Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Meng returns after training and condenses an Origin Core, destroying the bathtub in the process.
• He wanders around the Xiao Clan estate and encounters Xiao Mei and her friends, who fear him.
• Xiao Meng visits the Combat Arts Hall, causing everyone to panic due to his fearsome reputation.
• He asks Xiao Ning and the others to ambush and beat up Xiao Yan daily, without revealing his involvement.

Character Developments

• Xiao Meng: He has improved his cultivation and condensed an Origin Core, making him more powerful and feared. He also shows a desire for revenge against Xiao Yan.
• Xiao Mei: She finally shows fear and regret when encountering Xiao Meng, realizing his power and influence.
• Xiao Ning and others: They display fear and submission towards Xiao Meng, but also show willingness to follow his orders.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics and fear: Xiao Meng's power and reputation instill fear in others, shaping their behavior and interactions with him.
• Revenge: Xiao Meng's request to beat up Xiao Yan suggests a desire for revenge, possibly for past wrongs.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Meng and Xiao Mei: Xiao Mei fears Xiao Meng, and he shows disdain for her and her friends.
• Xiao Meng and Xiao Ning: Xiao Meng orders Xiao Ning to beat up Xiao Yan, and Xiao Ning eagerly agrees despite his initial confusion and fear.
• Xiao Ning and others: They follow Xiao Ning's lead, showing fear and submission towards Xiao Meng, but also a willingness to follow his orders.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Meng goes fishing in the mountains outside Wutan City, targeting Emperor's Domination World.
• He catches a rusty iron sheet with the Tyrant Emperor's alchemy experience card, which he consumes.
• He catches a toad, possibly the Myriad Furnace God, which the Tyrant Emperor was trying to catch.

Character Developments

• Xiao Meng gains extensive alchemy knowledge and experience from the Tyrant Emperor's card.
• Xiao Meng becomes excited and reckless, deciding to reel in the toad despite the potential danger from the Tyrant Emperor.

Significant Themes

• Luck and fortune in Xiao Meng's fishing adventures.
• The power and knowledge of the Tyrant Emperor.
• Xiao Meng's growing confidence and ambition.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Meng interacts with the Tyrant Emperor indirectly through the fishing rod.
• Xiao Meng's excitement and recklessness contrast with the Tyrant Emperor's fury and power.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qiye’s prized toad is unexpectedly caught and dragged away by Xiao Meng through the mysterious fishing line.
• Furious, Li Qiye pursues Xiao Meng across the void, revealing his terrifying speed and overwhelming killing intent.
• Xiao Meng panics but tries to bluff Li Qiye by calling him by his true identity, “the dead crow,” and pretending that the forces of the heavens are supporting him.
• Li Qiye briefly hesitates, but quickly realizes that Xiao Meng is deceiving him. He concludes that someone has deliberately toyed with him and vows to pulverize whoever dared to covet his possessions.
• Xiao Meng successfully removes the toad from the hook. The creature petrifies and transforms into the Myriad Furnace God, an extraordinary alchemy cauldron.
• Delighted, Xiao Meng realizes that he now possesses a supreme furnace, powerful flames, and pill recipes. He only needs medicinal herbs to begin refining pills.
• After recovering his depleted soul force, Xiao Meng searches the mountains for spiritual herbs, battles fierce beasts, and gathers enough materials to refine a pill.
• Rather than return to the Xiao Clan, he hides in a mountain cave and begins studying the Myriad Furnace God.
• A system notification grants him two additional fishing opportunities after a hidden task is completed: causing Xiao Yan to suffer a great stimulation and experience a dramatic cultivation increase.
• Xiao Meng learns that the Myriad Furnace God can create numerous fire cauldrons and eventually refine thousands of pills simultaneously. With his current strength, however, he can only form three.
• He successfully refines a Tier 2 medicinal pill on his first attempt, finding the process unexpectedly easy.
• Overjoyed and convinced of his own alchemical genius, Xiao Meng rushes toward Wutan City and the Mitre Auction House to see Ya Fei—but the chapter ends when he encounters a shocking sight inside.

2. Character Developments

• Xiao Meng grows bolder and more ambitious after obtaining the Myriad Furnace God. His initial fear of Li Qiye gives way to excitement and confidence as he realizes how valuable the treasure is.
• He demonstrates cleverness through deception, using Li Qiye’s identity and the “heavens” as psychological weapons to delay the pursuit.
• Xiao Meng also becomes more cautious and practical. He hides his fire cauldrons to avoid attracting attention in the Battle Through the Heavens world, where such abilities would be viewed as extraordinary and potentially make him a target.
• His successful pill refinement greatly boosts his self-confidence, causing him to boast comically and immediately think of impressing or meeting Ya Fei.
• Li Qiye is portrayed as terrifyingly powerful but not infallible. He is enraged at being tricked and robbed, and his pride is deeply wounded because he rarely allows anyone to outmaneuver him.
• Xiao Yan develops indirectly: his implied beating by Xiao Ning and others fulfills the hidden task, suggesting that his suffering is beginning to trigger the rapid cultivation growth expected of him.

3. Significant Themes

• Cunning versus overwhelming power: Xiao Meng cannot defeat Li Qiye directly, so he survives through bluffing, deception, and quick thinking.
• Treasure and opportunity: The Myriad Furnace God represents a major turning point, giving Xiao Meng access to abilities far beyond what is normal in his current world.
• Growth through adversity: Xiao Yan’s implied humiliation and Xiao Meng’s dangerous confrontation with Li Qiye both serve as catalysts for future advancement.
• Cross-world power imbalance: The chapter contrasts the standards of the Emperor’s Domination world with those of Battle Through the Heavens, emphasizing how miraculous Xiao Meng’s new furnace appears in the latter.
• Ambition and self-confidence: Xiao Meng’s first successful refinement inspires exaggerated pride and motivates him to seek recognition, especially from Ya Fei.
• Humor amid danger: Xiao Meng’s frightened inner thoughts, reckless royal “we,” and triumphant boasting create comic relief despite Li Qiye’s murderous pursuit.

4. Character Interactions

• Li Qiye and Xiao Meng: Their central interaction is an intense chase. Li Qiye pursues Xiao Meng with lethal intent, while Xiao Meng uses verbal provocation and deception to escape.
• Xiao Meng and the Myriad Furnace God: Xiao Meng quickly forms a relationship of control and fascination with the sentient-like treasure, experimenting with its abilities and discovering its exceptional alchemical potential.
• Xiao Meng and Xiao Yan: They do not interact directly in the chapter, but Xiao Meng benefits from Xiao Yan’s suffering through the system’s hidden-task reward.
• Xiao Meng and Ya Fei: Their meeting has not yet occurred, but Xiao Meng’s successful pill refinement makes him eager to visit her and presumably display his newfound abilities.
• Xiao Meng and the fierce beasts: His search for herbs leads to repeated conflicts, showing his willingness to fight and exploit the mountain ranges for resources.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Meng sees Xiao Yan entering the Temir Auction House, realizing he's been beaten to his plan of introducing Ya Fei to Xiao Yan.
• Xiao Meng waits outside for hours, then enters to find Grandmaster Gu Ni, a three-star Da Dou Shi and second-grade alchemist, in the appraisal room.
• Gu Ni refuses to believe Xiao Meng's claim of refining a second-grade pill, causing a commotion and resulting in Xiao Meng being thrown out.
• Xiao Meng returns to the Xiao Clan, confronts Xiao Yan, and demands his money back.
• Xiao Yan reveals he's become a first-grade alchemist and used the money to repay Xiao Meng's loan.
• Xiao Meng feels remorseful for his actions and offers to help Xiao Yan.

