Chapter Summaries

Xiao Yan and the others faced the Spirit Clan’s grand formation with no way to escape, until Mu Wei identified a chance to weaken it. He proposed striking its vulnerable outer nodes together to help the trapped Ancestors break out.

• Venerable Mingshui explained that the group could neither break through the formation nor escape, and that Lei Jingxiao’s status would not protect them once the Spirit Clan achieved its goal.
• Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian silently understood that neither wanted the other to face danger alone, while Lei Jingxiao vented his frustration by driving his spear into the ground.
• Mu Wei said the formation was nearly flawless but had not reached its intended optimal state because Xiao Yan’s actions forced the Spirit Clan to activate it ahead of schedule.
• Mu Wei revealed that the formation’s outer structure had relatively weak nodes and said the group could strike a foundation point together to help the Ancestors escape.
• Tang Zhen eagerly asked Mu Wei how they should arrange the attack.

With the Dou Sheng-level formation trapping Xuan Yi and Mu Yaoyin, Xiao Yan stepped forward with a plan to break it using a Destruction Fire Lotus fused from seven Heavenly Flames. The chapter ended as he considered whether the seven-flame lotus could overcome the formation.

• Mu Wei explained that breaking the formation required at least the power of a one-star Dou Sheng, leaving the group without a viable option.
• Qing Lin offered to try, but Xiao Yan stopped her because she was exhausted and the attempt was too dangerous.
• Xiao Yan declared that he would break the formation, despite his companions' concerns about his injuries and depleted strength.
• Xiao Yan recalled that a Five-Colored Fire Lotus had nearly killed a Half-Saint and realized he could attempt a seven-flame lotus with the Heavenly Flames gathered in Holy Pill City.

Xiao Yan prepared to merge a multicolored Fire Lotus to stop the Spirit Clan, gathering allies and safeguards for the perilous undertaking. With Zi Yan retrieving the Wind Fury Dragon Flame and the Three Thousand Burning Flame, Xiao Yan swallowed the Flame Forging Body Pill and announced that they would begin.

• Wei Jiangyuan reminded Xiao Yan that the Flame Forging Body Pill could protect him while he merged the Fire Lotus.
• Xiao Yan absorbed the last earthen puppet Venerable Wind had sent him, while the others recovered their strength and prepared to defend him.
• The six Spirit Clan Dou Shengs continued refining the Pill Tower Ancestor as Ling Fengzhui monitored Holy Pill City for disturbances.
• Zi Yan returned with the Wind Fury Dragon Flame and the Three Thousand Burning Flame subdued in her hands.
• Xiao Yan confirmed Tang Zhen was ready, swallowed the Flame Forging Body Pill, and said they would begin.

Xiao Yan began fusing five Heavenly Flames while Huo Zhi supplied his Dou Qi and Tang Zhen and Zi Yan helped control the flames. As the Spirit Clan noticed the growing danger, Zi Yan and Lei Jingxiao distracted Ling He and evaded her attacks, leaving Xiao Yan to continue the fusion.

• Xiao Yan fused the Sea Heart Flame and Green Lotus Core Flame, then worked with Tang Zhen to calm Tang Zhen's Nine Dragon Thunder Fire.
• Xiao Yan pulled in Wind Fury Dragon Flame and Three Thousand Burning Flame, causing a violent blast as he began forcing all five flames to fuse.
• The Spirit Clan sensed Xiao Yan's growing Fire Lotus and feared he would use the Dou Technique again.
• Ling He tried to attack the Space Imprisonment formation, but Ling Fengzhui warned her that Lei Jingxiao was nearby, making her hesitate.
• Zi Yan and Lei Jingxiao shifted through spatial fissures to evade Ling He's soul lock and keep the Spirit Clan occupied.

Xiao Yan’s allies fought to protect him while he fused a devastating six-colored fire lotus against the Spirit Clan’s assault. The fusion advanced, but their defenses neared collapse as Ling Fengzhui ordered his forces to stop Xiao Yan before the technique took shape.

• Ling He wanted to leave the Space Imprisonment formation to pursue Lei Jingxiao, but Ling Fengzhui refused and instead led Tianming Old Demon and the Spirit Guards to attack Xiao Yan.
• Qing Lin, Mu Wei, Wei Jiangyuan, Venerable Mingshui, Xiao Yi Xian, Kang Ning, and Tang Zhen defended Xiao Yan as the attackers shattered Mu Wei’s formations.
• Xiao Yan completed the preliminary fusion of five flames and told Huo Zhi to protect the others; Huo Zhi joined the battle.
• Xiao Yan added the Crimson Lotus Karma Flame and began forming a six-colored fire lotus, whose power alarmed Ling Fengzhui.
• Ling Fengzhui ordered the Spirit Guards to unleash everything, while Qing Lin faced Tianming Old Demon and Xiao Yan’s defenses approached collapse.

