu He formed his own Soul Heart Seal and wrapped it in layers of soul barriers.
• Gu He’s weaker seal collided with Bai Zhong’s, and Gu He used Space Power to endure the lingering shockwaves.
• Bai Zhong admitted he had slowed his demonstration so Gu He could learn the Low-grade Profound technique, then said he expected a grandmaster to build on it and create something new.

Gu He completed the first Pill Tower test and faced a combined challenge in soul and flame control. His enhanced Green Lotus Core Flame caught Bai Zhong’s attention, and Gu He explained that it had grown stronger by devouring the Sea Heart Flame.

• Bai Zhong gave Gu He eighty points for the first test, passing him while criticizing his lack of innovation.
• Bai Zhong combined the soul-control and flame-control tests, requiring Gu He to operate thirteen Medicine Cauldrons and refine one hundred and twenty ingredients without error.
• Gu He used his Azure Flame to control the cauldrons, and Bai Zhong recognized the aura of the Green Lotus Core Flame within it.
• Bai Zhong revealed his weak Yin Yang Twin Flames and offered Gu He pill formulas in exchange for learning how Gu He had strengthened his Heavenly Flame.
• Gu He said he had shattered the Sea Heart Flame’s origin and let the Green Lotus Core Flame devour it, prompting Bai Zhong to lament the valuable flame’s loss.

Gu He passed Bai Zhong’s assessment and received a Pill Tower badge recognizing him as a newly advanced Eighth-grade Alchemist. He left the branch tower with Chen Huo, who planned for them to rest before visiting President Xuan Kongzi the next day.

• Gu He refined the medicinal ingredients in thirteen Medicine Cauldrons, and Bai Zhong declared that he had passed the assessment.
• Gu He collected the usable pill essences and received a Pill Tower badge marked with eight stars, the eighth dimmed to show his newly advanced rank.
• Bai Zhong considered asking Gu He to separate the Sea Heart Flame’s origin from the Green Lotus Core Flame, but decided not to risk offending him.
• Chen Huo congratulated Gu He outside the testing room, and Gu He described Bai Zhong’s assessment as they left the hall.
• Chen Huo explained how assessments in the inner region were usually conducted and proposed that they rest before visiting President Xuan Kongzi the next day.