Character Developments

• Xiao Meng: Realizes his plan to introduce Ya Fei to Xiao Yan has failed. Experiences frustration and anger, leading to a confrontation with Xiao Yan. Feels remorseful after learning Xiao Yan used the money to repay his loan.
• Xiao Yan: Becomes a first-grade alchemist and uses the money to repay Xiao Meng's loan. Keeps his alchemy skills and the beating he received a secret.

Significant Themes

• Fate and Destiny: Xiao Meng's attempts to change the course of events as they unfold in the original story, only to have them backfire.
• Frustration and Remorse: Xiao Meng's feelings of frustration at his failed plans and remorse after learning the truth about Xiao Yan's actions.
• Secrets and Deception: Xiao Yan keeps his alchemy skills and the beating he received a secret, highlighting the theme of deception and hidden truths.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Meng and Xiao Yan: Their interaction is tense and confrontational initially, with Xiao Meng demanding his money back and Xiao Yan feeling miserable. However, after learning the truth, Xiao Meng feels remorseful and offers to help Xiao Yan.
• Xiao Meng and Grandmaster Gu Ni: Their interaction is hostile, with Gu Ni refusing to believe Xiao Meng's claim and causing a commotion at the Temir Auction House.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After dinner, Xiao Meng confronts Xiao Yan in his room and demands the return of his Soul-Nourishing Wood, which Xiao Yan had given to Yao Lao.
• Xiao Yan admits that Yao Lao refuses to return it, so Xiao Meng removes Xiao Yan’s ring and directly threatens Yao Lao until the old soul appears.
• Yao Lao attempts several methods to keep the Soul-Nourishing Wood:
  • Asking Xiao Meng to lend it to him for a few more days.
  • Appealing to his status as Xiao Yan’s master.
  • Offering to teach Xiao Meng his alchemy techniques.
  • Praising Xiao Meng as an extraordinarily talented alchemist.
• Xiao Meng rejects all of Yao Lao’s attempts and insists on getting his treasure back. He also becomes offended when Yao Lao appears to doubt his abilities.
• In anger, Xiao Meng claims that he is already a Second-Grade Alchemist and presents a dark, lumpy pill he supposedly refined—the Tiger Fiend Pill, which he says can temporarily increase a Dou Master’s combat strength eightfold.
• Xiao Yan and Yao Lao both assume Xiao Meng is boasting, especially because Xiao Meng possesses no Dou Qi and the object lacks the appearance, fragrance, and qualities of a normal pill.
• Yao Lao examines the object and concludes that it is merely mashed spiritual herbs whose medicinal properties have canceled each other out.
• Believing he has failed, Xiao Meng leaves in disappointment to investigate the refining process. He becomes so focused on solving the problem that he temporarily forgets about reclaiming the Soul-Nourishing Wood.
• After Xiao Meng leaves, Yao Lao throws the supposed “pill” onto the table. It cracks from the impact, but Yao Lao suddenly reacts with shock, implying that the object contains an unexpected and powerful secret.

Character Developments

• Xiao Meng: Demonstrates his aggressive, shameless, and stubborn personality while defending his possessions and abilities. Despite his confidence, he is genuinely shaken when Yao Lao dismisses his creation and immediately begins searching for the cause of the apparent failure. His reaction suggests that he is sincere rather than intentionally exaggerating.
• Xiao Yan: Acts as an intermediary between Xiao Meng and Yao Lao, though he is embarrassed by both of their shameless behavior. He initially believes Xiao Meng is boasting, but Xiao Meng’s serious reaction makes him question whether his brother might actually be telling the truth.
• Yao Lao: Reveals a surprisingly shameless side, repeatedly trying to retain the Soul-Nourishing Wood by flattering, bargaining with, and manipulating Xiao Meng. His expert confidence leads him to dismiss the object as worthless, but his final shocked reaction indicates that he may have overlooked something important.

Significant Themes

• Conflict between confidence and credibility: Xiao Meng confidently asserts that he is a Second-Grade Alchemist, but his lack of Dou Qi and the strange appearance of his product make others doubt him.
• Hidden power beneath appearances: The ugly, seemingly worthless object may possess unusual properties, emphasizing that true value cannot always be judged by appearance or conventional standards.
• Family banter and shamelessness: The confrontation is comedic, with both brothers and Yao Lao using exaggerated threats and insults. Their interactions show a familiar relationship built on boldness rather than politeness.
• Pride and recognition: Xiao Meng is particularly angered by the possibility that Yao Lao looks down on him. His determination to prove himself reflects his desire for acknowledgment.
• Unexpected cultivation methods: The chapter hints that Xiao Meng’s alchemy system or the Swagger Emperor’s methods may operate according to rules different from conventional Dou Qi-based alchemy.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Meng and Xiao Yan argue over the stolen Soul-Nourishing Wood, with Xiao Yan helplessly caught between his brother and master.
• Xiao Meng aggressively confronts Yao Lao, refusing to respect him merely because he is Xiao Yan’s teacher.
• Yao Lao attempts to win Xiao Meng over through praise and promises of alchemical instruction, but Xiao Meng sees through the flattery.
• Xiao Yan repeatedly tries to prevent the conflict from escalating and later comforts Xiao Meng after believing his alchemical claim has been disproven.
• The chapter ends with Yao Lao alone with Xiao Meng’s creation, discovering something that radically challenges his initial judgment.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Yao Lao examines the supposedly useless black pill and discovers that it contains a sleeping black tiger formed from concentrated medicinal power.
• Using his Soul Force, he realizes that the pill is an unprecedented alchemical creation. Its outer shell is made from the essence of the medicinal ingredients, preventing the medicine from leaking away.
• The pill also contains seventy-two internal hand seals that continuously purify and refine its medicinal energy.
• Yao Lao explains that, unlike ordinary pills whose medicinal effects gradually dissipate, this pill can preserve its power indefinitely as long as its shell remains intact.
• The most astonishing discovery is that the second-grade pill possesses the potential to develop intelligence and eventually transform into a ferocious tiger if nurtured in an environment rich in spiritual herbs for a thousand years.
• Xiao Meng enters the room to reclaim his Soul-Nourishing Wood, unaware that Yao Lao and Xiao Yan are discussing his pill.
• When Yao Lao asks whether Xiao Meng truly refined it, Xiao Meng proudly claims responsibility. However, neither Yao Lao nor Xiao Yan genuinely believes him because the pill’s method is far beyond Yao Lao’s own abilities.
• Xiao Meng leaves feeling humiliated and misunderstood. Immediately afterward, Yao Lao orders Xiao Yan to prepare to leave, intending to avoid Xiao Meng’s demands for the return of the Soul-Nourishing Wood.

