Chapter Summaries

Xiao Ling confronted Venerable Mu Gu, Star Picking Old Ghost, and two other Soul Hall Venerable Elders after they attacked the Alchemist Convention participants in the Dan Realm. He opened a Space Passage to send Cao Ying and the others to safety, then summoned twelve Sky Demon Puppets to battle the four elders while he attacked the Soul Hall Guardians.

• Xiao Ling dodged Star Picking Old Ghost's Star Picking Hand and blocked the elders' attacks with Blazing Radiance Protection.
• Xiao Ling opened a Space Passage and ordered Cao Ying, Dan Chen, and the other Alchemists to escape.
• Cao Ying and Dan Chen left through the passage with the others, leaving Xiao Ling alone against the four Soul Hall Venerable Elders.
• Xiao Ling summoned twelve Sky Demon Puppets, which forced the four elders to defend themselves against a numerical disadvantage.
• Xiao Ling summoned the Meteor God Weapon and began attacking the Soul Hall Guardians inside the barrier.

Xiao Ling killed Venerable Mu Gu and captured his body, Soul Body, and Nihility Devouring Flame Child Flame while his Sky Demon Puppets overwhelmed the remaining Soul Hall Venerable Elders. Star Picking Old Ghost tried to summon reinforcements with a Space Scroll, but Zi Yan sealed the rift, leaving the Soul Hall trio trapped beneath Xiao Ling’s attack.

• Xiao Ling’s Sky Demon Puppets badly wounded Star Picking Old Ghost, Venerable Mu Gu, and the two other Soul Hall Venerable Elders.
• Xiao Ling used Illusory Dream Spirit Shadow to break through Venerable Mu Gu’s defenses, allowing a Sky Demon Puppet to kill him.
• Xiao Ling collected Venerable Mu Gu’s corpse, Soul Body, and Nihility Devouring Flame Child Flame in the System Space, then sent the puppets after the remaining elders.
• Star Picking Old Ghost crushed a Space Scroll to summon Soul Hall reinforcements and force back the approaching puppets.
• Zi Yan secretly sealed the Space Rift before it could open, thwarting Star Picking Old Ghost’s escape plan.
• Xiao Ling ordered all twelve Sky Demon Puppets to attack Star Picking Old Ghost and the two remaining Soul Hall Venerable Elders, who were left trapped and unable to resist.

Xiao Ling defeated the Soul Hall Venerable Elders, collected their bodies and souls, and reunited with Cao Ying and Dan Chen after leaving the valley. He concealed the truth about the Elders’ deaths and prepared to return to Xiong Zhan’s Cave Mansion with Zi Yan and Xiong Zhan.

• The Sky Demon Puppets killed the three remaining Soul Hall Venerable Elders, and Xiao Ling collected their Soul Bodies, corpses, and Storage Rings.
• Xiao Ling gathered the other Soul Bodies in the valley for his Myriad Soul Banner, then decided to return to Xiong Zhan’s Cave Mansion and collect medicinal ingredients.
• Cao Ying waited at the edge of the Myriad Medicine Mountain Range for Xiao Ling while Dan Chen stayed to protect her.
• Xiao Ling arrived with Zi Yan and Xiong Zhan, and reassured Cao Ying and Dan Chen that he was unharmed.
• Xiao Ling told Cao Ying and Dan Chen a partial account of the encounter, claiming the Soul Hall forces had fled, and kept the deaths of the four Venerable Elders secret.

Xiao Ling reunited with Cao Ying and Dan Chen, explained Zi Yan and Xiong Zhan’s identities, and brought them to Xiong Zhan’s hall to trade for the herbs required for the trial. After warning that news of their encounter with the Soul Hall could prompt a Danta investigation, Xiao Ling prepared to leave the Dan Realm, and Cao Ying offered to arrange safe passage.

• Xiao Ling introduced Zi Yan as family who had secretly entered the Dan Realm and identified Xiong Zhan as its Eighth-order Magical Beast overlord who had helped him escape the Soul Hall Venerable Elders.
• Cao Ying and Dan Chen realized their group had narrowly avoided confronting Xiong Zhan when they considered raiding the Myriad Medicine Mountain Range.
• Xiao Ling opened a Space Passage and took everyone to Xiong Zhan’s Giant Stone Hall, where Cao Ying and Dan Chen exchanged pills for the three rare herbs each needed for the trial.
• Xiao Ling urged the group to leave quickly because survivors might report the Soul Hall encounter to Danta, prompting an investigation inside the Dan Realm.
• Xiao Ling and Zi Yan gathered the medicinal herbs from the plaza, and Cao Ying offered to use her Danta status to arrange safe passage out of the Dan Realm.

