Chapter Summaries

Ye Yan and Ye Lin arrived outside Shimo City to hire mercenary groups and await Hai Bodong’s intelligence. As Ye Yan’s charm attracted a crowd of women, he fled and left them fighting while Ye Lin watched.

• Ye Yan and Ye Lin landed outside Shimo City, and Ye Yan said they would hire mercenary groups to follow Hai Bodong’s intelligence.
• Ye Yan reviewed his techniques and considered how his recent battle had improved his Flame Dragon Cloud Piercing Art.
• Women in Shimo City repeatedly approached Ye Yan, but he avoided them and continued toward the city.
• When a woman claimed she had twisted her ankle, Ye Yan pretended not to hear and sped away.
• The women argued and fought over Ye Yan while Ye Lin and nearby men watched.

Ye Yan and Ye Lin hired the Sand Mercenary Group to search the Tagor Desert for unusual locations, but the work would take too long with one group. Ye Yan tried to persuade Luo Bu to bring the rival Storm Mercenary Group into the commission, offering increasingly large payments as Luo Bu insisted it was not about the money.

• Ye Yan and Ye Lin went to the Sand Mercenary Group headquarters and met Luo Bu, after Luo Yi mistook Ye Yan's visit for a personal introduction.
• Ye Lin explained that the commission was to survey the Tagor Desert under the guidance of the owner of Ancient Map, whom they had already recruited.
• Hai Bodong arrived and gave Luo Bu the locations to investigate, and Luo Bu estimated that his group alone would need about a year.
• Ye Yan asked Luo Bu to join forces with the Storm Mercenary Group so the search could be completed within a few months.
• Luo Bu objected that the two groups had a history of conflict, while Ye Yan raised his offer from three hundred thousand to four hundred thousand gold coins and Luo Bu said it was not about the money.

Ye Yan persuaded Luo Bu to make the Sand Mercenary Group cooperate with the Storm Mercenary Group by offering four hundred thousand gold coins and a Qi Gathering Powder. The group reached the Storm Mercenary Group’s base, where Luo Guan and Zhang Feng fought before agreeing to discuss the commission inside.

• Ye Yan increased his offer to four hundred thousand gold coins and a Qi Gathering Powder, and Luo Bu agreed to cooperate with the Storm Mercenary Group.
• Luo Bu brought Ye Yan, Ye Lin, and Hai Bodong to the Storm Mercenary Group’s base, where Luo Guan confronted him over their old grudge.
• Luo Bu explained the commission to Luo Guan, who changed his mind and agreed to cooperate with the Storm Mercenary Group.
• Luo Guan and Zhang Feng argued and traded punches outside the base before leading the group inside to talk.

Ye Yan received Hai Bodong’s Break-Eradication Pill prescription and arranged for Ye Lin to help search for the Sand Mandala while Hai Bodong investigated possible Heavenly Flame locations. In Wu Tan City, Xiao Xun’er remained unable to find the jade pendant the clan sought, and Ling Ying told her that Xiao Yan and Xiao Ning had arrived.

• Hai Bodong gave Ye Yan the Break-Eradication Pill prescription in exchange for help obtaining the Sand Mandala.
• Ye Yan gave Hai Bodong two rare medicinal ingredients and asked him to investigate places where Heavenly Flames might be found.
• Ye Yan asked Ye Lin to retrieve the Sand Mandala, then left Shimo City while Hai Bodong arranged scouting assignments in the desert’s eastern region.
• Xiao Xun’er learned that Ling Ying had found no information about the jade pendant during their six months in the Xiao Clan.
• Ling Ying informed Xiao Xun’er that Xiao Yan and Xiao Ning had arrived outside the courtyard gate.

Xiao Yan and Xiao Ning visited Xiao Xun'er, who explained that her weak constitution could only be alleviated, while Xiao Yan offered to help and continued studying Dou Qi. Elsewhere, Ye Yan developed and refined the Green Wood Pulse-Nurturing Pill, and Ye Lin returned to his courtyard after three days away.

• Xiao Yan questioned Xiao Ning outside Xiao Xun'er's courtyard, and the two explained that they had come to check on her health.
• Xiao Xun'er told Xiao Yan and Xiao Ning that her cold, weak constitution and obstructed meridians could only be alleviated, then returned to her courtyard after they left.
• Ling Ying told Xiao Xun'er that Xiao Yan had reached the Third Stage of Dou Qi and might help her learn about the jade pendant, but she said to let nature take its course.
• Xiao Yan recalled that Dou Qi could nourish the body and planned to test whether it could ease Xiao Xun'er's pain.
• Ye Yan refined the third-tier Green Wood Pulse-Nurturing Pill using Wood Qi and continued refining pills and cultivating over the following days.
• Ye Lin appeared in Ye Yan's courtyard after being away for three days.

