Recaps

Qin Yan used Skill Points and scarce cultivation resources to advance his martial skill and spear technique before the Monthly Exam. He arrived at the exam aiming for the top ten and Jin Gang, as the qualifying round began.

• Qin Yan spent 10 Skill Points to advance the Flesh and Skin Chapter to the Third Revolution, then completed his second and third skin temperings over the following days.
• After running out of cultivation resources, Qin Yan put his efforts into Ninefold Qi Shock and used his gains to raise his spear technique to Third Stage Mid-Grade before the exam.
• Qin Yan entered the Monthly Exam with 130 cal of Blood Qi and set his sights on the top ten, including challenging Jin Gang.
• Instructor Lin Jian explained the qualifying round and Arena Tournament rules, then the qualifying round began as lower-ranked students rushed to challenge their chosen opponents.

Qin Yan waited for the inevitable challenge at the Martial Arena and defeated Lu Chuan in a single exchange, establishing his strength and protecting his ranking. The selection matches continued, but no one challenged him again.

• Qin Yan watched the early matches, then prepared himself for a challenge.
• Lu Chuan, ranked fourteenth, challenged Qin Yan, ranked eleventh, at No. 3 Arena.
• Lu Chuan attacked first, but Qin Yan's spear knocked Lu Chuan's weapon from his hand and stopped at his throat.
• Lu Chuan surrendered, and Qin Yan left the arena after decisively defeating him.
• The later selection matches grew more intense, but Qin Yan was not challenged again.

Qin Yan entered the Arena Tournament and challenged tenth-ranked Jin Gang, whose high-level Body Tempering Martial Art made him a formidable opponent. Their fierce opening exchanges ended without a clear winner, and Jin Gang prepared to rely on his final killing move.

• After defeating two more challengers, Qin Yan secured eleventh place in the selection tournament and qualified for the Arena Tournament.
• The Arena Tournament began, and Qin Yan stepped onto the tenth arena to challenge Jin Gang.
• Jin Gang taunted Qin Yan about their past, but Qin Yan remained calm as the referee started the fight.
• Qin Yan's spear strike forced Jin Gang back, and they realized that Qin Yan had reached Mid First Grade while Jin Gang had reached Late First Grade.
• Jin Gang activated a Body Tempering Martial Art that turned his skin bronze, and the two exchanged fierce spear and fist attacks without either gaining the upper hand.
• After they separated, Qin Yan recognized the strength of Jin Gang's defense, while Jin Gang realized his usual methods had failed and prepared to use his final killing move.

Qin Yan defeated Vajra by revealing his Spear Qi and Double Spear Force, earning the tenth-place ranking among first-year students at Magic Capital Martial University. After he began recovering on the arena, students avoided challenging him and focused on ranks six through nine, leaving Qin Yan curious about the stronger prodigies above him.

• Qin Yan used Spear Qi and Double Spear Force to pierce Vajra's gauntlet and right hand, then struck him out of the fight.
• The referee declared Qin Yan the winner and ranked him tenth among the first-year students.
• Qin Yan sat on No. 10 Arena to recover his depleted Blood Qi while the tournament continued.
• After seeing Vajra's defeat, challengers avoided Qin Yan and the top five arenas, targeting ranks six through nine instead.
• Qin Yan watched the ensuing challenges, but their results left him slightly disappointed.

Lu Youyou challenged third-ranked Sun Kong and defeated him after her crimson defensive light film blocked his attack. The crowd identified the film as a body-tempering effect from a Martial Art at the Mastery realm.

• Qin Yan observed the arena holders' strength and noted that Leng Feng, Zhao Qingyun, and he were all spear users.
• Lu Youyou challenged Sun Kong, who vowed to avenge his junior disciple Jin Gang.
• Lu Youyou and Sun Kong exchanged fierce hammer and staff attacks, with Sun Kong gradually finding an opening.
• Sun Kong struck Lu Youyou's right shoulder, but a crimson light film absorbed the blow.
• Lu Youyou hit Sun Kong in the chest with her hammer, knocking him off the arena and into a coma.
• Students wondered how Lu Youyou had blocked the staff, and an informed student said the crimson film came from a Body Tempering Martial Art reaching Mastery.

Lu Youyou defeated Sun Kong and secured third place in the freshmen Monthly Exam, while Qin Yan finished tenth. After the exam, she told Qin Yan that the Nine Revolutions Golden Body Spear could help his body break the limits of convention if he cultivated it to perfection.

