Recaps

Ling Quan led the Ancient Clan’s Black Annihilation Army in tormenting and abducting Xiao Clan members, blaming their misfortune on the dead Xiao Yan. After Ling Quan left Xiao Zhan badly wounded and the clan terrified, a mysterious figure appeared before him with chilling killing intent.

• Xiao Zhan confronted Ling Quan over the dangerous assignments that had killed many Xiao Clan members.
• Ling Quan mocked Xiao Zhan about Xiao Yan’s death and ordered his soldiers to take more clan members.
• Xiao Zhan attacked Ling Quan, who struck him into a wall and left him gravely injured.
• Ling Quan threatened to make Xiao Zhan watch the Xiao Clan die and ordered an attendant to keep him alive.
• As Ling Quan turned to leave, a mysterious figure appeared before him, radiating icy killing intent.

Xiao Yan returned to defend the Xiao Clan and brutally punished Ling Quan and the Black Annihilation Army for attacking his family. He spared one soldier and sent him to carry a warning to Gu Yao and the people backing him.

• Xiao Yan appeared and crippled Ling Quan’s arms and legs before torturing him with soul needles.
• Xiao Yan burned the Black Annihilation Army soldiers who attacked him into ash.
• Xiao Yan crushed Ling Quan beneath his foot and burned his body and soul after Ling Quan threatened the Xiao Clan.
• Xiao Yan left one Black Annihilation Army soldier alive and told him to deliver a message to Gu Yao and everyone behind him.

Xiao Yan rescued the Xiao Clan members and tried to ease their fear and resentment by treating their injuries and promising to bring them home. The Great Elder privately urged him not to seek revenge against the Ancient Clan, arguing that the clan’s survival depended on Xiao Yan staying alive.

• Xiao Yan confirmed Xiao Zhan was out of danger and reassured Xiao Ding about their father’s condition.
• Xiao Yan distributed medicinal pills to the Xiao Clan members, apologized for the disaster, and promised to take them safely home.
• The Xiao Clan members initially remained distant, but the Great Elder rebuked them and took a pill, encouraging the others to accept Xiao Yan’s help.
• The Great Elder apologized to Xiao Yan for the clansmen’s reaction and privately asked him not to seek revenge against the Ancient Clan.
• The Great Elder warned that the Ancient Clan was too powerful to challenge and urged Xiao Yan to survive so the Xiao Clan could have hope in the future.

Xiao Yan reunited with his awakened father, Xiao Zhan, and learned that his second brother Xiao Li had been executed after killing Gu Yao. Xiao Yan erupted in rage at the news.

• Xiao Zhan awoke, recognized Xiao Yan and Xiao Ding, and asked where Xiao Li was.
• Xiao Yan pressed the Grand Elder to explain what had happened to Xiao Li.
• The Grand Elder said Xiao Li had left after receiving a message from his fiancée, Qin Zhiyun, and learning that Xiao Ding had been taken away.
• The Grand Elder revealed that Xiao Li had publicly killed Black Annihilation Army commander Gu Yao and was executed on the spot.
• Xiao Yan unleashed overwhelming pressure and roared that Gu Yao had gone too far.

Ancient Clan elders decided that Xiao Yan had become too dangerous to leave alive and ordered Gu Yao to provoke him into striking first. Gu Yao planned to marry Xiao Li’s former fiancée, Qin Zhiyun, and invited the Xiao Clan to the wedding three days later, hoping Xiao Yan would attack.

• An elder and his clone discussed Xiao Yan’s return, his growing threat, and the danger of Xun Er intervening against Gu Yao.
• The elders decided the younger generation should handle Xiao Yan and ordered Gu Yao to provoke him into making the first move.
• Gu Yao learned that the Xiao Clan members remained in their assigned area and assumed Xiao Yan was avoiding confrontation.
• Gu Yao ordered his men to spread news of his wedding to Xiao Li’s former fiancée, Qin Zhiyun, and invite the entire Xiao Clan.
• Gu Yao set the wedding for three days later and challenged Xiao Yan to come.

Gu Qingyang refused to join the Ancient Clan’s response against Xiao Yan, while the Xiao family waited anxiously as Xiao Yan secluded himself to avenge Xiao Li. The Ancient Clan’s temporary quiet left the Xiao family expecting a dangerous confrontation.

