Chapter Summaries

Xiao Ze defended Xin Lan and the Ye Family when Cao Dan threatened them over the Five Great Families' assessment. Cao Dan left after vowing to settle things at the Pill Gathering, as the gathering drew crowds of alchemists to the Pill Region.

• Xiao Ze rebuffed Cao Dan's threats and warned him that the Ye Family could keep its elder seat and that his sister might leave the Cao Family.
• Cao Dan pressured Ye Zhong to hand over Xin Lan, but Ye Zhong refused and defended the Ye Family's prospects.
• Cao Dan threatened Xiao Ze and the Ye Family, then left with the Cao Family experts after Xiao Ze remained unmoved.
• Xin Lan thanked Xiao Ze, and he reassured Ye Zhong that he would protect the Ye Family from the Cao Family.
• Xiao Ze took Xin Lan back to her room to spar, while the Ye Family settled down after the Cao Family's departure.
• Alchemists and other visitors poured into the Pill Region as the Pill Gathering approached.

Xiao Ze, Ye Zhong, and Xin Lan traveled to Holy Pill City so Xiao Ze could enter the Pill Gathering and help the Ye Family reclaim its place among the Five Great Families. After arriving, Ye Zhong led Xiao Ze to a Pill Tower branch to obtain the alchemist badge required for the competition.

• Xiao Ze and Ye Zhong left Elder Yao and Xiao Yi Xian to guard the Ye Family before setting out with Xin Lan through the family’s Space Wormhole.
• During the journey, Xiao Ze’s alchemy advanced from advanced seventh tier to early eighth tier, and his soul strength reached the Spirit Realm.
• Xiao Ze, Ye Zhong, and Xin Lan transferred through Qingling City and continued toward Holy Pill City, where Xiao Ze saw the many alchemists gathering for the Pill Gathering.
• The group arrived at one of Holy Pill City’s outer-district plazas, and Ye Zhong explained that Xiao Ze needed a Pill Tower-certified alchemist badge to compete.
• Ye Zhong led Xiao Ze into a Pill Tower branch tower to begin the certification process.

Xiao Ze accompanied Ye Zhong to the Pill Tower in Holy Pill City to take an alchemist assessment, where the declining Ye Family faced taunts from the Bai Family and disdain from the Qiu Family. After the Bai Family’s young woman announced a Sixth-grade Advanced assessment, Xiao Ze declared that he would test for Seventh-grade Intermediate, silencing the room.

• Ye Zhong told Xiao Ze about an upcoming alchemist trade fair and led him to the Pill Tower assessment area.
• A Grey-Clad Old Hag from the Bai Family mocked Ye Zhong and Xiao Ze, while Ye Zhong warned her and said Ice River Valley was in his family’s hands.
• Elder Han Li arranged the assessment order, placing the Qiu Family first, the Bai Family second, and the Ye Family last.
• A Qiu Family youth and two Bai Family youths chose Sixth-grade Intermediate assessments, while the Bai Family’s White-Clad Woman chose Sixth-grade Advanced.
• Xiao Ze asked about the highest available assessment and announced he would test for Seventh-grade Intermediate.

Xiao Ze insisted he could pass the Rank 7 Intermediate Alchemist assessment despite the other families’ mockery, and Elder Han agreed to conduct it personally. After the other candidates’ results were announced, Xiao Ze followed Elder Han to the Heaven Grade Testing Room.

• Xiao Ze declared that he was prepared to take full responsibility for attempting the Rank 7 Intermediate assessment, and Elder Han praised his composure.
• The Grey-Clad Old Hag insulted the Ye Family, Ye Zhong retorted, and Xiao Ze also rebuked her before Elder Han intervened.
• Two Qiu Family candidates and one Bai Family candidate passed the Sixth Grade Intermediate assessment, while one candidate failed.
• The Bai Family’s young woman passed the Sixth Grade Advanced assessment and looked toward Xiao Ze with a mocking smile.
• Elder Han personally led Xiao Ze to the Heaven Grade Testing Room for the Rank 7 Intermediate assessment.

Xiao Ze passed the Rank 7 Intermediate Alchemist examination, humiliating the Grey-Clad Old Hag and stunning the gathered families. When she continued to insult the Ye Family, Xiao Ze grabbed her to teach her a lesson.

