Chapter Summaries

Xiao Ling and Zi Yan arrived after a burly impostor attacked the alchemists and stole the Thousand-Year Earth Yellow Essence, which Xiao Ling quickly reclaimed. They uncovered Earth Core Jade Mother beneath the pit and found Soul Marrow of the Earth's Core inside, leaving Xiao Ling delighted by the rare soul-tempering treasure.

• A burly man attacked an alchemist after the serpentine magical beast was killed, then exposed a pit containing Thousand-Year Earth Yellow Essence by moving the beast's corpse.
• Xiao Ling and Zi Yan arrived unnoticed, and Xiao Ling seized the Earth Yellow Essence as the burly man tried to claim it.
• Zi Yan erased the burly man with the Power of Space, and Xiao Ling ordered the other alchemists to leave before storing the treasure.
• Xiao Ling dug deeper into the pit with Zi Yan and uncovered a large piece of Earth Core Jade Mother.
• Xiao Ling cut open the jade and revealed Soul Marrow of the Earth's Core, which he recognized as a rare treasure that could temper and strengthen his soul.

Xiao Ling and Zi Yan secured treasures in the desert, including a Seven-Colored Raw Stone that could benefit Medusa, then traveled to the Myriad Medicine Mountain Range to seek its rare herbs. They reached the Ancient Dragon Bear’s stone hall, where two guardian beasts attacked them.

• Xiao Ling stored the Soul Marrow of the Earth's Core and Earth Core Jade Mother, then spared Huang Yi after accepting his Storage Ring as an apology.
• Zi Yan found a Seven-Colored Raw Stone, and Xiao Ling recognized it as a tonic for Medusa and stored it for her.
• Xiao Ling and Zi Yan left for the Myriad Medicine Mountain Range, where they spotted Cao Ying’s group and sensed the eighth-tier overlord’s aura.
• Xiao Ling and Zi Yan flew to the mountain peak and found two magical beasts guarding the stone hall.
• The two guardian beasts charged at Xiao Ling and Zi Yan without warning.

Xiao Ling fought Xiong Zhan after overpowering his gatekeepers, then transformed with the Azure Heaven Dragon Transformation Art to battle the Ancient Dragon Bear at full strength. Their clash devastated the mountain, and Xiong Zhan was smashed into a crater, leaving the duel’s outcome unresolved.

• Xiao Ling used his physical strength to injure the two Seventh-tier Magical Beasts guarding the hall and sent them crashing into its doors.
• Xiong Zhan emerged from the hall and attacked Xiao Ling, but Xiao Ling blocked his punch and drove him back with superior physical strength.
• Xiong Zhan acknowledged Xiao Ling’s skill and invited him to fight, while Xiao Ling agreed and activated the Azure Dragon Transformation.
• Xiao Ling struck with Azure Dragon Sky-Tearing Hand as Xiong Zhan transformed and countered with a powerful fist.
• Their attacks unleashed a destructive energy storm that wrecked much of the forest, and Xiong Zhan was hurled into a huge crater.

Xiao Ling fought Xiong Zhan to a standstill, then revealed that he was an Eighth-grade Alchemist and proposed a peaceful settlement. Elsewhere, Cao Ying recognized Xiao Ling’s aura and worried for him, while Venerable Mu Gu and Old Ghost Xing Zhai set out to find and eliminate him.

• Xiao Ling and Xiong Zhan clashed so fiercely that their shockwaves shattered the floating islands and tore open Space Rifts.
• The contestants at the Pill Gathering assessment sensed the battle, and Song Qing faced ridicule after they rejected his earlier plan to challenge the mountain range’s beast overlord.
• Cao Ying recognized Xiao Ling’s aura in the distant battle and worried that he might be hurt.
• Venerable Mu Gu, Old Ghost Xing Zhai, and the Soul Hall Protectors left to investigate the battle and search for Xiao Ling, whom they considered a threat.
• Xiao Ling defeated Xiong Zhan in their spar, disclosed his Eighth-grade Alchemist status, and used his Soul Power to prove it before proposing negotiations.
• Xiao Ling returned to Zi Yan, who checked that he was unharmed and threatened to teach Xiong Zhan a lesson if he had injured him.

