Chapter Summaries

Soul Heavenly Emperor confronted Gu Yuan in the Ancient Clan and proposed discussing the Heavenly Tomb, while Xiao Yan agreed to judge a joint competition for the younger disciples of Starfall Pavilion, Medical Poison Valley, and Burning Flame Valley. He left his alchemy work for the event after Mu Qingluan secured Yao Lao’s permission.

• After Xiao Yan left the Ancient Clan, Soul Heavenly Emperor appeared before Gu Yuan and the Black Annihilation King.
• Gu Yuan accused Soul Heavenly Emperor of interfering with the Ancient Clan’s defenses, and Soul Heavenly Emperor defended his actions as retaliation for the Ancient Clan’s earlier conduct.
• Soul Heavenly Emperor challenged Gu Yuan to attack him and offered to discuss why Gu Yuan had allowed Xiao Yan into the Heavenly Tomb.
• Mu Qingluan told Xiao Yan that the three major powers were holding a competition for their new disciples and asked him to serve as a judge.
• Xiao Yan hesitated because he planned to work on Yao Lao’s resurrection, but Mu Qingluan said Yao Lao had granted him leave, and Xiao Yan agreed to go.

Xiao Yan arrived at Starfall Pavilion’s arena to serve as a judge for the tournament between the three factions, where the disciples greeted him with admiration. He reunited with his daughter Xiao Qingqing and reflected on the happiness he wanted to protect.

• Xiao Yan arrived at the arena and received an enthusiastic welcome from disciples of Starfall Pavilion, Medical Poison Valley, and Burning Flame Valley.
• Xiao Yan greeted Tang Zhen and joined the other organizers and judges on the platform.
• Wei Jiangyuan teased Xiao Qingqing as she tried to reach Xiao Yi Xian, and Yao Qingyu took the girl away from him.
• Yao Qingyu encouraged Xiao Qingqing to go to Xiao Yan, and the girl happily ran into her father's arms.

Xiao Yan and Wei Jiangyuan continued their work on resurrecting Yao Lao, while Xiao Yan checked on Yao Qingyu’s use of her Heavenly Flame. The resurrection method remained unresolved, but Xiao Yan believed the effort might bring him close to the ninth tier.

• Xiao Yan said he had been handling every matter concerning Yao Lao’s resurrection himself, while Wei Jiangyuan teased him and gave Xiao Qingqing a fruit.
• Wei Jiangyuan complained that Yao Lao had challenged him to redesign the resurrection plan, and Yao Qingyu told him to stop pretending to be pitiful.
• Xiao Yan reflected that Yao Lao and Xuan Yi had reconciled, and that Wei Jiangyuan had spent three years studying how to forge a body for Yao Lao’s soul.
• Xiao Yan asked Yao Qingyu about Wind Fury Dragon Flame, and she said it was extremely useful for her alchemy.
• Wei Jiangyuan warned Yao Qingyu not to overuse her Heavenly Flame and predicted he would reach the ninth tier first, but Xiao Yan said he might approach its threshold after resurrecting Yao Lao.

The Three Sects Tournament quarterfinals began, and Xiao Yan watched Yan Ling lose to Tang Meng before Yan Yu won his own match. When the third match’s contestants appeared, Xiao Yan sensed someone from Soul Hall.

• Wei Jiangyuan reacted to Xiao Yan’s words by theatrically declaring he would go into seclusion, and Yao Qingyu explained that he was hiding his concern for Yao Lao behind his usual irreverence.
• Mu Qingluan introduced Yan Ling of Medical Poison Valley and Tang Meng of Burning Flame Valley as the first quarterfinalists, and Xiao Yan judged that Tang Meng had the advantage despite appearing to be on the defensive.
• Tang Meng defeated Yan Ling by using his soul power to overwhelm her with drowsiness, and Yan Yu caught her before she fell.
• Yan Yu defeated Youquan in the next match, revealing Dou Zong-level strength, then exchanged a charged stare with Tang Meng.
• Xiao Yan lost interest in the earlier matches but sensed that one of the third match’s contestants came from Soul Hall.

