Chapter Summaries

Lu Nan took a Meridian Condensing Grass mission and used the trip to refine three eighth-grade formations intended for the Boiling Fire Cult. After planning how to install them, he encountered several disciples cornering Chen Yu and her sister over an item wanted by Young Master Tang.

• Lu Nan registered the Meridian Condensing Grass mission, traveled to the Qianruan Mountain Range, and gathered the required herbs.
• Lu Nan hid in the Mysterious Space and completed the flags needed for his three eighth-grade formations, then planned where to place each formation around the Boiling Fire Cult.
• Lu Nan decided to seek a patrol mission or use his status as a new disciple to tour the sect so he could install the formations without arousing suspicion.
• Lu Nan sensed unfamiliar auras in the mountain range and found Chen Yu and another woman surrounded by four disciples demanding an item named by Young Master Tang.
• Chen Yu refused to surrender the item without an exchange and invoked Senior Sister An, prompting the young man to say he needed to ask for instructions.

Chen Yu and her companion were ambushed by a young man’s group, but Lu Nan rescued them and learned the item they were carrying was a thousand-year-old Crimson Fruit. After Chen Yu and her junior sister killed their attackers, Lu Nan headed toward the Boiling Fire Cult to begin his plan.

• The young man and his companions subdued Chen Yu and another woman, then threatened them until Chen Yu revealed that the Crimson Fruit was hidden in a crooked-necked tree thirty li southeast.
• Lu Nan emerged from the shadows and asked Chen Yu about the item; after she named the thousand-year-old Crimson Fruit, he began to leave, but one attacker blocked his way.
• Lu Nan killed the attacker and severed the limbs of the young man and his remaining companions, then asked Chen Yu about Senior Sister An, Young Master Tang, and the cult’s disciple ranks.
• Chen Yu and her junior sister dressed, killed the wounded attackers, looted the bodies, and hurried off to deliver the Crimson Fruit to Miss An.
• Lu Nan left the mountain range and flew toward the Boiling Fire Cult, ready to begin his plan.

Lu Nan secretly planted the formation flags needed to establish the first grand formation around the Boiling Fire Cult, completing the outer formation after a month of careful work. Back at his courtyard, he decided to begin the next formation among the 108 Peaks and headed to the Resource Hall to improve his alchemist rank.

• Lu Nan persuaded the Boiling Fire Cult gatekeepers to let him walk along the sect’s borders, then secretly planted formation flags and concealed them with formations.
• Lu Nan encountered the Old Man in Blue, claimed he was exploring the borders as cultivation, and waited until he was sure the old man had left before planting another flag.
• Lu Nan planted the remaining flags and returned to his courtyard, having established the first formation after a month.
• Lu Nan decided to set up the next formation among the 108 Peaks rather than the heavily guarded main peak.
• Lu Nan resolved to raise his first-grade alchemist rank and went to the Resource Hall to make use of Lei Li’s token.

Lu Nan used up months of resources while practicing Alchemy and told Lei Li he was close to becoming a third-grade Alchemist. After Lu Nan successfully refined Three Yuan Pills, Lei Li was astonished and excited by his disciple’s skill.

• Lu Nan spent a month exhausting the resources he had collected while practicing Alchemy in his chamber.
• Lu Nan returned to the Resource Hall for more supplies, and Lei Li confronted him about repeatedly exchanging for resources.
• Lu Nan explained that he was nearing a breakthrough to third-grade Alchemist and showed Lei Li his second-grade Spirit Replenishing Pills.
• Lei Li agreed to watch Lu Nan refine Three Yuan Pills and found the alchemy chamber filled with medicinal remnants.
• Lu Nan successfully refined five Three Yuan Pills, four mid-grade and one high-grade, and Lei Li excitedly pulled him out of the chamber.

Lei Li brought Lu Nan to meet Tao Huai and asked the powerful Alchemist to take him as a disciple. After Tao Huai revealed that he knew Lu Nan’s secret and offered to help him leave the Boiling Fire Cult, Lu Nan arranged to gain access to the 108 Peaks and prepared to act once his new identity was settled.

• Lei Li introduced Lu Nan to Tao Huai and asked Tao Huai to accept him as a disciple because Lu Nan was an eighteen-year-old third-rank Alchemist.
• Lu Nan acknowledged Tao Huai as his master after learning that Tao Huai was an upper seventh-rank Alchemist.
• Tao Huai questioned Lu Nan’s reason for joining the Boiling Fire Cult and revealed that he had seen the incident at the border and recognized the array flags.
• Tao Huai offered to help Lu Nan leave the Boiling Fire Cult, explaining that he wanted to leave himself because of a Heavenly Dao oath.
• Lu Nan asked Tao Huai to arrange free access to the 108 Peaks, and Tao Huai agreed to provide him with a suitable identity by the next day.

