Chapter Summaries

Xiao Yan, a transmigrator who had begun cultivating as a child, tested as a Three-Star Dou Zhe at fourteen despite being slowed by a Yellow-Rank Low-Level cultivation method. The clan test continued with Xiao Mei reaching Seventh Stage Dou Qi and Xiao Xun'er reaching Two-Star Dou Zhe, leaving Xiao Yan relieved that she had not surpassed him.

• Xiao Yan tested as a Three-Star Dou Zhe, drawing admiration across the clan square before returning to the end of the queue.
• Xiao Zhan and the three elders praised Xiao Yan's talent, while Xiao Zhan worried that his son trained too hard.
• Xiao Mei tested as Seventh Stage Dou Qi and excitedly told Xiao Yan she had reached the late stage.
• Xiao Mei joined Xiao Yan, who cautioned her that her cultivation would slow as she progressed.
• Xiao Xun'er tested as a Two-Star Dou Zhe, nearly matching Xiao Yan and stunning the crowd.
• Xiao Mei let go of Xiao Yan's sleeve after seeing Xiao Xun'er's result.

Xiao Yan celebrated Xun’er's talent while the Xiao Clan elders considered their future together, and Xiao Zhan worried about Xun'er's powerful family. After a night of training and a visit from his father, Xiao Yan was summoned to the hall to meet an honored guest.

• Xun'er tested close to reaching Dou Shi, then joined Xiao Yan as the crowd praised their closeness and Xiao Mei felt she could never compare.
• The Great Elder and Second Elder approved of Xiao Yan and Xun'er as a match, while Xiao Zhan feared her family might threaten the Xiao Clan.
• Xiao Yan trained alone at night and reflected on his unusually strong soul, his past life, and the need to keep improving.
• Xiao Zhan found Xiao Yan training, praised his discipline, and told him an honored guest would arrive the next day.
• The next morning, Steward Mo summoned Xiao Yan to the hall at Xiao Zhan's request.

Nalan Yanran came to the Xiao Clan with Ge Ye and another Misty Cloud Sect elder to annul her engagement to Xiao Yan, humiliating the clan and provoking Xiao Zhan. Xiao Yan accepted that the marriage should end but challenged Nalan Yanran to withstand one move before he would agree.

• Xiao Yan entered the reception hall and recognized Nalan Yanran, his childhood fiancée, as a Three-Star Dou Zhe from the Misty Cloud Sect.
• Nalan Yanran announced that she had come to annul the engagement, and Ge Ye explained that the Misty Cloud Sect supported her decision.
• Xiao Zhan crushed his jade cup, and the Xiao Clan members glared at the visitors as Ge Ye's offered medicinal pill fell to the floor.
• Nalan Yanran declared that she would decide her own fate and choose whom to marry.
• Xiao Yan applauded, agreed that the engagement should be annulled, and challenged Nalan Yanran to take one move from him.

Xiao Yan accepted Nalan Yanran’s challenge and revealed that he had already reached Three-Star Dou Zhe, stunning Ge Ye and the others. He fought Nalan Yanran’s sword attack with Eight Extremities Collapse and sent her flying through the hall doors.

• Xiao Yan wagered that Nalan Yanran could not withstand one of his moves and said he would publicly divorce her if she failed.
• Nalan Yanran summoned her wind sword with Azure Wood Swordplay and prepared to fight.
• Xiao Yan pinned three golden stars to his chest, revealing that he was a Three-Star Dou Zhe.
• Nalan Yanran attacked Xiao Yan with her gale-force sword, and he countered with an elbow strike from Eight Extremities Collapse.
• Xiao Yan’s strike sent Nalan Yanran flying through the wooden doors of the hall.

Xiao Yan defeated Nalan Yanran in one move, then accepted a three-year challenge while leaving the engagement decision to Xiao Zhan. After identifying the pill she left behind as a superior Qi Gathering Powder, he gave it to Xiao Ning to help him advance.