Xiao Ling and his companions left the Myriad Medicine Mountain Range aboard Xiong Zhan’s Mysterious Bird Beast and reached the Dan Realm’s northern exit ahead of the other participants. There, they asked Danta to arrange an early departure so they could report an unexpected incident, and Elder Xu arrived and began using a token to contact President Xuan Kong.

• Xiao Ling asked Cao Ying and Dan Chen to keep the Magical Beast Overlord’s circumstances confidential, then Xiong Zhan summoned a Mysterious Bird Beast to carry their group toward the Dan Realm’s exit.
• On the way, Xiao Ling’s group greeted the party he had saved, and Dan Xuan showed relief when he confirmed his younger sister was safe.
• Xiao Ling’s group reached the empty exit plaza, where Xiao Ling recognized Qinghua Old Man and recalled his past rivalry with Yao Chen and interest in the Three Thousand Burning Flame.
• Cao Ying and Dan Chen told the Danta stewards that an unexpected incident required them to leave the Dan Realm early and report to the higher-ups.
• Elder Xu arrived at the plaza and, after asking about the incident, activated an ornate token to send a beam of light into the air.

Xiao Ling and the others returned from the Dan Realm to Danta, where Cao Ying told Xuan Kongzi about Soul Hall’s attack and Xiao Ling’s role in saving them. After Xuan Kongzi accepted Xiao Ling’s account and confirmed their trials were passed, Xiao Ling left Danta with Zi Yan and Xiong Zhan, who had joined Starfall Pavilion.

• Elder Xu led Xiao Ling, Cao Ying, Dan Chen, Zi Yan, and Xiong Zhan through a Space Passage back to Danta.
• Xiao Ling invited Xiong Zhan to join Starfall Pavilion as an elder, and Xiong Zhan accepted.
• Cao Ying told Xuan Kongzi that four Soul Hall Venerable Elders had attacked them in the Dan Realm and that Xiao Ling had turned the battle around.
• Xiao Ling told Xuan Kongzi that the Soul Hall Venerable Elders had withdrawn, and Xuan Kongzi decided to investigate the Dan Realm while accepting Xiao Ling’s account.
• Xuan Kongzi confirmed that Xiao Ling and the others had passed their trials, and Xiao Ling declined an offer of a Danta residence before leaving with Zi Yan and Xiong Zhan.

Xiao Ling and his companions left the Dan Realm early and returned to their courtyard in Sacred Pill City, bringing Xiong Zhan with them. At the pavilion, Chu Wanqing recognized Xiao Ling from afar and resolved to speak with him about the feelings she had been suppressing, while Xiao Ling reunited with Xun Er, Medusa, and Qing Lin.

• Xiao Ling promised Xiong Zhan he would strive to win the Alchemist Convention, then glimpsed a veiled woman in a pavilion and felt an unexplained familiarity.
• Chu Wanqing watched Xiao Ling leave and told Su Li that she might need to change her stubborn ways and speak with him face-to-face.
• Zi Yan used Space Power to take Xiao Ling and Xiong Zhan back to the secluded courtyard where Xun Er, Medusa, and Qing Lin were waiting.
• Xiao Ling explained that unexpected circumstances had forced them to leave the Dan Realm early and introduced Xiong Zhan as a new elder of Starfall Pavilion.
• Xiong Zhan greeted Xun Er, Medusa, and Qing Lin and asked them to guide him as they got along.

Xiao Ling reunited with Xun Er in Sacred Pill City, reassured her about the Soul Hall, and shared an intimate moment with her. He then released Venerable Mu Gu’s body and used the Myriad Soul Banner to capture his fleeing Soul Body, leaving Mu Gu screaming that Xiao Ling was a demon.