• Lu Youyou defeated Sun Kong with her Great Accomplishment Body Tempering Martial Art and took third place in the grade.
• Instructor Lin Jian ended the Monthly Exam and announced the final top ten, with Xiao Wangshu first, Lu Qingfeng second, Lu Youyou third, and Qin Yan tenth.
• Lin Jian kept Sun Kong's fourth-place ranking pending and offered double the usual fourth-place Credit Points reward to whoever defeated him at the next Monthly Exam.
• Lu Youyou praised Qin Yan after the exam, and Qin Yan praised her strength in return.
• Lu Youyou explained that Magic Capital Martial University's principal had cultivated the Nine Revolutions Golden Body Spear and urged Qin Yan to reach perfection in every chapter.
• Lu Youyou revealed that Top Grade Body Tempering Martial Arts could guide a cultivator's body to break the limits of convention.

Qin Yan learned that Silver Skin lay beyond Bronze Skin and decided to master herbal knowledge so he could become an alchemist, earn Credit Points, and obtain cultivation resources. After completing the Complete Guide to Low-Grade Spiritual Herbs, he visited Xiao Huo and began proving his mastery.

• Lu Youyou explained to Qin Yan that perfecting the relevant section of a Top Grade Body Tempering Martial Art could let him reach Silver Skin beyond Bronze Skin.
• Lu Youyou treated Qin Yan to a celebratory meal, and he returned to his villa to train and earn four Skill Points.
• Qin Yan invested his Skill Points in the Complete Guide to Low-Grade Spiritual Herbs, then trained for eleven days until he mastered it.
• Qin Yan went to see Xiao Huo and announced that he had mastered the herbal guide.
• Xiao Huo tested Qin Yan on Blazing Flower, and Qin Yan accurately described its properties, effects, habitat, and uses.

Xiao Huo tested Qin Yan’s knowledge of spirit medicines and confirmed that he had mastered the Complete Guide to Low-Grade Spiritual Herbs. He gave Qin Yan a book on spiritual meat and explained the steps and requirements for alchemy, then demonstrated his control over fire.

• Xiao Huo questioned Qin Yan about spirit medicines, and Qin Yan answered every question correctly, impressing him.
• Xiao Huo told Qin Yan he was halfway to beginning alchemy and handed him the Complete Guide to Low-Grade Spiritual Meat from his Storage Ring.
• Xiao Huo explained that alchemy required knowledge of ingredients, mastery of pill recipes, and an Alchemy Flame, which a Martial Artist could refine after reaching the Fourth-Rank Realm.
• Xiao Huo explained that lower-ranked alchemists used unstable Beast Fire or Heavenly Spirit Fire, and said Qin Yan would begin with an external flame.
• Xiao Huo summoned an orange flame and shaped it into six Flame Dragons, leaving Qin Yan stunned by his power.

Qin Yan mastered the Complete Guide to Low-Grade Spirit Meat in four days and returned to Xiao Huo, who trusted his progress and introduced him to practical alchemy. Xiao Huo demonstrated how to refine the Freshness Pill, leaving Qin Yan to absorb the steps of the process.

• Qin Yan left Xiao Huo's Pill Chamber with the Complete Guide to Low-Grade Spirit Meat and reflected on his teacher's Alchemy Flame.
• Qin Yan spent 16 Skill Points mastering the guide over four days and learned how spirit meat was made and used.
• Qin Yan told Xiao Huo he had mastered the guide, and Xiao Huo gave him the Freshness Pill formula to study.
• Xiao Huo used Beast Fire to demonstrate warming the cauldron, tempering herbs, and fusing their spiritual liquids.
• Xiao Huo extinguished the fire and produced ten Freshness Pills, whose scent refreshed Qin Yan and purified the air around him.

Qin Yan began practicing alchemy after watching Xiao Huo refine a Freshness Pill, but controlling the Beast Fire proved far more exhausting than expected. As he tried to add the first ingredient, his flame control suddenly failed.

• Xiao Huo gave Qin Yan the Freshness Pill and ten ingredient sets for practice, telling him to study the process and attempt the pill himself.
• Qin Yan mentally reviewed the refining steps and recognized that tempering ingredients and condensing pills required experience he could gain only through practice.
• Qin Yan used a technique from the Complete Guide to Low-Grade Spirit Meat to awaken and control the furnace’s Beast Fire.
• Qin Yan struggled to warm the furnace evenly, while Xiao Huo wondered why the task drained his Mental Strength so quickly.
• Qin Yan began adding Heart-Clearing Grass and tried to lower the flame, but the Beast Fire surged out of control.