• The Bai and Qiu Families waited to see whether Xiao Ze could prove his alchemy skill as the Grey-Clad Old Hag mocked him.
• Han Li announced that Xiao Ze had qualified to take a higher-ranked examination at Pill Tower Headquarters, then gave him a Rank 7 Intermediate Alchemist badge.
• The Grey-Clad Old Hag and the White-Clad Woman were stunned by Xiao Ze's achievement, while Ye Zhong celebrated the Ye Family's vindication.
• The Grey-Clad Old Hag continued taunting Xiao Ze and the Ye Family as she tried to leave.
• Xiao Ze grabbed the Grey-Clad Old Hag before she could finish boasting about her cultivation.

Xiao Ze killed the Grey-Clad Old Hag after she attacked him at the examination, then joined Ye Zhong and Xin Lan at a trade fair for alchemists in Holy Pill City. The chapter left them on the fair’s top floor, where Xiao Ze approached a slovenly old man beside a jade platform that radiated cold air.

• Xiao Ze killed the Grey-Clad Old Hag by throwing her into a Space Rift, frightening the Bai Family members and revealing his Dou Zun strength.
• Xiao Ze apologized to Han Li for the fight, and the Qiu and Bai Family members hurried away.
• Ye Zhong congratulated himself on Xiao Ze’s strength but noted that the Bai Family might seek revenge.
• Xiao Ze, Ye Zhong, and Xin Lan went to the Alchemist Trade Fair the following morning and passed through its floors using Xiao Ze’s alchemist rank.
• Xiao Ze approached a disheveled gray-haired old man seated beside a jade platform on the fair’s top floor.

Xiao Ze bargained with an old man to obtain the Spirit Luck Dust hidden in a copper piece. When a white-robed young man tried to buy it and his guards attacked, a lazy-looking old man intervened to block Xiao Ze's strike.

• Xiao Ze spotted Spirit Luck Dust on the old man's jade platform and concealed his interest while examining the other goods.
• Xiao Ze haggled with the old man and traded a Mid-Grade Seventh-Rank Pill recipe for the copper piece.
• A white-robed young man offered Xiao Ze double what he had paid, but Xiao Ze refused to sell the copper piece.
• The young man's two Eight-Star Dou Zong guards attacked Xiao Ze, and a lazy-looking old man blocked Xiao Ze's fingers with twisted space.
• The lazy-looking old man was left battered, with his Dou Qi roiling after stopping the attack.

Xiao Ze acquired a copper piece at the Holy Pill City trade fair and used his Heavenly Flame to refine it into five grains of Spirit Luck Dust. He absorbed one grain and felt spiritual energy enter him, beginning the improvement of his soul power.

• Xiao Ze revealed his identity to Chen Xian, who abandoned his attempt to take the copper piece and left with his subordinates.
• Ye Zhong worried that the Mysterious Underworld Sect would seek revenge, but Xiao Ze said Chen Xian would not dare provoke the Xiao Tribe.
• Xiao Ze returned to Ye Courtyard and entered seclusion to refine the copper piece with the Fallen Heart Flame.
• Xiao Ze removed the copper piece’s patina, melted it into a ball, and burned it until five grains of Spirit Luck Dust appeared.
• Xiao Ze absorbed one grain of Spirit Luck Dust and felt spiritual energy seep into him.

Xiao Ze accompanied Ye Zhong and Xin Lan to the Five Great Families' assessment, where the Ye Family hoped to reclaim its standing in the Pill Tower. The chapter ended with the families assembled and the Cao Family arriving.

• Xiao Ze finished cultivating overnight and assured Ye Zhong that he was ready for the assessment.
• Xiao Ze, Ye Zhong, and Xin Lan arrived at the crowded assessment hall, where spectators expected the Ye Family to lose its place among the Five Great Families.
• Ye Zhong led Xiao Ze into the hall, and they ignored the crowd's jeers as they headed for the Ye Family's seats.
• Xiao Ze noticed the Bai Family's hostility, exchanged cold looks with Bai Ying, and observed the shy young woman representing the Dan Family.
• The Ye Family took its seats, and the Cao Family was announced.

Cao Ying arrived at the Pill Gathering with the Cao Family, drawing the attention of the gathered factions and exchanging tense greetings with Dan Xuan and Dan Chen. Cao Xiu challenged Xiao Ze’s standing, then warned Cao Dan that Xiao Ze might be an Eighth-Tier alchemist.

