Chapter Summaries

Yang Chen forced Han Feng to give up the Heaven Cauldron after Mo Tianxing tried to mediate and Su Qian of Jia Nan Academy backed him. The confrontation ended with Zi Yan carrying off Han Feng’s treasures as a gift.

• Han Feng resisted Yang Chen’s accusations, then persuaded Mo Tianxing to appear and mediate.
• Su Qian arrived with Jia Nan Academy’s people, invited Yang Chen to visit, and supported his claim against Han Feng.
• Yang Chen warned Mo Tianxing not to interfere and unleashed a powerful aura that made Mo Tianxing retreat.
• Han Feng accepted that he could not keep the Heaven Cauldron and offered it as a gift to his niece.
• Zi Yan swept up Han Feng’s pile of treasures and happily inhaled the scent of the medicinal herbs.

Yang Chen reassured Zi Yan that he would be her father and would never abandon her. After realizing her talent with spatial power, he decided to teach her the powerful technique Space-Rending Claw.

• Zi Yan tearfully asked whether Yang Chen would leave, believing he had only helped her because she was unwanted.
• Yang Chen embraced Zi Yan, promised she would always be his daughter, and told her he would protect her from anyone who bullied her.
• Yang Chen explained that he had planned to visit Maple City for medicinal ingredients needed to cultivate Heavenly Law, Earthly Manifestation, but would seek them elsewhere after the battle made Maple City unsuitable.
• Zi Yan offered to use her keen sense of smell to help Yang Chen find medicinal ingredients, and he agreed to ask for her help if needed.
• Yang Chen told Zi Yan he would teach her Space-Rending Claw, and she excitedly swiped her hands through the air.

Yang Chen and Zi Yan accepted an invitation to dine with Tie Wu, the leader of the Wild Lion Gang, after his subordinate offered them herbs. Tie Wu sought to win Yang Chen’s favor after witnessing his power, while Yang Chen saw an opportunity to obtain medicinal herbs for his cultivation.

• A peak Dou Ling invited Yang Chen and Zi Yan to a banquet on Tie Wu’s behalf and offered Zi Yan a box of medicinal herbs.
• Yang Chen accepted the invitation and followed the subordinate to an extravagant restaurant in Wild Lion City.
• Tie Wu rose to greet Yang Chen and Zi Yan, apologized for his subordinates, and warmly welcomed them to their seats.
• Yang Chen politely questioned Tie Wu’s unusually warm hospitality and considered asking him for medicinal herbs.
• Tie Wu hoped to gain Yang Chen’s support while Yang Chen was new to the Black-Corner Region and had no followers.

Yang Chen received visits from Tie Wu, Yin Bone Elder, and Su Mei in Wild Lion City as they weighed their positions after he became enemies with Han Feng. Yin Bone Elder proposed that Yang Chen establish his own city in the Black-Corner Region, and the others waited to hear his response.

• Yin Bone Elder and Su Mei arrived in Wild Lion City to visit Yang Chen, prompting Tie Wu to challenge them for bringing their people to his city.
• Yin Bone Elder and Su Mei both explained that they had come to see Yang Chen, while Su Mei flirted with him and Tie Wu mocked her.
• Su Mei warned Yang Chen that Han Feng would seek revenge, and Yang Chen agreed but questioned why she was so concerned about his affairs.
• Yin Bone Elder considered the factions' risks in supporting Han Feng and saw Yang Chen as a powerful alternative.
• Yin Bone Elder asked whether Yang Chen planned to establish a city of his own in the Black-Corner Region, and Tie Wu and Su Mei awaited his answer.

Yang Chen agreed to build a power in the Black-Corner Region after Su Mei, Yin Bone Elder, and Tie Wu offered their support. He named them members of True Lord Hall and warned them to remain loyal.

• Su Mei offered Rakshasa Sect's support and proposed recruiting lone experts to serve Yang Chen.
• Yin Bone Elder offered the Heavenly Yin Sect's help, including holding back the Blood Sect, and warned Yang Chen about Han Feng's allies.
• Tie Wu pledged to serve as Yang Chen's vanguard in a bid to unite the Black-Corner Region.
• Yang Chen asked Zi Yan whether she wanted to rule the region, and she agreed so she could lead everyone against Han Feng and the others.
• Yang Chen introduced himself as Yang Chen of the Jia Ma Empire and declared Su Mei, Yin Bone Elder, and Tie Wu members of his True Lord Hall, promising resources for merit and punishment for betrayal.