• Gu Zhen asked Gu Qingyang to lead the Black Annihilation Army commanders against Xiao Yan, but Gu Qingyang refused and returned to cultivating.
• Xiao Yan’s arrival and killing of Black Annihilation Army soldiers brought the Xiao family a brief respite from harassment.
• Before entering seclusion, Xiao Yan promised Xiao Zhan that he would personally avenge Xiao Li’s death.
• Xiao Zhan, Xiao Ding, and the Great Elder waited outside Xiao Yan’s cultivation room and worried that Gu Yao’s concubine-taking announcement was meant to provoke him.
• The Xiao family’s leaders considered submitting to the Ancient Clan to protect their people, but they knew Xiao Yan would not let Xiao Li’s death go unanswered.

Xiao Yan forcibly tore the Spirit Clan Dou Sheng's power from his right arm, freeing his hand and letting Black Flame devour the remnant. Black Flame then gave him pure Dou Qi, and Xiao Yan began absorbing it in hopes of breaking through to nine-star Dou Zun.

• Xiao Yan used nearly all his Dou Qi to force the Dou Sheng power out of his right arm, enduring severe pain as it tore through his flesh.
• Xiao Yan ripped the power free, and Black Flame emerged from his arm and devoured it.
• Xiao Yan called Black Flame to his hand and sensed that it had become more obedient than before.
• Black Flame sent Xiao Yan a stream of pure Dou Qi after digesting the Dou Sheng power.
• Xiao Yan sensed a chance to reach nine-star Dou Zun and began absorbing the Dou Qi.

After two days of seclusion, Xiao Yan absorbed Black Flame's Dou Qi and advanced from an eight-star Dou Zun to the late stage of nine-star Dou Zun. Learning that the Ancient Clan's challenge was scheduled for that day, he decided to seek justice for Xiao Li despite his family's fears and flew off to face the battle.

• Xiao Yan emerged from seclusion after advancing to the late stage of nine-star Dou Zun and briefly glimpsed the path toward becoming a Dou Sheng.
• Xiao Yan asked Xiao Ding whether the Ancient Clan had come, and Xiao Ding gave him Gu Yao's scroll announcing that the appointed day was today.
• Xiao Yan asked about Qin Zhiyun, and Xiao Ding said she had begun distancing herself from Xiao Li three years earlier as the Xiao Clan's circumstances worsened.
• Xiao Yan told Xiao Zhan he would seek justice for Xiao Li, while the Great Elder pleaded with him to reconsider.
• Xiao Zhan urged Xiao Yan to be careful, and Xiao Yan promised to bring him home after the battle before flying away.

Gu Yao staged a concubine-taking ceremony as a trap meant to humiliate Xiao Yan, but Xiao Yan arrived and challenged him. The chapter ended with Xiao Yan declaring that he had come to collect a debt.

• Guests at Gu Yao's ceremony discussed whether Xiao Yan would dare come, while Gu Yao waited for him to appear.
• Gu Yao's two six-star Dou Zun aides tried to intercept the incoming attack, but Xiao Yan's ruler strike defeated them both.
• Xiao Yan landed beside his ruler amid the shattered ground and faced Gu Yao across the residence.
• Xiao Yan declared that he had come to collect a debt.

Xiao Yan confronted Gu Yao at Qin Zhiyun's wedding and asked whether she still loved Xiao Li or had been forced to leave him. After Qin Zhiyun said it was over, Xiao Yan attacked the Black Annihilation Army and turned his focus to Gu Yao.

• Xiao Yan asked Qin Zhiyun whether she still had feelings for Xiao Li and whether the Ancient Clan had forced her to leave him.
• Qin Zhiyun said she had wronged Xiao Li but that their relationship had already ended; Gu Yao then admitted he had used his position and offered conditions to make her leave.
• Xiao Yan drew the Heavy Profound Ruler, vowed that everyone present would die, and erupted with Dou Qi.
• Gu Yao summoned the Black Annihilation Army, and Xiao Yan used the Red Lotus Star Flame's Wind-Driving Palm and Heart Fire to engulf and restrain the soldiers.
• Gu Yao tried to attack Xiao Yan by surprise, but Xiao Yan blocked him and struck back with the Flame Splitting Tsunami Ruler.

Xiao Yan fought Gu Yao and the Black Annihilation Army in the Ancient Clan, breaking through their encirclement and unleashing the complete Emperor Seal Art. As the army fell beneath his attacks, Gu Yao prepared his Heaven-class Dou Technique, the Great Nirvana Finger.