Lu Nan secretly planted nine formation swords across the Boiling Fire Cult’s peaks, then received a Patrolling Envoy post that let him inspect each peak’s pills. He used the new role to travel among the peaks while wondering whether Tao Huai was still watching him.

• Lu Nan realized Tao Huai might have been the disguised old man who had watched him and decided to hasten his plans.
• Lu Nan altered his appearance, entered Alchemy Peak, and planted nine small swords at designated peaks before returning to his courtyard and destroying his tools.
• Lei Li visited Lu Nan the next morning and gave him a Patrolling Envoy token, explaining that the role involved inspecting pills at the 108 Peaks’ Resource Halls.
• Lu Nan inspected several bottles at a Resource Hall and then traveled among the peaks throughout the day.
• Lu Nan returned to his courtyard and wondered whether Tao Huai had observed his actions.

Lu Nan asked Tao Huai to take him onto the main peak so he could act against the Boiling Fire Cult’s foundation. Huo Zou admitted him to the Scripture Repository’s sixth floor, giving Lu Nan a chance to select a Heaven-grade cultivation method.

• Lu Nan urged Tao Huai to help him reach the main peak, explaining that his current identity barred him from entering and that he needed to prepare against the Boiling Fire Cult.
• Tao Huai agreed to take Lu Nan to an ordinary area of the main peak two days later, when he had business with Huo Zou.
• Tao Huai brought Lu Nan to the main peak, where Huo Zou welcomed them into the Sect Leader’s grand hall.
• Tao Huai gave Huo Zou the requested Condensing Fire Pills, and Huo Zou praised Tao Huai’s alchemy.
• Tao Huai asked Huo Zou to let Lu Nan enter the Scripture Repository and choose a Heaven-grade cultivation method, and Huo Zou granted the request.
• Huo Zou gave Lu Nan his personal token for the repository’s sixth floor and told him to go there at once.

Lu Nan entered the Boiling Fire Cult’s Scripture Repository, where Huo Yan let him choose a Heaven-grade cultivation art. He memorized the Departing Fire Sword Art and returned its Jade Slip immediately, then left with Tao Huai after reporting to Huo Zou.

• Lu Nan showed Huo Yan the token from Huo Zou and received permission to choose one Heaven-grade cultivation art from the sixth floor.
• Lu Nan found that the repository was unsuitable for secretly placing an array and decided to study a cultivation art instead.
• Lu Nan selected the Departing Fire Sword Art, memorized it, and returned its Jade Slip to Huo Yan.
• Huo Yan praised Lu Nan’s memory, gave him his insights into the sword art, and watched him leave while an unseen observer ordered that he be monitored longer.
• Lu Nan reported his choice to Huo Zou, who already knew which art he had taken, then left the main hall with Tao Huai.

Lu Nan learned about the Blazing Fire Secret Realm and secured a place in the Boiling Fire Cult’s expedition, despite Tao Huai warning that his cultivation was too low. A month later, Lu Nan joined Elder Zhang Hua’s group as their flying boat set out for the realm.

• Lu Nan told Tao Huai that he had found no opportunity in the Scripture Repository, and Tao Huai explained that the 108 Peaks would take three to five months to address.
• Tao Huai described the Blazing Fire Secret Realm, its spirit fires, and the final-month competition, and agreed to arrange Lu Nan’s entry with the Boiling Fire Cult’s disciples.
• Tao Huai secretly questioned whether the work on the 108 Peaks truly required three to five months, while Lu Nan returned to his residence and entered seclusion.
• One day before the secret realm opened, Lu Nan met Tao Huai and Elder Zhang Hua, who agreed to bring him back safely after receiving a sixth-rank pill from Tao Huai.
• Zhang Hua took Lu Nan to Sect Square, explained that cultivators below Golden Core could also enter, and arranged a luxurious room for him aboard the first flying boat.
• Lu Nan felt the flying boat begin its journey toward the Blazing Fire Secret Realm.

Lu Nan entered the Blazing Fire Secret Realm, separated from Xiao Nan by random teleportation, and obtained a map and information about the realm from a young cultivator. After discovering that Fire Beasts yielded valuable Fire Cores, he became interested in exploring deeper regions for heaven-grade spirit fire.

• Zhang Hua warned the entrants to cooperate, forbade them from killing one another, and sent them into the secret realm with Xiao Nan assigned to guide Lu Nan.
• The entrance randomly teleported Lu Nan and Xiao Nan to different places, and each set off alone.
• Lu Nan disguised himself and forced a young Spirit Transformation cultivator to explain the secret realm's regions, Fire Beasts, spirit fire, and core region.
• The young cultivator gave Lu Nan a Jade Slip containing a rough map, and Lu Nan decided to seek the core region and its rumored heaven-grade spirit fire.
• Lu Nan killed a first-stage Golden Core Fire Beast, extracted its Fire Core, and considered how to use the valuable material.