• Xiao Yan defeated Nalan Yanran, breaking two of her fingers, and rejected Ge Ye's offer of Misty Cloud Sect discipleship and compensation.
• Nalan Yanran challenged Xiao Yan to surpass him within three years, and Xiao Yan deferred the engagement decision to Xiao Zhan.
• Xiao Zhan forgave Nalan Yanran and agreed to discuss the engagement with Nalan Jie over the next three years; Nalan Yanran left the pill as an apology.
• Xiao Yan identified the pill as a superior Fourth Grade Qi Gathering Powder that could help a ninth-stage Dou Qi cultivator become a Dou Zhe.
• Xiao Yan gave the Qi Gathering Powder to Xiao Ning after the Great Elder confirmed his grandson was nearing the eighth stage of Dou Qi.

After Xiao Yan defeated Nalan Yanran, Xiao Ning thanked him for the Qi Gathering Powder, and Xiao Zhan ordered the clan to keep the incident secret. Xiao Yan revealed the Eight Extremities Collapse technique and prepared to refine a second-grade Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid, leaving his alchemical abilities poised to develop further.

• Xiao Ning repeatedly thanked Xiao Yan for giving him Qi Gathering Powder, while Great Elder imagined Xiao Ning's future cultivation prospects.
• Xiao Zhan ordered the clan members to keep the day's events secret and dismissed them.
• Xun Er treated Xiao Yan's injury and asked about his combat technique, while Xiao Yan questioned her monthly absences from the clan.
• Xiao Yan returned to his room, took Eight Extremities Collapse from his Storage Ring, and reflected on his years of training and the powerful techniques he could not yet understand.
• Xiao Yan set out to refine a second-grade Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid, using a pill furnace he had bought at Mittel Auction House.

Xiao Yan’s attempt to refine Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid failed, and a powerful black-robed intruder seized his Storage Ring while searching for the Xiao Clan’s Ancient Jade. The intruder identified himself as Hun Xuzi and offered to teach Xiao Yan Alchemy, but Xiao Yan refused and denied knowing anything about the jade.

• Xiao Yan failed to refine Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid and exhausted his Dou Qi trying again.
• A black-robed man restrained Xiao Yan, took his Storage Ring, and searched its contents for the Xiao Clan’s inheritance.
• The man found the Bone Chiling Flame but no Ancient Jade, then threatened to destroy the Xiao Clan unless Xiao Yan revealed its location.
• Xiao Yan attacked the man with Eight Extremities Collapse, but his blows had no effect, and he realized the intruder was far stronger than him.
• The man revealed his name as Hun Xuzi and offered to teach Xiao Yan Alchemy in exchange for information about the Ancient Jade.
• Xiao Yan denied knowing about the Ancient Jade and told Hun Xuzi he was unqualified to teach him Alchemy.

Xiao Yan tricked Hun Xuzi into demonstrating his alchemy, survived the Poison Pill, and learned that the Hun Clan believed the Xiao Clan’s Ancient Jade had fallen into the Ancient Clan’s hands. The chapter left Hun Tiandi ordering the Soul Hall to gather powerful Soul Bodies before the Ancient Clan could claim more Ancient Jades.

• Hun Xuzi used the Bone Chiling Flame to refine a pill instantly, forced Xiao Yan to swallow a Poison Pill, and left him a Hun token with instructions to seek the Soul Hall if he survived.
• Xiao Yan revealed that he had provoked Hun Xuzi to learn alchemy while concealing Fen Jue, then neutralized the poison by mixing the leftover medicinal herb powder with water.
• Xiao Yan considered the Ancient Jade’s mysterious importance, collected Hun Xuzi’s token, and agreed to accompany Xun Er to the market.
• Hun Xuzi reported to Hun Tiandi that he had found no Ancient Jade in the Xiao Clan and suspected it had reached the Ancient Clan through Gu Yuan’s daughter, Xun Er.
• Hun Tiandi rejected capturing Xun Er and ordered the Soul Hall to speed up its collection of powerful Soul Bodies before the Ancient Clan obtained more Ancient Jades.