Ye Yan and Ye Lin reached Green Mountain Town after Ye Lin retrieved the Sand Mandala, and they began preparing for Ye Lin’s breakthrough in the Magical Beast Mountain Range. Ye Yan explored a secluded valley for cultivation and looked for signs of Xiao Yi Xian, but had not found her yet.

• Ye Lin gave Ye Yan the Sand Mandala, and Ye Yan told him they would find a place for him to prepare for his breakthrough.
• Ye Yan and Ye Lin left Hai Bodong and traveled to Green Mountain Town, while Hai Bodong planned to accelerate his efforts to restore his cultivation.
• Ye Yan instructed the Gale Eagle to search for a secluded valley and visited Myriad Medicine Pavilion, where a clerk told him an elderly physician had a medicinal garden north of town.
• After resting and cultivating, Ye Yan learned that the Gale Eagle had found a suitable valley in the Magical Beast Mountain Range.
• Ye Yan and Ye Lin flew to the fog-hidden valley, where Ye Yan descended into its depths and sensed its abundant energy.

Ye Yan cultivated in a hidden valley and broke through to the mid-stage of the Mortal Realm while refining pills, then set out for Green Mountain Town. Meanwhile, Xiao Yi Xian sought to become Doctor Yun’s disciple, but Doctor Yun rejected the gathered youths and warned Mu Li’s family not to overstep.

• Ye Yan found a secluded valley filled with medicinal herbs, while Ye Lin opened a cave and entered seclusion.
• Xiao Yi Xian arrived at Doctor Yun’s medicinal garden hoping to become her disciple, as wealthy youths argued over who should approach the physician.
• After six days of refining pills, Ye Yan’s soul broke through to the mid-stage of the Mortal Realm, and he prepared to visit the physician near Green Mountain Town.
• Xiao Yi Xian cleaned herself up while Mu Li and the remaining youths argued near the medicinal garden.
• Doctor Yun refused to take disciples and told Mu Li to warn his father and grandfather that her connections could not be trampled.

Mu Li tried to force Xiao Yi Xian to join the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, but Ye Yan arrived on a giant eagle and interrupted him. The confrontation was left unresolved as Mu Li challenged Ye Yan, underestimating him despite the powerful beast.

• After Doctor Yun rejected Mu Li, he pointed to Xiao Yi Xian and insisted she had the aptitude to become a physician.
• Mu Li tried to recruit Xiao Yi Xian by force and ordered his guards to seize her when she refused.
• Doctor Yun prepared to intervene, but Ye Yan arrived on a giant eagle and questioned Mu Li for abducting a physician.
• Ye Yan leaped down from the eagle as Mu Li's guards warned him about the beast, but Mu Li dismissed the danger and grew jealous of Ye Yan.
• Mu Li ordered his guards forward and threatened Ye Yan on behalf of the Wolf Fang Mercenary Group.

Ye Yan killed Mu Li and his two guards, then reassured Xiao Yi Xian and Doctor Yun that he could handle the Wolf Head Mercenary Group. Xiao Yi Xian became Doctor Yun’s disciple, and Ye Yan asked Doctor Yun for a detailed map of the Magical Beast Mountain Range.

• Ye Yan killed Mu Li by snapping his neck and killed the two guards with flames.
• Xiao Yi Xian warned Ye Yan about the Wolf Head Mercenary Group and asked him to take Doctor Yun to safety.
• Ye Yan told Xiao Yi Xian that the group would still discover the killings and put both her and Doctor Yun in danger.
• Doctor Yun said Ye Yan seemed strong enough not to fear the mercenary group, then invited Xiao Yi Xian to study medicine under her.
• Xiao Yi Xian accepted Doctor Yun as her teacher, and Ye Yan asked Doctor Yun for a complete map of the Magical Beast Mountain Range.

Ye Yan attacked the Wolf Head Mercenary Group’s base and confronted Mu She and the group’s elder over Mu Li’s death. As Ye Yan fought them, Doctor Yun warned Xiao Yi Xian that she would soon die of old age and advised her to leave with Ye Yan and keep striving to grow stronger.

• The Wolf Head Mercenary Group found Mu Li’s charred body at its gates, and its leader ordered Mu She to find the person who had killed him.
• Ye Yan burst into the group’s main hall and defeated several mercenaries with his fiery attacks.
• Mu She and the elder confronted Ye Yan, who dodged their attacks and then charged at them.
• Doctor Yun told Xiao Yi Xian that Ye Yan could handle the Wolf Head Mercenary Group and that she was nearing the end of her natural lifespan.
• Doctor Yun advised Xiao Yi Xian to rely on herself and said that leaving with Ye Yan would be her best choice.

