Chapter Summaries

The red-haired elder and Tang Zhen discussed Xiao Yan and Burning Flame Valley’s forgotten secret connected to the Xiao surname, while the Pill Tower’s leaders watched rising threats around Holy Pill City. In the Ye Clan hall, Ling Zhuo held Ye Xinlan and the clan under his control until a letter from his clan reported that Ling Fengzhui had acted sooner than expected.

• The red-haired elder confirmed Tang Zhen would protect Xiao Yan, then departed through a spatial opening.
• Pill Tower leaders discussed the Spirit Clan, Heavenly Nether Sect, Flower Sect, and a dangerous imprisoned Heavenly Flame as they prepared for the Pill Convention.
• Ye Zhong watched Ling Zhuo occupy the Ye Clan’s seat of honor while the Bai and Qiu clan heads deferred to him.
• Ye Zhong and Ye Xinlan recognized that Ling Zhuo’s support depended on her marriage agreement and that they could not oppose him.
• Ling Zhuo received a letter from his clan and said that Ling Fengzhui had moved faster than he expected.

Ling Zhuo reaffirmed his plans to claim leadership of the Spirit Clan and moved to bring the Cao Clan under its control. Back at Starfall Pavilion, Xiao Yan let Lei Jingxiao go out under strict rules and learned more about the Dou God Clans.

• Ling Zhuo dismissed concerns about Ling Fengzhui and declared that he would claim the clan chief position by winning first place at the Pill Convention.
• Elder Yan reported that the Pill Tower had begun acting against them, while Ling Zhuo learned the Heavenly Secrets Tower would soon announce the Prodigy Rankings.
• Ling Zhuo set out with the subsidiary-family chiefs to make the Cao Clan a vassal of the Spirit Clan.
• Xiao Yan watched Lei Jingxiao practice his twin-spears technique and agreed to let him leave Starfall Pavilion after laying down rules.
• Lei Jingxiao explained that Dou God Clans descended from ancestors who had been Dou Di, and said the Thunder Clan outranked the Spirit Clan.

Xiao Yan learned more about the Dou God Clans and kept his knowledge of the Soul Clan’s attack and the Flame Clan’s traitor to himself. In the alchemy room, he studied Xuan Yi’s jade slip and understood the risks and significance of his soul entering the Spiritual State Soul.

• Lei Jingxiao told Xiao Yan that the Soul Clan and Ancient Clan ranked first and second among the Dou God Clans, with the Thunder Clan third, and confirmed that the Soul Clan controlled Soul Hall.
• Xiao Yan decided to find Huo Zhi and let her inform the Flame Clan about its traitor, while keeping his own knowledge of the matter private.
• Lei Jingxiao laughed at Xiao Yan’s question about a Dou God Clan surnamed Xiao, and Xiao Yan left him confined for three days.
• Xiao Yan read Xuan Yi’s jade slip, which described the soul’s four states and explained that spiritual awareness was needed to enter the Spiritual State Soul.
• Xiao Yan realized Ling Zhuo’s medicinal wine had helped open the way to the Spiritual State Soul and learned that attempting the advancement could severely damage an unprepared soul.

After studying Xuan Yi’s teachings, Xiao Yan prepared to attempt a breakthrough in his soul realm and realized he needed others to guard him. Mu Qingluan told him it was Xiao Yi Xian’s birthday and urged him to prepare a gift, leaving him to consider what she would like.

• Xiao Yan spent five days studying Xuan Yi’s teachings about Spiritual State Souls and filled in his gaps in understanding.
• Xiao Yan left the alchemy room and decided to inform the others before attempting his soul breakthrough so they could guard him.
• Mu Qingluan told Xiao Yan that it was Xiao Yi Xian’s birthday and encouraged him to prepare a gift.
• Mu Qingluan reflected that she had accepted Xiao Yan saw her as a younger sister and sincerely hoped he and Xiao Yi Xian would be happy.