After raising his cultivation with a pill, Xiao Yan took Xun Er shopping and bought medicinal ingredients to practice alchemy. They arrived at Ao Jia Market, where Galio confronted Xiao Yan and ordered him to leave.

• Xiao Yan sensed the pill had brought him closer to breaking through and decided to focus on raising his cultivation and finding information about Heavenly Flames.
• Xiao Yan met Xun Er, and they went shopping together while clansmen greeted him with respect for giving Xiao Ning a pill.
• Xiao Yan bought several medicinal ingredients and told Xun Er he planned to practice alchemy, declining her offer of manuals and formulas.
• Xiao Yan led Xun Er to Ao Jia Market, where guards panicked at the Xiao Clan heir’s arrival.
• Galio confronted Xiao Yan and told him to leave the market.

Xiao Yan investigated the Galio Clan and Oba Clan’s plans and discovered they were stockpiling medicinal herbs, possibly to refine and sell pills. After warning Xiao Zhan, he prepared to improve his own alchemy so the Xiao Clan would not depend on the Nalan Family for help.

• Xiao Yan pressured Galio into letting him and Xun Er enter the rival market, then learned that Galio had sent three Seven-Star Dou Zhe to follow them.
• Xiao Yan revealed to Xun Er that he was investigating the Galio Clan and Oba Clan elders’ frequent trips outside Wutan City, then defeated the three followers in the market’s unfinished section.
• Xiao Yan told Xiao Zhan that the rival clans had depleted their stocks of low-level medicinal herbs, suggesting they planned to refine and sell pills.
• Xiao Yan advised Xiao Zhan to gather and retain more herbs, and suggested seeking Nalan Jie’s help only if necessary.
• Xiao Yan went to a hidden cave, took out his pill furnace, herbs, and Magic Cores, and resolved to practice alchemy in case the rival clans hired a second-grade alchemist.

Xiao Yan trained alone in alchemy for three months and mastered Eight Extremities Collapse, then began practicing the Flame Splitting Tsunami Ruler with the Heavy Xuan Ruler. After exhausting himself, he discovered that the ruler’s strain made his body absorb the Bone Chiling Flame’s heat more effectively, and he resolved to continue training.

• Xiao Yan repeatedly failed to refine pills as he practiced alchemy alone, learning from his memory of Hun Xuzi’s pill refining.
• Xiao Yan mastered the Mystic High-Rank Eight Extremities Collapse after three months of training.
• Xiao Yan began training in the Earth Rank Low-Level Flame Splitting Tsunami Ruler and found the Heavy Xuan Ruler suppressed his Dou Qi and was difficult to lift.
• Xiao Yan managed fifty swings with the Heavy Xuan Ruler before exhausting his Dou Qi and setting it down to cultivate.
• Xiao Yan noticed his Dou Qi circulated faster and his muscles grew stronger as his exhausted body absorbed heat from the Bone Chiling Flame.

Xiao Yan sold Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid at the Mittel Auction House, where Xiao Zhan also won the Wind Scroll Technique. Ya Fei suspected Xiao Yan had refined the spirit liquid herself and challenged him to prove he was a Tier 2 Alchemist.

• Xiao Yan brought three bottles of Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid to the Mittel Auction House for appraisal.
• Master Gu Ni confirmed the spirit liquid was a Tier 2 Pill and arranged for Ya Fei to auction it.
• Ya Fei auctioned Xiao Yan's spirit liquid for one hundred and five thousand gold coins, while Xiao Zhan won the Wind Scroll Technique.
• Ya Fei and Master Gu Ni waited for Xiao Yan after the auction, and Ya Fei asked him to introduce the alchemist who had made the spirit liquid.
• Xiao Yan admitted he had refined the spirit liquid himself, and Ya Fei challenged him to prove he was a Tier 2 Alchemist by offering him the auction house.

Ya Fei failed to obtain the alchemist’s contact or medicinal formula from Xiao Yan, but grew increasingly interested in his potential. Nearly a year later, Xiao Yan attended the Xiao Clan’s coming-of-age ceremony, where Xiao Yu attacked him over their past encounters.