Lu Nan hunted Fire Beasts and Boiling Fire Cult disciples in the secret realm before reuniting with Hu Mei'er. He followed her to a volcanic crater where a spiritual fire was expected and declared that they would take it.

• Lu Nan killed a group of Boiling Fire Cult members who had hunted a third-grade Spirit Transformation Fire Beast, took its Fire Core, and decided to hunt the cult’s disciples.
• After collecting another Fire Core, Lu Nan sensed Hu Mei'er nearby and rescued her from her pursuers.
• Hu Mei'er explained that she had come to the Fire Domain seeking spiritual fire and knew of a wisp in the inner area's Eastern Region.
• Lu Nan and Hu Mei'er reached a volcanic crater where several powerful cultivators had gathered, and one man threatened them and demanded Hu Mei'er become his master.
• Lu Nan killed the threatening man, destroyed his Primordial Spirit, and told the gathered cultivators they would take the spiritual fire.

Lu Nan killed Tang Ran of the Boiling Fire Cult and cleared the volcanic crater before entering the volcano with Hu Mei'er to claim its spirit fire. He reached the fire but found that it was illusory and guarded by a powerful lava beast.

• Lu Nan killed Tang Ran and several others who challenged him, while Shui Yan of Fire Dragon Valley left peacefully after introducing himself.
• Lu Nan and Hu Mei'er descended into the volcano, where Hu Mei'er identified the dark-red spirit fire as Human grade.
• Lu Nan crossed the lava and fought creatures that re-formed after he dismembered them with spiritual swords.
• A massive lava beast struck Lu Nan as he neared the spirit fire, and his hand passed through the flame when he tried to grasp it.
• Lu Nan dodged the beast's next attack and realized that the spirit fire was not what it appeared to be.

Lu Nan took spirit flames and Fire Cores while traveling with Hu Mei'er, then followed her call for help to a Qingqiu group threatened by the Boiling Fire Cult. After learning their leader was the Desire Young Master, Lu Nan stepped forward to face the cult.

• Lu Nan killed a lava monster, took its spirit flame, and gave it to Hu Mei'er before they set out to hunt Fire Beasts and collect Fire Cores.
• Lu Nan demanded a spirit flame from an injured youth and took it after his peak Nascent Soul aura forced the youth to comply.
• Hu Mei'er received a call for help from her clansmen and led Lu Nan to a crowd surrounded by Boiling Fire Cult disciples.
• Bai Huo of Qingqiu identified the cult's leader as the peak Nascent Soul Desire Young Master, and Lu Nan strode to the front of the women.

Lu Nan rescued Bai Huo and the Green Hill foxes from the Boiling Fire Cult, then took Hu Mei'er with him toward the Blazing Fire Secret Realm's core region. After entering its mist, the pair became trapped despite Lu Nan trying to escape underground.

• Lu Nan killed Desire Young Master and the Boiling Fire Cult disciples, then gave Bai Huo pills for her injuries.
• Hu Mei'er joined Lu Nan, and the two set off for the core region to pursue his search for an item that could open the Boiling Fire Cult's treasure vault.
• Lu Nan and Hu Mei'er fought their way to the core region, where Lu Nan sensed formidable auras and promised not to leave her behind.
• They entered the gray mist, where Lu Nan's Divine Sense reached only one li, and he quickly killed a fourth-level Celestial Being Fire Beast.
• After walking through the mist for about three days, Lu Nan realized they were trapped and tried to escape with the Great Five Elements Escape, but emerged into the same fog.

Lu Nan used Mist Weaving to escape the gray mist’s illusion realm and guide Hu Mei’er safely through it. They reached a vast grassland, where Hu Mei’er happily ran around and admitted she liked being away from her grandmother’s pressure to cultivate.

• Lu Nan realized the mist might be causing an illusion and used Mist Weaving to see that he and Hu Mei’er were trapped and vulnerable to a Fire Beast.
• Lu Nan dispersed the mist around them, fought off the Fire Beast, and freed Hu Mei’er from the illusion realm.
• Lu Nan learned that the mist trapped living creatures in an illusion where Fire Beasts could kill them, then used Mist Weaving to lead Hu Mei’er through the fog.
• Lu Nan and Hu Mei’er entered a vast grassland; while Lu Nan stayed alert, Hu Mei’er ran freely and pulled him along.
• Hu Mei’er told Lu Nan that she liked the grassland because it was beautiful, she could play freely, and her grandmother was not there urging her to cultivate.

Lu Nan and Hu Mei'er crossed a desert in the secret realm, where he defeated a Fire Beast swarm and found an earth-grade spirit fire. As Lu Nan reached for the flame, a streak of white light appeared, leaving him on guard.

