Chapter Summaries

Liu Xi tested the Crimson Flame Mad Lion’s Beast Fire after strengthening it with the Nine Nether Spirit Flame Art, then joined the other tournament finalists as Hu Gan escorted the fifty successful students toward the Inner Court. The students departed on Griffins with Hu Gan and three elders guarding them in flight.

• Liu Xi tested the Crimson Flame Mad Lion’s Beast Fire, freezing the river before unleashing an explosion whose power he likened to an Earth Tier Dou Skill.
• Liu Xi decided that pursuing the Green Lotus Core Flame beneath the Snake-people Desert was more practical than targeting the Inner Court’s Fallen Heart Flame.
• Liu Xi arrived at Hu Gan’s office, where the other four top contestants noticed his changed, chilling aura.
• Hu Gan congratulated the fifty students who had qualified for the Inner Court and explained that the academy would escort them there.
• The students boarded ten Griffins in groups of five, and Hu Gan and three elders flew alongside them as they departed.

Liu Xi and the other new students reached the Inner Court after Hu Gan and three elders escorted them through the mountains and a hidden gate. Elder Su gave them Fire Energy chips and launched the Fire Energy Hunt Competition, leaving Liu Xi and the others to cross a forest while senior students tried to rob them.

• Hu Gan and the three elders cleared the Griffins’ path through the mountains by killing attacking Magical Beasts.
• Hu Gan opened a concealed silver gate, and Liu Xi and the students entered the Inner Court’s hidden space.
• Hu Gan introduced the top five students to Elders Su and Qing, and Elder Su handed each student a crystal chip marked with a number.
• Elder Su explained that senior students could seize the new students’ Fire Energy chips as they crossed the forest, then announced the competition had begun.
• The senior students entered the forest, and Liu Xi and the other top students headed after them in small groups.

Liu Xi watched the new students split up, then defeated five senior students who were robbing newcomers and took most of their Fire Energy. The Scar-faced Youth spread tales of Liu Xi’s strange methods, earning him the title “Demon Lord.”

• Liu Lingfeng raised the question of dividing the competition’s rewards, and the group broke apart as Liu Xi continued toward the Inner Court alone.
• Liu Xi watched five senior students beat a group of new students and take their Fire Energy.
• When the Scar-faced Youth and his companions confronted him, Liu Xi used Crimson Flame and an illusion to defeat all five.
• Liu Xi took most of the senior students’ Fire Energy, raising his Fire Crystal Card from 5 to 213, and left each of them ten days’ worth.
• The Scar-faced Youth spread a story about Liu Xi’s bizarre, wicked methods, and others gave him the title “Demon Lord.”

Liu Xi defeated Senior Students to steal their Fire Energy, escaped a larger ambush, and reached the final checkpoint of the Fire Energy Hunt Competition. He defeated Yang Xiao with his strongest attack, earning Elder Su’s acknowledgment that he had won.

• Liu Xi defeated Luo Ke and his four companions, took their Fire Energy, and raised his card’s total to 398.
• Luo Ke planned to turn other Senior Students against Liu Xi, but Liu Xi escaped an ambush by Zhou Fan and his group.
• Over the next two days, Liu Xi raised his Fire Energy total to 538 and became notorious among Senior Students and new students alike.
• At the final checkpoint, Liu Xi faced Yang Xiao, a one-star Dou Ling, and unleashed Crimson Flame Mad Lion to knock him unconscious.
• Elder Su checked Yang Xiao’s injuries and declared that Liu Xi had won.

Liu Xi received a Green Fire Crystal Card and settled into the Inner Court, where he recovered from his battle before encountering senior students demanding tribute. After beating them, he forced the three men to guide him around the academy.

• Elder Su awarded Liu Xi a Green Fire Crystal Card containing thirty days of Fire Energy and brought him to the Inner Court.
• Elder Su explained how Fire Energy and crystal-card ranks worked, then showed Liu Xi his new residence and described life in the Inner Court.
• Liu Xi recovered his depleted Dou Qi at the pavilion and noticed that his cultivation had grown more condensed after the fighting.
• Three Senior Students demanded two days of Fire Energy as a freshman tribute, but Liu Xi attacked and beat them when they threatened him.
• Liu Xi made the three Senior Students stop trying to flee and guide him around the Inner Court.