• Ya Fei offered to exchange the Mittel Auction House for the alchemist’s contact, but Xiao Yan refused and left with his gold card.
• Ya Fei and Gu Ni discussed whether Xiao Yan had refined the Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid, and Gu Ni warned her against targeting an alchemist’s formula.
• Gu Ni mentioned Nalan Yanran’s plan to dissolve her engagement, and Ya Fei blushed while imagining Xiao Yan becoming a Dou Zong.
• Nearly a year later, the Xiao Clan held its coming-of-age ceremony, drawing Wutan City factions who wanted to see Xiao Yan’s progress.
• Xun Er teased Xiao Yan about looking at Ya Fei and his past with Xiao Yu, then Xiao Yu drew her sword and attacked him.

Xiao Yan attended the Xiao Clan’s Coming-of-Age Ceremony, where he embarrassed Xiao Yu during their quarrel before taking part in the strength test. The test revealed that he had reached the Six-Star Dou Zhe level, astonishing the clan and Wutan City’s faction representatives.

• Xiao Yu attacked Xiao Yan over an old misunderstanding, but he disarmed her and tickled her with foxtail grass until Xun Er interrupted them.
• Xiao Ning and Xiao Mei helped Xiao Yu up, while Xiao Ning and Xiao Mei defended Xiao Yan and Xiao Yu angrily accused them of taking his side.
• Xiao Zhan announced the start of the Coming-of-Age Ceremony, and Xiao Yan endured its lengthy traditional procedures.
• Second Elder Xiao Ying oversaw the strength test, where about half of the thirty clan members failed to meet the standard.
• Xiao Yan took the final test, and the stone stele revealed that he had reached the Six-Star Dou Zhe level, leaving the witnesses stunned.

Xiao Yan revealed that he had advanced three stars in a year, astonishing the Xiao Clan and earning praise from Xun Er and Ya Fei. As the Coming-of-Age Ceremony ended, Galio and Oba’s alliance met with alchemist Liu Xi and began plotting against the Xiao Clan.

• Xiao Yan’s Six-Star Dou Zhe cultivation shocked Xiao Zhan, Xiao Yu, Xun Er, and the clan, while guests considered his potential to become a Dou Emperor.
• Xiao Yan attributed his rapid progress to a medicinal pill and the Bone Chiling Flame, whose fire threads he absorbed through the Flame Mantra.
• Xiao Yan declined Xun Er’s offer of a Mystic High-Rank fire cultivation method, saying he had already gained an opportunity but had not switched methods.
• Xiao Yan’s reputation spread through Wutan City and reached the Nalan Mansion as the Xiao Clan celebrated the ceremony’s end.
• Galio introduced First-Rank Alchemist Liu Xi to the allied Galio and Oba clan leaders, and Liu Xi dismissed cultivators like Xiao Yan as brutes.

A year after losing to Xiao Yan, Nalan Yanran devoted herself to training under Yun Yun and advanced to Nine Star Dou Zhe. Nalan Su came to confront her over the broken engagement, but Gu He kept him from interrupting her and predicted she would surpass Xiao Yan.

• Nalan Yanran finished absorbing a powerful pill and refused to stop training when told Nalan Su had come to see her.
• Nalan Su grew furious that his daughter had broken off the engagement and believed Xiao Yan's talent could help the Nalan Family rise to power.
• Nalan Su went to Nalan Yanran's training grounds, but Gu He intercepted him and invited him to talk instead.
• Gu He revealed that Nalan Yanran had reached Nine Star Dou Zhe, become Yun Yun's personal disciple, and learned the Yunlan Heaven Scroll Technique.
• Gu He explained that Nalan Yanran had endured the Wind Remnant Pill's painful effects and predicted Fifth Grade Pills would help her exceed expectations within two years.