• Lu Nan and Hu Mei'er left the grassland and entered a vast desert.
• Lu Nan carried Hu Mei'er into the air when Fire Beasts erupted from the ground, then killed their ninth-level Heavenly Human ant queen and collected its Fire Core.
• Lu Nan and Hu Mei'er continued deeper, harvesting Fire Cores from the Fire Beasts they encountered.
• Lu Nan told Hu Mei'er that he had reached peak Heavenly Human cultivation, then sensed a high-quality spirit fire nearby.
• Lu Nan and Hu Mei'er found an earth-grade spirit fire inside a cave, and Lu Nan cautiously approached it.
• A streak of white light flashed as Lu Nan reached for the spirit fire, making him retreat and watch for danger.

Lu Nan tracked a white little man that stole spirit flames and discovered it used spatial abilities to appear and vanish. He baited it with spirit flames and activated a formation as it darted into the trap.

• The white little man stole an earth-grade spirit flame from Lu Nan and vanished before he could catch it.
• Lu Nan and Hu Mei'er found more spirit flames, but the white little man repeatedly appeared, swallowed them, and escaped Lu Nan's attacks.
• Lu Nan realized the little man occupied another space and entered their own only when devouring a spirit flame.
• Lu Nan prepared a Three Talents Absolute Void Formation and placed one spirit flame inside as bait, but the little man sensed the danger and stayed hidden above them.
• Lu Nan had Hu Mei'er add her spirit flame to the formation, then activated it when the white little man flashed toward the bait.

Lu Nan trapped Xiao Bai and bound it with a mutual contract to help locate spirit fire. After Xiao Bai led Lu Nan and Hu Mei'er to an Earth-grade spirit fire, Lu Nan defeated a water guardian and took its Fire Core, but the spirit fire slipped through his hand.

• Lu Nan trapped the white little man in a formation, learned it had eaten their spirit fire and could locate more, and made it promise to find nine wisps in exchange for its freedom.
• Lu Nan and the white little man signed a mutual contract, and Lu Nan named it Xiao Bai and told it to call Hu Mei'er Big Sister and him Boss.
• Xiao Bai led Lu Nan and Hu Mei'er to an earthy yellow pool, where Lu Nan found an Earth-grade spirit fire at the bottom.
• A guardian made of pool water attacked Lu Nan, and he passed through it and took the earthy yellow Fire Core from its forehead.
• Lu Nan tried to seize the spirit fire, but it slipped through his hand and continued swaying in place.

Lu Nan collected spirit fire with Hu Mei’er and Xiao Bai, then encountered an intelligent ancient tree that offered him Five-colored Earth Fire in exchange for carrying one of its seeds to the Azure Realm. The tree promised to reveal how to obtain Six-colored Earth Fire, and Lu Nan asked it for the details.

• Lu Nan seized the Earth-grade spirit fire after fighting the Fire Beasts and gave it to Hu Mei’er, warning Xiao Bai not to take it.
• Lu Nan and Hu Mei’er gathered nine more strands of spirit fire as Xiao Bai guided them around the area.
• Xiao Bai told Lu Nan about seven-colored spirit fire and led him to a forest where an ancient tree guarded a five-colored strand.
• Lu Nan agreed to carry one of the ancient tree’s seeds to the Azure Realm and collected its Five-colored Earth Fire.
• The ancient tree dropped a red-and-green seed for Lu Nan and offered to reveal the location and method for obtaining Six-colored Earth Fire.

Lu Nan obtained the Six-Colored Spirit Fire from the Blood-Drinking Poison Crocodile in the Corrosive Poison Swamp. He gave it to Hu Mei'er, then prepared to continue searching for the Seven-Colored Spirit Fire with Xiao Bai.

• Thunder Scale Azure Wood gave Lu Nan a token and directions to the Blood-Drinking Poison Crocodile, asking him to take its seed out and plant it somewhere rich in spiritual energy.
• Lu Nan showed Hu Mei'er and Xiao Bai the Five-Colored Spirit Fire, then promised Xiao Bai it could have the fire if it helped him obtain the Seven-Colored Spirit Fire.
• Lu Nan, Hu Mei'er, and Xiao Bai followed a guiding leaf to the Corrosive Poison Swamp, where Lu Nan entered alone and defeated a group of Fire Beasts.
• Lu Nan presented Thunder Scale Azure Wood's token to the Blood-Drinking Poison Crocodile and asked for the Six-Colored Spirit Fire, explaining that he had agreed to take a seed out of the swamp.
• The Blood-Drinking Poison Crocodile gave Lu Nan the Six-Colored Spirit Fire, and Lu Nan reinforced Hu Mei'er's gourd before placing the fire inside and giving it to her.
• Lu Nan gave the Five-Colored Spirit Fire to Xiao Bai and set off with Hu Mei'er and Xiao Bai to seek the Seven-Colored Spirit Fire.