Yang Chen brought Zi Yan to Peace Town to meet Jia Nan Academy’s leaders after earning a fearsome reputation across the Black-Corner Region. The academy instructor recognized him and escorted them to Jia Nan City.

• Yang Chen entered Peace Town with Zi Yan and sensed the detection formation covering it.
• A Jia Nan Academy instructor asked for their names and purpose; Yang Chen identified himself as True Lord and said Grand Elder Su Qian and Vice Principal Hu Qian had invited him.
• The instructor apologized and said Hu Qian had ordered that Yang Chen be brought directly to him.
• The instructor described Yang Chen’s victory over the Black List experts and magical beasts, and noted that the new Black List ranked True Lord Erlang first.
• The instructor led Yang Chen and Zi Yan onto a griffin and flew toward Jia Nan City.

Yang Chen brought Zi Yan to Jia Nan Academy and discussed the Inner Academy’s Fallen Heart Flame with Su Qian and Hu Qian. After warning that the flame spirit could break free, he proposed making a deal with the academy.

• Yang Chen asked Zi Yan if she liked the Inner Academy, and she whispered that its scents were especially fragrant.
• Su Qian offered to let Zi Yan join the Inner Academy, and Yang Chen asked Elder Huo to show her around.
• Su Qian asked Yang Chen why he had come, and Yang Chen asked about the academy’s Fallen Heart Flame.
• Su Qian admitted the Inner Academy possessed the Fallen Heart Flame but said it could not be lent out.
• Yang Chen warned that the flame spirit might break free from its seal, and Su Qian and Hu Qian asked what he had in mind.
• Yang Chen proposed making a deal with Jia Nan Academy.

Yang Chen persuaded Su Qian and Hu Qian to let him subdue Jia Nan Academy’s Fallen Heart Flame, promising not to take it away immediately. After he left, the two elders realized he had skillfully framed claiming the Heavenly Flame as a way to solve the academy’s problem.

• Yang Chen reasoned that the Fallen Heart Flame’s frequent eruptions threatened Jia Nan Academy and proposed cooperating to deal with it.
• Yang Chen identified the Fallen Heart Flame’s origin beneath the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower, making Su Qian and Hu Qian wary of how much he knew.
• Su Qian revealed that the academy had an item left by its former Headmaster that could preserve the tower’s effects using some of the flame.
• Yang Chen promised to leave the subdued Fallen Heart Flame at the academy temporarily so it could store more of its fire, and Su Qian and Hu Qian agreed to let him act the next morning.
• After Yang Chen departed, Hu Qian realized he had been treating the Fallen Heart Flame as his own from the start, and Su Qian called him cunning.

Yang Chen entered the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower to subdue the Fallen Heart Flame after warning Zi Yan to stay above. He promised Su Qian and Hu Qian that he would leave the flame with Jia Nan Academy for at least three years, and they arrived at the next stage of their descent.

• Yang Chen saw through the Fallen Heart Flame's fire spirit pretending to submit and told Zi Yan to wait outside while he went down.
• Yang Chen asked Elder Huo to look after Zi Yan and gave him a jade slip containing his alchemy insights.
• Su Qian and Hu Qian escorted Yang Chen into the tower, where he calmly endured the Heart Flame.
• Yang Chen promised Su Qian and Hu Qian that he would not take the Fallen Heart Flame away for at least three years.
• Su Qian stopped and announced that they had arrived.

Yang Chen entered the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower to subdue Fallen Heart Flame and used a Daoist curse to destroy its fire spirit when it tried to ambush him. He captured the formless flame and left Fallen Heart Flame unable to resist.

• Su Qian opened the tower’s seal while Hu Qian prepared to stop Fallen Heart Flame from escaping, and Yang Chen descended alone.
• Yang Chen found Fallen Heart Flame waiting in the magma and asked it to swear loyalty to him.
• Fallen Heart Flame agreed, then led Yang Chen deeper into the magma after he asked what lay below.
• Fallen Heart Flame suddenly turned and tried to swallow Yang Chen, but the Daoist curse he had placed on it took effect.
• Yang Chen shattered Fallen Heart Flame’s fire spirit with the Spirit-Extinguishing Curse and caught the remaining flame in his hand.

Yang Chen returned to Su Qian and Hu Qian after neutralizing the Fallen Heart Flame, which he promised to leave at Jia Nan Academy for now. He revealed that his nephew Xiao Yan would come to the academy in three years, prompting Hu Qian to plan to recruit him.

