Chapter Summaries

Xu Xiaoshou questioned Mei Suren about Half-Saints and the limits placed on their power, then learned that You Tu had become a Saint after avenging Ba Zunan. Mei Suren ended by recounting how You Tu stormed Gui-Zhe Holy Mountain, killed the former Hall Master of the Holy Spirit Hall, and withdrew from the mortal world.

• Xu Xiaoshou asked Mei Suren about Sword Immortals who had touched the Saint Path and learned that several renowned figures, including Hua Changdeng and Ai Cangsheng, were Half-Saints.
• Mei Suren explained that most Half-Saints belonged to the Holy Spirit Hall or Holy Palace, while others were watched or could not reveal their Saint power without suffering severe consequences.
• Xu Xiaoshou realized that Mei Suren had mastered Saint power and asked whether anyone outside the major institutions dared to become a Half-Saint.
• Mei Suren named You Tu as the boldest man on the continent and confirmed that You Tu had become a Saint long ago.
• Mei Suren recounted how Hua Changdeng defeated Ba Zunan in three strikes, severing his sword Qingju and ending his legend as the Eighth Sword Immortal.
• Mei Suren said You Tu became a Saint on the spot, stormed Gui-Zhe Holy Mountain, killed the former Hall Master of the Holy Spirit Hall, and never entered the mortal world again.

Mei Suren explained to Xu Xiaoshou that the Holy Spirit Hall’s long-standing order could be broadly fair without being unquestionably right, and that those who challenged it could be neither simply right nor wrong. After Mei Suren vanished to seek another possibility, Xu Xiaoshou resolved to grow and eventually accomplish what Ba Zunan could not.

• Xu Xiaoshou questioned Mei Suren about Ba Zunan’s battle with Hua Changdeng and the Holy Spirit Hall’s stance, but Mei Suren urged him to ask Ba Zunan himself.
• Mei Suren compared the Holy Spirit Hall to a dynasty whose rules maintained order and fairness for many, while rebellions could either improve the system or bring further calamity.
• Xu Xiaoshou concluded that the Holy Spirit Hall was not automatically right just because its order had lasted, and he began to understand the Saint Slave’s opposition and Ba Zunan’s aims.
• Xu Xiaoshou decided that, before gaining the strength to challenge the established order, he should act as a chess piece, stir up trouble, and grow amid the chaos.
• Mei Suren said he was leaving to seek another possibility that could shake his resolve, then vanished into motes of light.
• Xu Xiaoshou watched over Void Island and Gui-Zhe Holy Mountain, declaring that Ba Zunan might fail, but he would eventually achieve what Ba Zunan could not.

The Royal City Alchemy Convention began as the branch presidents argued over the newly released Red-Gold Elixir and its creator. When Dong Ling saw Young Master Xu register as a Grade Ten alchemist, she suspected he had claimed an elder’s work, while Shi Ti began to wonder if Young Master Xu was connected to Xu Xiaoshou.

• Lu Chenghui challenged Dong Ling over the Red-Gold Elixir, but Shi Ti pointed out that Lu had already examined it and that its formula had been certified.
• Dong Ling told the presidents that First Pavilion Under Heaven had developed the elixir, and that its young leader, Young Master Xu, might compete.
• Dong Ling spotted Young Master Xu registering with a Grade Ten alchemist badge and mistakenly concluded he had passed off an elder’s achievement as his own.
• Lu Chenghui called for the elixir to be removed from the market until Dong Ling revealed that Young Master Xu was a Demi-Saint’s descendant, silencing him.
• Shi Ti considered checking the badge’s place of issue but held back, then urged Dong Ling to begin the convention.
• Dong Ling announced that the Alchemy Convention had begun.

Xu Xiaoshou made a scene at the Alchemy Convention entrance so Xiao Wanfeng could enter as his assistant, then joined the competition and drew attention as a tenth-grade alchemist. After President Dong Ling announced the rules and the champion’s prize, Xu Xiaoshou asked Yu Chuchu to explain the Peaceful Lake Little Azure Flower, leaving her to answer Xiao Wanfeng’s question.