Xiao Yan decided to prepare a birthday gift for Xiao Yi Xian and hurried to the Pill Tower to obtain it. He suppressed a black-clad alchemist’s Beast Flame, but Pill Tower experts surrounded him and ordered him to surrender.

• Mu Qingluan told Xiao Yan that Xiao Yi Xian knew about the birthday celebration and hoped he would attend.
• Mu Qingluan suggested a gift, and Xiao Yan rushed to a jade shop before heading to the Pill Tower to meet President Xuan Yi.
• The guards let Xiao Yan enter the Pill Tower after he showed his Alchemist Badge and identified himself.
• A black-clad alchemist tried to block Xiao Yan, then attacked him with a Beast Flame when Xiao Yan hurried past.
• Xiao Yan suppressed the Beast Flame with his violet-red flame, and Pill Tower experts appeared and ordered him to surrender.

Xiao Yan sought an audience with President Xuan Yi, but Song Qing accused him of causing trouble and rallied Pill Tower alchemists against him. Xiao Yan broke through their first attacks, but Song Qing and the others continued to close in.

• Xiao Yan asked the Pill Tower alchemists to let him pass, but Song Qing attacked him and was easily knocked off balance.
• Song Qing urged the alchemists to capture Xiao Yan, claiming he would answer to his grandfather for any consequences.
• Song Qing hoped to impress the woman behind him and gain her trust by displaying his influence and backing.
• Xiao Yan was surrounded and, angered by the delay, unleashed the Red Lotus Core Flame to shatter the Soul Power blockade and force the attackers back.
• Song Qing formed a Soul Power hand seal as the Pill Tower alchemists closed in on Xiao Yan from several directions.

Xiao Yan broke through the Pill Tower crowd’s blockade and chased a hidden attacker who had tried to kill Song Qing. He confronted the gray-robed man, who claimed Xiao Yan could not defeat him.

• Xiao Yan used the Three Mysterious Changes of Heavenly Fire to break the attackers’ formation and move toward Song Qing.
• A concealed soul attack targeted Song Qing, but Xiao Yan blocked it with a black vortex.
• Xiao Yan spotted the gray-robed attacker and pursued him as he fled from the Pill Tower level.
• Cao Ying stopped Song Qing from chasing Xiao Yan and identified him as Xiao Yan, the rumored young master of Starfall Pavilion and Venerable Yao’s disciple.
• Xiao Yan forced the gray-robed man to stop, rejected his excuse for attacking Song Qing, and prepared to test his strength.

Xiao Yan confronted a mysterious gray-robed man who had attacked Song Qing, then asked Xuan Yi to help him commission Haika to forge a gift for Xiao Yi Xian. Haika initially refused, but became eager to help after seeing Xiao Yan’s flame fused from three Heavenly Flames.

• Xiao Yan used the Crimson Lotus Karma Flame against the gray-robed man, but the man passed through the flames, attacked with a strange scorching aura, and escaped.
• Xuan Yi arrived and told Xiao Yan he would learn the gray-robed man’s identity during the Pill Convention, then promised to protect him.
• Xiao Yan asked Xuan Yi to take him to Haika so he could request a forged gift for Xiao Yi Xian.
• Haika rejected Xiao Yan’s request and started to leave until Xuan Yi urged Xiao Yan to reveal all his Heavenly Flames.
• Xiao Yan showed Haika the Red Lotus Core Flame, explaining that it had formed by fusing three Heavenly Flames, and Haika eagerly offered to forge several items for him.

Xiao Yan asked Haika to forge Starfall Black Iron using the Red Lotus Core Flame, and Haika eagerly demonstrated a powerful technique for directing the flame with wind pressure. After completing the forging, Haika saw Xiao Yan and Xuan Yi off and invited him to return for future work.

