Chapter Summaries

Xiao Yan recognized a rescued captive as his sister-in-law through the silver bracelet left to his eldest brother, Xiao Ding, and revealed his identity to her. After she finally believed him, she begged him to hurry and save Xiao Ding.

• Xiao Yan sensed Xiao Ding’s faint aura on one of the women rescued from the Three Scorpion Demons.
• Xiao Yan recognized the woman’s silver bracelet as the keepsake his mother had given Xiao Ding and asked where she got it.
• The woman said the bracelet was a gift from her husband, Xiao Ding, and questioned Xiao Yan about how he knew his name.
• Xiao Yan identified himself and shared details about his brothers, father, and family that convinced the woman he was truly Xiao Ding’s younger brother.
• Overcome with emotion, the woman clutched Xiao Yan’s arm and begged him to save Xiao Ding.

Xiao Ding fought alone against a pack of Blazing Prairie Fire Wolves after five men drove him into their ambush, intending to make his death look like an accident. As the Blazing Prairie Fire Wolf King attacked, Xiao Ding gathered his remaining Dou Qi to protect himself.

• Xiao Ding, badly wounded and nearly out of Dou Qi, searched the wolves for their hidden alpha while secretly healing himself.
• The five men watching from the cliff taunted Xiao Ding and revealed that a noble had ordered them to ensure his death appeared accidental.
• Xiao Ding fought off repeated attacks from the Blazing Prairie Fire Wolves until one tore open his shoulder and his movements faltered.
• The fifth-tier Blazing Prairie Fire Wolf King appeared and launched a scorching attack at Xiao Ding.
• Xiao Ding drew on his last remaining Dou Qi and crossed his arms to shield his vital points.

Xiao Yan arrived just in time to save Xiao Ding, slaughtered the Blazing Prairie Fire Wolf King and the other magical beasts, and began treating his brother’s mortal wounds. The scar-faced brute, unwilling to abandon his mission despite fearing Xiao Yan’s strength, ordered his men to test him.

• Xiao Ding was gravely wounded by the Blazing Prairie Fire Wolf King and collapsed as the scar-faced brute and his men watched.
• Xiao Yan arrived and killed the Wolf King with one punch, then wiped out the remaining magical beasts with his soul power.
• Xiao Yan and Lu Qing rushed to Xiao Ding, and Xiao Yan stabilized his brother while preparing a seventh-tier healing pill for him.
• The scar-faced brute and his four companions recognized Xiao Yan as a threat but worried about the consequences of failing their mission.
• The scar-faced brute ordered his men to test Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan rescued Xiao Ding from life-threatening injuries, refined a fifth-tier medicinal pill to treat him, and learned how deeply his supposed death had hurt their family. After Xiao Ding identified the likely source of the attack, Xiao Yan killed the captured leader and pressed his brother for the details.

• Xiao Yan cared for Xiao Ding and began refining a fifth-tier medicinal pill to repair his severe injuries.
• Xiao Yan gave Xiao Ding the pill, and Xiao Ding absorbed its medicinal power until his condition improved.
• Xiao Ding and Lu Qing told Xiao Yan how his presumed death had devastated their father over the past three years.
• Xiao Yan asked Xiao Ding how to deal with the captured leader, and Xiao Ding said he knew who wanted him dead.
• Xiao Yan killed the captured leader with his soul force and flames, then asked Xiao Ding who had ordered the attack and why.

Xiao Ding told Xiao Yan that the Ancient Clan had attacked him and revealed how they had imprisoned and endangered the Xiao Clan after news of Xiao Yan’s death. Xiao Yan realized the Ancient Clan was targeting his family for the Gu Yu and vowed to confront the truth behind its actions.

• Xiao Ding confirmed that the Ancient Clan was behind the attack on him, devastating Xiao Yan.
• Xiao Ding explained that Xun Er had once cared for the Xiao Clan, whose members had lived safely in the Ancient Clan until three years earlier.
• After Xiao Yan was believed dead, the Ancient Clan confined the Xiao Clan and guarded even Lu Qing whenever she left.
• Over a month earlier, the Ancient Clan began sending Xiao Clan members out on assignments, where most disappeared or died.
• Xiao Ding said Xun Er had not appeared in three years and suspected Xiao Yan’s actions had provoked the Ancient Clan.
• Xiao Yan explained that the Ancient Clan used the Flame Clan’s destruction to conceal its killings and sought both the Gu Yu and the Xiao Clan’s eradication.

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.