Xiao Yan completed a Six-Colored Fire Lotus while the Spirit Clan drained the Pill Tower Ancestor, despite the Black Flame breaking free and disrupting his planned fusion. Mu Wei marked the node area for Xiao Yan, leaving him poised to unleash the fire lotus there.

• Pill Tower survivors, including Elder Su Huo, the Fire-Headed Owl, and Elder Haika, joined the battle to protect the Pill Tower Ancestor and Xiao Yan.
• Xiao Yan saw the Spirit Clan use a rune formation and Ling Haonan's refining power to drain the Pill Tower Ancestor's origin.
• The Black Flame broke free of Xiao Yan's control and raced toward the Pill Tower Ancestor, preventing him from completing a Seven-Colored Fire Lotus.
• Xiao Yan fused the remaining flames into a Six-Colored Fire Lotus despite its dangerous, unstable power.
• Mu Wei sent a beam of Dou Qi to mark the node's general location for Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan’s six-colored fire lotus shattered the Spirit Clan’s Mother-Child Rune Grand Formation and helped free the Pill Tower’s Dou Shengs. As the flames threatened Holy Pill City and the battle descended into chaos, Ling Haonan remained isolated after his defeat.

• Ling Fengzhui tried to stop Xiao Yan’s fire lotus, but Huo Zhi blocked him while Ling He’s attacks were intercepted by Lei Jingxiao and Zi Yan.
• Xiao Yan detonated the six-colored fire lotus at a weakened node, and its blast cracked and destroyed the Mother-Child Rune Grand Formation.
• Elder Lin broke the Space Imprisonment Formation and raised a Dou Qi barrier to protect the people below from the descending flames.
• The Pill Tower Ancestor broke his light chains as the formation collapsed, while Black Flame stole some of the medicinal origin energy around him and returned to Xiao Yan.
• The Pill Tower Ancestor sent out a signal to draw the forces feared by the Spirit Clan, while Ling Haonan remained isolated after losing.

After Xiao Yan and his allies destroyed the Spirit Clan’s rune formation, Ling Haonan’s plan collapsed and the Spirit Clan was ordered to retreat. Before they could leave, Ling Xuanmo struck Xiao Yan down, sending his mangled body into a spatial storm, while Lei Jingxiao prepared a desperate counterattack.

• The destruction of the rune formation ruined Ling Haonan’s scheme, and the Supreme Elder ordered the Spirit Clan to return to their clan.
• Ling Xuanmo, enraged by the failure, attacked Xiao Yan and Ling He with a Dou Sheng-level palm strike.
• Xiao Yan’s defenses failed, and the strike shattered his body before a spatial fissure swallowed him.
• Xiao Yi Xian and the others cried out for Xiao Yan as Elder Lin in hemp robes struggled to find his fading presence.
• Lei Jingxiao, consumed by rage, focused his lightning-charged golden spear on Ling Xuanmo and prepared to risk his life.

After the Spirit Clan’s raid on Holy Pill City failed, Jiang Yunyan arrived and learned that Xiao Yan had been swept into spatial turbulence after taking a Dou Sheng’s attack. Unable to find any trace of him, she accepted his apparent death and challenged Ling Haonan to a final duel.

• Lei Jingxiao’s lightning attack failed to harm Ling Xuanmo, and Ling Yuan ordered the Spirit Clan to retreat through a spatial vortex.
• Jiang Yunyan arrived, treated Lei Jingxiao’s backlash, and learned that Xiao Yan had been swept into spatial turbulence.
• Jiang Yunyan searched Holy Pill City and its shattered space but found no trace of Xiao Yan.
• Ling Haonan declared that Xiao Yan could not have survived the four-star Dou Sheng’s attack, and Jiang Yunyan’s failed search seemed to confirm his death.
• Jiang Yunyan challenged Ling Haonan to fight her before his final departure, and he accepted.

Jiang Yunyan defeated Ling Haonan after the Spirit Clan’s failed attempt to seize the Pill Tower, then helped calm the unconscious Xiao Yi Xian. Xiao Yan’s companions refused to accept his death and searched the ruins for his remains or remnant soul.