2. Character Developments

• Yao Lao: Experiences overwhelming shock and excitement. His reaction reveals that the pill represents a revolutionary advancement in alchemy, something even his vast experience has never encountered. Despite his scholarly awe, he becomes comically evasive when Xiao Meng asks for his Soul-Nourishing Wood.
• Xiao Yan: Gains a deeper understanding of how extraordinary the pill is. He initially doubts that Xiao Meng could have refined it, since Xiao Meng lacks Dou Qi, a conventional flame source, and supposedly powerful Soul Force. He becomes increasingly astonished by Yao Lao’s explanation but still struggles to accept Xiao Meng’s claim.
• Xiao Meng: Remains arrogant, impulsive, and comically self-confident. He proudly boasts about refining the miraculous pill, then becomes deeply frustrated when neither of the others believes him. His sorrow comes from a series of humiliations and misunderstandings, including being expelled from the auction house and having his genuine achievement dismissed.

3. Significant Themes

• The limits of conventional knowledge: Yao Lao’s shock emphasizes that even a highly accomplished expert can encounter discoveries that overturn established alchemical principles.
• Innovation and genius: The pill’s sealed medicinal power and internal purification technique represent a revolutionary breakthrough rather than merely a higher-quality version of traditional alchemy.
• Appearance versus reality: A pill initially judged as worthless is revealed to be an extraordinary creation, while Xiao Meng’s seemingly unreliable personality causes others to reject the truth of his claim.
• Recognition and misunderstanding: Xiao Meng’s genuine accomplishment brings him no admiration because his companions cannot reconcile the result with their assumptions about his abilities.
• Humor amid tension: The chapter balances grand revelations about miraculous alchemy with comedic arguments, exaggerated boasting, and Yao Lao’s shameless attempt to escape Xiao Meng.

4. Character Interactions

• Yao Lao and Xiao Yan: Their teacher-student discussion conveys the importance of the pill and allows Yao Lao to explain the differences between ordinary pills and pills capable of developing intelligence.
• Xiao Meng and Yao Lao: Their interaction is confrontational and humorous. Xiao Meng demands the return of his Soul-Nourishing Wood, while Yao Lao alternates between fascination, disbelief, flattery, and avoidance.
• Xiao Meng and Xiao Yan: Xiao Yan tries to calm and reassure Xiao Meng, but his suspicious expression undermines his words. Xiao Meng becomes increasingly offended that Xiao Yan claims to believe him without actually appearing convinced.
• Yao Lao and Xiao Yan after Xiao Meng leaves: They silently agree that Xiao Meng’s claim is unbelievable, then Yao Lao hastily decides they should leave before Xiao Meng returns to press him for the Soul-Nourishing Wood.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Meng wakes up late and discovers Xiao Yan's disappearance.
• Xiao Meng decides to find Xiao Yan but changes his mind.
• Xiao Meng searches for body-tempering pills in his memories and finds the Purple Fire Star Pill recipe.
• Xiao Meng visits the market district and has a run-in with a thief, which leads to a public altercation.
• A group of Xiao Clan guards, led by Captain Pain, arrive to maintain order, but they freeze upon seeing Xiao Meng.

Character Developments

• Xiao Meng: He shows his ruthless side when dealing with the thief and remains calm and composed when facing the guards.
• Xiao Yan: Though not physically present, his actions (leaving the clan) drive the plot forward.
• Captain Pain: He shows fear and deference to Xiao Meng, highlighting the latter's reputation within the clan.

Significant Themes

• Power Dynamics: Xiao Meng's actions and the guards' reactions emphasize the power imbalance within the clan, with Xiao Meng holding significant influence.
• Reputation: Xiao Meng's fearsome reputation precedes him, even among the guards tasked with maintaining order.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Meng and the Thief: Their interaction showcases Xiao Meng's quick temper and physical prowess.
• Xiao Meng and Captain Pain: Their interaction highlights Xiao Meng's authority and the guards' fear of him.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Meng encounters Jia Lie Ao and Liu Xi, who provoke him.
• Jia Lie Ao and Liu Xi underestimate Xiao Meng's strength.
• Xiao Meng easily defeats Jia Lie Ao and Liu Xi, killing the latter.
• The system awards Xiao Meng two fishing attempts for completing a hidden mission.

Character Developments

• Xiao Meng: Shows his hidden strength, proving he's not the weakling everyone thinks he is. He also demonstrates his ruthlessness by killing Liu Xi.
• Jia Lie Ao: Gets beaten by Xiao Meng again, further humiliating him.
• Liu Xi: Dies at Xiao Meng's hands, showing his overconfidence and underestimation of Xiao Meng's abilities.

Significant Themes

• Underestimation: Jia Lie Ao and Liu Xi underestimate Xiao Meng, leading to their defeat and Liu Xi's death.
• Strength and Power: Xiao Meng's hidden strength and ruthlessness instill fear in others, changing their perception of him.
• Consequences of Actions: Liu Xi's death leads to a hidden mission completion, hinting at future retaliation from his master.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Meng vs. Jia Lie Ao: Xiao Meng easily defeats Jia Lie Ao, further humiliating him.
• Xiao Meng vs. Liu Xi: Xiao Meng kills Liu Xi with a single punch, demonstrating his ruthlessness.
• Pain and the other guards: They show respect and fear towards Xiao Meng after witnessing his strength.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Meng kills Liu Xi, a six-star Dou Practitioner and a first-grade alchemist, causing a stir in Wutan City.
• Xiao Meng visits the marketplace, where Pain arranges for shops to give him free items and orders thieves to leave.
• Jia Lie Ao's father, Jia Lie Bi, arrives to avenge his son and Liu Xi, threatening Xiao Meng.

Character Developments

• Xiao Meng: Shows no fear or remorse in killing Liu Xi, demonstrating his ruthlessness. He maintains a calm demeanor even when faced with Jia Lie Bi's threat.
• Pain: Proves loyal and devoted to Xiao Meng, arranging for favorable treatment in the marketplace and anticipating a rise in status if Xiao Meng kills Jia Lie Bi.
• Jia Lie Bi: Shows arrogance and overconfidence in his strength, underestimating Xiao Meng.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics and the consequences of defying the strong.
• The importance of keeping a low profile to avoid unwanted attention and danger.
• The corrupting influence of power and the temptation to flatter the powerful.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Meng and Pain: Pain shows unwavering loyalty and faith in Xiao Meng's power, arranging for special treatment and anticipating a rise in status if Xiao Meng kills Jia Lie Bi.
• Xiao Meng and Jia Lie Bi: Jia Lie Bi underestimates Xiao Meng's power and threatens him, leading to a tense standoff.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Jia Lie Bi attacks Xiao Meng in retaliation for Xiao Meng crippling his son and killing Alchemist Liu Xi.
• Just as Xiao Meng is about to retaliate, Xiao Zhan arrives and blocks Jia Lie Bi’s attack. Their clash is evenly matched.
• The elders of the Xiao Clan surround Jia Lie Bi, confidently supporting Xiao Meng and warning that provoking him could destroy the entire Gale Clan.
• Jia Lie Bi threatens to wipe out the Xiao Clan, but withdraws because an all-out battle would cause mutual destruction.
• Xiao Zhan worries about Liu Xi’s master, a third-grade alchemist, seeking revenge. Xiao Meng offers two solutions: kill the alchemist himself or bring Xiao Yan back.
• Xiao Meng hints that Xiao Yan may now possess the ability to deal with the crisis, exciting Xiao Zhan and prompting him to arrange Xiao Yan’s return.
• Xiao Meng gathers ingredients for refining the Purple Fire Star Pill, but instead of refining immediately, he goes fishing.
• He catches an Upgraded Great Desolate Heaven-Imprisoning Finger Experience Card, which grants him knowledge of a powerful intermediate Tian-tier Dou Technique.
• Xiao Meng retreats to a cave in the back mountain to practice the technique. He successfully performs the first finger, Heaven and Earth Imprisonment, destroying a large boulder, though he discovers that it consumes a great deal of Origin Force.