• Xu Xiaoshou insisted that Xiao Wanfeng was his alchemy assistant and used the Red-Gold Elixir and his demi-saint-heir status to pressure the reception staff into letting them enter.
• Yu Chuchu intervened, registered Xu Xiaoshou under the name Young Master Xu, and angrily left after he teased her with his nickname.
• Xu Xiaoshou entered the venue with Xiao Wanfeng, spotted Hua Xiang, and sensed familiar judges and concealed Red Robes, White Robes, and Rao Yaoyao.
• President Dong Ling announced the Convention’s three rounds and revealed that the champion would receive the Peaceful Lake Little Azure Flower, provoking excitement among the alchemists.
• Xu Xiaoshou asked Yu Chuchu what the prize was, claiming he was asking on behalf of Xiao Wanfeng, and Yu Chuchu began explaining it to him.

Xu Xiaoshou and Yu Chuchu discussed the Alchemy Convention as its first elimination round began, while she tried to recruit Xiao Wanfeng. The contestants received a newly created seventh-grade Thirst-Profound Pill formula, and Yu Chuchu suspected that something was wrong with it.

• Yu Chuchu described the City of the Living Futu and its heavenly flames, then offered Xiao Wanfeng a place at her side, but he refused and affirmed his loyalty to Xu Xiaoshou.
• President Dong Ling introduced the Alchemy Convention judges and began the first elimination round, calling the first five hundred contestants to take their positions.
• Xu Xiaoshou asked Yu Chuchu about the test, and she said it would involve refining a new pill; she gave Xiao Wanfeng a communication bead despite Xu Xiaoshou's teasing.
• Dong Ling announced that contestants had to refine the newly finalized seventh-grade Thirst-Profound Pill in one attempt, with the top hundred advancing.
• The first contestants studied the formula and ingredients without beginning to refine, leading Yu Chuchu to suspect that the pill formula had a problem.

The Alchemy Convention’s first round began with the contestants struggling against the judges’ intricate Thirst-Profound Pill formula, which tested their knowledge of hidden medicinal properties. As Xu Xiaoshou watched Yu Chuchu’s nerves rise, she challenged him to a bet over Xiao Wanfeng, leaving the terms accepted but the contest still underway.

• The judges explained that the Thirst-Profound Pill’s three difficult hurdles tested contestants’ understanding of hidden medicinal properties, conflicting herbs, and pill condensation.
• Zhu Yan questioned the formula, but Lu Chenghui rebuked him and Dong Ling confirmed that the formula was correct; contestants who rushed to begin promptly blew up their cauldrons.
• Zhu Yan realized the first step depended on using Blue Separation Icegrass’s hidden separation property to balance its conflict with Crimson Flame Fruit, then began refining with greater confidence.
• After more than three hundred contestants’ cauldrons exploded, Yu Chuchu worried about her chances while Xu Xiaoshou tried to reassure her and explained how the formula tested fundamentals.
• Yu Chuchu challenged Xu Xiaoshou to a bet: if his ranking was lower than hers, he would hand Xiao Wanfeng over to her; if she lost, she would become Xu Xiaoshou’s pill-refining attendant, and she accepted.

Xu Xiaoshou watched the Alchemy Convention’s Thirst-Profound Pill assessment, where Qiu Jiangzhi initially took first place and only a handful of contestants earned passing scores. As the rankings rose to 95 points without a perfect score, Xu Xiaoshou prepared for his own turn while Yu Chuchu continued trying to recruit Xiao Wanfeng.

• Xu Xiaoshou overheard Yu Chuchu trying to recruit Xiao Wanfeng from First Pavilion Under Heaven and dismissed her promises of support from the Yu Family and Alchemist Association.
• Qiu Jiangzhi, an eighth-grade alchemist, finished first among the opening batch with 92 points, ahead of sixth-grade alchemist Zhu Yan.
• The golden ranking showed that only 36 of the first 500 contestants received scores, and most had failed to produce a usable pill.
• Qiu Jiangzhi drew attention by revealing that he had kept his eighth-grade badge for five years, while Zhu Yan resolved to win in the remaining rounds.
• Successive batches pushed the top score to 95, but no contestant earned a perfect score before Xu Xiaoshou’s turn approached.
• Yu Chuchu teased Xu Xiaoshou about being a tenth-grade alchemist, while Xiao Wanfeng blushed at their banter.

Xu Xiaoshou entered the Alchemy Convention’s fifth batch with Xiao Wanfeng as his tea-serving attendant, provoking outrage by treating the array like a private lounge. After reflecting on how people become what they once hated, he stepped out of the spiritual array to harvest Passive Value, leaving Shi Ti alarmed.