After three years of cultivation, Liu Xi broke through to Dou Wang and became the Inner Court’s strongest student and a Peak Fifth-grade Alchemist. He obtained leave from Su Qian and prepared to return home before traveling beyond the academy.

• Liu Xi compressed and shattered his Dou Crystal, then formed a new one and broke through to Dou Wang.
• Liu Xi recalled how he advanced to Nine Star Dou Ling, became a Peak Fifth-grade Alchemist, and rose to number one on the Strong Ranking using his Illusory Heart Technique.
• Liu Xi left the Heavenly Burning Qi Refining Tower and told Elder Liu he planned to return home and travel.
• Liu Xi visited Great Elder Su Qian, who approved his leave after learning he had reached Dou Wang.
• The Inner Court was shocked by Liu Xi’s breakthrough as he packed to leave for home the next day.

Liu Xi returned from Jia Nan Academy as a Dou Wang and Fifth-grade Alchemist, visited his former mentors, and reunited with his family in Lin City. After spending a month at home, he planned his next journey to the Snake-people Desert, the Imperial Capital, and the Monster Beast Mountain Range.

• Liu Xi left the Inner Court, demonstrated his Dou Wang strength on the flight to the Outer Court, and bid farewell to Elder Huo and Vice Principal Hu Gan.
• Liu Xi traveled for more than ten days and returned to Lin City, where his family welcomed him home.
• Liu Xi reunited with his parents, met his infant younger brother Liu Cheng, and told them about his achievements at Jia Nan Academy.
• Liu Xi learned that Xuan Hao had supported the Liu Family and was now in the Imperial Capital.
• Liu Xi spent a month with his family, decided to seek the Green Lotus Core Flame in the Snake-people Desert, and wrote to Xuan Hao about his return.

Liu Xi left his family and traveled to the Tagor Desert to search for the Green Lotus Core Flame, with plans to consult Hai Bodong and preparations already made for refining a Heavenly Flame. After rescuing Ma Li’s mercenary group from Snake People, he reached Stone Desert City.

• Liu Xi said farewell to Liu Ming, Li Yue, and Liu Cheng, then flew east toward the Tagor Desert.
• Liu Xi reviewed his plans to find the Green Lotus Core Flame and the protective items he had prepared for refining it.
• After ten days of flight, Liu Xi lost his way in the desert and spotted Ma Li’s mercenary group fighting eight Snake People.
• Liu Xi killed the eight Snake People with a wave of fire, then ordered Ma Li to lead him to Stone Desert City.
• Ma Li guided Liu Xi into Stone Desert City, where he left without another word.

Liu Xi found Hai Bodong’s map shop and identified a fragment map tied to the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame. After Hai Bodong refused to sell it, Liu Xi defeated and sealed him, then asked to talk.

• Liu Xi followed a local woman to the Ancient Map shop and sensed a scorching aura coming from a damaged map fragment.
• Liu Xi recognized the fragment as a Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame Fragment Map and asked Hai Bodong to sell it, but Hai Bodong refused.
• Liu Xi revealed his name, Dou Wang strength, and claim to be a Fifth-grade Alchemist, prompting Hai Bodong to shut the shop door and attack.
• Liu Xi countered Hai Bodong’s ice techniques with Crimson Flame and defeated him with Blowing Fire Palm.
• Liu Xi sealed Hai Bodong’s Dou Qi with Seal Fire Dharma Seal and asked him to talk.

Liu Xi negotiated with Hai Bodong for Heavenly Flame clues, a pill formula, and the remaining map fragment in exchange for helping break his seal and find Sand Mandara. After leaving the shop, Liu Xi discovered Qing Lin and took her in.

• Hai Bodong explained that Queen Medusa's Snake Seal Curse could only be removed with a Po E Pill refined using a Heavenly Flame.
• Hai Bodong offered clues to three possible Heavenly Flame locations and the other map fragment if Liu Xi refined the pill and retrieved Sand Mandara; Liu Xi agreed and released Hai Bodong's seal.
• Hai Bodong gave Liu Xi a map marking three possible Heavenly Flame locations and promised to provide the pill formula and remaining map fragment later.
• Liu Xi sensed a black-robed figure following him and discovered that the timid little girl beneath the robe was Qing Lin, who possessed the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils.
• Liu Xi comforted Qing Lin, invited her to come with him, and carried her away to find somewhere to stay for the night.