Xiao Yan learned that Refinement, a young man with a Soul Clan inheritance, had joined Starfall Pavilion after Mu Yaoyin judged him harmless. Refinement defeated Bu Yao in the quarterfinals, and the fourth match began with Ding Ji facing Star Calamity.

• Xiao Yi Xian and Mu Qingluan explained Refinement's background and why Starfall Pavilion had accepted him, easing Xiao Yan's suspicions.
• Xiao Yan recalled Mu Yaoyin's reliable predictions and trusted her judgment that Refinement posed no danger.
• The third quarterfinal began between Starfall Pavilion's Refinement and Medical Poison Valley's Bu Yao, Xiao Yan's former alchemy apprentice.
• Refinement used methods inherited from Soul Hall to defeat Bu Yao, who left the arena discouraged without noticing Xiao Yan's lack of disappointment.
• Tang Meng, Yan Yu, and Refinement secured semifinal places for their factions, and the fourth quarterfinal began between Ding Ji and Star Calamity.

Star Calamity defeated Ding Ji to claim the final place in the next round, while Xiao Yan reflected on his own youth and the dangers he had endured. After the day’s top-eight matches ended, Tang Zhen approached Xiao Yan to speak privately.

• Ding Ji and Star Calamity entered the arena, and Mu Qingluan explained their ties to Burning Flame Valley, Starfall Pavilion, and the Heavenly Luan Clan.
• Star Calamity used formations to restrict Ding Ji and defeated him, earning the final place in the next round.
• Xiao Yan and Mu Qingluan discussed the competitors’ talents and their age limit of thirty, and Yao Qingyu pointed out that Xiao Yan could still compete.
• Xiao Yan reflected on how his strength and perilous experiences had shaped him, then watched Xiao Qingqing go to her mother.
• After the top-eight matches concluded, Tang Zhen asked Xiao Yan to speak with him in private.

Tang Zhen invited Xiao Yan to Burning Flame Valley, offering knowledge about the Xiao Clan’s past as a reason to visit. After consulting Yao Lao, Xiao Yan agreed to consider the trip, reassured that Yao Lao’s resurrection could proceed without him and asked to bring back a rare herb needed for it.

• Tang Zhen thanked Xiao Yan for saving Burning Flame Valley’s ancestor and invited him to visit the valley, where the ancestor hoped to meet him.
• Xiao Yan hesitated because he was overseeing Yao Lao’s resurrection, but Tang Zhen said Burning Flame Valley might reveal secrets about the Xiao Clan’s past.
• Yao Lao advised Xiao Yan to accept the invitation, saying Burning Flame Valley’s ancient inheritance could help answer his questions.
• Yao Lao assured Xiao Yan that he and Wei Jiangyuan could handle the resurrection preparations while Xiao Yan was away.
• Yao Lao asked Xiao Yan to obtain Fire Essence Demon Ginseng from Burning Flame Valley, and Xiao Yan recognized its dangers and its short period of usefulness after harvesting.

Xiao Yan prepared to travel to Burning Flame Valley to investigate secrets surrounding the Xiao Clan and discussed the journey with Xiao Yi Xian. Before leaving, he learned from Xiao Ding that members of the Ancient Clan had repeatedly called them the “Xiao Clan.”

• Yao Lao and Xiao Yan agreed that the Fire Essence Demon Ginseng could be used in Yao Lao’s resurrection, with Xiao Yan overseeing the process.
• Xiao Yan visited Xiao Yi Xian and told her about his planned trip to Burning Flame Valley and the possible connection between the Fire Essence Demon Ginseng and the Xiao Clan’s past.
• Xiao Yi Xian supported the trip and suggested Qing Lin accompany Xiao Yan for protection.
• Xiao Yi Xian said she wanted Xiao Qingqing to enjoy her childhood without cultivation resources or pressure, and Xiao Yan agreed.
• Xiao Yan visited Xiao Zhan with Xiao Ding, who revealed that Ancient Clan elders had repeatedly referred to their family as the “Xiao Clan.”