• Xiao Yan told Haika he urgently needed the Starfall Black Iron forged that day, and Haika brought him into the forging chamber.
• Xiao Yan released the Red Lotus Core Flame while Haika used wind pressure to guide it into the furnace and heat the Starfall Black Iron.
• Haika used his forging hammer to shape the glowing iron, while Xiao Yan watched his flame-controlling technique.
• Haika raised the heat with a fiery tornado, softened the Starfall Black Iron, and hammered it into shape.
• Haika and Xiao Yan left the forging chamber together, and Haika praised the forging session before letting Xiao Yan depart with Xuan Yi.

Xiao Yan brought Xuan Yi to meet Xiao Yi Xian, where their companions presented gifts at a dinner banquet. Fei Tian then revealed that Xiao Yan was being offered leadership of Ice River Valley, to be renamed Fairy Doctor Valley.

• Xiao Yan left Haika's forging room with Xuan Yi, who insisted on meeting the person he had prepared a gift for.
• Xiao Yan and Xuan Yi arrived at the residence during the dinner banquet, where Xiao Yi Xian and the others welcomed Xuan Yi.
• Qing Lin and Mu Qingluan gave Xiao Yi Xian their gifts, and Lei Jingxiao offered her two Spirit Awakening Pills.
• Xiao Yan persuaded Xiao Yi Xian to accept Lei Jingxiao's pills, which Xuan Yi said could help someone reach the Spiritual State Soul.
• Fei Tian told Xiao Yan that Ice River Valley had been purged and consolidated, and that the Pavilion Master wanted him to lead it as Fairy Doctor Valley.

Xiao Yi Xian was offered the leadership of Ice River Valley after Starfall Pavilion destroyed its weakened ruling faction, and she agreed to consider taking over after the Pill Convention. The chapter ended with Xiao Yan giving her a Heavenly Flame-capable jade bracelet for her birthday, and Xiao Yi Xian teasing that she already had a powerful alchemist by her side.

• Fei Tian told Xiao Yan that Starfall Pavilion and the Heavenly Luan Clan had destroyed Ice River Valley's leadership and planned to support Xiao Yi Xian as its new Valley Master.
• Xiao Yi Xian agreed that leading Ice River Valley could help her heal the world, while Xuan Yi offered her personal guidance and Fei Tian said they would discuss the details after the Pill Convention.
• The banquet guests left Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian alone, and Xuan Yi gave Xiao Yi Xian a gift with advice to follow her own judgment.
• Xiao Yi Xian told Xiao Yan she was satisfied with her birthday and would no longer dwell on the past.
• Xiao Yan gave Xiao Yi Xian a jade bracelet that could store his Red Lotus Core Flame, and she accepted it before teasing that she already had a powerful alchemist by her side.

Xiao Yi Xian and Xiao Yan discussed their hopes and responsibilities, and Xiao Yan shared his wish to explore the continent with her and Xun Er once their burdens were resolved. The next morning, Xiao Yi Xian took the Innate Spirit-Rekindling Pill Xuan Yi had given her, accepting the chance to regain her ability to bear children.

• Xiao Yan supported Xiao Yi Xian's decision to become the Valley Master of Ice River Valley and encouraged her to pursue her ambitions.
• Xiao Yi Xian asked Xiao Yan what he truly wanted after fulfilling his responsibilities, and he said he hoped to travel the continent with her and Xun Er.
• Xiao Yi Xian told Xiao Yan she wanted to help ease his burdens and give him a place to rest, and the two shared an intimate night together.
• The next morning, Xiao Yi Xian learned that Xuan Yi's Innate Spirit-Rekindling Pill could restore the vitality and childbearing ability lost because of the Woeful Poison Body.
• Xiao Yi Xian chose to take the pill for Xiao Yan, and its medicinal effects began changing her body.

Wei Jiangyuan confronted Xuan Leizi and Xuan Kongzi over his attack on Song Qing, then agreed to stay hidden until the Pill Convention while Venerable Mingshui remained free to act. After Wei Jiangyuan praised Xiao Yan’s abilities, Xuan Kongzi revealed his confidence in Wei Jiangyuan because his teacher was Old Man Shennong, the continent’s foremost alchemist.