Qin Yan failed to control the Beast Fire during alchemy and suffered a backlash, but Xiao Huo treated his mental fatigue and questioned the mismatch between his learning ability and his Mental Strength. Qin Yan learned that Mental Strength was difficult to measure accurately below 100 Hz and continued asking Xiao Huo about its levels.

• Qin Yan's Heart-Clearing Grass burned to ash, and the fire's backlash left him collapsed and mentally exhausted.
• Xiao Huo gave Qin Yan a Mind-Clearing Pill and calmed the out-of-control Beast Fire.
• Xiao Huo questioned how Qin Yan could have mastered two alchemy tomes so quickly yet struggled to control low-grade Beast Fire.
• Qin Yan asked what Mental Strength was used for, and Xiao Huo explained its importance in alchemy, artifact forging, and martial cultivation.
• Xiao Huo said Mental Strength could not be measured accurately before it exceeded 100 Hz, and Qin Yan asked whether it had distinct levels.

Xiao Huo explained how Mental Strength was classified and told Qin Yan that a Nourishing Spirit Pill could safely help a low-rank Martial Artist improve it. Qin Yan spent all his credits to buy one, then discovered the delivered pill was superior grade.

• Xiao Huo described the Mental Strength ranges, from ordinary levels to innate prodigies, and noted that high spiritual talent helped Martial Artists master advanced Body Tempering arts.
• Qin Yan learned his 42 Hz Mental Strength was below the typical range for Magic Capital Martial University freshmen and asked how he could improve it.
• Xiao Huo recommended Nourishing Spirit Pills and told Qin Yan to rest after overexerting his Mental Strength.
• Qin Yan searched the academy website, found each pill cost 10 Credit Points, and spent all his credits to order one.
• Qin Yan received the pill and recognized it as superior grade, with full medicinal efficacy and almost no pill toxins.

After a Superior Nourishing Spirit Pill raised Qin Yan’s Mental Strength, his panel revealed that he could unlock the First-Rank Alchemist profession at 50 Hz. Determined to reach that threshold, he traveled to Pudong District and headed for Hundred Herbs Hall.

• Qin Yan swallowed the Superior Nourishing Spirit Pill and continued his spear training while its effects nourished his mind.
• After training, Qin Yan saw that his Mental Strength had increased by two Hz to 44 Hz, and the panel had replaced his herb and spirit meat knowledge entries with a First-Rank Alchemist path that unlocked at 50 Hz.
• Qin Yan resolved to raise his Mental Strength to 50 Hz and decided to spend some of his savings off campus.
• The next morning, Qin Yan took the exclusive subway to Pudong District and hailed a taxi to Hundred Herbs Hall.
• The taxi driver recognized Qin Yan as a Martial Artist, and Qin Yan confirmed it.

Qin Yan shared a car to Hundred Herbs Hall with Wen Ning, Mi Duoduo, and Xue Song, a fellow student who resented his presence beside Wen Ning. The group arrived at the hall, where Xue Song followed Wen Ning and Mi Duoduo inside while glaring at Qin Yan.

• The driver picked up Wen Ning, Mi Duoduo, and Xue Song, who were also headed to Hundred Herbs Hall.
• Wen Ning was surprised to learn that Qin Yan was a Martial Artist, and Xue Song grew hostile when he saw Qin Yan sitting beside her.
• Xue Song asked Qin Yan which school he attended, and Qin Yan curtly told him it was none of his business.
• Wen Ning apologized for Xue Song's rudeness, but Xue Song and Qin Yan traded insults until Wen Ning warned Xue Song not to follow her on future outings.
• The car stopped outside Hundred Herbs Hall, and Xue Song followed Wen Ning and Mi Duoduo inside after glaring at Qin Yan.

Qin Yan bought six Superior Nourishing Spirit Pills at Hundred Herbs Hall, while Xue Song approached him with an apparent intention to cause trouble. Wen Ning and Mi Duoduo noticed them, leaving Qin Yan waiting for his pills as Xue Song watched provocatively.

• Qin Yan learned that a Superior Nourishing Spirit Pill cost 150,000 yuan and ordered six to improve his Mental Strength.
• Xue Song saw Qin Yan's purchase and left Wen Ning, saying he had personal business to handle.
• Mi Duoduo suggested following Xue Song, but Wen Ning instead bought Blood Qi Pills and Body Tempering Pills for one million Huaxia Coins.
• Wen Ning spotted Xue Song standing beside Qin Yan and realized he had gone to confront him.
• Qin Yan ignored Xue Song, and staff member Lili returned carrying a jade box of pills.