Xiao Yan considered Xiao Ding’s warning about Xun Er and the Ancient Clan, but left his feelings unresolved. After the Three Sects Tournament, he traveled with Tang Zhen’s group to Burning Flame Valley, where he saw the sect’s remarkable fire-rich territory.

• Xiao Ding urged Xiao Yan not to let hatred blind him toward Xun Er, and Xiao Yan remained silent, conflicted about her.
• Xiao Zhan arrived, and Xiao Yan and Xiao Ding avoided discussing the Ancient Clan and Xiao Li in front of him.
• Yan Yu of Medical Poison Valley won the Three Sects Tournament, and Tang Zhen departed with Xiao Yan and the others.
• During the journey, Xiao Yan advised Burning Flame Valley’s young disciples on cultivation until Tang Zhen sent them away to give him time.
• Two days later, Tang Zhen brought the group to Burning Flame Valley, where Xiao Yan sensed the region’s abundant fire-attributed Dou Qi.

Xiao Yan returned to Burning Flame Valley and learned that its Ancestor needed another day or two to finish cultivating before meeting him. While he waited, Tang Huo'er offered to show him and Qing Lin the valley’s Dou Technique Pavilion so he could prepare for his coming journey to the Heavenly Tomb.

• Tang Huo'er welcomed Xiao Yan and rejoiced that he had returned unharmed.
• Tang Huo'er told Xiao Yan that the Ancestor was still cultivating, and Tang Zhen explained that the Ancestor could not be disturbed for another one or two days.
• Xiao Yan asked Tang Zhen about obtaining Fire Essence Demon Ginseng, but Tang Zhen said the dangerous area beneath the valley could not be visited until the Ancestor emerged.
• Tang Huo'er suggested Xiao Yan study Burning Flame Valley’s Dou Techniques before his journey to the Heavenly Tomb, and Tang Zhen invited him to choose anything he needed.
• Tang Huo'er led Xiao Yan and Qing Lin toward the Dou Technique Pavilion, while Tang Zhen reflected on his daughter’s feelings for Xiao Yan and the strength of the women around him.

Xiao Yan searched Burning Flame Valley’s Yanwu Pavilion for high-tier Earth-class Dou Techniques that could strengthen his arsenal against the Ancient Clan’s geniuses. After inspecting the fifth floor’s collection, he discovered that its central treasure was the Three Mysterious Changes of Heavenly Fire, a secret art he already used.

• Tang Huo'er brought Xiao Yan to Yanwu Pavilion, where Tang Zhen’s approval gave him access to every Dou Technique.
• Xiao Yan rejected the lower floors’ techniques and asked Tang Huo'er to lead him to the high-tier Earth-class selections.
• Tang Huo'er guided Xiao Yan to the fifth floor, where he examined Burning Flame Valley’s most precious Dou Techniques.
• Xiao Yan considered Blazing Fire Wave Strike but decided it was unlikely to improve his abilities enough to be worthwhile.
• After searching the collection for half a day, Xiao Yan found the Three Mysterious Changes of Heavenly Fire at the pavilion’s center.

Xiao Yan found Burning Flame Valley’s Di Class Dou Techniques impressive but not powerful enough to justify the time he would spend cultivating one, and he declined Tang Huo’er’s offer to ask her father for a Heaven Class technique. That night, Qing Lin brought him a Heaven Class Dou Technique she had created herself, leaving Xiao Yan touched but unsure whether it would suit him.