• Xuan Leizi challenged Wei Jiangyuan for attacking Song Qing, and Wei Jiangyuan defended his actions while mocking Song Qing.
• Xuan Kongzi ordered Wei Jiangyuan to stay out of sight until the Pill Convention began so the Spirit Clan would not learn he had arrived.
• Wei Jiangyuan agreed to remain hidden but asked whether Venerable Mingshui could act, and Xuan Kongzi said he could.
• Wei Jiangyuan praised Xiao Yan’s soul, Heavenly Flames, and devouring ability, and Xuan Kongzi said the Pill Tower had already sent someone to contact him.
• After Wei Jiangyuan left, Xuan Leizi questioned his reliability, and Xuan Kongzi said Wei Jiangyuan would fight seriously because he was Old Man Shennong’s student.

Xuan Yi secured the Pill Tower’s offer to pay Xiao Yan eighty percent of Wei Jiangyuan’s terms if he defeated Dan Chen and Cao Ying before the competition. Xiao Yan began a risky breakthrough using the Nine Dragon Thunder Fire’s residual lightning power and Earth Core Soul Marrow, leaving his soul in intense pain.

• Xuan Leizi, Xuan Kongzi, and Xuan Yi discussed Old Man Shennong’s disciples and Xiao Yan’s role as Wei Jiangyuan’s protector.
• Xuan Yi revealed that she had given Xiao Yan an Innate Spirit-Rekindling Pill and demanded eighty percent of Wei Jiangyuan’s offered terms for him.
• Xuan Kongzi approved the terms on the condition that Xiao Yan defeat Dan Chen and Cao Ying before the competition.
• Xiao Yan used the residual lightning-flame power of the Nine Dragon Thunder Fire to strengthen his body and soul during seclusion.
• Xiao Yan drank the Earth Core Soul Marrow, causing his soul power to surge violently and sharp pain to erupt between his brows.

Xiao Yan absorbed the Earth Core Soul Marrow and entered a long seclusion as his spiritual energy stirred Holy Pill City. While he remained under guard, powerful alchemists and major factions gathered for the approaching Pill Convention, which grew increasingly contentious after Elder Mu Gu was spotted in the city.

• Xiao Yan’s breakthrough caused a massive spiritual energy disturbance, so Xiao Yi Xian, Qing Lin, and Lei Jingxiao took turns guarding him.
• Xiao Yan remained in seclusion for nearly a year as Holy Pill City swelled with visitors and the Pill Tower struggled to maintain order.
• Netherwater Saint and Qinghua Old Monster arrived in Holy Pill City, drawing attention as veteran alchemists seeking the Pill Convention’s Heavenly Flame prize.
• The Flower Sect and Heavenly Nether Sect announced Hua Wu and Yi Xu as their representatives, prompting speculation about their unusual participation.
• News that Elder Mu Gu had been seen in Holy Pill City brought the Soul Hall into the growing contest alongside the Pill Tower, Flower Sect, and Heavenly Nether Sect.

The Spirit Clan challenged the Pill Tower by drawing four of its five subordinate clans away and launching the Heavenly Secrets Talents Ranking to compete for young alchemists. The two powers negotiated an agreement to jointly set five tests and rank the contestants, ending the first phase of their confrontation.

• The Ye Clan, Qiu Clan, Bai Clan, and Cao Clan left the Pill Tower and became subordinate clans of the Spirit Clan, while the Dan Clan remained with the Pill Tower.
• The Pill Tower's leaders argued over whether to confront the Spirit Clan or negotiate with it as Holy Pill City watched their feud intensify.
• The Spirit Clan joined forces with the Heavenly Secrets Tower to create the Heavenly Secrets Talents Ranking, offering lavish rewards to young alchemists.
• The Pill Tower and the Spirit Clan secretly negotiated and agreed to jointly provide five major test questions and rank young alchemists by their performance.
• The first phase of the Spirit Clan and Pill Tower's confrontation ended, and many gifted alchemists gained public attention through the ranking.

