Chapter Summaries

After the masked man escaped and the elders withdrew, Xu Xiaoshou learned that Elder Sang was the Spirit Palace’s Vice Dean. When Xiao Qixiu questioned him about killing two attackers, Elder Sang praised him and revealed that Xu Xiaoshou’s survival had never been part of the larger scheme.

• The nine elders left Goose Lake, and Ye Xiaotian and Elder Sang landed on shore with Xu Xiaoshou.
• Xu Xiaoshou realized Elder Sang was the Spirit Palace’s elusive Vice Dean and reflected on his unpredictable behavior.
• Elder Sang dismissed the law enforcement officers, but stopped Xu Xiaoshou when he tried to sneak away.
• Xiao Qixiu asked whether Xu Xiaoshou had killed anyone, and Xu Xiaoshou argued that he had acted in self-defense against two attackers.
• Elder Sang praised Xu Xiaoshou for killing the two Inner Court disciples and explained that his larger scheme would not have been disrupted even if Xu Xiaoshou had been killed.

Elder Sang covered up the failed capture and Xu Xiaoshou’s killing, then revealed how a youth at the Holy Palace had endured a ruined innate body and trained with Emberlight Skyburn. The story left Xu Xiaoshou stunned as Elder Sang’s tale appeared to mirror his own.

• Elder Sang told Xiao Qixiu to report that the masked man had killed two Inner Court disciples and escaped, and Ye Xiaotian agreed after Elder Sang offered to restore his severed arm.
• Xiao Qixiu confirmed that the masked man was the person he suspected, but Elder Sang refused to explain his identity to Xu Xiaoshou.
• Ye Xiaotian offered Xu Xiaoshou entry to the Inner Court, but Elder Sang overruled him and said Xu Xiaoshou did not need to enter.
• Elder Sang kept Xu Xiaoshou at Goose Lake and began telling him about a youth who trained beside Big Goose Lake in the Holy Palace.
• Elder Sang recounted how an old bald monk ruined the youth’s innate body with an Emberlight Fire Seed, then gave him Emberlight Skyburn and challenged him to cultivate and defeat him.
• Elder Sang said the youth regained his innate body within a year and became a master three days later, breaking the supposed shackle that an innate body could never reach that realm.

Elder Sang told Xu Xiaoshou why he had given him Emberlight Skyburn and warned him that the world was a series of cages where powerful people used others as chess pieces. Xu Xiaoshou accepted Elder Sang as his master, and they stood together as dawn broke over Goose Lake.

• Elder Sang explained that Emberlight Skyburn had killed more than a hundred people, including over a dozen geniuses he had tested before Xu Xiaoshou.
• Elder Sang described the world as a cage and warned Xu Xiaoshou to act like a chess piece until he gained the strength to protect himself.
• Xu Xiaoshou promised to break every cage, and Elder Sang revealed that he had once made the same vow as the boy in his story.
• Elder Sang asked Xu Xiaoshou to become his disciple, and Xu Xiaoshou knelt and accepted him as his master.
• Elder Sang appeared moved as the sun rose over the wreckage at Goose Lake.

Lan Xinzi and Zhang Xinxiong argued over her failed attempt to kill Xu Xiaoshou, while He Yuxing and Zhao Xidong arrived to take them to the Spirit Law Pavilion. As Zhao Xidong revealed that Feng Kong and Shao Yi were dead, a sword aura split the Spirit Residence and a young voice called Zhang Xinxiong out to die.

• Zhang Xinxiong berated Lan Xinzi for trying to assassinate Xu Xiaoshou in public, but she insisted she would keep trying.
• He Yuxing arrived and threatened to cripple Zhang Xinxiong if he made a move against Lan Xinzi.
• Zhao Xidong appeared and ordered the group to come to the Spirit Law Pavilion, saying Xiao Qixiu had given the order.
• He Yuxing agreed to go alone after Zhao Xidong said Feng Kong and Shao Yi were dead and Xu Xiaoshou had killed them.
• A sword aura tore through the Spirit Residence, and a youthful loli voice called Zhang Xinxiong out to die.