2. Character Developments

• Xiao Meng becomes increasingly confident and reckless. He treats killing Liu Xi and confronting powerful alchemists as simple problems, revealing his overwhelming strength and indifference to political consequences.
• He also demonstrates strategic cunning by using Liu Xi’s death to force Xiao Yan’s return, reclaim his Soul-Nourishing Wood, and potentially discipline Xiao Yan.
• Xiao Zhan displays strong paternal loyalty, immediately defending Xiao Meng and threatening war against the Gale Clan. His attitude toward Xiao Yan changes as he begins to suspect that his third son may have developed extraordinary alchemical abilities.
• Jia Lie Bi is shown to be furious but cautious. Although he wants revenge, he recognizes that fighting Xiao Zhan and the Xiao Clan immediately could destroy both sides.
• The Xiao Clan elders have become extremely deferential toward Xiao Meng. They actively support him, partly out of admiration and partly out of fear that he may punish anyone who opposes him.
• Xiao Yan does not appear directly, but his reputation and possible development become central to the clan’s response to Liu Xi’s master.

3. Significant Themes

• Family loyalty and protection: Xiao Zhan is willing to risk war to defend his son, while the Xiao Clan closes ranks around Xiao Meng.
• Power and intimidation: Xiao Meng’s overwhelming strength has transformed the balance between the Xiao and Gale Clans. Even a third-grade alchemist is no longer viewed as an insurmountable threat.
• Consequences of strength: Xiao Meng solves problems through force, but his actions create larger dangers, particularly the possibility of revenge from Liu Xi’s master.
• Hidden potential and rising status: Xiao Yan’s possible mastery of alchemy and Xiao Meng’s acquisition of a Tian-tier technique suggest that the Xiao Clan is rapidly gaining powers far beyond its former position.
• Cultivation and advancement: The chapter emphasizes the value of high-level techniques, especially the rarity and destructive potential of the Great Desolate Heaven-Imprisoning Finger.
• Strategic manipulation: Xiao Meng uses the crisis not only to solve an immediate threat but also to accomplish personal goals involving Xiao Yan and the Soul-Nourishing Wood.

4. Character Interactions

• Xiao Meng and Jia Lie Bi: Their confrontation is interrupted by Xiao Zhan, but Jia Lie Bi’s anger and Xiao Meng’s unconcerned attitude establish their hostile relationship.
• Xiao Zhan and Jia Lie Bi: They exchange threats after their evenly matched clash. Xiao Zhan openly declares that harming Xiao Meng would lead to war.
• Xiao Meng and Xiao Zhan: Xiao Zhan reprimands Xiao Meng for killing Liu Xi, while Xiao Meng dismisses the concern and suggests using Xiao Yan to resolve the problem. Their interaction highlights Xiao Meng’s irreverence and Xiao Zhan’s mixture of frustration, worry, and pride.
• Xiao Meng and the Xiao Clan elders: The elders obey and support him while privately fearing his temper and strength.
• Xiao Zhan and Xiao Yan: Though Xiao Yan is absent, Xiao Zhan’s reaction to Xiao Meng’s hint shows renewed excitement and expectations regarding Xiao Yan’s abilities.
• Xiao Meng and the Great Desolate Heaven-Imprisoning Finger: After obtaining the experience card, Xiao Meng immediately begins testing the technique, successfully displaying its destructive power and recognizing its high Origin Force consumption.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Meng masters the first finger of the Great Desolate Heaven-Imprisoning Finger and considers condensing a second Yuan Core.
• Liu Xi's master arrives in Wutan City and retaliates against the Xiao Clan, causing a decrease in market foot traffic.
• Xiao Meng learns about Xiao Yan's sudden departure and suspects Xiao Yan framed him.
• Xiao Meng decides to help his family grow stronger by providing them with cultivation resources.
• Xiao Yan returns, and Xiao Meng reveals he has an earth-class combat technique, leading to Xiao Yan being sent to reflect on his mistakes.

Character Developments

• Xiao Meng: Shows concern for his family's safety and decides to help them grow stronger. He also displays a playful and teasing side with Xiao Xun'er.
• Xiao Yan: Returns to the Xiao Clan and is immediately suspected by Xiao Meng. He tries to avoid Xiao Meng's wrath but ultimately gets sent to reflect on his mistakes.
• Xiao Xun'er: Initially hostile toward Xiao Meng, but later shows concern for Xiao Yan's well-being. She also displays a fiery temper and a gentle side.
• Xiao Zhan: Shows favoritism toward Xiao Yan and is eager to obtain the earth-class combat technique from Xiao Meng.

Significant Themes

• Family loyalty and protection: Xiao Meng's concern for his family's safety and Xiao Zhan's favoritism toward Xiao Yan highlight the importance of family in the story.
• Power dynamics: The characters' actions and decisions are often driven by their desire for power and status, as seen in Xiao Meng's eagerness to become stronger and Xiao Zhan's desire for the earth-class combat technique.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Meng and Xiao Xun'er: They have a playful and teasing dynamic, with Xiao Meng often provoking Xiao Xun'er and her reacting with hostility.
• Xiao Meng and Xiao Yan: Their relationship is tense, with Xiao Meng suspecting Xiao Yan of framing him and Xiao Yan trying to avoid Xiao Meng's wrath.
• Xiao Zhan and Xiao Yan: Xiao Zhan shows favoritism toward Xiao Yan, prioritizing his well-being and eagerly seeking the earth-class combat technique for him.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• At dawn in the Thousand-Mountain Forest, Xiao Meng successfully masters the first technique of the Great Desolate Heaven-Imprisoning Finger: Heaven and Earth Imprisonment. The attack destroys a large section of the valley and is powerful enough to kill an ordinary Dou Master.
• Xiao Meng decides to prepare for condensing a second Origin Core. Since this requires at least two Third-Grade Purple Fire Star Pills, he plans to improve his alchemy by refining Second-Grade Pills before attempting the more difficult recipes.
• Meanwhile, the Gale Clan launches a violent attack against Xiao Yan, having discovered or strongly suspected that he is secretly an alchemist supporting the Xiao Clan’s recovery. With the backing of Liu Xi’s Third-Grade Alchemist master, the Gale Clan is willing to risk open conflict with the Xiao Clan.
• Xiao Yan is seriously injured after fighting Jia Lie Ao, who uses a mysterious red pill to raise his cultivation from four-star Dou Zhe to six-star Dou Zhe. Xiao Yan survives but is left in critical condition.
• During a clan meeting, Xiao Zhan and the elders discuss the consequences of Xiao Yan’s injuries. Without his medicinal pills, the Xiao Clan’s marketplaces may decline again, and major customers may defect to the Gale Clan.
• The elders consider killing Liu Xi’s master or retaliating against the Gale Clan, but Xiao Zhan explains that Xiao Meng has refused to interfere in a fair conflict, and Xiao Yan specifically ordered them not to kill Jia Lie Ao because he intends to defeat him himself.
• Xiao Xun’er waits outside Xiao Yan’s room, furious and ready to retaliate. Xiao Ning later informs her that Xiao Mei’s injuries are recovering unusually quickly and gives her a mysterious prescription found in Xiao Mei’s room.
• Xun’er deduces that the prescription was left by a powerful outsider connected to Xiao Yan—likely the hidden expert supporting him. She approves the treatment while remaining suspicious of the person inside Xiao Yan’s room.
• Inside, Yao Lao treats Xiao Yan’s wounds and criticizes him for nearly getting himself killed. Xiao Yan explains that surviving against a temporary six-star Dou Zhe while only at the eighth stage of Dou Qi was already a major achievement.
• Yao Lao identifies Jia Lie Ao’s red pill as possibly the Red Phosphorus Pill, a pill he himself created in the past that can temporarily increase a cultivator’s strength by two stars.