• Cao Ying entered the hall, and the assembled factions rose to greet the Cao Family’s gifted alchemist and Pill Tower Giant candidate.
• Cao Ying greeted Dan Chen, while Dan Xuan exchanged a guarded challenge with her over their strength.
• Cao Dan taunted Xiao Ze for attending, but Cao Xiu stopped him and questioned Xiao Ze about his accomplishments.
• Cao Xiu told Xiao Ze that his Dou Zun cultivation might not help at the Pill Gathering, and Xiao Ze answered confidently before Cao Xiu returned to his seat.
• Cao Dan urged Cao Xiu to avenge him, but Cao Xiu warned that Xiao Ze was formidable and might be an Eighth-Tier alchemist.

The Five Great Families’ examination began under the supervision of Pill Tower Elder Sheng Yao, with Xiao Ze representing the Ye Family. After the contestants introduced themselves, Bai Ying challenged Xiao Ze over his killing of a Bai Family member, and Xiao Ze threatened him in return.

• Cao Dan realized Xiao Ze was an eighth-tier alchemist and regretted offending him, while Cao Ying reconsidered Xiao Ze.
• Elder Sheng Yao opened the examination and called the Five Great Families’ contestants into the plaza.
• Xiao Ze, Dan Xuan, Cao Xiu, Bai Ying, and Qiu Ji introduced themselves to Elder Sheng.
• Bai Ying accused Xiao Ze of disrespecting the Bai Family by killing one of its members.
• Xiao Ze told Bai Ying that he could kill him if the Bai Family wanted trouble.

The Five Great Families’ contestants tested their soul force, with Xiao Ze’s turn unleashing a storm powerful enough to warp space and astonish the entire hall. The test had not yet revealed his final score, leaving everyone waiting to see just how strong he was.

• Qiu Ji scored 707 on the soul-force stele, and Bai Ying followed with 785.
• Cao Xiu scored 846, drawing astonished reactions from the crowd.
• Dan Xuan produced a score of 903, bringing him close to the Seventh-grade Advanced tier.
• Xiao Ze placed his palm on the stele, and after a long pause released immense soul force that warped the surrounding space.
• Elder Sheng retreated from Xiao Ze’s Soul Storm, while Cao Xiu, Dan Xuan, Bai Ying, and Qiu Ji stared in disbelief.

Xiao Ze dominated the first alchemy test with an Eighth-Tier soul strength, then shattered Cao Ying’s Soul Manipulation record by catching two hundred Soul Steel beads. The other contestants conceded as the tests revealed the vast gap between Xiao Ze and his rivals.

• Elder Sheng announced that Xiao Ze’s soul strength of 1,799 had won the first test and set a new record for the Ye Family.
• Elder Sheng introduced the Soul Manipulation test, explaining that contestants had to lift Soul Steel beads with soul force and that Cao Ying’s record was 89.
• Elder Sheng released a torrent of beads, and Xiao Ze swept them up in handfuls while the other contestants caught them one at a time.
• Bai Ying withdrew with 43 beads, Qiu Ji with 31, Cao Xiu with 56, and Dan Xuan with 66.
• Xiao Ze stopped after catching exactly 200 beads, breaking Cao Ying’s record, and the other contestants conceded.

Cao Ying replaced a contestant in the soul-force examination to challenge Xiao Ze, and the two quickly became the focus of the contest. After Xiao Ze broke her soul attack, they prepared to settle the match with one final move.

• Cao Ying asked to enter the third round, and Xiao Ze accepted her challenge.
• Elder Sheng approved Cao Ying's substitution, and she took Cao Xiu's place among the five contestants.
• The contestants' soul forces clashed, forcing Qiu Ji and Bai Ying toward the arena's boundary while Xiao Ze and Cao Ying remained steady.
• Cao Ying summoned a soul-force phoenix that knocked down everyone except Xiao Ze.
• Xiao Ze destroyed the phoenix with his Great Wilderness Imprisoning Heaven Finger and struck Cao Ying, who survived the blow unharmed.
• Cao Ying proposed settling their contest with one move, and Xiao Ze warned her playfully about losing.

Xiao Ze defeated Cao Ying with a powerful soul-force attack, securing the Ye Family’s place among the Five Great Families. Cao Ying accepted that she would go with him, but insisted he first get her teacher’s permission.

• Cao Ying unleashed an ancient soul technique, confident it would defeat Xiao Ze.
• Xiao Ze summoned a colossal black finger of soul force that crushed Cao Ying’s technique and stopped just short of her head.
• Cao Ying admitted defeat, and the stunned crowd recognized Xiao Ze’s overwhelming victory.
• Ye Zhong and Xin Lan celebrated that Xiao Ze had saved the Ye Family and restored its standing among the Five Great Families.
• Xiao Ze reminded Cao Ying of her promise, and she agreed to go with him after asking her teacher for permission.