Qin Yan tried to buy six Superior Nourishing Spirit Pills at Hundred Herbs Hall, but Xue Song used his uncle Xue Gang’s position to claim them. Long Tao sided with Xue Song and let him take the pills, leaving Qin Yan to suppress his anger and avoid a confrontation.

• Lili brought Qin Yan the pills he had ordered, but Xue Song demanded the same bottle and invoked his uncle, Fourth-Rank Alchemist Xue Gang.
• Qin Yan showed Lili his Hundred Herbs Hall gold card, but Xue Song revealed that he had one too and continued pressuring her.
• Lili refused to break the rules and give Xue Song the pills, prompting him to threaten that his uncle would have her fired.
• Long Tao arrived, accepted Xue Song’s embellished account, scolded Lili, and handed Xue Song the jade box.
• Xue Song taunted Qin Yan with the pills, while Qin Yan suppressed his anger and chose not to challenge him directly.

Steward Fang Da intervened when Qin Yan was being targeted at Hundred Herbs Hall and used his authority to punish those responsible. The chapter ended with Xue Gang receiving an immediate dismissal notice because he had covered for his nephew Xue Song.

• Fang Da arrived and stopped Lili from fetching more pills, then confronted Long Tao and Xue Song for bullying Qin Yan.
• Fang Da called Xue Gang, and Xue Gang rushed in to meet him.
• Fang Da told Xue Gang he was fired, but Xue Gang challenged his authority to dismiss a Fourth-Rank Alchemist.
• Xue Gang checked his communicator and found an Elder Council order terminating his employment for covering up Xue Song’s misconduct.
• Xue Gang was devastated when he realized his nephew had cost him his position and benefits.

Fang Da fired Xue Gang and Long Tao for enabling Xue Song’s misconduct at Hundred Herbs Hall, then revealed that he was Qin Yan’s senior disciple under Xiao Huo. Qin Yan learned that Xiao Huo was also a director of Hundred Herbs Hall, leaving him stunned by his teacher’s influence.

• Fang Da fired Long Tao and condemned him for bullying people based on their status.
• Xue Gang angrily struck Xue Song unconscious, then dragged him out of Hundred Herbs Hall after Fang Da warned him against fighting there.
• Qin Yan thanked Fang Da, who revealed that he was the fifth-ranked disciple of Xiao Huo and Qin Yan’s Fifth Senior Brother.
• Fang Da explained that Xiao Huo was a director and shareholder of Hundred Herbs Hall.
• Qin Yan was stunned by the scale of Xiao Huo’s wealth and influence.

After Fang Da exposed Xue Song’s mistake and praised Lili for standing up for Qin Yan, he promoted her and gave Qin Yan pills and a Diamond VIP Card. Qin Yan reflected on the value of connections while resolving to grow stronger, then encountered Wen Ning and Mi Duoduo at the hall’s entrance.

• Fang Da revealed that Qin Yan was Alchemy Grandmaster Xiao Huo’s direct disciple, and Lili returned Qin Yan’s pills as he thanked her for defending him.
• Fang Da promoted Lili to counter manager of the first-floor hall for her integrity, and she thanked Qin Yan as well as Fang Da.
• Fang Da gave Qin Yan a bottle of Superior Nourishing Spirit Pills as a sect meeting gift, and Qin Yan accepted it after hearing about the tradition.
• Fang Da gave Qin Yan a Diamond VIP Card with discounts and other privileges, then left to handle company matters.
• Qin Yan reflected that influence and backing had protected him, resolved to become stronger, and met Wen Ning and Mi Duoduo at the entrance; Wen Ning looked enviously at his pills.

After seeing Qin Yan’s influence at Hundred Herbs Hall, Wen Ning decided to befriend him for help with her scarce cultivation resources. She apologized, exchanged contact information with him, and asked whether he had finished his business.

• Wen Ning realized that Qin Yan had a powerful connection in Xiao Huo and could become a valuable ally.
• Wen Ning apologized to Qin Yan for Xue Song’s trouble, and Qin Yan accepted her apology.
• Wen Ning asked Qin Yan to exchange contact information and promised to treat him to a meal later.
• Qin Yan and Wen Ning added each other on their Smart Bracelets, and Wen Ning asked if he had finished his business.