2. Character Developments

• Xiao Meng demonstrates major progress in both combat and cultivation. He masters a powerful Profound-rank-level technique and begins planning his breakthrough to a second Origin Core, while also continuing to improve his alchemy.
• Xiao Yan is revealed to be proud, stubborn, and highly determined. Even while unconscious and gravely wounded, he insists that Jia Lie Ao must not be killed by others, showing that he wants to erase the humiliation himself.
• Xiao Zhan remains protective of the clan but demonstrates strategic composure. Rather than panicking over the temporary decline of the marketplaces, he views the crisis as an opportunity to expose and remove unreliable allies.
• Xiao Xun’er shows intense concern and loyalty toward Xiao Yan. Her anger toward Jia Lie Ao is extreme, but she respects Xiao Yan’s wishes and restrains herself from acting rashly.
• Xiao Ning and Xiao Mei gain greater importance through their efforts during the attack. Xiao Mei risks her life to protect Xiao Yan, while Xiao Ning’s concern for her recovery shows growing responsibility and loyalty.
• Yao Lao continues to serve as Xiao Yan’s healer, mentor, and critic. His irritation masks genuine concern, and the appearance of the Red Phosphorus Pill hints at important secrets from his past.

3. Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and concealed identities: Xiao Meng’s abilities, Xiao Yan’s alchemical talent, and the mysterious expert aiding the Xiao Clan all demonstrate how dangerous and influential hidden power can be.
• Family loyalty and clan survival: The Xiao Clan unites in response to Xiao Yan’s injury, prioritizing collective survival over individual profit or reputation.
• Pride and personal revenge: Xiao Yan refuses to let others avenge him, emphasizing his desire to overcome Jia Lie Ao personally and restore his own dignity.
• Political and commercial conflict: The rivalry between the Xiao and Gale Clans extends beyond combat into control of marketplaces, medicinal pills, and influential customers.
• The consequences of power escalation: Jia Lie Ao’s sudden increase in strength through a pill changes the balance of the fight and reveals the dangers of artificial cultivation boosts.
• Mystery surrounding Xiao Yan’s backer: Xun’er’s deductions suggest that a powerful, unknown figure is secretly protecting or assisting Xiao Yan, creating suspense about the person’s identity and motives.

4. Character Interactions

• Xiao Zhan and the clan elders debate whether the Xiao Clan should retaliate against the Gale Clan, especially against Liu Xi’s master.
• The elders look to Xiao Meng as the clan’s strongest potential weapon, but Xiao Zhan explains why he is unlikely to intervene directly.
• Xiao Xun’er confronts Xiao Ning outside Xiao Yan’s room, then softens when she learns that he and Xiao Mei fought to protect Xiao Yan.
• Xiao Ning entrusts Xiao Mei’s mysterious prescription to Xun’er, leading her to suspect Xiao Yan has a powerful hidden protector.
• Xun’er silently warns the unknown person inside Xiao Yan’s room not to harm Xiao Yan.
• Yao Lao reprimands Xiao Yan for his reckless battle while treating him, and their exchange reveals the mystery behind Jia Lie Ao’s sudden advancement and Yao Lao’s connection to the Red Phosphorus Pill.

Chapter Summary: “Princess (Seeking Recommendations, Seeking Favorites)”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After another half month of secluded cultivation, Xiao Meng breaks through to the later stage of the Heavenly Abode Realm and condenses his second Origin Core.
• He tests his improved strength by defeating a massive magical beast with a single finger, concluding that he can now easily crush one- or two-star Dou Masters.
• Xiao Meng reflects on the limitations of relying solely on external energy. He believes the physical body is fundamental because Dou Qi and Origin Force may eventually be exhausted, while a powerful body could preserve strength and longevity.
• Satisfied with his progress, Xiao Meng leaves the mountains. He plans to return home, inform his family, and eventually travel to the Beast Mountain Range for more demanding training.
• While returning to Wutan City, he encounters an injured group of imperial guards escorting a young woman. Xiao Meng realizes they are likely protecting someone of high status, possibly a princess.
• The group is later ambushed in a canyon by numerous black-robed attackers, including three Dou Ling experts.
• Xiao Meng identifies the young woman as likely Princess Yaoye, granddaughter of Jia Xingtian and one of the Jia Ma Empire’s notable young experts.
• The guards are gradually overwhelmed. Their commander, Kong Feng, a three-star Dou Ling, is defeated while fighting two stronger opponents.
• The princess cries out in despair as her remaining guards are slaughtered. Just as the situation reaches its worst point, one of the black-robed attackers is suddenly sent flying, signaling Xiao Meng’s imminent intervention.

Character Development

• Xiao Meng: His cultivation has advanced dramatically, and his confidence has grown alongside his strength. He is increasingly committed to body-refinement, viewing it as a more enduring and reliable path than dependence on Dou Qi. He also remains boastful, competitive, and prone to humorous internal commentary.
• Princess Yaoye: She is introduced as proud and distant during the initial encounter, but the ambush reveals her emotional vulnerability. Her despair at the loss of her guards shows that she is not merely an aloof imperial noble.
• Kong Feng: As the princess’s loyal protector, he fights desperately despite being outmatched. His defeat emphasizes the seriousness of the attack and the overwhelming strength of the assassins.
• The Black-Robed Attackers: They are portrayed as organized, powerful, and openly hostile toward the Jia Ma imperial family. Their identities remain unknown, though Xiao Meng suspects a connection to the Misty Cloud Sect.

Significant Themes

• Body-refinement versus external cultivation: Xiao Meng argues that physical strength provides a more stable foundation than reliance on the world’s finite energy.
• The impermanence of power: The exhaustion of Origin Emperor Energy and the possible future depletion of Dou Qi suggest that no system of power is eternal.
• Long-term survival and independence: Xiao Meng wants his strength and lifespan to remain less dependent on external resources.
• Political conflict and hidden ambition: The attack on the imperial princess suggests a major struggle involving the Jia Ma Empire and possibly the Misty Cloud Sect.
• Power disparity: Xiao Meng’s confidence contrasts sharply with the guards’ helplessness against the black-robed forces, highlighting his extraordinary cultivation.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Meng has no direct conversation with the princess when their group first passes him; she merely gives him a brief, cold glance.
• He internally reacts with a mixture of irritation and attraction to her aloof beauty.
• During the ambush, Princess Yaoye pleads and cries out after Kong Feng is defeated, demonstrating their close relationship and her reliance on him.
• Kong Feng confronts the attackers and threatens them with imperial retaliation, but the black-robed leader mocks him and dismisses his warnings.
• Xiao Meng observes the confrontation from concealment, speculates about the attackers’ identities, and prepares to become involved when one of them is abruptly knocked away.