Ye Yan found the cave containing a fragment of the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame map and collected its treasures, including Purple Cloud Wings, Mad Lion Roar, and the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture. Back in his cave, he began cultivating Purple Cloud Wings and discovered that the Heaven Burning Flame could destroy the skill’s eagle soul.

• Ye Yan followed Doctor Yun’s map to a hidden cliff cave and opened its stone door.
• Ye Yan took the map fragment from the skeleton’s bone arm and collected the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture, Purple Cloud Wings, Mad Lion Roar, and other treasures.
• Ye Yan buried the cave entrance and returned to his cave with the Gale Eagle.
• Ye Yan began cultivating Purple Cloud Wings, but the eagle soul attacked his mind.
• Ye Yan burned away the eagle soul with the Heaven Burning Flame and wondered if absorbing the Azure Ice Flame’s essence had given it the power to harm souls.

Ye Yan learned to fly with the Purple Cloud Wings, then gave Xiao Yi Xian the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture before leaving Green Mountain Town. Xiao Yi Xian and Doctor Yun discovered that her hidden seven-colored line might identify her as someone with the Woe Poison Body, and planned to ask Ye Yan about it when he returned.

• Ye Yan activated the Purple Cloud Wings, endured the pain of new branch meridians, and flew through the sky for the first time.
• The Gale Eagle challenged Ye Yan in the air, but he left it behind and flew to Doctor Yun's residence.
• Ye Yan gave Xiao Yi Xian the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture, warned her not to experiment with it, and said he would be away for a few days.
• After Ye Yan left, Xiao Yi Xian and Doctor Yun read the scroll and found its account of the Woe Poison Body.
• Xiao Yi Xian realized her hidden seven-colored line might identify her as having the Woe Poison Body, and she and Doctor Yun decided to ask Ye Yan about it when he returned.

Xiao Xun'er remained withdrawn in the Xiao Clan, while Xiao Yan planned to secretly nurture her meridians. Ye Yan watched from nearby and considered how to approach her, but Xiao Yan's attempt to enter her courtyard ended when someone struck his arm and alerted her.

• Ling Ying told Xiao Xun'er that clan rumors about her distant behavior had been stopped by Xiao Zhan, and that Xiao Yan was the only one who still visited her often.
• Xiao Xun'er said she wanted to be alone, while Ling Ying went to retrieve a medicinal pill commissioned from the Yao Clan.
• Xiao Yan decided to try nurturing Xiao Xun'er's meridians and bones, and later approached her courtyard at night.
• Ye Yan watched Xiao Yan from beneath a tree and considered using his Green Wood Pulse-Nurturing Pill to help Xiao Xun'er and earn her trust.
• Xiao Yan climbed onto the courtyard wall, but an unseen attacker struck his arm and sent him crashing to the ground.
• Xiao Xun'er appeared at the window and demanded to know who had trespassed into the Xiao Clan.

Xiao Yan’s attempt to nourish Xiao Xun’er’s meridians ended with him leaving her courtyard under suspicion. Ye Yan secretly gave Xiao Xun’er a Green Wood Pulse-Nurturing Pill, whose Wood Qi stirred a faint reaction from the Heavenly Flame within her.

• Xiao Xun’er confronted Xiao Yan after finding him in her courtyard, and he explained that he had come to nourish her weak constitution.
• Xiao Xun’er accepted Xiao Yan’s apology and asked him to use the front gate next time, so he left believing he had damaged her impression of him.
• After Xiao Yan departed, Xiao Xun’er asked the hidden visitor to reveal himself while holding the Ancient Clan’s life-saving item.
• Ye Yan remained concealed, tossed Xiao Xun’er a Green Wood Pulse-Nurturing Pill, and flew away with his Purple Cloud Wings.
• Xiao Xun’er suspected the stranger was a Dou Wang and kept away from the pill, but sensed that its Wood Qi faintly drew toward her Heavenly Flame.

Xiao Xun'er discovered that the Green Wood Pulse-Nurturing Pill eased her frailty, prompting her to seek out the person who made it. Ye Yan commissioned an ancient-looking black ring from a master smith and then headed toward the Xiao Clan's market district.

• The Golden Emperor Heaven Burning Flame absorbed Wood Qi from the Green Wood Pulse-Nurturing Pill, leaving Xiao Xun'er feeling healthier and less exhausted.
• Xiao Xun'er decided to find the pill's maker rather than wait for Ling Ying to return.
• Ye Yan decided not to awaken Yao Chen until after he obtained the Green Lotus Core Flame.
• Ye Yan commissioned a black ring from a forge, offering ten thousand gold coins for it to be completed that afternoon.
• After leaving the forge, Ye Yan headed toward the Xiao Clan's market district, while the smith began work on the ring.