Wen Ning confirmed that Qin Yan attended Magic Capital Martial University and considered investigating his background as she sought useful connections. Qin Yan returned to campus, ate, and began taking a Superior Nourishing Spirit Pill while training with his spear.

• Qin Yan agreed to share a taxi with Wen Ning and Mi Duoduo after they left Hundred Herbs Hall.
• Wen Ning questioned Qin Yan about his subway route and confirmed he was a student at Magic Capital Martial University.
• Wen Ning reflected on why she had chosen Demon City Jiaotong University and decided to investigate Qin Yan's background.
• Qin Yan rode the exclusive subway to campus, ate at the cafeteria, and returned to his manor.
• Qin Yan took a Nourishing Spirit Pill and practiced spear training until night, sensing that the pill's effects resonated with his blood qi.

Qin Yan’s Mental Strength reached 48 Hz after a week of daily training and Superior Nourishing Spirit Pills, but its progress slowed and he felt the strain of taking the pills too frequently. As he considered risking one more pill to approach the 50 Hz Alchemist threshold, Wen Ning contacted him and asked about his training.

• Qin Yan checked his Mental Strength after a pill and found it had risen to 45 Hz.
• Over the next seven days, Qin Yan trained daily and took one Superior Nourishing Spirit Pill each day, eventually raising his Mental Strength to 48 Hz.
• Qin Yan recalled Xiao Huo’s warning that taking pills too often could cause serious mental damage, but decided the risk was worthwhile if it helped him unlock the Alchemist profession.
• Qin Yan received a call from Wen Ning, whose research had revealed that he had reached Third-Stage Spear Technique.
• Wen Ning saw Qin Yan’s post-training hologram and asked whether he had just finished training.

Wen Ning investigated Qin Yan’s background and tried to build a connection with him, while Qin Yan accepted her explanation but remained wary of her motives. After their call, Wen Ning reflected on her ambitions and resolved not to let her lack of family resources hold her back.

• Wen Ning considered Qin Yan’s status as Xiao Huo’s disciple and the tenth-ranked freshman at Magic Capital Martial University, seeing him as a potential source of affordable medicinal pills.
• Qin Yan chatted with Wen Ning over a projection, then grew cautious when she admitted she had investigated his identity.
• Wen Ning praised Qin Yan’s accomplishments, and he accepted her apology without revealing his suspicions.
• After ending the call, Qin Yan washed up and went to bed while Wen Ning blushed at how eagerly she had praised him.
• Wen Ning recalled placing third in her Monthly Exam and sensing that students from Martial Families looked down on her prospects, then vowed to overcome her lack of resources.

After six days of taking a Superior Nourishing Spirit Pill daily, Qin Yan’s mind and body had deteriorated, but he still tried to endure class. Lu Youyou warned him to stop taking the pills, and Qin Yan agreed to rest; as he left the classroom, his classmates noticed his weakness and began considering their chances against him.

• Wen Ning received a call from Supervisor Zhao and reluctantly answered it.
• Qin Yan spent six days taking a Superior Nourishing Spirit Pill each day, leaving him pale, dizzy, and mentally sluggish.
• Lu Youyou confronted Qin Yan in class about his excessive pill use and warned that his mental state was close to collapse.
• Qin Yan promised Lu Youyou he would stop taking the pills for a while, while an accidental touch left her flustered.
• Lu Youyou left with Xiao Wangshu after class, and Qin Yan staggered out while his classmates watched his weakened state with interest.

On the eve of the Monthly Exam, Qin Yan struggled with severe mental exhaustion after taking Nourishing Spirit Pills, while Jin Gang prepared to reclaim his place in the top ten. After swallowing one final pill and falling asleep, Qin Yan woke to discover his Mental Strength had finally reached 50 Hz.

• Jin Gang, recovered and at six Skin Temperings, vowed to defeat Qin Yan in the Monthly Exam and protect his family's support.
• Qin Yan returned to his villa unable to eat, saw his Mental Strength remained at 49 Hz, and decided to take one final Nourishing Spirit Pill.
• Qin Yan swallowed the pill, chose to rest instead of cultivating, and fell into a deep sleep.
• Qin Yan woke at night and reflected that Wen Ning's voice seemed to soothe his mental discomfort, though he dismissed the idea that she was a Divine Seed.
• Qin Yan checked his Attribute Panel and saw that his Mental Strength had risen to 50 Hz.