Chapter Summary

Plot Points and Events

• A group of black-robed fighters, apparently connected to the Misty Cloud Sect, attacks Kong Feng and his companions.
• Xiao Meng suddenly appears in disguise and kills a Four-Star Dou Ling with a single shot, shocking everyone present.
• Declaring that he is robbing them, Xiao Meng shoots another Da Dou Shi when the group fails to cooperate.
• When the black-robed men attack, Xiao Meng unleashes a rapid barrage of fireball-like bullets, killing more than a dozen Da Dou Shi and three Dou Lings almost instantly.
• He loots the corpses and then turns his attention to Kong Feng’s surviving group, ordering them to surrender and squat with their hands over their heads.
• Xiao Meng identifies the brocade-clad young woman as Yaoye, Jia Xingtian’s great-granddaughter. He teases and humiliates her while searching for her valuables.
• He shamelessly proposes that Yaoye become his “minor wife” or concubine. When she attacks him in anger, he catches her, embraces her, and deliberately takes advantage of the situation before she forces him away.
• Xiao Meng leaves after telling Yaoye to inform her great-grandfather that he wants both of his great-granddaughters, provoking Yaoye into a furious scream.

Character Developments

• Xiao Meng demonstrates overwhelming combat strength, casually destroying a force containing multiple high-level Da Dou Shi and Dou Lings. His firearms and fireball attacks make him extremely dangerous.
• He also shows a reckless, arrogant, and deliberately provocative personality. Rather than behaving like a conventional hero, he treats the rescue and robbery as an opportunity for comedy and intimidation.
• Yaoye is introduced as proud, bold, and unwilling to be cowed by Xiao Meng, though his shameless teasing leaves her embarrassed and enraged. Her willingness to confront him contrasts with the fear of her guards.
• Kong Feng and the surviving men shift from combatants to terrified hostages. They are enraged by Xiao Meng’s treatment of Yaoye but remain too frightened to challenge him.
• Xiao Meng’s decision to kill the black-robed men reflects his awareness that leaving witnesses could expose his identity and provoke retaliation from the Misty Cloud Sect.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming power and intimidation: Xiao Meng’s instant victories completely overturn the balance of power and reduce experienced fighters to helpless spectators.
• Identity and secrecy: His disguise and unusual weapons conceal his identity, while the massacre is motivated partly by the need to prevent the Misty Cloud Sect from tracing the attack back to him.
• Comedy through subversion: Xiao Meng ignores expected heroic behavior, treating a deadly confrontation as a robbery and turning a rescue into an absurd romantic proposal.
• Shamelessness and social provocation: His crude jokes and marriage proposal deliberately challenge Yaoye’s dignity and the authority of her companions.
• Fear versus defiance: The guards submit immediately, while Yaoye continues to resist verbally and physically despite Xiao Meng’s superior strength.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Meng intimidates the black-robed attackers through gunfire, responding to their disbelief and aggression with immediate lethal force.
• He orders Kong Feng and the other survivors to surrender, creating a tense but comic hostage situation.
• His interaction with Yaoye is dominated by teasing, flirtation, embarrassment, and physical boundary-crossing. Yaoye responds with anger and attempted violence, while Xiao Meng treats her outrage as entertainment.
• Kong Feng repeatedly tries to defend Yaoye’s dignity, but Xiao Meng dismisses him and threatens to shoot him.
• The chapter ends with Xiao Meng asserting his intent to pursue Yaoye and her sister, leaving Yaoye humiliated and furious.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Xiao Clan faces severe trouble due to the Gale Clan's rise, supported by a third-tier alchemist.
• A large-scale battle occurs, leaving Xiao Clan members injured, including Xiao Zhan.
• Yao Lao intervenes, saving the Xiao Clan, but his identity remains unknown.
• The Xiao Clan elders discuss their situation, unsure of the black-robed man's identity and how to protect their clan.

Character Developments

• Xiao Zhan: Injured in the battle, he remains calm and determined to protect his clan.
• Xiao Clan Elders: They show unity and concern for their clan, but are at a loss for solutions.
• Xiao Yan: Despite his injuries, he is determined to protect his family and become stronger.

Significant Themes

• Unity and loyalty among clan members.
• The importance of strength and power in the face of adversity.
• The consequences of underestimating one's enemies.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Zhan and the Elders: They discuss the clan's situation, expressing their concerns and seeking solutions.
• Xiao Yan and Yao Lao: They discuss the clan's predicament, with Yao Lao advising Xiao Yan to focus on his cultivation and not let hatred cloud his judgment. Xiao Yan expresses his desire for a high-tier Dou Skill.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Yan and Yao Lao discuss Xiao Meng’s many unexplained abilities and treasures, including the Soul-Nourishing Wood, Tiger Fiend Pill, Earth-tier Dou Skill, and a trump card powerful enough to kill a Dou Emperor.
• They confirm that Xiao Meng possesses no Dou Qi and has never cultivated it, yet his physical body is extraordinarily powerful—stronger than that of an ordinary Dou Master.
• Xiao Yan worries that Xiao Meng’s inability to cultivate Dou Qi will limit his future. Yao Lao believes Xiao Meng must possess another method of becoming stronger, supported by a mysterious expert or hidden opportunity.
• Xiao Yan plans to visit the Mittel Auction House to prevent the Gale Clan from obtaining enough medicinal ingredients to mass-produce Third-Grade Pills. He persuades Yao Lao to help him by jokingly threatening to stop assisting him in return.
• The Gale Clan gathers after the Xiao Clan’s sudden rescue by a powerful black-robed man. Jia Lie Bi reveals that the man is likely a powerful alchemist and at least a seven-star Da Dou Shi.
• Chang Shan, Liu Xi’s master and a Third-Grade Alchemist, claims the black-robed man’s alchemy is no higher than second grade. He asks the Gale Clan to prepare five sets of rare ingredients, promising that he can use them to kill the mysterious enemy.
• At dusk, Xiao Meng returns to the Xiao Clan and notices its gloomy, lifeless atmosphere. The guards see him and burst into tears, making him fear that a major disaster has occurred.

Character Developments

• Xiao Yan becomes increasingly suspicious of Xiao Meng’s origins and hidden abilities. Although confused by his brother, he remains deeply concerned for Xiao Meng’s future and wants him to gain greater strength.
• Yao Lao acknowledges that Xiao Meng is exceptionally mysterious—even Yao Lao feels that Xiao Meng can see through all his secrets. However, he remains unable to determine how Xiao Meng grows stronger without Dou Qi.
• Xiao Meng remains an enigmatic figure. His repeated absences, immense physical strength, treasures, foresight, and mysterious backing suggest that he has encountered extraordinary opportunities or possesses an unknown cultivation system.
• Jia Lie Bi is shaken and demoralized after being seriously injured and seeing the Xiao Clan saved. His confidence now rests almost entirely on Chang Shan.
• Chang Shan displays confidence and arrogance regarding his alchemy skills. He appears calm and prepared, claiming to have a method for eliminating the black-robed man.
• The Gale Clan shifts from triumph to panic after realizing the Xiao Clan now has the support of a powerful alchemist and fighter.