• Xu Xiaoshou and Xiao Wanfeng entered the same spiritual array, where Xiao set up a table and brewed tea while Xu sat and sipped.
• The judges and audience objected to Xu bringing an attendant, but Dong Ling allowed him to proceed, and Yu Chuchu grew furious at Xiao’s treatment.
• Xu Xiaoshou asked Xiao Wanfeng whether he felt embarrassed and discussed how people can become like those they once hated.
• Xu Xiaoshou stepped out of the spiritual array and gained a surge of Passive Value from the crowd’s attention and disdain.
• Shi Ti abruptly stood and shouted at Xu Xiaoshou to refine pills instead of leaving the array.

Xu Xiaoshou disrupted the alchemy competition by disabling his spiritual array and asking for a borrowed pill cauldron, then prepared to refine the Thirst-Profound Pill. After analyzing the formula and avoiding the telltale Ash-Illuminating White Flame, he conjured a bizarre ink-black flame that drew suspicion from the crowd.

• Xu Xiaoshou complained that the spiritual array trapped his soul, but Dong Ling ordered him back inside or he would forfeit.
• Xu Xiaoshou studied the array patterns, shut down his spiritual array, and claimed he had brought no pill cauldron because using his Saint Cauldron would be unfair.
• Shi Ti lent Xu Xiaoshou a pill cauldron, while Xu Xiaoshou repeatedly shut down and reopened his array before secretly modifying it to let outside voices through.
• Xu Xiaoshou read the Thirst-Profound Pill formula, recognized its test of alchemy fundamentals, and judged its instructions crude despite finding many possible improvements.
• Xu Xiaoshou avoided using the recognizable Ash-Illuminating White Flame and conjured a pitch-black flame that spectators called fake-looking.

Young Master Xu began refining the Thirst-Profound Pill with black ink fire and a bizarre stream of Black Chickens, enraging the Alchemy Convention and distracting other contestants into exploding their cauldrons. The judges then realized that his own cauldron remained stable and that his herb timing was extraordinarily precise, so Dong Ling urged them to let him continue.

• Hua Xiang and Shi Ti saw that Young Master Xu's black fire was not Emberlight Heavenly Flame and doubted his alchemy.
• Young Master Xu refused Xiao Wanfeng's offer to select herbs and began refining the Thirst-Profound Pill by summoning Black Chickens that carried herbs into the cauldron.
• The audience, contestants, and judges recoiled at Young Master Xu's Black Chicken Alchemy, and several distracted alchemists' cauldrons exploded.
• Lu Chenghui tried to remove Young Master Xu from the competition, but Dong Ling and Shi Ti pointed out that his cauldron had not exploded and his process was remarkably smooth.
• The judges inferred that Young Master Xu understood every herb's medicinal properties, including hidden ones, and Dong Ling persuaded them to watch what he produced.

Xu Xiaoshou completed the Thirst-Profound Pill assessment through Black Chicken Alchemy, astonishing the crowd with seven-colored treasure light. After Dong Ling sent him to the confinement area, he began explaining the pill formula to the gathered alchemists.

• Xu Xiaoshou let black chickens handle the alchemy while he relaxed, and Xiao Wanfeng and Yu Chuchu watched the precise process.
• Seven-colored treasure light burst from Xu Xiaoshou’s cauldron when the Thirst-Profound Pills were finished, stunning the spectators and judges.
• Dong Ling ordered Xu Xiaoshou to return to the confinement area, where he earned a large haul of Passive Value.
• The alchemists crowded around Xu Xiaoshou and asked him about the assessment, while Zhu Yan waited eagerly to hear his advice.
• Xu Xiaoshou altered the confinement area’s array and began explaining how the Blue Separation Icegrass worked in the pill formula.

Yu Chuchu and the other contestants finished refining pills after learning from Xu Xiaoshou’s demonstration, and Xu earned a perfect score to top the first elimination round. The top one hundred advanced to the next round, where they had to reconstruct and refine a pill from an incomplete recipe within an hour.