Qing Lin recalled her lonely childhood, her mother’s death, and how Liu Xi offered her a home and acceptance. After taking her in, Liu Xi began caring for her and planned to bring her along as he searched for the Heavenly Flames.

• Qing Lin remembered how people shunned her for her Snake Person blood, and how her mother died after the city refused to help her.
• After a year of surviving alone, Qing Lin met Liu Xi, who told her that her existence had meaning and offered her a home with him.
• Qing Lin led Liu Xi to her dilapidated house, where he said he would buy a larger residence and made her his maid.
• The next morning, Liu Xi gave Qing Lin a pill he had refined to strengthen her body and promised to teach her to cultivate Dou Qi.
• Qing Lin vowed to cultivate diligently and protect Liu Xi, who gave her Grain-Avoiding Pills before planning to take her around the city to buy a residence.

Liu Xi searched the desert for the Green Lotus Core Flame, eventually locating an underground magma pool and using his fire technique to blast a passage into it. He descended into the cavern with Qing Lin, leaving the story at the edge of the lava pool.

• Liu Xi searched underground near Stone Desert City for the Core Magma but exhausted his soul power and returned with Qing Lin.
• Liu Xi spent more than ten days searching before locating a deep underground magma pool filled with Fire Attribute Energy.
• Liu Xi taught Qing Lin to cultivate Dou Qi, and she told him she was ready to help.
• Liu Xi used the Pill Fire Technique to create a Fire Lion that melted a tunnel through the desert and into the magma pool.
• Liu Xi carried Qing Lin down the tunnel, concealed its entrance with an Illusion Technique, and arrived above the cavern's lava pool.

Liu Xi lured out and defeated the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake in the magma, then relied on Qing Lin to awaken her Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils and control it. Qing Lin succeeded but collapsed into Liu Xi’s arms, leaving the snake marked by her strange green flowers.

• Liu Xi used his Dou Wang aura to draw the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake out of the magma and fought off its attacks.
• Liu Xi absorbed the snake’s flames into his Crimson Flame, transformed it into blazing white fire, and defeated the beast without killing it.
• Liu Xi brought the injured snake to Qing Lin and asked her to use her eyes to communicate with it and guide him to what lay beneath the magma.
• Qing Lin initially failed to awaken her Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils, but Liu Xi urged her not to disappoint him.
• Qing Lin’s pupils awakened, marked both of the snake’s heads with tiny green flowers, and she collapsed into Liu Xi’s arms.

Liu Xi followed Qing Lin’s newly controlled Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake deep into the magma and found the Green Lotus Core Flame. He collected its Lotus Seat and prepared to return to Qing Lin, who was waiting above.

• Qing Lin awakened after controlling the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake, and Liu Xi asked her to make it lead him to the Heavenly Flame.
• Qing Lin warned Liu Xi to return safely, and he leaped into the magma behind the snake.
• Liu Xi followed the snake through increasingly hot magma currents as his Dou Qi steadily dwindled.
• The Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake led Liu Xi to the Green Lotus Core Flame, where he carefully detached and collected its Lotus Seat.
• Liu Xi left the Green Lotus’s roots intact and set off to return to Qing Lin.

Liu Xi returned from the Core Magma with the Green Lotus Core Flame and traveled with Qing Lin to a secluded mountain cave to absorb it. After preparing the required items and freeing the flame from the Green Lotus Seat, he took the Blood Lotus Pill and began drawing the awakened Heavenly Flame toward himself.

• Qing Lin learned from the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake that Liu Xi had safely obtained what he wanted, and Liu Xi returned from the magma with the snake’s help.
• Liu Xi named the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake Ling Shuang, then destroyed the passage to the Core Magma and flew with Qing Lin to a remote mountain range.
• Liu Xi carved out a cave and told Qing Lin and Ling Shuang to guard it while he absorbed the Heavenly Flame.
• Liu Xi prepared the Blood Lotus Pill, Ice Spirit Cold Spring, and Spirit Gathering, then separated the Green Lotus Seat from the Green Lotus Core Flame.
• Liu Xi swallowed the Blood Lotus Pill, which formed protective blood-red armor around his body, and used suction to begin drawing in the Green Lotus Core Flame.