Xiao Ling and Zi Yan visited Xiong Zhan’s medicinal-herb collection after Zi Yan revealed her Great Void Ancient Dragon bloodline and won his respect. Xiao Ling exchanged Grade 8 Pills for rare ingredients, while Xiong Zhan hoped their connection might eventually help him escape the Pill Realm and advance his cultivation.

• Xiao Ling introduced Zi Yan to Xiong Zhan, and Zi Yan released her Dragon Might to show that she was an Eighth-tier Great Void Ancient Dragon.
• Xiong Zhan apologized to Zi Yan and eagerly led her and Xiao Ling into his stone hall to see his collected medicinal ingredients.
• Xiao Ling offered to exchange pills for the herbs, and Zi Yan eagerly sampled ingredients as they explored the plaza.
• Xiao Ling collected rare herbs and gave Xiong Zhan several Grade 8 Pills in return.
• Xiong Zhan welcomed the valuable pills and hoped that staying close to Xiao Ling might help him grow stronger and eventually leave the Pill Realm.

Xiao Ling searched the Pill Realm for ingredients to prepare the Soul Marrow of the Earth's Core and found Heavenly Hemp Jade Stone Essence, then learned that a Mystic Water Tiger Dragon had Pill Spirit Sap. Xiong Zhan led Xiao Ling and Zi Yan to the creature’s pool and asked it to hand over the sap.

• Xiao Ling searched the medicinal ingredient plaza and found Heavenly Hemp Jade Stone Essence, but could not locate Pill Spirit Sap.
• Xiong Zhan asked Zi Yan to take him out of the Pill Realm, and she agreed.
• Xiao Ling asked Xiong Zhan about Pill Spirit Sap, and Xiong Zhan revealed that his Seventh-tier Mystic Water Tiger Dragon subordinate had some.
• Xiao Ling promised to trade for the sap rather than take it by force, then followed Xiong Zhan with Zi Yan to the Mystic Water Tiger Dragon’s pool.
• Xiong Zhan called the Mystic Water Tiger Dragon out of the pool and asked it for its Pill Spirit Sap.

Xiao Ling traded a Form Transformation Pill and a Sovereign Extreme Pill for the Mystic Water Tiger Dragon’s Pill Spirit Sap, then shared a taste with Zi Yan. After sensing that the Hall of Souls was attacking Cao Ying, Dan Chen, and the others, he and Xiong Zhan set off to intervene.

• Xiao Ling offered the Mystic Water Tiger Dragon two seventh-grade pills in exchange for its Pill Spirit Sap, and the tiger dragon eagerly accepted.
• Xiao Ling collected the Pill Spirit Sap and gave Zi Yan a cup to taste, delighting her.
• Xiao Ling sensed fighting near the Myriad Medicine Mountain Range and realized that the Hall of Souls had targeted Cao Ying, Dan Chen, and their companions.
• Xiao Ling told Xiong Zhan he was going to help, and Xiong Zhan joined him as they flew toward Cao Ying.

Soul Hall forces slaughtered the trapped alchemists, and Venerable Mu Gu confronted the Alchemist Tower contestants, revealing his old grudge and declaring his intent to kill them before targeting Xiao Ling. Cao Ying steeled herself to fight, unaware that Xiao Ling’s mark would protect her, as Mu Gu launched an attack.

• Soul Hall Protectors killed most of the trapped alchemists, while four Dou Zun experts crushed contestants who tried to escape with Space Stones.
• Song Qing begged the Soul Hall Protectors to spare him by offering treasures and Alchemist Tower knowledge, but Venerable Mu Gu arrived and ordered the others to attack the remaining contestants.
• Venerable Mu Gu revealed that the Alchemist Tower had expelled him and vowed to kill its promising contestants in revenge and secure the Pill Gathering championship.
• Cao Ying tried to appeal to Mu Gu’s past connection with the Alchemist Tower, but he rejected her plea and threatened to take Dan Chen for the Soul Hall.
• Cao Ying resolved to fight Mu Gu and worried that Xiao Ling might also be targeted, unaware that Xiao Ling’s mark would protect her.
• Venerable Mu Gu formed a massive black energy claw and attacked as Cao Ying and the others raised defensive barriers.

Xiao Ling arrived just in time to save Cao Ying and the surviving Pill Gathering participants from Venerable Mu Gu’s attack, then faced the Hall of Souls’ Dou Zuns. As the chapter ended, Old Ghost Xing Zhai launched a surprise attack against him.