Xiao Xun'er joined Xiao Yan and Xiao Ning on a walk through Wu Tan City, hoping to find the mysterious person who had helped her. At the Xiao Clan marketplace, she spotted a crowd gathered around Ye Yan, the very man she had been searching for.

• Xiao Yan failed to discover who had beaten him and went to see Xiao Xun'er, then invited her to tour the clan with Xiao Ning.
• Xiao Zhan, Xiao Ding, and Xiao Li gave Xiao Yan bags of gold coins as he walked with Xiao Xun'er and Xiao Ning.
• Xiao Xun'er searched the streets for the mysterious person while Xiao Yan and Xiao Ning accompanied her to the Xiao Clan marketplace.
• Pei Lai told Xiao Yan that a handsome man had drawn a crowd, and Xiao Xun'er hurried toward the commotion.
• Ye Yan found himself surrounded by admirers and politely refused a woman's invitation to visit her home.

Ye Yan encountered Xiao Xun'er amid a crush of women at the market and helped her out of the crowd, while Xiao Yan and Xiao Ning struggled to reach her. As Ye Yan and Xiao Xun'er spoke, someone ordered the crowd to disperse.

• Ye Yan spotted Xiao Xun'er trapped in the crowd and realized she had come looking for him.
• Ye Yan asked the women to make room for Xiao Xun'er, and they pushed her toward him.
• Xiao Yan and Xiao Ning tried to reach Xiao Xun'er but were blocked by a woman and the crowd.
• Ye Yan spoke with Xiao Xun'er, who questioned why his gaze seemed familiar and strange.
• A voice outside the crowd ordered everyone to disperse so the market could open.

Ye Yan helped Xiao Xun'er out of a crowd and accepted Pei Lai's invitation to visit the Xiao Clan. There, he revealed that he was an alchemist and offered the clan first-tier pills to sell, leaving Xiao Zhan eager to cooperate without taking a share.

• Pei Lai arrived with Xiao Yan and Xiao Ning and tried to disperse the crowd, while Ye Yan opened a path and escorted Xiao Xun'er out.
• Xiao Xun'er said she had come looking for Ye Yan, and he introduced himself to her and Xiao Yan.
• Pei Lai invited Ye Yan to the Xiao Clan, and Ye Yan agreed to visit.
• Xiao Zhan asked whether Ye Yan was an alchemist and proposed a sales partnership, but Ye Yan rejected the proposed shares.
• Ye Yan said he would not refine low-tier pills but had first-tier pills he could provide, and Xiao Zhan offered to sell them free of charge.

Ye Yan negotiated with Xiao Xun'er to trade Green Wood Pulse-Nurturing Pills for rare materials that could support his cultivation plans. Xiao Xun'er agreed to obtain Bodhi Body-Transforming Saliva and a Tier 7 Heaven Poison Scorpion Dragon Beast magic core in exchange for eighty pills.

• The Xiao Clan's Great Elder warned the juniors not to offend Ye Yan and told Xiao Yu that Jia Nan Academy would recruit students in a little over two months.
• Xiao Xun'er stayed awake in her courtyard, thinking about Ye Yan and deciding she needed more of his pills.
• Ye Yan appeared before Xiao Xun'er and explained that he was half a Tier 3 alchemist and that his Green Wood Pulse-Nurturing Pill could benefit her.
• Ye Yan revealed that he knew Xiao Xun'er came from the Central Plains, then explained the pill's effects, including its benefit toward Heavenly Flames.
• Ye Yan offered eighty Green Wood Pulse-Nurturing Pills in exchange for Bodhi Body-Transforming Saliva and a Tier 7 Heaven Poison Scorpion Dragon Beast magic core, and Xiao Xun'er agreed to obtain the materials.

Ye Yan gave Xiao Xun'er juice, a recipe, and pills before leaving her to investigate his talent and background. He then explained Xiao Yi Xian's Woe Poison Body and promised to help her control it, leaving her determined to support him.

• Ye Yan gave Xiao Xun'er a jar of juice and its recipe, then left her ten Green Wood Pulse-Nurturing Pills as he departed.
• Xiao Xun'er suspected Ye Yan was a hidden genius and decided Elder Ling should investigate him and report concerns to her clan.
• Ye Yan's first-tier pills helped the Xiao Clan capture more than half of the Jia Lie and Oba clans' business, while their leaders avoided retaliation.
• Ye Yan told Xiao Yi Xian and Doctor Yun about the Woe Poison Body and said he knew a direction for controlling it, as well as a compatible Heavenly Flame that could let her become an alchemist.
• Ye Yan gave Xiao Yi Xian three Green Wood Pulse-Nurturing Pills and explained that she could try awakening her poison body after taking them for half a year; she vowed not to fear if he needed her.