Liu Xi endured the Green Lotus Core Flame’s assault, subdued it, and broke through to the Two-star Dou King realm. He then commanded the flame into his Spirit Gathering, where it entered reluctantly, leaving him both pleased and guilty.

• Liu Xi reached into the Green Lotus Core Flame and retrieved its seed flame, then swallowed it and drank the Ice Spirit Cold Spring to protect his meridians.
• Liu Xi used his Dou Qi and Nine Nether Spirit Flame Art to guide the Green Flames toward his dantian, where one stream devoured the Crimson Flame seed.
• The Green Lotus Core Flame purified Liu Xi’s Dou Qi, calmed the remaining Green Flames, and helped him absorb them into his Dou Crystal.
• The Green Lotus Core Flame helped Liu Xi break through to the Two-star Dou King realm and began healing his injuries.
• Liu Xi ordered the Green Lotus Core Flame into his last Spirit Gathering, and it entered reluctantly.

Liu Xi successfully subdued the Green Lotus Core Flame, advanced to Two-star Dou King, and emerged from the cave after eight hours. With the flame secured, he planned to adapt to its power, pursue the Sand Mandara in Snake People territory, and eventually refine the Po E Pill.

• Liu Xi awoke after the Green Lotus Core Flame expelled the medicinal toxins from his body and improved his aptitude.
• Liu Xi tested the Green Lotus Core Flame, confirmed its power and inherited Heat Plundering, and reflected on the difficulty of advancing beyond Dou King.
• Liu Xi emerged from the cave and learned from Qing Lin that eight hours had passed while she kept watch; he carried her to rest.
• Liu Xi made Ling Shuang coil around the bonfire so he could sit down with the sleeping Qing Lin.
• Liu Xi decided to stay in the area, grow accustomed to the flame, and seek Sand Mandara in Snake People territory before refining the Po E Pill.

Liu Xi and Qing Lin searched the Tagor Desert for the Sand Mandara and stopped at an oasis to rest. When Snake People arrived at the lake, Liu Xi hid with Qing Lin and recognized the bathing Dou Wang as Yue Mei.

• Liu Xi flew with Qing Lin through the western Tagor Desert, avoiding Snake Person patrols as they searched for the Sand Mandara.
• Liu Xi found an unoccupied oasis and let Qing Lin bathe in its lake while he rested nearby.
• Liu Xi sensed a group of eight female Snake People approaching, then rescued Qing Lin from the lake and concealed them both with an Illusion Technique.
• Yue Mei, a Snake Person Dou Wang, arrived at the lake and bathed while the other Snake People waited nearby.
• Qing Lin noticed Liu Xi watching Yue Mei and felt jealous of the Snake Woman's figure.

Liu Xi and Qing Lin hid near an oasis lake while Yue Mei’s guards searched for them. When Yue Mei’s energy snakes exposed Liu Xi, he revealed his Green Lotus Core Flame and defeated her surprise attack, leaving them poised to fight.

• Yue Mei spotted clothes on the shore and ordered Yue Xing and the guards to search the oasis for intruders.
• Yue Xing’s guards found no one, so Yue Mei summoned Ten Thousand Snakes Descend to scour the oasis.
• Liu Xi told Qing Lin to stay with Ling Shuang, then used the Green Lotus Core Flame to burn the energy snakes and reveal himself.
• Yue Mei tried to lure Liu Xi toward her tribe, while Liu Xi challenged her to serve him instead.
• Yue Mei concealed her killing intent and attacked Liu Xi with Coiling Snake Hand, but Liu Xi countered with Blowing Fire Palm and burned away her venom.

Liu Xi fought and defeated Yue Mei after she confronted him in her private oasis, then took her hostage to force the Snake People to bring him Sand Mandara. Yue Xing and several guards left to fetch the herb, while Liu Xi planned to trade Yue Mei for it and flee.

• Yue Mei challenged Liu Xi and attacked him with enormous green energy serpents, but Liu Xi sliced them apart with his Flame Blade.
• Yue Mei mistook Liu Xi's illusion for the real man and was struck from behind by his Blowing Fire Palm.
• When Yue Mei tried to self-destruct, Liu Xi sealed her dantian and took her hostage.
• Liu Xi demanded that Yue Xing and the other Snake People bring Sand Mandara in exchange for Yue Mei, and they left to retrieve it.
• Liu Xi decided to trade Yue Mei for the herb and escape the Snake People territory.