After winning the Five Great Families' assessment, Xiao Ze took Cao Ying with him and asked her to marry him. She agreed, and he received a Nine-Star Dou Zun cultivation and a Spirit Realm soul, but someone arrived to interrupt their intimacy.

• Xiao Ze led Cao Ying away after insisting she honor their agreement, while the Cao Family watched in shock.
• Xiao Ze told Ye Zhong and Xin Lan he would remain in Holy Pill City, and they returned to the Ye Family.
• Xiao Ze confronted Cao Ying at Ye Courtyard, and they spent the night together.
• Xiao Ze asked Cao Ying to marry him the next morning, and she agreed.
• Xiao Ze received a Nine-Star Dou Zun cultivation and a Spirit Realm soul as marriage rewards, then kissed Cao Ying again.
• An unseen speaker mocked Xiao Ze for being near death while still playing with women.

Xiao Ze killed a Soul Hall Honored Elder who attacked him in Ye Courtyard, then reassured Cao Ying and prepared to report the assault to the Pill Region. The chapter ended when Cao Ying's teacher arrived and asked where the Soul Hall man was.

• A black-robed Soul Hall elder interrupted Xiao Ze and Cao Ying, then attacked Xiao Ze to capture him.
• Xiao Ze countered the elder's Soul Palm with the Great Heaven Creation Palm and revealed overwhelming strength.
• Xiao Ze crushed the elder, likely Old Man Mu Gu, and destroyed his soul.
• Cao Ying asked Xiao Ze whether the attacker was dead, then said she needed to report the incident to the Pill Region.
• Cao Ying's teacher arrived and asked where the Soul Hall man was.

Xuan Kongzi discovered that Cao Ying had become Xiao Ze’s woman, accepted their relationship, and warned Xiao Ze about the Soul Hall and the Mysterious Underworld Sect. Cao Ying brought Xiao Ze to the Pill Tower to meet her teacher, the White-Clad Old Man.

• Xuan Kongzi appeared and learned that Cao Ying and Xiao Ze had become intimate, then told Xiao Ze to treat her well.
• Xiao Ze said he had dealt with the Soul Hall people, and Xuan Kongzi warned him that the Mysterious Underworld Sect might have leaked information about him.
• Cao Ying urged Xiao Ze to leave Ye Courtyard and go to the Pill Tower for protection, and Xiao Ze agreed.
• Cao Ying led Xiao Ze through the inner domain and into the Pill Tower, where she greeted the White-Clad Old Man as her teacher.

Xiao Ze and Cao Ying arrived at Holy Pill City for the Pill Gathering, where Xiao Ze learned about the trials competitors had to pass. The gathering began with the Three Great Elders addressing the assembled alchemists, and Xuan Kongzi started explaining its three rounds.

• Xuan Kongzi welcomed Xiao Ze to the Pill Tower and invited him and Cao Ying to stay there until the Pill Gathering began.
• Xiao Ze and Cao Ying spent several days together before the Pill Gathering opened and Holy Pill City filled with alchemists and other visitors.
• Cao Ying explained that competitors had to pass the Illusionary Realm Pass and gather ingredients in the Pill Realm to qualify for the final contest.
• A bell signaled the start of the gathering, and Xiao Ze recognized Xuan Kongzi, Tian Leizi, and Xuan Yi among the figures who appeared above the stone platforms.
• Xuan Kongzi welcomed the alchemists on behalf of the Pill Tower and began introducing the Pill Gathering's three rounds.

Xuan Kongzi announced the Pill Gathering’s prizes and began the first trial, the Soul Illusion Array. Xiao Ze and Cao Ying entered together and became the first contestants to reach the passage to the Pill Realm.

• Xuan Kongzi announced that the champion would become a candidate for Pill Tower Giant and receive an ancient soul cultivation method.
• Xuan Kongzi opened the Soul Illusion Array and sent the Fifth-Tier alchemists into the first trial.
• Xuan Kongzi and Tian Leizi discussed the possibility that the Soul Hall would disrupt the Pill Gathering.
• Xiao Ze and Cao Ying entered the array together, and Xiao Ze used his soul power to navigate its distortions.
• Xiao Ze and Cao Ying reached the passage to the Pill Realm before the other contestants.