• Yu Chuchu copied Xu Xiaoshou’s herb-placement timing to resolve a problem in her pill refinement, and other contestants also benefited from observing him.
• The contestants entered the confinement area and found Xu lecturing the alchemists there, whose attention was captivated by his explanation.
• Dong Ling announced the scores: Xu Xiaoshou took first place with 100 points, while Yu Chuchu placed second with 97.
• Yu Chuchu approached Xu, who reminded her that their wager required her to become an alchemy apprentice at the First Pavilion Under Heaven.
• Dong Ling announced that the top one hundred contestants advanced, then explained that they would have one hour to deduce an incomplete pill recipe and refine the pill.

Xu Xiaoshou entered the second round of the Alchemy Convention, where contestants had to reconstruct pills from an incomplete formula with thirteen possible derivatives. After he prompted the judges to announce that full marks required all thirteen answers, he began assessing whether the formula could yield even more combinations.

• The judges revealed that the incomplete formula had thirteen possible pill derivatives, and contestants received jade slips listing Boundless Grass and seventy-two auxiliary ingredients.
• Xu Xiaoshou shut off his spiritual formation and asked whether contestants had to submit all thirteen jade slips, prompting the judges to announce that all thirteen correct answers were required for full marks.
• The judges restarted the competition as contestants and spectators mocked Xu Xiaoshou for the seemingly impossible challenge.
• Xu Xiaoshou recognized that his Mastery of Culinary Arts had already helped him work backward from the ingredients, then questioned whether the formula could produce more than thirteen pills.

Xu Xiaoshou requested three more jade slips, claiming he could deduce sixteen Transformations from the incomplete pill formula, and began restoring and refining the first: the Ember-Sinking Pill. The judges confirmed his formula and flawless refining details, and the chapter ended with his completed pills shining while the other contestants were still struggling to begin.

• Xu Xiaoshou requested three additional blank jade slips, and Dong Ling approved despite the judges' objections.
• Xu Xiaoshou explained that he would not limit himself to rivals of his own generation, then began writing out sixteen pill formulas with Mastery of Culinary Arts.
• Xu Xiaoshou identified the first Transformation as the tenth-grade Ember-Sinking Pill and asked Xiao Wanfeng to request its medicinal ingredients.
• Dong Ling and the other judges verified that Xu Xiaoshou had correctly identified the Ember-Sinking Pill and watched him inscribe its refining details while alchemizing.
• Xu Xiaoshou refined a batch of pills, producing seven-colored pill-completion radiance as Yu Chuchu and the other contestants remained far behind.

Young Master Xu shocked the judges by refining rare pills and deducing numerous possible formulas, including a new fifth-grade Yinmock Blood Pill. With time running short, he chose to attempt the trapped Little Thunderclap Pill again using three additional ingredients.

• Young Master Xu completed an Ember-Sinking Pill, and the judges awarded his work full marks.
• Young Master Xu submitted ingredients for a Great Sun Boiling-Blood Pill, and the judges recognized another of the thirteen Transformations.
• Young Master Xu quickly refined several more batches before his furnace exploded while attempting the Little Thunderclap Pill.
• Young Master Xu sent the judges nine more formulas, including a possible new fifth-grade Yinmock Blood Pill, astonishing them with his deductions.
• Young Master Xu decided against attempting the Yinmock Blood Pill and asked Xiao Wanfeng to request Spirit-Returning Flower, Great Heavenly Heart Grass, and Sunward Sunflower Seed for another attempt at the Little Thunderclap Pill.

Xu Xiaoshou refined the trapped seventh-grade Little Thunderclap Pill into an exceptional-grade sixth-grade pill, producing a violet lightning Dao Resonance phenomenon and stunning the arena. After the round ended, he offered to explain the formula’s trap to the other contestants.

• Xu Xiaoshou used his final ingredients to attempt the Little Thunderclap Pill while Lu Chenghui insisted the pill formula was impossible to complete.
• Xu Xiaoshou’s pill condensation erupted, then violet lightning appeared inside Spiritual Array No. 1 as three pills flew into his jade bottle.
• The judges realized Xu Xiaoshou had successfully refined a sixth-grade Little Thunderclap Pill, and Lu Chenghui lost his composure in disbelief.
• Xu Xiaoshou told the contestants that he had refined a sixth-grade pill rather than a seventh-grade one, leaving them stunned.
• Xu Xiaoshou offered to explain the assessment’s greatest trap and began his lesson as the contestants gathered around.

Xu Xiaoshou received full marks in the second round of the Alchemy Convention, prompting debate among the judges and astonishment from the contestants. As the final round approached, Hua Xiang suspected that Xu Xiaoshou was her Uncle-Master Xu and resolved to question him after the convention.