At Xiao Zhan’s sixtieth birthday, the Xiao family discussed gaining more independence from the Ancient Clan and worried about Xiao Yan, who was making his way alone in the Central Plains. Xiao Ding said that Xiao Yan and Xun’er might soon reunite with them.

• The Xiao Clan celebrated Xiao Zhan’s sixtieth birthday, and Lu Qing presented him with a gift.
• Xiao Ding told Xiao Zhan that the Xiao Clan would soon be able to enter and leave the Gu Realm independently, and Xiao Zhan proposed handing him the clan chief position.
• Xiao Li arrived without Qin Zhiyun and complained that living under the Ancient Clan was no way to live.
• After Xiao Li got drunk, Xiao Zhan said Xiao Yan had made his choice to protect the family and worried about the hardships he might face.
• Xiao Ding told Xiao Zhan that Xiao Yan had reached the Central Plains and Xun’er had gone to find him, giving hope that the family would soon reunite.

Xiao Yi Xian struggled to find a way to advance her poison cultivation while Xiao Yan remained in seclusion. After nearly ten months, movement finally came from his room, leaving his companions waiting to see what he had accomplished.

• Xiao Yi Xian tested a mixture of deadly poisons but found it too weak to improve her Dou Qi.
• Xiao Yi Xian reflected on her cultivation bottleneck and the lack of guidance and resources for poison practitioners.
• Lei Jingxiao told Xiao Yi Xian he had risen to eighty-seventh place on the Heavenly Secrets Talents Ranking.
• Xiao Yi Xian predicted that Xiao Yan would take first place, and Lei Jingxiao complained that he had spent his time standing guard.
• Movement came from Xiao Yan's room after nearly ten months of silence.

After ten months of seclusion, Xiao Yan began a powerful soul breakthrough that shook Holy Pill City and drew the attention of the Pill Tower and the Spirit Clan. As the crowd gathered, the chapter focused on Ling Zhuo’s rise to prominence and the growing influence of the Spirit Clan.

• Xiao Yi Xian and the others continued guarding Xiao Yan until tremors signaled that he might be emerging from seclusion.
• Xiao Yan’s spiritual energy surged through the city, and his soul pressure forced everyone below the Dou Zun realm to the ground.
• The Pill Tower and other factions gathered to investigate Xiao Yan’s breakthrough to the Spiritual State Soul.
• Ling Zhuo arrived with members of the Spirit Clan, and the gathered factions greeted him as the clan’s powerful heir.
• Ling Zhuo’s repeated victories in all five Heavenly Secrets Talents Ranking categories had made him the focus of Holy Pill City and strengthened support for the Spirit Clan.

As factions gathered around Ling Zhuo and the Spirit Clan at the Pill Convention, Yi Xu of the Heavenly Nether Sect offered to deal with Xiao Yan, who was breaking through inside Starfall Pavilion. Tang Zhen and Tang Huo'er discussed Xiao Yan’s strength, and Tang Zhen revealed that he might obtain Burning Flame Valley’s Nine Dragon Thunder Fire.

• Ling Zhuo welcomed Yi Xu, whose rise and reputation had made him a notorious representative of the Heavenly Nether Sect.
• Yi Xu asked who was breaking through at Starfall Pavilion and offered to kill Xiao Yan for Ling Zhuo, who warned him that Xiao Yan could kill him.
• Tang Zhen and Tang Huo'er watched Xiao Yan’s room and discussed his breakthrough to the Spiritual State Soul and his record of killing Venerable Lei.
• Tang Huo'er said she wanted to test herself against Xiao Yan, and Tang Zhen warned that she was no match for him.
• Tang Zhen told Tang Huo'er that Xiao Yan might have a chance to obtain Burning Flame Valley’s Nine Dragon Thunder Fire.