Su Qianqian confronted Zhang Xinxiong with a stolen command token after learning his side was connected to an assassination attempt that Xu Xiaoshou had thwarted. After Rao Yinyin pointed out He Yuxing and Lan Xinzi as well, Su Qianqian declared that none of the three would leave.

• Su Qianqian arrived at Zhang Xinxiong's gate with Rao Yinyin and produced a command token ordering his death, but Zhao Xidong tried to stop her.
• Zhou Tianshen learned from a gossiping disciple that Xu Xiaoshou had killed Feng Kong and his lackeys after they attacked someone connected to Su Qianqian.
• Zhao Xidong identified He Yuxing as the true mastermind, while Rao Yinyin prompted Su Qianqian to notice Lan Xinzi's presence.
• Su Qianqian realized Zhang Xinxiong, He Yuxing, and Lan Xinzi were all targets and declared that none of them would leave.

Su Qianqian attacked Zhang Xinxiong with her famous sword, Snowfall over Tomb City, and shattered his sixth-grade spirit weapon, Black Shark. As she walked away after warning Lan Xinzi not to trouble Little Beast Brother, Zhang Xinxiong burst from the ground and attacked her from behind.

• Rao Yinyin used her Divine Charm Technique to incapacitate Enforcer Zhao Xidong.
• Su Qianqian charged at Zhang Xinxiong and struck his black iron staff with Snowfall over Tomb City.
• Su Qianqian followed with Stele Weight, blasting Zhang Xinxiong into the ground and breaking his Black Shark staff.
• Su Qianqian warned Lan Xinzi that people would die if she troubled Little Beast Brother again.
• Zhang Xinxiong shot out from beneath the ground and punched at Su Qianqian as Zhou Tianshen shouted a warning.

Su Qianqian and Rao Yinyin left after Zhao Xidong stopped Zhang Xinxiong from continuing the fight, while Zhou Tianshen endured Zhang Xinxiong’s oppressive killing intent and vowed to grow stronger within a year. Back in his guest room, Xu Xiaoshou woke to a familiar knock and found Su Qianqian at his door.

• Zhao Xidong stopped Zhang Xinxiong from striking him and ordered Su Qianqian to return her master's token.
• Zhang Xinxiong accepted the damage to his weapon and residence, then confronted Zhou Tianshen before leaving with Lan Xinzi.
• Zhou Tianshen endured Zhang Xinxiong's lingering pressure and vowed to improve within one year.
• Xu Xiaoshou woke when someone knocked and used Perception to identify Su Qianqian outside his door.
• Xu Xiaoshou opened the door to Su Qianqian.

Xu Xiaoshou took Su Qianqian out for a walk and pretended to teach her his Reverse Sword-Flight Technique. The chapter ended with Su Qianqian practicing it in the sky and Xu Xiaoshou telling her that her dizziness would train her willpower.

• Su Qianqian visited Xu Xiaoshou and celebrated his Wind and Cloud Tournament championship.
• Xu Xiaoshou avoided inviting Su Qianqian into his ruined courtyard and agreed to take her to Goose Lake.
• Su Qianqian demonstrated her sword control and sword flight, impressing Xu Xiaoshou with how much she had improved.
• Xu Xiaoshou claimed he had created the Reversing Sword Form and taught Su Qianqian his Reverse Sword-Flight Technique.
• Su Qianqian practiced reverse sword flight until she felt dizzy, and Xu Xiaoshou told her it would train her willpower.

Xu Xiaoshou took Su Qianqian flying, but she warned him that powerful Inner Academy figures were connected to the attempts on his life. The chapter ended with Xu Xiaoshou collapsing after learning the assassins’ chain of command led back to Zhang Xinxiong, a peak Upper Spiritual Realm expert.