• Jiang Yunyan killed Ling Haonan with the Mistcloud Sword, and Huo Yi and Huo Xuan arrived to find Huo Zhi safe.
• Jiang Yunyan told Huo Yi that the Spirit Clan had failed to seize the Pill Tower and had left, while the Ancient Clan had also appeared.
• Jiang Yunyan used Spirit-Nurturing Purple Glow Grass to soothe Xiao Yi Xian, who had fallen unconscious after witnessing Xiao Yan’s apparent death.
• Jiang Yunyan told Lei Jingxiao that Xiao Yan could not be saved after taking a Dou Sheng’s strike, but Lei Jingxiao and the others insisted he might still return.
• Lei Jingxiao, Qing Lin, the Pill Tower experts, and Xiao Yan’s companions searched for Xiao Yan or his remnant soul while Xuan Yi blamed herself for what had happened.

A mysterious black figure reconstructed Tang Qiying’s shattered soul in Sound Valley and offered him a new body in exchange for hunting Xiao Yan. Tang Qiying accepted, and the two set off to find a body for him.

• A black figure entered Sound Valley unseen and gathered the remnants of Tang Qiying’s soul.
• The figure restored Tang Qiying’s soul and offered to give him a powerful new body.
• Tang Qiying agreed to serve as a whetstone by fighting Xiao Yan, the man who had killed him.
• The black figure promised Tang Qiying freedom if he killed Xiao Yan and took him to hunt for the body of a top genius.

Jiang Yunyan pushed Lei Jingxiao to temper himself in the Azure Underworld Lightning Pool, provoking him into breaking through his four-star Dou Zun bottleneck and enduring the lightning without Dou Qi defenses. She rescued him unconscious when he reached his limit, leaving his refinement in her hands.

• Jiang Yunyan showed Lei Jingxiao the Azure Underworld Lightning Pool, formed above a Thunder Pattern Jade Vein, and told him to absorb it by jumping in without Dou Qi defenses.
• Lei Jingxiao hesitated, so Jiang Yunyan berated him for being weak and unable to protect Xiao Yan or the people he cared about.
• Jiang Yunyan restrained Lei Jingxiao and reminded him of Xiao Yan's death and the danger facing his companions if he remained weak.
• Lei Jingxiao's anger broke through the barrier suppressing him at four-star Dou Zun, and he shattered Jiang Yunyan's restraint before plunging into the pool.
• Jiang Yunyan watched Lei Jingxiao's life force weaken, then pulled his unconscious body from the lightning plasma when he could endure no more.

Lei Jingxiao survived the lightning pool and broke through, while Jiang Yunyan resolved to help him grow strong enough to defeat Lei Dong. At the Pill Tower, Wei Jiangyuan stayed behind to revive Venerable Yao and pursue becoming a tier-nine alchemist as the Tower considered how to respond to the Spirit Clan.

• Lei Jingxiao emerged from the lightning pool with Azure Underworld Lightning and broke through, and Jiang Yunyan healed him and promised to help him defeat Lei Dong.
• Wei Jiangyuan refused to return, and Venerable Mingshui left after failing to persuade him.
• Wei Jiangyuan reassured Yao Qingyu that Xiao Yan might still be alive and said he planned to revive Venerable Yao.
• Xuan Kongzi and Xuan Yi discussed the Pill Tower's response to the Spirit Clan and agreed Wei Jiangyuan should remain to pursue tier-nine alchemy.

Qing Lin traveled with Yao Huang to the Nine Serene Deepground Python Clan, intending to claim its resources and power so she could grow stronger. Yao Huang promised that her royal blood would win the clan’s support as she prepared to challenge its rival factions and become its empress.

• Xuan Kongzi and Qiu Ling acknowledged Wei Jiangyuan’s importance to the Pill Tower and lamented that Xiao Yan’s great favor could never be repaid.
• Qing Lin asked Yao Huang how many members of the Nine Serene Deepground Python Clan would support her, and he predicted that at least eighty percent would do so once her identity was proven.
• Yao Huang explained that the clan revered bloodline, while Qing Lin recalled that Ming Mei had transferred Little Cold’s royal blood into her body.
• Qing Lin resolved to claim the clan’s resources and pursue strength, driven by her need to protect what she cared about and her hatred of the Spirit Clan.
• Qing Lin asked Yao Huang to guide her within the clan, and he eagerly promised that its members would obey her after she resolved its two major factions.

A caravan led by Wang Zhuang found a barely living, heavily charred person in the Flame Wasteland and took them aboard. The caravan continued toward safety, leaving the stranger’s identity unknown.