• Xiao Yan told Tang Huo’er that the Dou Techniques in Yanwu Pavilion lacked the decisive power he wanted for battles at the Half-Saint level.
• Tang Huo’er offered to ask her father for a Heaven Class Dou Technique, but Xiao Yan declined to avoid imposing on Burning Flame Valley.
• Xiao Yan spent the evening reflecting on the techniques he had seen while sensing Burning Flame Valley’s fire-attribute Dou Qi.
• Qing Lin visited Xiao Yan and gave him a Heaven Class Dou Technique she had created after reaching the Dou Sheng level.
• Xiao Yan felt touched by Qing Lin’s gift but suspected that her technique, shaped by her own abilities and fighting style, would not suit him.

Qing Lin offered to risk harming a Nine Serene Deepground Python Clan Dou Sheng to obtain a suitable Dou Technique for Xiao Yan, but he refused. She confessed that staying by his side mattered more to her than her status or strength, and Xiao Yan accepted her feelings before they kissed.

• Qing Lin told Xiao Yan she could use a secret blood-exchange method with a Nine Serene Deepground Python Clan Dou Sheng to obtain a suitable Dou Technique for him.
• Xiao Yan rejected the dangerous plan and urged Qing Lin to follow her own path rather than tie her future to him.
• Qing Lin confessed that she wanted to stay by Xiao Yan's side and did not mind sharing his affection with Xiao Yi Xian, Xun Er, or anyone else.
• Xiao Yan clasped Qing Lin's hand, told her their relationship was not one of master and servant, and promised to wait for her at Starfall Pavilion.
• Qing Lin embraced and kissed Xiao Yan, and he carried her into his room.

Xiao Yan and Qing Lin gave in to their desire for each other, with Qing Lin taking the initiative as her feelings and the influence of her blood stirred. As they embraced, the flower in Qing Lin’s emerald eyes brightened and a strange fragrance made Xiao Yan’s vision grow hazy.

• Qing Lin clung to Xiao Yan and guided his hand beneath her clothing.
• Qing Lin asked whether she was beautiful, and Xiao Yan reassured her.
• Xiao Yan and Qing Lin shed their clothing as their desire for each other intensified.
• The flower in Qing Lin’s emerald eyes brightened, and a peculiar fragrance made Xiao Yan’s vision blur.

Xiao Yan awoke after being affected by Qing Lin’s Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils and found himself feeling unusually refreshed, though he could not remember the previous night. Qing Lin blamed herself and resolved to prevent it from happening again, while Xiao Yan suspected the incident had brought about his improved condition.

• Xiao Yan woke at dawn beside Qing Lin, with his dizziness gone and his body and soul feeling lighter than before.
• Qing Lin apologized for losing control of her Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils, which had caused Xiao Yan to lose consciousness.
• Xiao Yan comforted Qing Lin and told her he felt better, while admitting he could not remember what had happened.
• Qing Lin examined herself and found no abnormalities, but could not identify why her pupils had affected Xiao Yan.
• Qing Lin resolved to discover the cause and ensure her pupils could not threaten Xiao Yan again.

Xiao Yan met Fire Cloud Ancestor, who revealed that Burning Flame Valley had preserved two treasures meant for the Xiao Clan. The chapter left Xiao Yan learning that his ancestor Xiao Xuan had entrusted the Nine Dragon Thunder Fire and the Three Mysterious Changes of Heavenly Fire to the valley.

• Xiao Yan greeted Fire Cloud Ancestor, who thanked him for saving his life and praised his temperament.
• Xiao Yan explained that he planned to attend the Ancient Clan's Heavenly Tomb Conference and needed to strengthen himself for the journey.
• Fire Cloud Ancestor offered to return two treasures that he said should have belonged to Xiao Yan.
• Fire Cloud Ancestor revealed that the Nine Dragon Thunder Fire and the Three Mysterious Changes of Heavenly Fire had been entrusted to Burning Flame Valley by Xiao Xuan, the former Xiao Clan leader.