• Cao Ying began using a dangerous secret technique to resist Venerable Mu Gu’s claw, but a golden rune stopped her and healed her as her strength collapsed.
• Venerable Mu Gu’s claw destroyed Song Qing and nearly struck Cao Ying before Xiao Ling appeared and blocked it with Flame Brilliance Blessing.
• Xiao Ling treated Cao Ying, entrusted her to Dan Chen, and confronted Venerable Mu Gu, who claimed he could come and go freely in Holy Pill City.
• Xiao Ling suspected the Hall of Souls had hidden support while Venerable Mu Gu and Old Ghost Xing Zhai prepared to kill him.
• Old Ghost Xing Zhai attacked Xiao Ling with Star Seizing Hand, making a withered palm emerge through space beside him.

Xiao Ling opened a Space Passage for Cao Ying, Dan Chen, and the others, then stayed behind to face Old Ghost Xing Zhai, Venerable Mu Gu, and two other Soul Hall Venerable Elders. He summoned twelve Heavenly Demon Puppets to overwhelm them, slaughtered the Soul Hall Protectors, and used Illusory Dream Spirit Shadow to leave Venerable Mu Gu vulnerable to a puppet’s attack.

• Xiao Ling blocked the Soul Hall Venerable Elders’ attacks and opened a Space Passage so Cao Ying, Dan Chen, and the other survivors could escape.
• Xiao Ling summoned twelve Heavenly Demon Puppets, forcing Old Ghost Xing Zhai and the other three Venerable Elders to face three puppets apiece.
• Xiao Ling used the Godfall Weapon to kill the Soul Hall Protectors in the barrier.
• The Heavenly Demon Puppets wounded and overwhelmed the four Venerable Elders, while Xiao Ling identified Venerable Mu Gu’s flame as a child flame of Nihility Devouring Flame.
• Xiao Ling used Illusory Dream Spirit Shadow to break through Venerable Mu Gu’s mental defenses, leaving him dazed as a Heavenly Demon Puppet moved behind him.

Xiao Ling defeated the Hall of Souls Venerable Elders after Zi Yan stopped Old Ghost Xing Zhai’s Space Scroll from summoning reinforcements, then collected their bodies and souls. With the valley cleared, he planned to return to Xiong Zhan’s cave dwelling to refine a treasure and gather the medicinal herbs before the Pill Realm assessment ended.

• Xiao Ling stored Venerable Mu Gu, his soul body, and the Void Devouring Flame Child Flame, while the Heavenly Demon Puppets attacked the remaining Hall of Souls elders.
• Old Ghost Xing Zhai crushed a Space Scroll to summon a Hall of Souls expert, but Zi Yan sealed the forming Space Rift with her control over space.
• Xiao Ling sent twelve Heavenly Demon Puppets against Old Ghost Xing Zhai and the other two elders, who were killed in the assault.
• Xiao Ling extracted and sealed the three elders’ soul bodies, collected their rings and corpses, and gathered the wandering souls in the valley for his Myriad Soul Banner.
• Xiao Ling told Zi Yan he planned to refine a treasure at Xiong Zhan’s cave dwelling, and the two flew toward the valley exit to meet Xiong Zhan and collect medicinal herbs.

Cao Ying and Dan Chen waited at the edge of the Myriad Medicine Mountain Range until Xiao Ling returned with Zi Yan and Xiong Zhan, then learned that he had escaped the Hall of Souls and befriended the range’s ruler. Xiao Ling brought them to Xiong Zhan’s herb collection to gather their assessment materials, but urged them to leave the Pill Realm quickly, leaving Cao Ying wondering why.

• Cao Ying insisted on waiting for Xiao Ling, and Dan Chen stayed to protect her until Xiao Ling and Xiong Zhan arrived with Zi Yan.
• Xiao Ling reassured Cao Ying and Dan Chen, gave them a selective account of escaping the Hall of Souls, and introduced Zi Yan and Xiong Zhan.
• Xiao Ling explained that Xiong Zhan was an Eighth-tier Magical Beast who had helped him, and Dan Chen and Cao Ying realized how dangerous their group’s earlier plans might have been.
• Xiao Ling invited Dan Chen and Cao Ying to trade for assessment herbs from Xiong Zhan, and they accepted.
• Xiao Ling opened a Space Passage and brought everyone to Xiong Zhan’s stone hall, where Dan Chen and Cao Ying found a vast plaza of rare medicinal herbs.
• Xiao Ling urged Dan Chen and Cao Ying to gather their materials and leave the Pill Realm soon, and Cao Ying asked why they needed to hurry.