• Xiao Yan shattered Gu Yao's blue-black turtle defense with Flame Splitting Tsunami Ruler and drove him back.
• Surrounded by the Black Annihilation Army, Xiao Yan forced open a gap and rose into the sky as the soldiers pursued him.
• Xiao Yan formed all five seals of the Emperor Seal Art and combined them into a massive attack against the Black Annihilation Army.
• Xiao Yan's five seals smashed the pursuing soldiers back, and his soul arrows struck many more from the sky.
• Gu Yao gathered power for his Heaven-class Dou Technique, the Great Nirvana Finger.

Xiao Yan countered Gu Yao’s Heaven Class Dou Technique with the Wild Desolation Ruler and his Heavenly State Soul. After realizing Xiao Yan was far stronger than he had expected, Gu Yao was left vulnerable as Xiao Yan moved beside him.

• Gu Yao attacked Xiao Yan with the Heaven Class Dou Technique Great Nirvana Finger, confident he could kill him on Ancient Clan ground.
• Xiao Yan used the Heavy Profound Ruler’s Wild Desolation Ruler: Sovereign's Descent, weakening Gu Yao’s attack and incapacitating much of the Black Annihilation Army.
• Gu Yao overtaxed himself to drive the Great Nirvana Finger forward, but Xiao Yan stopped it with his Heavenly State Soul and Soul Flow Black Vortex.
• Gu Yao recognized Xiao Yan’s Heavenly State Soul and realized he could not defeat him alone.
• While Gu Yao was stunned, Xiao Yan shifted position several times and arrived at his side.

Xiao Yan nearly killed Gu Yao before Gu Hua and the other Ancient Clan commanders arrived and surrounded him. Xiao Yan then fought Gu Shuangxue with the Emperor Seal Art and gained the upper hand.

• Xiao Yan struck Gu Yao with the Heavy Profound Ruler and burned him with the Red Lotus Star Flame, leaving Gu Yao badly injured and begging for help.
• Gu Hua intercepted Xiao Yan's next strike with the Emperor Seal Art and identified himself as the Ancient Clan's Second Commander.
• Six Ancient Clan commanders gathered around Xiao Yan, who declared that he would kill Gu Yao to honor his second brother.
• Gu Xing challenged Xiao Yan, but Gu Shuangxue attacked first and introduced herself as the Ancient Clan's Fifth Commander.
• Xiao Yan and Gu Shuangxue used the Ancient Emperor Seal against each other, and Gu Shuangxue was jolted back by the collision.

Xiao Yan used the Three Mysterious Changes of Heavenly Fire to break into the Half Saint realm and press his attack on Gu Yao. The Ancient Clan commanders stopped his clone and regrouped under Gu Hua’s command to unleash their battle formation.

• Xiao Yan empowered himself with the Crimson Lotus Karma Flame and the Three Mysterious Changes of Heavenly Fire, breaking through to Half Saint.
• Xiao Yan attacked the five Ancient Clan commanders with the Wild Desolation Ruler, Tyranny, but was forced onto the defensive.
• Xiao Yan used Phantom Shadow to hide his recovery while his Three Thousand Lightning Phantom Body attacked the wounded Gu Yao.
• Xiao Yan trapped the Ancient Clan commanders with Soul Flow Black Vortex, but Gu Xing disrupted the technique with Soul-Breaking Golden Cone.
• Gu Hua pursued Xiao Yan’s retreating phantom body, then ordered the commanders to join forces and form the Ancient Emperor Battle Formation.

Xiao Yan struggled against the Ancient Clan’s seven-person fighting technique as their coordinated attacks overwhelmed him. He sent a strange Black Flame to distract them and began merging four Heavenly Flames, preparing a powerful counterattack.

• The Ancient Clan’s seven members combined their strength, and Gu Hua confronted Xiao Yan as he charged toward the badly injured Gu Yao.
• Gu Hua and Gu Xing blocked Xiao Yan with successive attacks, then two Ancient Clan commanders struck him with paired light seals and sent him flying, wounded.
• Xiao Yan recognized that Gu Yao was protected at the center of the group and could not be reached through their coordinated defense.
• Xiao Yan released a strange Black Flame to occupy the Ancient Clan members and summoned his Three Thousand Lightning Phantom Body.
• Xiao Yan used his Heavenly State Soul to merge four Heavenly Flames in his palm.

Xiao Yan used the Black Flame and his Three Thousand Lightning Phantom Body to buy time while fusing a Buddha Fury Fire Lotus against the Ancient Clan. As Gu Xing, Gu Shuangxue, and Gu Po closed in, Gu Po suddenly saw the Ancient Clan's Clan Chief appear beside Xiao Yan.