• Xiao Ling arranged a room in the outer courtyard for Xiong Zhan and kept him out of the private inner courtyard.
• Xun Er asked whether the Soul Hall had hurt Xiao Ling, and he reassured her while she praised his breakthrough to Four-star Dou Venerate.
• Xiao Ling and Xun Er shared a tender, intimate reunion, and Xun Er teased him about what she would do after reaching the Dou Saint realm.
• Xiao Ling released Venerable Mu Gu’s body in the Secret Chamber, and Mu Gu’s Soul Body tried to escape.
• Xiao Ling used the Myriad Soul Banner to drag Venerable Mu Gu’s Soul Body back, and Mu Gu screamed that Xiao Ling was the true demon.

Xiao Ling absorbed Venerable Mu Gu’s Soul Body and searched his Ring, finding a Ninth-grade Treasure Pill Recipe that could create a Pseudo Heavenly Flame. After deciding he would someday refine the pill for Yao Chen, Xiao Ling discovered the Nihility Devouring Flame Child Flame in Mu Gu’s corpse and began extracting it.

• Xiao Ling stored Venerable Mu Gu’s Soul Body in the Myriad Soul Banner and considered turning him into a puppet for refining pills.
• Xiao Ling took Venerable Mu Gu’s Ring and found a recipe for the Ninth-grade Heavenly Fire Condensing Yuan Pill.
• Xiao Ling studied the recipe and learned that the pill could nurture a Pseudo Heavenly Flame, with its quality depending on the Heavenly Flame used in refinement.
• Xiao Ling resolved to refine a Heavenly Fire Condensing Yuan Pill for Yao Chen someday to help restore his alchemy capabilities without the Bone Spirit Cold Flame.
• Xiao Ling noticed black flames in Venerable Mu Gu’s corpse and pulled the Nihility Devouring Flame Child Flame from its eye sockets.

Xiao Ling examined the Nihility Devouring Flame Child Flame and asked the Spirit of the Ancestor Stone and Little Diao for advice about refining it. With the Spirit of the Ancestor Stone’s help, he began suppressing the flame inside his body, where its devouring power remained dangerous but promised to aid his cultivation.

• Xiao Ling summoned Little Diao and the Spirit of the Ancestor Stone to inspect the Nihility Devouring Flame Child Flame.
• Little Diao and the Spirit of the Ancestor Stone confirmed the flame’s devouring power could benefit Xiao Ling, while the Spirit warned that refining it carried risks.
• The Spirit of the Ancestor Stone offered to assist Xiao Ling, and Xiao Ling entrusted the process to it.
• The Spirit of the Ancestor Stone entered the Ancestral Stone, which moved into Xiao Ling’s dantian as Xiao Ling swallowed the flame.
• Xiao Ling restrained the raging flame with his Dou Qi and Heavenly Flames until it contracted into a tiny black bead, which continued to absorb nearby energy.

Xiao Ling used the Ancestral Stone to suppress the Nihility Devouring Flame Child Flame and refined it, drawing enough energy to approach a breakthrough to Five-star Dou Venerate. His cultivation was interrupted when Chu Wanqing entered the Secret Chamber and the Ancestral Stone repelled her soul probe, leaving Xiao Ling alert but recognizing her.

• The Nihility Devouring Flame Child Flame broke free from Xiao Ling’s flames, but the Ancestral Stone suppressed it and enabled Xiao Ling to resume refining it with Fen Jue.
• Xiao Ling absorbed the refined flame’s power and gathered natural energy, sensing an opportunity to break through from peak Four-star Dou Venerate.
• Xun Er and the other women noticed the disturbance, and Xun Er sealed the area while Chu Wanqing secretly entered Xiao Ling’s Secret Chamber.
• Chu Wanqing tried to examine Xiao Ling with her Soul Perception, but the Ancestral Stone repelled her probe and startled her.
• Xiao Ling woke, reached for the Spatial Jade Slip, and recognized Chu Wanqing as the Spirit of the Ancestral Stone explained why it had blocked her probe.

Xiao Ling resumed cultivating after Chu Wanqing promised to help him reach Five-star Dou Venerate, while she forced heaven and earth energy into his body to accelerate his breakthrough. Outside the secret chamber, Xun Er and the other girls sensed the intensifying fluctuations, and Xun Er began to worry that something was wrong.

• Xiao Ling teased Chu Wanqing about following him, and she explained that she had come to Sacred Pill City to watch over Su Li and the other girl.
• Chu Wanqing offered to make up for interrupting Xiao Ling's cultivation by helping him break through to Five-star Dou Venerate.
• Chu Wanqing pressed her palm to Xiao Ling's back and poured heaven and earth energy into him while he circulated the Fen Jue and refined the Nihility Devouring Flame Child Flame.
• Xiao Ling endured the painful energy saturation and grew confident that he could break through to Five-star Dou Venerate in the coming days.
• Xun Er and the other girls noticed stronger fluctuations from the secret chamber, and Xun Er worried that Xiao Ling's cultivation might be unusual.