Xiao Ling and his companions left the Pill Realm early to keep news of their encounter with the Hall of Souls from spreading, then reached the northern exit and found Old Man Qing Hua waiting there. After Cao Ying and Dan Chen alerted the Pill Tower to an incident inside the realm, a senior elder emerged through twisted space.

• Xiao Ling explained that they needed to leave the Pill Realm quickly before reports of the Hall of Souls reached the Pill Tower.
• Cao Ying and Dan Chen collected their examination herbs, and Xiao Ling and Zi Yan gathered the remaining medicinal herbs from the plaza.
• Xiong Zhan summoned a Mysterious Bird Beast, and the group rode it toward the Pill Realm's northern exit.
• Xiao Ling's group passed the alchemists he had rescued earlier and reached the exit plaza, where Xiao Ling recognized the powerful Eighth-grade Alchemist Old Man Qing Hua.
• Cao Ying and Dan Chen informed the Pill Tower stewards that an incident required an urgent report, and an elderly Pill Tower official appeared through distorted space.

Xiao Ling and his companions left the Pill Realm and returned to the Pill Tower, where Cao Ying reported the Hall of Souls attack to Xuan Kongzi. After Xiong Zhan joined Starfall Pavilion, Xiao Ling left with him and Zi Yan, while Cao Ying and Dan Chen remained behind.

• Elder Xu brought Xiao Ling, Cao Ying, Dan Chen, Xiong Zhan, and Zi Yan through a Space Passage from the Pill Realm to the Pill Tower.
• Xiong Zhan asked Xiao Ling for a place to belong, and Xiao Ling invited him to join Starfall Pavilion as an elder; Xiong Zhan accepted.
• Cao Ying recounted the Hall of Souls' attack to Xuan Kongzi, who vowed to return to the Pill Realm and punish the attackers.
• Xiao Ling told Xuan Kongzi that the Hall of Souls Venerable Elders had already left the Pill Realm, concealing that he had killed them.
• Xuan Kongzi accepted that Xiao Ling and the others had passed their examinations, and Xiao Ling declined an offer of lodging at the Pill Tower.
• Xiao Ling left with Zi Yan and Xiong Zhan after saying farewell to Cao Ying and Dan Chen, while Xuan Kongzi noticed both women’s feelings for him.

Xiao Ling and his companions left the Pill Realm and returned to their courtyard in Holy Pill City, where he introduced Xiong Zhan to the others. Meanwhile, Chu Wanqing glimpsed Xiao Ling from a pavilion and decided she might need to speak with him face-to-face about the feelings she had been suppressing.

• Xiao Ling, Zi Yan, and Xiong Zhan admired the crowded Pill Gathering square, and Xiao Ling briefly spotted a veiled woman in a nearby pavilion whose silhouette felt familiar.
• Chu Wanqing watched Xiao Ling leave and told Su Li that old memories had surfaced; after discussing Xiao Ling’s talent, she considered changing her stubborn attitude and speaking with him properly.
• Zi Yan used the Power of Space to bring Xiao Ling and Xiong Zhan back to their secluded courtyard, where Xiao Xun'er, Medusa, and Qing Lin were waiting.
• Xiao Ling explained that an unexpected event had forced them to leave the Pill Realm early and introduced Xiong Zhan as a new elder of Starfall Pavilion.
• Xiao Ling arranged a room for Xiong Zhan in the outer part of the courtyard, keeping the Inner Academy reserved for himself and the women.

Xiao Ling and Xun Er shared a tender reunion before he captured Venerable Mu Gu’s fleeing soul and searched his belongings. The chapter ended with Xiao Ling discovering a Rank 9 Pill Recipe in Mu Gu’s Storage Ring.

• Xun Er worried about Xiao Ling’s encounter with the Hall of Souls, and he reassured her that his cultivation and Alchemy had advanced.
• Xun Er and Xiao Ling embraced and shared an intimate moment together.
• Xiao Ling released Venerable Mu Gu’s body, captured his escaping soul with the Myriad Soul Banner, and resolved to turn him into a pill-refining puppet.
• Xiao Ling removed Venerable Mu Gu’s Storage Ring and broke through its restrictions with his Soul Power.
• Xiao Ling searched the ring’s treasures and discovered a Pill Recipe for a Rank 9 Treasure Pill.