• Xiao Yan sent the Black Flame to attack the Ancient Clan members while he fused the Heavenly Flames into a fire lotus.
• Gu Xing and the others attacked the Black Flame, but it absorbed their Dou Qi and grew stronger.
• Gu Yao sent Gu Xing, Gu Shuangxue, and Gu Po to stop Xiao Yan while the remaining Ancient Clan members dealt with the Black Flame.
• Xiao Yan fled as the fire lotus passed halfway through fusion, and his Three Thousand Lightning Phantom Body struck at Gu Shuangxue.
• Xiao Yan secretly moved his soul power as the three Ancient Clan members surrounded him, and Gu Po suddenly saw the Ancient Clan's Clan Chief appear beside Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan escaped the Ancient Clan members’ encirclement and successfully fused Black Flame into his Fire Lotus, creating a destructive Five-Colored Fire Lotus. As the Ancient Clan members hesitated to attack him, a Dou Sheng arrived and declared that the fight was over.

• Gu Po was tricked by Xiao Yan’s soul technique into halting the Ancient Clan’s encirclement, allowing Xiao Yan to escape.
• Gu Xing ordered Gu Po, Gu Shuangxue, and the others to stop Xiao Yan before his Fire Lotus finished fusing.
• Xiao Yan used his Three Thousand Lightning Phantom Body and devouring power to withstand the attacks and evade the Ancient Clan members.
• Xiao Yan summoned Black Flame back, then fused it into the Fire Lotus, successfully creating a Five-Colored Fire Lotus.
• The Ancient Clan members feared the Fire Lotus’s power, but a Dou Sheng appeared and told Xiao Yan that the fight was over.

Xiao Yan faced intervention from the Dou Sheng Gu Zhao after unleashing a Five-Colored Fire Lotus in the Ancient Clan stronghold. He used layered soul attacks to briefly restrain Gu Zhao, then prepared to strike Gu Yao with the fire lotus.

• Gu Zhao appeared and ordered Xiao Yan to stop, saying he would spare him for Xun Er and Gu Yu's sake.
• Gu Yao protested Gu Zhao's decision, while Gu Zhao explained he was following the Third Marshal's order.
• Xiao Yan used his Heavenly State Soul and Soul Flow Black Vortex against Gu Zhao, but Gu Zhao shattered the attack.
• Xiao Yan concealed the Nihility Devouring Flame's devouring ability beneath a second vortex, temporarily restraining Gu Zhao, then struck him with the Shadow Piercing Needle.
• While Gu Zhao struggled to counter the soul attack, Xiao Yan fixed his gaze on the frightened Gu Yao and began lowering the Five-Colored Fire Lotus toward him.

Xiao Yan unleashed a Five-Colored Fire Lotus against Gu Yao and the Ancient Clan’s young experts, killing Gu Chen and capturing Gu Yao’s soul. Despite threats from Gu Zhao and Gu Yao, Xiao Yan annihilated Gu Yao, leaving the Ancient Clan’s Dou Saints to confront the aftermath.

• Xiao Yan used Soul Flow Black Vortex to restrain the Ancient Clan members and sent his Five-Colored Fire Lotus toward Gu Yao.
• Three Dou Saints intervened and contained the flames, but Gu Chen died and several other Ancient Clan experts suffered grave injuries.
• Xiao Yan caught Gu Yao’s escaping soul and trapped it within his Red Lotus Star Flame.
• Gu Zhao demanded that Xiao Yan release Gu Yao, while Gu Yao threatened Xiao Yan’s family to force him to relent.
• Xiao Yan refused to spare Gu Yao and used the Red Lotus Star Flame to annihilate his soul.

Xiao Yan tried to escape Gu Zhao by using Black Flame, but the Ancient Clan's Dou Saints subdued him and left him gravely wounded. As Gu Zhao prepared to cripple him, a familiar fragrance reached Xiao Yan, easing his tension.

• Gu Zhao overwhelmed Xiao Yan's soul power and broke through his attacks with a steadily descending hand.
• Xiao Yan used Black Flame to disrupt Gu Zhao's pressure and attempted to flee, but the other Ancient Clan Dou Saints recognized the flame as a weakened Child Flame of the Nihility Devouring Flame.
• An Ancient Clan Dou Saint struck Xiao Yan from behind, grievously injuring him and sealing his power as Gu Zhao subdued Black Flame.
• Gu Zhao ordered Xiao Yan's hands and feet crippled, but Xiao Yan sensed a familiar fragrance behind him and relaxed.