• Dong Ling ended the judges' dispute and decided that Xu Xiaoshou deserved full marks for his second-round performance.
• The updated Gold List placed Xu Deyi first with 100 points, followed by Zhu Yan with 69 and Yu Chuchu with 67, while only thirteen contestants scored at all.
• Xu Xiaoshou feigned indifference to his full marks as Xiao Wanfeng's boastful remarks embarrassed the other contestants.
• Hua Xiang recognized similarities between Xu Xiaoshou's pill-condensing technique and the Emberlight Pill-Condensing Art, and decided to approach him after the convention.
• Xu Xiaoshou checked his Passive Value and found it had reached 964,722 as Dong Ling announced that the top ten would advance to the final round and the contestants had qualified for the Royal City Trial.
• Xu Xiaoshou set his sights on winning the Peaceful Lake Little Azure Flower, hoping to use it to improve his Five-Finger Seed Imprinting Technique.

Xu Xiaoshou ignored the Alchemist Association’s suggestion to refine the Yinmock Blood Pill and instead attempted the difficult Lesser Body-Restoring Pill in the finals. After a precisely timed explosion, he produced a high-grade pill, leaving the judges and spectators astonished.

• Xu Xiaoshou learned that Yu Chuchu planned to refine a sixth-grade Grandmaster Pill, and she reminded him that his previous scores made another top-grade Little Thunderclap Pill enough to secure the convention’s championship.
• Dong Ling’s message urged Xu Xiaoshou to refine the Yinmock Blood Pill, but Xu Xiaoshou requested ingredients for three sets of Lesser Body-Restoring Pills instead.
• Dong Ling told the judges that Xu Xiaoshou had refused their suggestion, and the association presidents reacted with alarm when they learned what he planned to refine.
• Xu Xiaoshou began refining the Lesser Body-Restoring Pill with Black Chicken as the other finalists worked on their chosen pills.
• Xu Xiaoshou’s furnace exploded during the pill-condensing step, and he pulled Xiao Wanfeng away from the spirit array wall.
• Xu Xiaoshou produced a high-grade Lesser Body-Restoring Pill from the cauldron.

Xu Xiaoshou formed a high-grade Lesser Body-Restoring Pill and, with time left in the Alchemy Convention’s final round, attempted to refine a Throne Pill. After the judges allowed him to continue past the deadline, an explosion shattered his spiritual array, but Xu Xiaoshou emerged with a pill and asked whether a mid-grade Throne Pill was edible.

• Xu Xiaoshou completed a high-grade Lesser Body-Restoring Pill, impressing the judges and spectators.
• Xu Xiaoshou decided to try refining a Throne Pill and sent Xiao Wanfeng to obtain the ingredients.
• The spectators and contestants focused on Xu Xiaoshou as he began refining, while Yu Chuchu and Zhu Yan completed their own pills.
• The final round ended, but Dong Ling and the other presidents let Xu Xiaoshou continue refining past the deadline.
• Xu Xiaoshou reached the final step, and his spiritual array exploded; Dong Ling rescued Xiao Wanfeng and approached Xu Xiaoshou.
• Xu Xiaoshou revealed a pill with a golden gleam and asked whether a mid-grade Throne Pill was edible.

Xu Xiaoshou refined a mid-grade Throne Pill, won the Alchemy Convention as a three-crowned champion, and received the Peaceful Lake Little Azure Flower as his reward. The chapter ended with him sensing the Little Heavenly Fire’s extraordinary power and wondering how powerful its true form was.

• Xu Xiaoshou successfully refined a mid-grade Throne Pill, and Dong Ling confirmed that it was safe to consume.
• The judges discussed Xu Xiaoshou’s cultivation and alchemy skill, then argued over which city would award him a fourth-grade alchemist badge.
• Dong Ling announced the rankings, with Xu Deyi in first place, Zhu Yan in second, and Yu Chuchu in third; the crowd celebrated Xu Xiaoshou’s championship.
• Dong Ling announced that Xu Xiaoshou had refined a mid-grade Throne Pill and presented him with the Peaceful Lake Little Azure Flower.
• Xu Xiaoshou sensed the Little Heavenly Fire’s power and realized it rivaled the Three-Day Frost Calamity and the Emberglow Primordial Seed.