Significant Themes

• Mystery and hidden power: Xiao Meng’s unexplained abilities and unknown methods of advancement create a major mystery.
• Family concern and loyalty: Xiao Yan’s desire to help Xiao Meng shows genuine brotherly affection despite his confusion and occasional frustration.
• Power beyond conventional cultivation: The chapter questions whether Dou Qi is the only path to strength, suggesting that Xiao Meng may follow an entirely different system.
• Strategic conflict: The struggle between the Xiao and Gale Clans is increasingly influenced by alchemy, access to medicinal ingredients, and alliances rather than simple martial strength.
• Underestimation and misjudgment: Chang Shan assumes the black-robed man is only a second-grade alchemist, potentially overlooking a serious threat.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Yan and Yao Lao debate Xiao Meng’s secrets and whether he can ever cultivate Dou Qi.
• Xiao Yan pressures and teases Yao Lao into helping him negotiate with the Mittel Auction House.
• Jia Lie Bi seeks reassurance and assistance from Chang Shan after the black-robed man disrupts the Gale Clan’s plans.
• Xiao Meng’s return causes the Xiao Clan guards to react emotionally, immediately signaling to him that something terrible may have happened.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Meng returns to the Xiao Clan after being away for a month and learns that the clan was attacked and severely pressured by the Gale Clan. Although his father, Xiao Zhan, and the others survived, they sustained injuries.
• Enraged, Xiao Meng immediately wants to destroy the Gale Clan, but Xiao Zhan stops him. He explains that using overwhelming force would expose the Xiao Clan’s true strength and attract unwanted attention from the Misty Cloud Sect and other powerful factions.
• The clan members enthusiastically welcome Xiao Meng’s return. Xiao Meng apologizes to the elders for his former disrespect, while the elders admit their own past mistakes and affirm that the family must remain united.
• Xiao Zhan and the elders agree that Xiao Meng should not act unless absolutely necessary. They intend to conceal his true abilities to avoid making the Xiao Clan appear too threatening.
• Xiao Meng encounters Xiao Yan, who has returned from dealing with the Gale Clan and is seriously injured after fighting Jia Lie Ao. Yao Lao’s intervention had helped protect the Xiao Clan, though he deliberately left Jia Lie Bi alive.
• Xiao Yan reveals that he has persuaded the Mittel Auction House to stop supplying medicinal ingredients to the Gale Clan. He plans to have Yao Lao refine pills to strengthen the Xiao Clan while he recovers and prepares to confront Liu Xi’s master.
• Xiao Yan explains that he obtained a fiery crystal from the Xiao Clan’s back mountain, which transformed into a special flame after he swallowed it. Xiao Meng recognizes it as Fire Essence, realizing that one of his own missing pieces of Fire Essence may have ended up with Xiao Yan.
• Xiao Meng agrees to let Xiao Yan handle the Gale Clan’s downfall, trusting that a slower and more painful revenge will be more effective than simply wiping them out.
• When Xiao Yan asks for money to purchase medicinal ingredients, Xiao Meng casually gives him more than ten Storage Rings filled with resources. Xiao Yan is shocked by their value and skeptical of Xiao Meng’s claim that he “picked them up.”
• The chapter ends with Xiao Yan stopping Xiao Meng because he has one more request.

Character Developments

• Xiao Meng returns as a fiercely protective and increasingly mature member of the clan. Though still impulsive and violent toward enemies, he accepts Xiao Zhan’s strategic reasoning and shows humility by apologizing to the elders.
• Xiao Zhan demonstrates calm leadership and political awareness. Rather than pursuing immediate revenge, he prioritizes protecting the clan from larger factions and concealing its real strength.
• Xiao Yan is shown as resourceful, calculating, and more independent. Despite his injuries and inferior current strength, he devises a long-term plan involving economic pressure, alchemy, and gradual revenge.
• The elders overcome former divisions and acknowledge their mistakes. Their reconciliation reflects the clan’s renewed unity.
• Yao Lao remains an important but mostly unseen influence, helping Xiao Yan survive and supporting his alchemical advancement.

Significant Themes

• Family unity and reconciliation: Former conflicts within the Xiao Clan are set aside as its members unite against external threats.
• Restraint versus revenge: Xiao Meng wants immediate destruction, while Xiao Zhan and Xiao Yan favor patience, secrecy, and strategic retaliation.
• Concealing strength: The Xiao Clan must avoid displaying its full power so that stronger factions do not become suspicious or hostile.
• Growth through adversity: The clan’s suffering forces its members to mature, cooperate, and recognize their dependence on one another.
• Resourcefulness and preparation: Xiao Yan’s plan emphasizes strengthening allies, restricting enemy resources, and waiting for the right opportunity rather than relying solely on brute force.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Meng and Xiao Zhan share a deeply protective father-son relationship, with Xiao Meng reacting violently to his father’s injuries and Xiao Zhan restraining his impulsiveness.
• Xiao Meng’s apology to the elders leads to mutual forgiveness and restores harmony within the clan.
• Xiao Meng and Xiao Yan interact with their usual teasing, argumentative brotherly dynamic, but beneath the humor they clearly trust and support each other.
• Xiao Meng offers to destroy the Gale Clan, while Xiao Yan insists on handling the matter himself through a slower and more personally satisfying plan.
• Their exchange over the Storage Rings highlights Xiao Meng’s mysterious wealth and Xiao Yan’s disbelief, ending on a comedic note as Xiao Yan asks for yet another favor.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Yan asks Xiao Meng to let him keep the Soul-Nourishing Wood, which Yao Lao needs to restore his soul power while refining a Fourth-Grade Pill.
• Xiao Meng unexpectedly agrees to give it away, calling it a worthless piece of wood. Yao Lao appears from the ring and angrily objects to being treated like a beggar.
• When Yao Lao offers to exchange something for the wood, Xiao Meng jokingly demands the Bone Spirit Cold Flame, a powerful Heavenly Flame ranked eleventh.
• Xiao Meng reveals detailed knowledge of how Yao Lao obtained the flame, including the location and dangers of the Fallen God Icefield. This shocks Yao Lao, since only a few people knew those secrets.
• Xiao Meng then informs Yao Lao that Han Feng, his former disciple and betrayer, is hiding in the Black-Corner Region under the title “Medicine Emperor.”
• The revelation triggers Yao Lao’s intense hatred. Xiao Yan learns that Han Feng was responsible for reducing his teacher to his current soul-like condition.
• Xiao Yan vows to kill Han Feng and avenge Yao Lao, but Xiao Meng warns him that Han Feng is already a Nine-Star Dou Emperor, a sixth-grade alchemist, and is surrounded by powerful allies.
• Xiao Meng attempts to provoke Xiao Yan into becoming more determined, hoping the system will reward him with fishing attempts. The system refuses, explaining that Xiao Yan’s motivation is already at its peak.
• Frustrated, Xiao Meng argues with the system about whether he or Xiao Yan is the true protagonist. He insists he would rather be the leader of a lesser group than a subordinate figure in someone else’s story, declaring that if he must be the “tail of a phoenix,” he will perish alongside the phoenix. The system nevertheless confirms that he is the protagonist.