• Xu Xiaoshou and Su Qianqian flew slowly to Goose Lake while Xu Xiaoshou gathered Passive Value from the attention they attracted.
• Su Qianqian warned Xu Xiaoshou that people in the Inner Academy might be connected to the assassins who attacked him.
• Su Qianqian explained that the assassins were Feng Kong and Shao Yi, and that they were among the Inner Academy Thirty-Three.
• Su Qianqian identified Zhang Xinxiong, a powerful relative of Wen Chong, as the figure behind the threat and said he had reached the peak of the Upper Spiritual Realm.
• Xu Xiaoshou learned that He Yuxing had likely sent Feng Kong and Shao Yi on Lan Xinzi’s orders, with Lan Xinzi following Zhang Xinxiong’s orders, and collapsed in shock.

Xu Xiaoshou discovered that Su Qianqian’s sword, Snowfall over Tomb City, could draw him into a vision that froze Goose Lake. He grew worried that the masked man was targeting Su Qianqian and her sword, and she realized what was troubling him.

• Xu Xiaoshou learned from Su Qianqian that his enemies included the inner court’s thirty-three people and the Zhang and Wen clans.
• Xu Xiaoshou tested Hidden Pain’s supposed spirituality before a growing crowd, then examined Su Qianqian’s greatsword, Snowfall over Tomb City.
• Xu Xiaoshou saw a desolate tombstone vision in the sword, and frost suddenly covered Goose Lake.
• Su Qianqian told Xu Xiaoshou that the sword had been Cheng Xue’s, and that the Slaughter Sword Saint had turned it into a tombstone after killing him.
• Xu Xiaoshou worried that the masked man from the previous night was seeking Snowfall over Tomb City, and Su Qianqian recognized his concern.

Su Qianqian told Xu Xiaoshou how becoming the bearer of the famous sword Snowfall over Tomb City led to her father's death and left her the target of assassins. After escorting her toward the Inner Court, Xu Xiaoshou entered it and went to the Spirit Treasury Pavilion to meet his new master, Elder Sang.

• Su Qianqian revealed that Snowfall over Tomb City chose her as its bearer when she was eleven, and that her father died fighting after the assassinations increased.
• Xu Xiaoshou comforted Su Qianqian, drew teasing and jealous reactions from the onlookers, and flew with her toward the Inner Court.
• Su Qianqian left after warning Xu Xiaoshou about the Inner Court, while he gained enough Passive Value to pass five thousand.
• Xu Xiaoshou crossed into the Inner Court, adjusted to its dense spiritual energy, and recalled Elder Sang's three rules for their new master-disciple relationship.
• Xu Xiaoshou entered the Spirit Treasury Pavilion and hurried to the third floor after Elder Sang repeatedly summoned him.

Xu Xiaoshou watched Elder Sang refine pills with the Emberlight Heavenly Flame, but failed to recognize the giant cauldron until the pills were finished. Elder Sang explained the special cauldron before Xu Xiaoshou irritated him again with a question about using it as a weapon.

• Xu Xiaoshou entered the pavilion’s third floor and watched Elder Sang heat herbs and fruits in a huge three-legged vessel.
• Elder Sang used the Emberlight Heavenly Flame to refine dozens of pills, and Xu Xiaoshou realized the vessel was a pill cauldron.
• Elder Sang asked Xu Xiaoshou what pill-refining technique he had learned, but Xu Xiaoshou only pointed out that the vessel was a cauldron.
• Elder Sang explained that the cauldron was forged from heat-resistant crystals for the Emberlight Lineage’s pill-refining arts.
• Xu Xiaoshou praised the cauldron’s sturdiness, then asked whether it would hurt to smash someone with it, prompting Elder Sang to yell at him.