Xun Er, Qing Lin, Zi Yan, and Medusa waited while Xiao Ling cultivated, and Void Dragon reassured Xun Er that he was safe. Elsewhere, Hun Miesheng tried to investigate Sacred Pill City for the lost Nihility Devouring Flame Child Flame, but Danta's ancestor stopped him, while a mysterious cowherd boy sensed the confrontation and reflected on Soul Hall's plans.

• Void Dragon reassured Xun Er that Xiao Ling was in good condition, and she promised to prepare a feast for it.
• Medusa watched Void Dragon play affectionately with Xun Er as Qing Lin and Zi Yan recalled their history with the beast.
• Hun Miesheng realized that Venerable Mu Gu's portion of the Nihility Devouring Flame Child Flame had been refined and decided to reclaim it.
• Hun Miesheng sent his Soul Power toward Sacred Pill City, but Danta's ancestor blocked his investigation and warned him against scheming.
• Danta's ancestor shattered Hun Miesheng's soul probe, and Hun Miesheng vowed that the Soul Clan would one day make Danta and the Dou Qi Continent submit.
• A mysterious cowherd boy riding a green ox sensed Hun Miesheng's actions and wondered what conspiracy lay behind Soul Hall's silence.

Xiao Ling broke through to the Five-star Dou Venerate realm after eight days of cultivation, with Chu Wanqing protecting him. When she tried to leave, he teased her about being jealous and kissed her, and she eventually returned his affection.

• Xiao Ling absorbed a surge of energy and broke through to the Five-star Dou Venerate realm while Chu Wanqing contained his aura with a Dou Qi barrier.
• Xiao Ling thanked Chu Wanqing for helping him and learned that he had cultivated for eight days but had not missed the final round of the Alchemist Convention.
• Chu Wanqing sensed that Xiao Ling's confidantes were approaching and prepared to leave the Secret Chamber.
• Xiao Ling stopped Chu Wanqing, teased her about being jealous, and kissed her.
• Chu Wanqing stopped resisting and embraced Xiao Ling as they shared a tender kiss.

Xiao Ling emerged from secluded cultivation just in time to attend the Alchemist Convention’s final round, where contestants began returning from the Dan Realm. He reunited with Cao Ying and Dan Chen as the competition began, and Cao Ying challenged him to prove his progress.

• Xun Er, Zi Yan, and Qing Lin waited outside the Secret Chamber until Xiao Ling emerged and reassured them he was ready for the convention.
• Chu Wanqing secretly left after seeing Xiao Ling surrounded by the women, vowing to make him pay for his earlier liberties.
• Xiao Ling traveled with Xun Er and the others to the convention venue as the Dan Realm’s spatial gate began opening.
• Xuan Kongzi arranged for Cao Ying and Dan Chen to appear through a Space Passage as though they had just emerged from the Dan Realm.
• Xiao Ling parted from Xun Er and joined Cao Ying and Dan Chen, and Cao Ying challenged him to show how much he had improved.

Xiao Ling, Cao Ying, and Dan Chen arrived at the Alchemist Convention’s final round, where Xuan Kongzi announced that the contestants would refine their proudest pills. Xiao Ling claimed the central platform and prepared to begin, with a Sky Demon Puppet guarding him.

• Xuan Kongzi, Xuan Yi, and Tian Leizi discussed Song Qing’s death and the Lesser Alchemist Tower’s interest in Xiao Ling.
• The spatial gate closed, and Xuan Kongzi announced the final contest to the gathered contestants.
• Xuan Kongzi called the contestants to the floating platforms and told them to refine the pills they were most proud of.
• Xiao Ling flew toward the highest central platform, and the Seventh-grade High Alchemists who had also aimed for it yielded to him.
• Xiao Ling summoned a Sky Demon Puppet to guard his platform while Cao Ying and Dan Chen chose quieter platforms near the edges.
• Xiao Ling surveyed the platforms and fixed his gaze on one floating nearby.