• Yang Chen emerged unharmed and showed Su Qian and Hu Qian the Fallen Heart Flame, explaining that he had erased its intelligence.
• Su Qian and Hu Qian asked whether Yang Chen intended to take the flame, and he reassured them that he would leave it at the academy for three years.
• Yang Chen said he had prepared the Fallen Heart Flame for his nephew, who would come to the Black-Corner Region after training in the Jia Ma Empire.
• Yang Chen named Xiao Yan and said he came from Wutan City, and Hu Qian decided the academy would recruit there.
• Yang Chen asked Hu Qian to pay extra attention to Xiao Yan, and Hu Qian promised the academy would cultivate him.

Xiao Yan reached the sixth stage of Dou Qi and learned that he might soon absorb the beast flame Yang Chen had given him. Medicine Elder tricked him into agreeing to gather rare ingredients for pills, leaving Xiao Yan eager to visit the auction house the next day.

• Xiao Yan emerged from the formation and celebrated his progress toward the seventh stage of Dou Qi.
• Medicine Elder presented the beast flame and told Xiao Yan that, after further cultivation, he could absorb it before reaching Dou Zhe.
• Medicine Elder decided to prepare pills and medicinal ingredients for Xiao Yan’s beast-flame absorption, while planning to make him undergo more training.
• Medicine Elder told Xiao Yan that the rare ingredients would be too expensive to buy with his gold card and suggested selling pills at the auction house.
• Xiao Yan agreed to take Medicine Elder’s pills to the auction house the next day and buy the ingredients there.

Xiao Yan visited the Mite'er Auction House in disguise to sell Foundation Building Spiritual Liquid, while Gu Ni and Ya Fei treated him as a mysterious alchemist. Ya Fei recognized him beneath his black robe and revealed that she knew he was Young Master Xiao Yan.

• Xiao Yan brought Foundation Building Spiritual Liquid to the Mite'er Auction House, and Gu Ni left to fetch Ya Fei to discuss its price.
• While waiting, Xiao Yan spoke with Medicine Elder about alchemy and his uncle, then concealed himself again when someone approached.
• Ya Fei entered, examined the Foundation Building Spiritual Liquid, and offered to advance Xiao Yan gold coins against its future sale.
• Ya Fei circled the disguised Xiao Yan and addressed him as Young Master Xiao Yan, exposing that she had recognized him.

Ya Fei deduced that the disguised alchemist was Xiao Yan and saw an opportunity to draw closer to him, hoping to improve her position within the Mittel Family. Xiao Yan continued denying his identity but accepted her offer to help acquire medicinal ingredients.

• Xiao Yan was startled when Ya Fei guessed who he was, while Ya Fei's family connections and plans for a marriage alliance were explained.
• Ya Fei had studied alchemists and deliberately prompted Xiao Yan to reveal his hand, confirming he was young and lacked an alchemist's medicinal fragrance.
• Ya Fei connected the disguised youth to Xiao Yan because his uncle Yang Chen was a powerful alchemist who would plausibly arrange an alchemist to help his nephew.
• Xiao Yan insisted Ya Fei had mistaken him for someone else, but she offered the auction house's help without pressing him.
• Xiao Yan agreed to Ya Fei's offer and listed several precious medicinal ingredients he needed.

Xiao Yan bought medicinal ingredients from the Mite'er Auction House using his uncle’s reputation and consigned six bottles of Foundation Building Spiritual Liquid for auction. Ya Fei’s mention of the Alchemist Grand Meeting in two and a half years left Xiao Yan silently determined to take part.

• Ya Fei left Xiao Yan alone while she checked whether the storeroom held the medicinal ingredients he needed.
• Xiao Yan and Medicine Elder discussed how much his uncle had helped him, and Xiao Yan resolved to work hard and make his uncle proud.
• Ya Fei returned with all the ingredients, which Xiao Yan accepted for one million gold coins after the Mittel Family waived part of the price.
• Xiao Yan consigned six bottles of Foundation Building Spiritual Liquid and received a purple-gold VIP card from Ya Fei.
• Ya Fei told Xiao Yan that the Jia Ma Empire would hold its next Alchemist Grand Meeting in about two and a half years, and Xiao Yan left with his fists clenched.

After more than half a year of seclusion, Yang Chen emerged from the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower with his cultivation greatly strengthened and prepared to leave for Xiao Yan's coming-of-age ceremony. In the Inner Academy forest, Zi Yan collected herbs from the Black-Corner Region's magical beasts, who had switched allegiance to True Lord Hall and treated her as their leader.