Xiao Ling studied the Rank 9 Heavenly Fire Condensing Origin Pill recipe and planned to use it one day to help Yao Chen regain some of his alchemy ability. He extracted the Void Devouring Flame Child Flame from Venerable Mu Gu’s corpse and asked the Ancestral Stone and Little Sable whether absorbing it would be dangerous.

• Xiao Ling learned that the Heavenly Fire Condensing Origin Pill could create a powerful Pseudo Exotic Flame and resolved to refine one for Yao Chen in the future.
• Xiao Ling reflected on Venerable Mu Gu’s failed pursuit of Fen Jue and stored the pill recipe in his Storage Ring.
• Black flames appeared in Venerable Mu Gu’s corpse, and Xiao Ling pulled the Void Devouring Flame Child Flame from its eye sockets.
• Xiao Ling examined the child flame’s instinctive devouring power and summoned the Ancestral Stone and Little Sable to inspect it.
• Little Sable and the Ancestral Stone confirmed the flame’s usefulness, while Xiao Ling asked whether absorbing it could cause a dangerous backlash.

Xiao Ling refined the Void Devouring Flame Child Flame with the Spirit of the Ancestral Stone suppressing its devouring power, and the process pushed his cultivation toward a breakthrough. Xun Er and the other women sensed the disturbance and gathered outside his chamber as Xun Er sealed off the area.

• The Spirit of the Ancestral Stone agreed to help Xiao Ling absorb the Void Devouring Flame Child Flame, while Little Sable admitted he had no direct solution.
• Xiao Ling swallowed the child flame and restrained it with his Dou Qi and Heavenly Flames, but it resisted Fen Jue and frightened the other Heavenly Flames with its aura.
• The Ancestral Stone released a white halo that suppressed the child flame, allowing Xiao Ling to resume refining and devouring it with Fen Jue.
• The refining strengthened Xiao Ling’s Heavenly Flames and stirred a breakthrough in his stalled Four-star Dou Zun cultivation, so he swallowed medicinal pills and drew in energy from heaven and earth.
• Xun Er and the other women sensed the disturbance, went to Xiao Ling’s chamber, and Xun Er formed a barrier to prevent outside probing or interference.

Chu Wanqing secretly entered Xiao Ling’s Training Room and accidentally disrupted his cultivation when the Ancestral Stone blocked her Soul Perception. After apologizing, she offered to help him reach Five-star Dou Zun and began flooding him with Heaven and Earth energy as he resumed cultivating.

• Chu Wanqing watched Xiao Ling cultivate and silently entered his Training Room, where the Ancestral Stone expelled her attempt to examine him.
• Xiao Ling woke, prepared to summon Elder Yao with the Space Jade Slip, and recognized Chu Wanqing; the Spirit of the Ancestral Stone explained why it had blocked her probe.
• Xiao Ling teased Chu Wanqing about following him, and she explained that she had come to Holy Pill City to watch over Su Li and the other girls.
• Chu Wanqing admitted that she had interrupted Xiao Ling’s cultivation and promised to help him break through to Five-star Dou Zun.
• Chu Wanqing pressed her palm to Xiao Ling’s back and poured Heaven and Earth energy into him, bringing his Dou Qi close to its limit as he cultivated.

Xiao Ling refined the Void Devouring Flame Child Flame with Chu Wanqing’s aid while Xun Er and the others waited outside, unaware of the full nature of his cultivation. Hun Miesheng sensed the Child Flame’s loss and tried to investigate Holy Pill City, but the Alchemist Tower’s elder blocked him.

• Xiao Ling endured Chu Wanqing’s continuous infusion of natural energy as he refined the Child Flame and advanced toward the five-star Dou Zun realm.
• Xun Er worried over the intensifying fluctuations outside the chamber until Rayquaza assured her that Xiao Ling was safe.
• Xun Er, Medusa, Qing Lin, and Zi Yan talked about Rayquaza’s closeness to Xun Er and its childhood with Xiao Ling.
• Hun Miesheng discovered that the Void Devouring Flame Child Flame had been refined and blamed the dead Venerable Mu Gu for losing it.
• Hun Miesheng sent his Heavenly Realm Soul Power toward Holy Pill City, but an Alchemist Tower elder stopped his investigation and warned him against plotting there.