The Alchemist Convention began, and Xiao Ling prepared to refine the Reincarnation Soul Sculpting Pill while Cao Ying and Dan Chen revealed their alchemy flames. Xiao Ling unveiled his dark-gold Heavenly Flame, drawing the crowd’s awe and leaving Xuan Kongzi and the others intrigued by its unusual form.

• Xiao Yan appeared among the contestants, and Xiao Ling noted his peak Mortal Realm Soul Power and Dou Zong Four Star cultivation.
• Xuan Kongzi announced the start of the competition, and the Alchemists summoned their cauldrons and began preparing to refine pills.
• Xiao Ling decided to attempt the eighth grade nine colors Reincarnation Soul Sculpting Pill, while Cao Ying and Dan Chen took time to ready themselves.
• Cao Ying revealed her powerful Blood Fiend Flame Fire, and Dan Chen displayed a rare flame extracted from an Eighth Rank Fire Attribute Magical Beast.
• Xiao Ling summoned the Spirit Jade Cauldron and unveiled his dark-gold Heavenly Flame, which transformed into a Fire Dragon and caused nearby flames to bow and weaken.
• Xuan Kongzi, Xuan Yi, and Tian Leizi remarked on Xiao Ling’s Heavenly Flame and its unusual darkened color.

Xiao Ling began refining the Reincarnation Soul Sculpting Pill, drawing attention for his use of the legendary Fate Reversing Rebirth Lotus and the Life-and-Death Twin Lotuses. Five days passed as he and Little Diao worked on their separate tasks, while a few contestants finished lesser pills and recognized they would rank near the bottom.

• Xuan Yi and Tian Leizi discussed Xiao Ling's Heavenly Flame and wondered whether he would break the Alchemist Convention's pill-quality record.
• Xiao Ling withdrew his Heavenly Flame pressure, heated the Spirit Jade Cauldron, and displayed nearly a thousand ingredients for the Reincarnation Soul Sculpting Pill.
• Tian Leizi and Xuan Yi recognized the Fate Reversing Rebirth Lotus among Xiao Ling's ingredients and questioned how he would reconcile the Life-and-Death Twin Lotuses.
• Little Diao urged Xiao Ling to succeed, and Xiao Ling began refining the ingredients while Little Diao prepared a formation to resist the Nine-Colored Pill Lightning.
• After five days, several Alchemists had finished refining pills, but they realized their results would leave them near the bottom of the competition.

Xiao Ling spent the Alchemist Convention refining an eighth-grade nine-colors Reincarnation Soul Sculpting Pill, reaching the pill-nurturing stage after completing the difficult fusion of its medicinal ingredients. As the convention entered its latter half and Little Diao awaited the pill’s power to bring it closer to resurrection, another alchemist became the first to summon Pill Lightning.

• Xiao Ling completed the extraction of the medicinal ingredients and began fusing their essences in his Medicine Cauldron.
• Xiao Ling steadily fused the medicinal potency for more than ten days while Little Diao watched for any imbalance in the Qi of Life and Death.
• Xiao Ling formed an embryonic pill sphere and advanced to the pill-nurturing stage, giving Little Diao hope of resurrection.
• Contestants completed more pills as the convention progressed, but none summoned Pill Lightning until a middle-aged man triggered the phenomenon.
• The middle-aged man received a bolt of Pill Lightning, and the fragrance of his pill spread across the venue.

As the Alchemist Convention entered its final stages, contestants refined high-grade pills, while failures and successes steadily reduced their numbers. Only a dozen or so alchemists remained, including Xiao Ling, Cao Ying, Xiao Yan, and Dan Chen, as the contest drew closer to its decisive showdown.

• An alchemist refined a Seventh-grade Low-level Pill, and Xiao Ling judged it unremarkable compared with the convention’s leading contenders.
• Xiao Ling sensed that Cao Ying and Dan Chen were nearing completion and recognized that Xiao Yan was refining a Seventh-grade High-level Pill.
• Pill Lightning appeared repeatedly as the days passed, and the number of contestants still refining fell to thirty-six.
• A middle-aged alchemist’s refinement failed, destroying more than twenty days of effort and forcing him out of contention.
• Over the next several days, nine alchemists successfully refined pills, including an elderly alchemist whose Seventh-grade High-level Pill summoned fierce Pill Lightning, while seven others failed and withdrew.
• After those departures and earlier withdrawals, only a dozen or so alchemists remained on the platforms, still striving to finish their pills.