Elder Sang gave Xu Xiaoshou thirty-six seventh-grade Yuan Ting Pills and began teaching him the Emberlight Lineage’s alchemy, warning him to keep spirit cultivation as his priority. After explaining the dangers of becoming a powerful alchemist, he left Xu Xiaoshou with a ring full of medicinal herbs to practice extracting essence.

• Elder Sang gave Xu Xiaoshou thirty-six Yuan Ting Pills and told him to avoid using them before reaching the Innate realm if possible.
• Xu Xiaoshou decided he wanted to learn alchemy, and Elder Sang assured him his aptitude was sufficient.
• Elder Sang explained that Emberlight alchemy relied on precise flame control and warned Xu Xiaoshou that powerful alchemists could lose their freedom to great factions.
• Elder Sang told Xu Xiaoshou that refining pills would also train him to control the Emberlight Heavenly Flame as a weapon.
• Elder Sang gave Xu Xiaoshou a ring of medicinal herbs and a jade slip, then left him to practice extracting a single drop of essence.

Xu Xiaoshou tried to learn alchemy in the Spirit Treasury Pavilion but accidentally created a devastating fire-based explosive technique. After he tested it, Zhao Xidong mistook the blasts for an attack on the pavilion and raised the alarm.

• Xu Xiaoshou compressed the Emberlight Heavenly Flame into a fingernail-sized fire seed and formed a cloud of Void Flame, but lost control of the seed.
• Xu Xiaoshou threw the unstable fire seed out of the pavilion, where it exploded in the sky above the Spirit Treasury Pavilion.
• Xu Xiaoshou created two more fire seeds and collided them, triggering a stronger blast that brought up the pavilion's protective barrier.
• Xu Xiaoshou named his explosive technique the "Little Fireball Technique" before remembering that he still needed to practice alchemy.
• Zhao Xidong saw the explosions near the Spirit Treasury Pavilion and shouted, "Enemy attack!!!"

Xu Xiaoshou tried to refine pills in the Spirit Treasury Pavilion but kept burning the herbs with his fireballs. When Spirit Law Pavilion officers surrounded the building, Zhao Xidong found Xu Xiaoshou inside, and Xu claimed Elder Sang had sent him to practice alchemy.

• Xu Xiaoshou used fireballs to heat the giant bathtub and burned several herbs while trying to refine pills.
• Xu Xiaoshou used the Breathing Method to draw heat into his body, then continued experimenting with the flame’s temperature.
• Xu Xiaoshou received a notification that he was surrounded and discovered Spirit Law Pavilion officers encircling the Spirit Treasury Pavilion.
• Zhao Xidong recognized Xu Xiaoshou, and the officers grew suspicious as they recalled his role in the previous night’s battle.
• Xu Xiaoshou told Zhao Xidong that Elder Sang had sent him to refine pills, but Zhao Xidong did not believe him.

Xu Xiaoshou's experiment triggered an explosion, and Zhao Xidong mistook his attempt to send the law enforcers away for evidence that he had been kidnapped. After they left, Xu Xiaoshou resumed experimenting with pill refinement, then used Passive Value on the roulette wheel and suddenly lost his vision.

• Xu Xiaoshou told Zhao Xidong that the explosion came from his Little Fireball Technique and refused to leave the Spirit Treasury Pavilion.
• Xu Xiaoshou showed the group Elder Sang's token and ordered them to withdraw, but Zhao Xidong concluded that Xu Xiaoshou had been kidnapped by someone inside.
• Zhao Xidong sent the law enforcers to seek help and organize a rescue, while Xu Xiaoshou returned to experimenting with pill refinement.
• Xu Xiaoshou reflected on his limited control over his innate attribute power and his 6442 Passive Value, then exchanged for a key and used the roulette wheel.
• Xu Xiaoshou abruptly sat upright when his vision went black.

Xu Xiaoshou gained the Mastery of Culinary Arts passive skill after a strange vision of the Firmament Tree and accidentally spread invisible flames through the Spirit Treasury Pavilion. A lookout spotted the fire and raised the alarm as the pavilion’s protective barrier caught fire too.