Xiao Yan trained with the Heavy Xuan Ruler and Bone Chiling Flame, then learned that the Galio Clan and Oba Clan had taken over much of Wutan City's medicinal market with cheap First-grade Pills. He told the Xiao Clan to let their rivals continue for now while he prepared a more decisive response.

• Gu He convinced Nalan Su that Xiao Yan could not surpass Nalan Yanran without a master's guidance or resources, then declined Nalan Su's invitation because he planned to trade with a Dou Emperor.
• Xiao Yan practiced the Flame Splitting Tsunami Ruler underwater, blasted the pool apart, and accidentally drenched Xiao Mei and Xiao Yu before fleeing.
• Xiao Yan cultivated beside the Bone Chiling Flame despite being burned, relying on himself to grow stronger.
• The elders brought Xiao Yan to the Meeting Hall, where he learned the Galio Clan and Oba Clan had monopolized low-grade medicinal ingredients and captured over half the market with two First-grade Pills.
• Xiao Yan judged the pills' quality and told the Xiao Clan to play along, explaining that he intended to strike at the rival clans more decisively later.

After two months of letting the Oba Clan and Galio Clan dominate the market with Liu Xi’s Medicinal Pills, Xiao Yan launched a plan to weaken their supply and reward loyal shopkeepers. As the Xiao Clan began carrying out his orders, Liu Xi and Galio confronted Xiao Yu, Xiao Ning, and Xun Er in the Xiao Clan market.

• The Xiao Clan’s market lost most of its customers and revenue as cultivators flocked to Ao Jia Market for the pills.
• Xiao Yan ordered Xiao Mei to identify shop operators who had left and instructed the elders and Xiao Zhan to buy low-grade medicinal ingredients at above-market prices.
• Xiao Yan explained that bulk buying the ingredients could disrupt the First-Rank Alchemist’s pill production, and Xiao Zhan told everyone to act discreetly.
• Liu Xi leered at Xun Er and Xiao Yu, while Xiao Ning failed to defeat one of Liu Xi’s guards and Xiao Yu led the group away.
• Galio’s men blocked Xiao Yu, Xiao Ning, and Xun Er, and Galio taunted them that the Xiao Clan market would soon belong to his side.

Xiao Yan arrived at the Xiao Clan Market after Liu Xi ordered his guards to seize Xun Er and Xiao Yu, then defeated Zhang Hao with a powerful knee strike. He turned toward Liu Xi and Galio, leaving their fate unresolved.

• Liu Xi insulted the Xiao Clan and ordered his guards to seize Xun Er and Xiao Yu.
• Xiao Yu fought the guards while Xiao Ning tried to protect Xun Er, until Xiao Yan arrived and sent the attackers flying.
• Xiao Yan gave Xiao Yu Blood Coagulation Powder, then threatened to kill Liu Xi for his actions and insults.
• Galio called Zhang Hao to block Xiao Yan, but Xiao Yan struck him with Eight Extremities Knee Thrust and left him collapsed, his life uncertain.
• Xiao Yan turned his cold gaze toward Liu Xi and Galio and told them to keep their mouths clean in their next lives.

Xiao Yan nearly killed Liu Xi before the Galio and Oba clan leaders intervened, and the clans left after Xiao Zhan stood his ground. After learning that the Xiao Clan was struggling to obtain medicinal ingredients, Xiao Yan anticipated the merchants’ refusal and offered them a higher price and a three-year purchase agreement.

• Xiao Yan dodged a green lightning attack, then threw an iron rod at Galio before Galio Bi caught and crushed it.
• Xiao Zhan arrived with the elders and guards, confronted Galio Bi and Oba Pa, and watched them leave with Liu Xi.
• Xiao Yan asked how the Xiao Clan’s ingredient purchases had gone, and Xiao Zhan and the Great Elder reported that merchants and Herb Gathering Teams had held back their supplies.
• That night, the merchants told Xiao Zhan they could not sell to the Xiao Clan after the Galio and Oba Clans offered them higher prices.
• Xiao Yan offered fifty percent above the market price, a three-year commitment to buy all four ingredients, and a ten percent advance deposit.