• Yang Chen completed his seclusion, reaching minor mastery of Heavenly Law, Earthly Manifestation, the Dou Emperor realm, and peak Spiritual Realm.
• Yang Chen returned Fallen Heart Flame to its formation and left the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower, planning to attend Xiao Yan's coming-of-age ceremony.
• Zi Yan faced the Shadow Demon Wolf, which yielded an herb to her and explained how the Black-Corner Region's magical beasts had joined True Lord Hall for protection from Han Feng.
• Zi Yan gathered herbs in exchange for medicinal pills, becoming revered by the magical beasts and Jia Nan Academy's Inner Academy.
• Zi Yan's face lit up at someone's arrival, but she abruptly turned around and tried to run.

Yang Chen visited Dujiang City, where he discovered Zi Yan had been stirring up trouble by organizing help for magical beasts and alchemy students. He prepared to leave the Black-Corner Region for the Jia Ma Empire, while Zi Yan chose to stay and join him later in Wutan City.

• Yang Chen combed Zi Yan’s hair and asked how she had caused trouble while he was in seclusion.
• Zi Yan explained that she had rescued a magical beast from Han Feng and arranged for Jia Nan Academy’s alchemy students to gather medicinal ingredients and practice alchemy.
• Zi Yan told Yang Chen that Elder Huo had eagerly asked her for ingredients and help.
• Yang Chen invited Zi Yan to return to the Jia Ma Empire with him, but she decided to stay and meet him later in Wutan City.
• Yang Chen told Su Mei, Tie Wu, and Yin Bone Elder to look after Zi Yan, gave them beginner cultivation techniques, and left for the Jia Ma Empire.

At the Xiao Clan’s coming-of-age ceremony, Xiao Yan spoke with Ya Fei, who gave him a valuable gift while hoping to see his uncle, Yang Chen. As the ceremony approached, Xiao Zhan went to prepare, leaving Xiao Yan still looking around for Yang Chen.

• Xiao Xun'er teased Xiao Yan for watching Ya Fei and grew jealous as he looked at her.
• Xiao Yan noticed Xiao Yu at the ceremony and joked that he was not afraid of her, though her temperament troubled him.
• Xiao Zhan introduced Xiao Yan to Ya Fei, who recognized that he had become a Dou Zhe and regretted not seeing Yang Chen.
• Ya Fei gave Xiao Yan a jade box as a gift, and Xiao Yan accepted it despite Xiao Zhan's initial intention to refuse.
• Xiao Zhan left to prepare for the ceremony, and Xiao Yan looked around for Yang Chen and sighed.

Yang Chen attended Xiao Yan’s coming-of-age ceremony and gave him the Ten Thousand Beast Cauldron, a treasure ranked among the thirteen cauldrons on the Heavenly Cauldron Ranking. Medicine Elder recognized its value and warned Xiao Yan to keep it hidden, while privately envying the remarkable gift.

• Xiao Yan waited anxiously at his coming-of-age ceremony until he spotted Yang Chen and ran to greet him.
• Yang Chen congratulated Xiao Yan on becoming an adult and presented him with a crimson medicinal cauldron as a gift.
• Gu Xun'er recognized the cauldron as the Ten Thousand Beast Cauldron from the Heavenly Cauldron Ranking.
• Xiao Yan stored the cauldron in Medicine Elder's Bone Flame Ring, waking Medicine Elder, who identified it and warned that powerful experts might try to seize it.
• Medicine Elder followed Yang Chen's intention by telling Xiao Yan to focus on alchemy rather than material possessions, though he privately envied the gift.

Yang Chen watched Xiao Yan’s coming-of-age ceremony, where Xiao Yan revealed he had reached one-star Dou Zhe and renewed his resolve to prove himself. Ya Fei then discovered that Yang Chen had been involved in the property deal that helped her family rise, and the two acknowledged their old connection.

• Yang Chen sent Xiao Yan to the platform and sat beside Ya Fei, deliberately keeping his distance from Xiao Zhan.
• Xiao Yan completed the ceremony and tested his cultivation before the Xiao Family.
• The testing tablet revealed that Xiao Yan had reached one-star Dou Zhe, astonishing the crowd.
• Xiao Yan silently shared his success with Yang Chen and vowed to prove himself to Nalan Yanran and everyone else.
• Ya Fei questioned Yang Chen about Xiao Yan’s talent, and Yang Chen reminded her of her parents’ property acquisition ten years earlier.
• Ya Fei recognized how Yang Chen’s actions had helped her survive, and Yang Chen acknowledged that he owed her half a favor.