• Xu Xiaoshou saw the Firmament Tree produce a blazing seed that merged into him, then heard a mysterious chant and learned of the Nine-Reversion Divine Mustard and the Black Divine Peng.
• Xu Xiaoshou reached toward the divine medicine as the Black Divine Peng bit it, and Emberlight Heavenly Flame erupted before the vision collapsed.
• Xu Xiaoshou discovered he had gained the Mastery of Culinary Arts passive skill rather than Fire Mastery.
• Xu Xiaoshou found his room wrecked, used the Breathing Method to absorb the invisible flames, and rushed downstairs when he heard them flutter again.
• A lookout outside saw the Spirit Treasury Pavilion shake and its windows shatter, then discovered invisible flames surrounding him and burning the protective barrier.
• The lookout shouted that the Spirit Treasury Pavilion was on fire and called for it to be put out.

Elder Sang reassured the others that Xu Xiaoshou’s pill refining was harmless, but a huge explosion revealed that the Spirit Treasury Pavilion was on fire. The group rushed there and found Xu Xiaoshou trying to absorb the flames, leaving him surrounded and terrified.

• Elder Sang confirmed that Xu Xiaoshou was his disciple, while Qiao Qianzhi recalled the boy’s hard work and Xiao Qixiu admitted he had never wanted to teach him.
• Elder Sang said Xu Xiaoshou was compressing a fire seed while refining pills, but an enormous explosion soon shook the room.
• Zhao Xidong reported an enemy attack, and the others learned from their tokens that the Spirit Treasury Pavilion was on fire.
• The group hurried to the pavilion and found Xu Xiaoshou using his Breathing Method to absorb the Emberlight Heavenly Flame amid damaged bookshelves.
• Xu Xiaoshou saw Elder Sang, Ye Xiaotian, Xiao Qixiu, and Qiao Qianzhi gather around him, then nervously insisted that it was not a big problem.

Xu Xiaoshou denied that an enemy had caused the Spirit Treasury Pavilion explosion, but Elder Sang covered for him by inventing an intruder for the others to pursue. After they left, Elder Sang confronted Xu Xiaoshou over the destruction on the pavilion’s third floor and demanded an explanation.

• Elder Qiao and Zhao Xidong questioned Xu Xiaoshou about an enemy and a kidnapper, but he denied their existence and admitted he caused the explosion.
• Elder Sang claimed a fire-attributed Grandmaster, possibly at Throne cultivation, had broken in and stolen miscellaneous items, giving Xu Xiaoshou a way to avoid suspicion.
• Xu Xiaoshou pointed in a direction, and Elder Sang sent Zhao Xidong, Qiao Qianzhi, Xiao Qixiu, and Ye Xiaotian to investigate the supposed intruder.
• After the others left, Elder Sang took Xu Xiaoshou to the third floor and found the room badly wrecked, then demanded an explanation.

Xu Xiaoshou used his newly advanced Mastery of Culinary Arts to control Emberlight Heavenly Flame and compress it into a stable fire seed. He claimed the earlier explosion came from a new technique and introduced the Five-Finger Seed Imprinting Technique to Elder Sang.

• Xu Xiaoshou soothed Elder Sang and showed him the flame he had summoned in his palm.
• Xu Xiaoshou spent all his remaining Passive Value on Mastery of Culinary Arts, raising it to Acquired Lv.6.
• Xu Xiaoshou used his newfound heat-control knowledge to enlarge the flame and then compress it into a stable fire seed without the Breathing Method.
• Elder Sang asked whether Xu Xiaoshou had caused the earlier explosion, and Xu Xiaoshou blamed it on testing his Little Fireball Technique.
• Xu Xiaoshou announced that the Little Fireball Technique was only the foreplay and named his stronger move the Five-Finger Seed Imprinting Technique.