Character Developments

• Xiao Meng displays increasing confidence, shamelessness, and mysterious power. He casually manipulates both Xiao Yan and Yao Lao, demonstrates seemingly prophetic knowledge, and remains arrogant even when confronting an immensely powerful alchemist.
• His concern for Xiao Yan is mixed with self-interest: he wants to help him grow, but also hopes to gain rewards from the system by provoking him.
• Xiao Yan becomes more protective of Yao Lao and develops a clear personal goal: defeating Han Feng and avenging his teacher. Despite being intimidated by Han Feng’s strength, he refuses to retreat.
• Yao Lao is shown as proud, easily angered, and deeply wounded by Han Feng’s betrayal. His normally restrained soul form briefly transforms under the force of his hatred.
• Han Feng is established as a major antagonist: powerful, accomplished, and shameless enough to assume Yao Lao’s former title of “Medicine Emperor.”

Significant Themes

• Betrayal and revenge: Han Feng’s treachery toward Yao Lao creates the central emotional conflict and motivates Xiao Yan’s future efforts.
• Teacher-student bonds: Xiao Yan’s loyalty contrasts sharply with Han Feng’s betrayal, emphasizing the difference between genuine inheritance and selfish ambition.
• Knowledge as power: Xiao Meng’s inexplicable awareness of Yao Lao’s past gives him authority and unsettles even highly experienced figures.
• Protagonist identity and destiny: Xiao Meng’s dispute with the system explores whether his role is truly central or whether Xiao Yan is the narrative’s more important figure.
• Pride and status: Yao Lao’s outrage at being called a beggar and Xiao Meng’s refusal to accept a subordinate role both highlight the characters’ strong sense of dignity.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Yan and Xiao Meng interact as bickering brothers, with Xiao Yan cautiously flattering Xiao Meng while trying to secure the Soul-Nourishing Wood.
• Xiao Meng and Yao Lao engage in an antagonistic, humorous exchange involving insults, bargaining, and Xiao Meng’s impossible demand for the Bone Spirit Cold Flame.
• Yao Lao’s relationship with Han Feng is revealed as one of profound betrayal, while Xiao Yan immediately adopts Yao Lao’s enemy as his own.
• Xiao Meng repeatedly challenges and provokes both Yao Lao and Xiao Yan, but his efforts to stimulate Xiao Yan fail because Xiao Yan is already fully motivated.
• Xiao Meng’s final confrontation with the system turns the chapter into a comedic meta-commentary on protagonist status and narrative hierarchy.

Chapter Summary: “Formation Array”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After returning, Xiao Meng abandons his plan to train in the Beast Mountain Range because of the growing threat from the Gale Clan. He remains at home and studies the Eternal Undying Art.
• He uses two fishing attempts:
  • The first produces an indestructible egg that is eventually stored in his Heavenly Abode.
  • The second grants him an array experience card from the Great Ruler World.
• Xiao Meng begins cultivating battle arrays, using Origin Force to condense battle seals. He discovers that his seals are more powerful than ordinary ones because Origin Force surpasses both Dou Qi and spiritual energy.
• He selects the Nine Heavens Thunder Battle Array, a highly complex first-tier array requiring twenty battle seals, and spends nearly two hours mastering its diagram.
• Xiao Meng is summoned to the Xiao Clan council hall, where he learns that the Gale Clan has recruited two powerful, unfamiliar Four-Star Da Dou Shi.
• The clan suspects that Liu Xi’s master is preparing Red Phosphorus Pills, which can temporarily increase cultivation. The Gale Clan appears to be waiting for these pills before launching an attack.
• Xiao Yan reveals that the Gale Clan is also acquiring precious medicinal herbs, likely to support the pill refinement and strengthen its forces.
• Xiao Meng deduces that the Gale Clan’s true target may include Xiao Yan and Yao Lao, not merely the Xiao Clan.
• Xiao Yan and Xiao Meng discuss intercepting Jia Lie Nu, who is transporting the medicinal ingredients. Destroying or delaying this shipment would hinder the Gale Clan’s plans.
• Xiao Meng later privately decides to handle the interception himself because Xiao Yan has not fully recovered from his injuries.

Character Developments

• Xiao Meng demonstrates rapid growth in array cultivation and a deeper understanding of the superiority of Origin Force. He also becomes increasingly strategic and protective of his family.
• He shows confidence and initiative by choosing to confront Jia Lie Nu alone, prioritizing Xiao Yan’s recovery and minimizing the risk to him.
• Xiao Yan continues to conceal the truth about Yao Lao by presenting him as a mysterious alchemist master. His quick thinking preserves the secret and allows the Xiao Clan to use the gifted Third-Grade Pills.
• Xiao Yan also displays strategic awareness by identifying the significance of the medicinal herb shipment and the Red Phosphorus Pills.
• Xiao Zhan and the Xiao Clan elders shift from anxiety to excitement after learning that Xiao Yan has supposedly become the disciple of a powerful alchemist.

Significant Themes

• Preparation versus immediate action: Both Xiao Meng’s array training and the Gale Clan’s pill preparation emphasize the importance of building strength before a decisive confrontation.
• Hidden power and identity: Xiao Meng’s Origin Force is far superior to the energy systems he is studying, while Xiao Yan continues hiding Yao Lao’s true existence.
• Family protection and responsibility: Xiao Meng takes responsibility for dealing with the danger and insists that Xiao Yan avoid aggravating his injuries.
• Strategic thinking: The characters recognize that weakening the Gale Clan’s resources may be more effective than confronting its enhanced forces directly.
• Advancement through external opportunities: Fishing rewards, mysterious masters, pills, and inherited memories all contribute to the characters’ rapid development.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Meng and Xiao Yan work closely together, quietly analyzing the Gale Clan’s movements and identifying Jia Lie Nu’s shipment as a potential weakness.
• Xiao Meng teases Xiao Yan about his exaggerated story that Yao Lao “hurried over” to accept him as a disciple, while Xiao Yan defends the lie as necessary.
• Xiao Zhan and the elders enthusiastically question Xiao Yan about his new master and celebrate the opportunity, unaware of the full truth.
• Xiao Meng privately overrides Xiao Yan’s intention to participate in the interception, emphasizing his concern for his brother’s health and taking the danger upon himself.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Meng plans to ambush and rob the Gale Clan's convoy transporting medicinal herbs.
• Xiao Yan worries about Xiao Meng's safety, but Yao Lao assures him of Xiao Meng's capabilities.
• Xiao Meng sets up the Nine Heavens Thunder Battle Array, killing several guards and injuring more.
• Jia Lie Nu, a four-star Grand Dou Master, engages Xiao Meng in combat.

Character Developments

• Xiao Meng demonstrates his strategic planning and formidable Dou Technique skills.
• Xiao Yan shows concern for his younger brother's safety.
• Yao Lao reveals his knowledge of Xiao Meng's past adventures and trusts in his abilities.
• Jia Lie Nu displays his strength and determination to protect the convoy.

Significant Themes

• Ambition and greed: Xiao Meng's desire for wealth and status, Jia Lie Nu's obsession with power.
• Youth vs. Experience: Xiao Meng's reckless courage against Jia Lie Nu's cautious wisdom.
• The consequences of underestimating opponents: Jia Lie Nu underestimates Xiao Meng, leading to significant losses.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Yan and Xiao Meng: Xiao Yan expresses concern for Xiao Meng's safety, while Xiao Meng reassures him of his capabilities.
• Xiao Meng and Jia Lie Nu: Xiao Meng mocks and provokes Jia Lie Nu, while Jia Lie Nu underestimates Xiao Meng and later engages him in battle.
• Yao Lao and Xiao Yan: Yao Lao provides guidance and reassurance to Xiao Yan regarding Xiao Meng's abilities.