Fire Cloud Ancestor revealed that Xiao Yan descended from the Xiao Clan and its Dou Di ancestor, Xiao Xuan, explaining why Burning Flame Valley had preserved the Three Mysterious Changes of Heavenly Fire and the Heavenly Flames for him. Xiao Yan began accepting the revelation and asked to learn more about his clan, while Fire Cloud Ancestor described Xiao Xuan’s ambition to reach the Dou Di realm.

• Fire Cloud Ancestor told Xiao Yan that Xiao Xuan had entrusted Burning Flame Valley with the secret technique and Heavenly Flames for the Xiao Clan, and that the valley had verified Xiao Yan’s bloodline.
• Xiao Yan connected the revelation to the Ancient Clan’s interest in his family and struggled to process his ancestry and the hardships he had faced.
• Fire Cloud Ancestor praised Xiao Yan’s achievements, noting that he had earned them through his own efforts rather than relying on his lineage.
• Xiao Yan asked Fire Cloud Ancestor for more information about the Xiao Clan’s past.
• Fire Cloud Ancestor recounted that five great experts from the Pill Tower, Soul Clan, Ancient Clan, Xiao Clan, and Burning Flame Valley had once stood at the continent’s peak, and that Xiao Xuan had shown the strongest resolve to pursue the Dou Di realm.

Xiao Yan learned that the Three Mysterious Changes of Heavenly Fire and the Nine Dragon Thunder Fire were tied to the Xiao Clan’s history, then chose to accept the technique but leave the flame with Burning Flame Valley. Huo Yun accepted his decision and offered to teach him a Heaven Class Dou Technique before Xiao Yan’s perilous journey to the Heavenly Tomb.

• Huo Yun explained that Xiao Xuan had failed to become a Dou Di and that Burning Flame Valley had kept its agreement with the Xiao Clan.
• Xiao Yan accepted the Three Mysterious Changes of Heavenly Fire for the Xiao Clan but declined to take back the Nine Dragon Thunder Fire.
• Huo Yun suspected Tang Zhen had influenced Xiao Yan, but Xiao Yan insisted the decision was his own and thanked Burning Flame Valley for honoring its promise.
• Huo Yun praised Xiao Yan’s loyalty and offered to personally teach him the Heaven Class Dou Technique he had comprehended upon advancing to Dou Sheng.

Xiao Yan searched Burning Flame Valley’s dangerous magma region for Fire Essence Demon Ginseng and found six of the intelligent plants. He captured two and began refining them while the other four escaped deeper into the magma.

• Xiao Yan used his soul power to search the magma and located a trace of life near a crevice.
• Six Fire Essence Demon Ginseng attacked Xiao Yan with pillars of compressed magma essence.
• Xiao Yan used Soul Flow Black Vortex to devour the attack and disrupt the plants’ escape.
• Four Fire Essence Demon Ginseng fled into the magma, while Xiao Yan destroyed the spiritual intelligence of two with his soul power.
• Xiao Yan seized the two ginseng plants and began refining them with the Red Lotus Star Flame.

After three months of consuming Fire Essence Demon Ginseng and cultivating in the magma region, Xiao Yan reached the peak of Nine-Star Dou Zun and made one final attempt to break through to Half-Saint. Two days into absorbing the last plants, he felt the barrier begin to shake, bringing him closer to the breakthrough.

• Xiao Yan used the Black Flame to remove the demonic nature from Fire Essence Demon Ginseng, discovering that he could absorb its pure fire energy.
• Xiao Yan spent three months hunting the plants and practicing his Dou Techniques, consuming more than twenty and reaching the peak of Nine-Star Dou Zun.
• Xiao Yan decided that absorbing two final Fire Essence Demon Ginseng would be his last attempt to advance, since his body was nearing its limit.
• Xiao Yan swallowed the refined scarlet liquid, used the Black Flame and Flame Mantra to absorb its energy, and drove his Dou Qi toward the Half-Saint barrier.
• After two days of forcing the barrier, Xiao Yan felt it begin to shake and believed the chance to break through was near.