Xiao Yi Xian arrived to heal Xiao Yan and refused to leave him alone in the Ancient Clan. Mu Yaoyin shielded them from Gu Zhao, turning the confrontation into a standoff with the Ancient Clan until another powerful presence intervened.

• Xiao Yi Xian found Xiao Yan gravely wounded, healed him, and told him she had sent their children to the Northwest Region.
• Xiao Yan warned Xiao Yi Xian that staying in the Ancient Clan would put her in danger, but she chose to remain by his side.
• Gu Zhao attacked Xiao Yan again, but Mu Yaoyin blocked the strike with her seven-colored Dou Qi.
• Mu Yaoyin declared that the Heavenly Luan Clan would protect Xiao Yan, while the Ancient Clan's Dou Saints threatened to exterminate her clan.
• An ancient, vast voice challenged the Ancient Clan, asking what would happen if another group joined the fight.

Qing Lin arrived with Yao Ming and five other Dou Saints to protect Xiao Yan and take him away from the Ancient Clan. As Yao Ming opened a spatial rift to leave, Gu Yu appeared and confronted the outsiders.

• Qing Lin arrived with Yao Ming and five Dou Saint experts, then went to Xiao Yan's side and reassured him that she would not let anyone touch him.
• Qing Lin asked Yao Ming to escort Xiao Yan out of the Ancient Clan, and he agreed despite warning that their arrival could provoke a clan war.
• An Ancient Clan Dou Saint threatened Yao Ming with war if he took Xiao Yan, but Qing Lin remained determined to leave with him.
• Yao Ming opened a spatial rift to escape with Xiao Yan, but Gu Yu emerged from a larger rift and addressed the assembled outsiders.

Gu Yu of the Ancient Clan Three Immortals confronted Xiao Yan and demanded a price for his killing of Ancient Clan commanders. He offered to let everyone leave if Xiao Yan accepted having his cultivation crippled and swore never to oppose the Ancient Clan.

• Gu Yu appeared and calmed the surging energy, while Yao Ming and the Ancient Clan Dou Saints greeted him respectfully.
• Yao Ming explained that the Nine Serene Deepground Python tribe had come because of its bond with Xiao Yan and denied intending to disrespect the Ancient Clan.
• Gu Yu questioned Xiao Yan, who admitted his identity without yielding despite his injuries.
• Gu Yu praised Xiao Yan's courage but said he could not let him leave without protecting the Ancient Clan's reputation.
• Gu Yu offered to cripple Xiao Yan's cultivation and spare everyone else if Xiao Yan swore never to become the Ancient Clan's enemy, prompting Qing Lin and Xiao Yi Xian to protest.

Xiao Yan weighed Gu Yu’s offer to spare the others if he gave up a cultivation realm and vowed never to oppose the Ancient Clan. Though Xiao Yi Xian and Qing Lin pleaded with him to refuse, Xiao Yan appeared ready to accept, and Gu Yu warned him to consider the consequences of saying no.

• Before entering the Ancient Clan, Xiao Yan and Xiao Ding arranged for Lu Qing to alert Xiao Yi Xian and help the Xiao Clan members escape if possible.
• Xiao Yi Xian recognized that Xiao Yan was considering sacrificing his cultivation for everyone else, but realized she could not change his mind.
• Xiao Yan asked Gu Yu to confirm that the only terms were losing a cultivation realm and never again becoming enemies with the Ancient Clan.
• Qing Lin urged Xiao Yan to refuse and offered to use her own method to help them escape, but Xiao Yan rejected the plan to protect her from its likely cost.
• Gu Yu told Xiao Yan that surrendering his Dou Zun cultivation was a fair exchange for the others’ lives and warned that no one would force him to accept.

Yao Chen appeared to protect the badly injured Xiao Yan and confronted Gu Yu over the Ancient Clan’s treatment of him and the Xiao Clan. Gu Yu, unable to gauge Yao Chen’s strength, finally chose to attack.

• A hidden voice condemned the Ancient Clan for threatening Xiao Yan and attacking him with multiple Dou Saints.
• Yao Chen appeared as a powerful soul body, leaving Gu Yu unable to detect or judge his strength.
• Xiao Yan recognized his teacher, Yao Chen, who promised to protect him.
• Yao Chen rebuked Gu Yu for harming Xiao Yan despite the Xiao Clan having given the Ancient Jade and treated the Ancient Clan respectfully.
• Gu Yu invoked the Ancient Clan’s power, then erupted with Douqi and prepared to fight Yao Chen.