• Wang Zhuang warned the Qianhua Trading Company caravan that the Flame Wasteland’s underground fire veins had grown dangerous.
• Wang Linger spotted what looked like a person in a charred hollow and convinced Wang Zhuang to investigate.
• Old Wu and Old Han found a faint pulse beneath the stranger’s cracked shell of charcoal and carried them back to the caravan.
• Wang Zhuang ordered the caravan to move on quickly before nightfall and the next eruption of underground fire.

Wang Linger insisted on treating a severely burned man despite Wang Zhuang’s doubts, while the convoy discussed Medical Poison Valley and its admired Valley Master Xiao. The man remained near death as Linger prepared to try treating him through the night.

• Wang Zhuang warned Wang Linger that the charred man was unlikely to survive until sunrise, but she refused to give up and began cleaning his wounds.
• The convoy guards praised Wang Linger’s kindness, then Old Li spoke about Medical Poison Valley and Valley Master Xiao’s growing reputation.
• Wang Linger defended Valley Master Xiao and said she hoped to become strong enough to join Medical Poison Valley as an outer disciple.
• After dinner, Wang Linger returned to the injured man with her medical books and supplies, while Wang Zhuang worried about her treatment methods.

Wang Zhuang secretly reassured the three honored guests that he would protect them, then investigated the charred stranger in Wang Linger’s carriage and judged him to be an unlucky survivor of an earth-fire eruption. He organized the convoy’s night watch, still unaware of the stranger’s true identity.

• Wang Zhuang slipped into the covered carriage and assured the three honored guests that his casual handling of the stranger was meant to conceal their mission.
• Wang Zhuang reflected that he had accepted the dangerous escort job for its enormous payment, which could send Wang Linger to Medical Poison Valley, and had kept its true purpose secret from his guards.
• Wang Zhuang inspected the charred man in Wang Linger’s carriage and found no signs of a disguise or trap.
• Wang Zhuang concluded that the stranger was probably an unlucky passerby burned by an earth-fire eruption and ordered the guards to take their night-watch posts.

Wang Zhuang led the convoy east while concealing its three distinguished guests, and Wang Linger continued caring for the charcoal man, who slowly grew stronger but remained unconscious. On the ninth day in the Eastern Region, a force ordered the convoy to stop for inspection, confirming Wang Zhuang’s fear that danger had caught up with them.

• Wang Zhuang learned that the charcoal man had survived the night and let Wang Linger continue treating him, though he knew her care had not caused his recovery.
• Wang Zhuang recalled raising his orphaned niece and supported her wish to join Medical Poison Valley while keeping watch over the convoy.
• As the convoy traveled, the charcoal man’s breathing grew stronger, but he stayed unconscious despite Wang Linger’s daily care.
• Wang Zhuang led the convoy across the border into the Eastern Region after ten days on the road.
• On the ninth day after entering the Eastern Region, an overbearing voice ordered the convoy to stop and submit to inspection, and Wang Zhuang realized their pursuers had arrived.

Wang Zhuang’s convoy was trapped by a far stronger group of attackers who searched the wagons for an unknown target. When they found the badly burned man, Wang Linger stepped in to protect him, and a Dou Emperor threatened to kill them both.

• Wang Zhuang assessed the attackers’ overwhelming strength and offered them cargo, but their leader demanded that the convoy stop for a search.
• Wang Zhuang ordered his guards to comply, but a suspicious Dou Emperor noticed his attention on the fourth wagon and sent two Dou Wangs to inspect it.
• The searchers found only medicinal herbs in the fourth wagon and continued searching, while Wang Zhuang feared they had come for him and the honored guest.
• The attackers brought the charcoal-black man before their leaders after finding him alive in a corner of the convoy.
• Wang Linger rushed forward to shield the burned man, and a Dou Emperor threatened to kill her along with him.

A lightning-wreathed stranger saved Wang Linger from a Dou Emperor’s attack and swiftly defeated the entire ambush. He left the helpless attackers for Wang Zhuang to deal with and took their leader aside, while Wang Linger wondered who her mysterious protector was.

• A Dou Emperor attacked Wang Linger, but a lightning-clad figure intercepted the blow and killed him with a single strike.
• The figure protected Wang Linger from the shockwaves and thanked her for taking care of him during the past few days.
• The figure defeated the second Dou Emperor and his subordinates in less than ten breaths, leaving them dead or unable to fight.
• The figure told Wang Zhuang that the attackers were helpless and left their fate to him.
• The figure took the leading Dou Emperor aside, while Wang Linger wondered how her injured companion could have been so powerful.