Recaps

Zhang Yuan helped Xiao Yan resolve Nalan Yanran’s public annulment by setting a three-year duel, then used his growing strength and influence to challenge the Jia Lie and Ao Ba families. He left Wutan City with evidence of their schemes in mind and reached Five-Star Great Dou Shi after taking a suspicious pill.

• Zhang Yuan intervened when Nalan Yanran came to annul her betrothal to Xiao Yan, and Xiao Yan accepted a duel with her in three years.
• Zhang Yuan revealed Yao Chen in Xiao Yan’s ring and helped arrange cultivation support and alchemist resources for the Xiao Clan.
• Zhang Yuan exchanged gifts with Xun Er, secured Wind Elemental Cores through Ya Fei and Gu Ni, and helped the Xiao Clan begin cooperating with the Mittel Auction House.
• Zhang Yuan defeated Galen and his protector, then helped Xiao Yan obtain a sealed technique and accepted Yao Chen’s Thunder Gang Formula and Sky Thunder Finger.
• Zhang Yuan broke through to Da Dou Shi, evolved his Three Dragon Thunder Gang Fire, and returned to find Jia Lie Bi confronting the Xiao Clan.
• Zhang Yuan defeated Jia Lie Bi and told Xiao Zhan that he intended to draw the Jia Lie and Ao Ba families into attacking him.
• Jia Lie Qing and Ao Ba Pa gave Zhang Yuan agreements returning the Xiao Clan’s assets and a pill dusted with Thousand-Mile Orchid pollen before he left Wutan City.
• Zhang Yuan swallowed the pill on the road and suppressed its breakthrough energy with the Heavenly Thunder Art and Three Dragon Thunder Guard, reaching Five-Star Great Dou Shi.

Zhang Yuan exposed the Jia Lie and Ao Ba clans’ collusion with Chuyun Empire spies, won promotion, and drew the attention of powerful figures while preparing for the Beast Tide. His investigation of Qing Yanjing brought him to the Myriad Books Pavilion, where a Sixth-Rank Magical Beast suddenly attacked.

• Zhang Yuan refined a Purple Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill, stabilized his cultivation, and led the Black Armored Guard toward Qingyun Town, where Qing Yanjing noticed him.
• Zhang Yuan lured Jia Lie Bi and the Illusionary Mist Nine Bandits into an ambush, defeated them with help from Lin Zhengqing, and learned they were Dark Cloud Guards serving Chuyun Empire.
• Zhang Yuan presented evidence of the Jia Lie and Ao Ba clans’ collusion with the bandits, and Qin Zhendong ordered the clans arrested while promoting Zhang Yuan to commandant of the Xuan Character Camp’s left division.
• Zhang Yuan defeated Meng Xu’s challenge, while news of his victory spread and Yun Yun, Yaoye, and other influential figures considered how to approach him.
• After cultivating the Sky Thunder Finger, Zhang Yuan met Yun Yun, told her a strange story, refused to join the Misty Cloud Sect, and became close enough with her to call her older sister.
• Zhang Yuan agreed to train Princess Yaoye for a price, defeated her in combat, and later challenged her judgment when she warned him against Qing Yanjing.
• Zhang Yuan visited the Myriad Books Pavilion, accepted Qin Hai’s Moon Fox Pearl, and reconciled with Meng Xing before an Azure Winged Sky Serpent crashed through the ceiling.

Zhang Yuan took Qing Yanjing into his service, built his strength in the mountains, and helped Ling Ying advance to Dou Zong. After returning to Jia Ma Empire, Zhang Yuan confronted Medusa and learned she was seeking a Heavenly Flame to evolve her bloodline.

• Qing Man attacked Zhang Yuan over the Azure Winged Sky Serpent, but Ling Ying revealed Zhang Yuan’s standing with the Ling Ye Chamber of Commerce, and Qing Man departed with the beast.
• Qing Yanjing joined Zhang Yuan’s service, and he used her supposed misfortune to attract magical beasts to Gourd Valley while the Black Armored Guard earned merit.
• Zhang Yuan rescued Qing Yanjing from an Earth Rock Evil Spider, then spent months protecting her from its full-moon attacks and growing closer to her.
• Zhang Yuan and Qing Yanjing cultivated with the Mirage Fish Flood Dragon Pearl and Pure Origin Dragon Spring, and Zhang Yuan broke through to Dou Ling while creating a personal space.
• Zhang Yuan advanced his soul and cultivation, and Ling Ying broke through to Dou Zong before they left the Illusionary Mist Mountain Range and encountered Medusa fighting Yun Yun.
• Medusa demanded that Jia Xingtian let her take Zhang Yuan, but he refused, and Zhang Yuan defeated Yan Shi before accepting Gu He’s jade token in exchange for sparing him.
• Medusa negotiated military cooperation with Jia Xingtian, then Zhang Yuan confronted her and warned that her plan to use the Green Lotus Core Flame could kill her and endanger the Snake People Tribe.

Zhang Yuan strengthened his ties with Medusa and the Xiao Clan while expanding his Inner Realm and helping Xiao Yan advance. The arc left Xiao Yan with an upgraded Flame Mantra and Zhang Yuan with a new path to fuse his lightning cultivation methods.

• Zhang Yuan agreed to cooperate with Medusa, who promised to retrieve the Green Lotus Core Flame, and left for Wutan City with Ling Ying.
• Zhang Yuan reunited with Xun Er, explained his deal with Medusa to Xiao Yan, and learned more about the Xiao Clan’s history and its danger from Soul Hall.
• Zhang Yuan brought the Xiao Clan into his Inner Realm, entrusted its businesses to Ya Fei, and welcomed Xiao Yi Xian into his circle.
• Zhang Yuan reforged Xiao Yan’s Mysterious Heavy Ruler, trained the group, and found a cave containing Purple Cloud Wings, a map fragment, and a vein of Extreme Spirit Crystal Ore.
• Zhang Yuan forged Divine Tokens for the Xiao Clan and decided to pursue an elite force rather than build a large faction.
• Zhang Yuan rescued Yun Yun from the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King, claimed the Lion King as a mount for Xun Er, and brought its child and the Associated Purple Crystal Source into his Inner Realm.
• Zhang Yuan helped Xiao Yan absorb Purple Fire and supported Xiao Yi Xian after she revealed her Calamity Poison Body and learned that it could be treated.
• Xiao Yan raised the Flame Mantra to Intermediate Yellow Tier and reached Two-star Dou Shi, while Zhang Yuan saw a phantom of the Burning Heaven Undying Body and fused his lightning cultivation methods.