Chapter Summaries

Xiao Lin spoke with Yao Lao's awakened Remnant Soul, admitting that he had nourished it and concealed his strength. Yao Chen reflected on his rise and betrayal by Han Feng, then realized Xiao Lin was stronger than he had been at his peak.

• Yao Lao's Remnant Soul appeared and asked Xiao Lin whether he had saved him.
• Xiao Lin said he had only sent Dou Qi into Yao Chen's soul, and Yao Chen thanked him for hastening his awakening.
• Yao Chen remembered Han Feng's betrayal and reflected on how his life had fallen from success into tragedy.
• Yao Chen asked Xiao Lin's name, and Xiao Lin introduced himself modestly as Xiao Lin.
• Yao Chen probed Xiao Lin's cultivation but could not discern it, concluding Xiao Lin surpassed his own peak strength.
• Xiao Lin explained that he had concealed a little of his strength for protection and assured Yao Chen he meant no harm.

Xiao Lin asked Yao Chen to take his grandson as a disciple, but Yao Chen refused because his former disciple Han Feng had betrayed him. Xiao Lin tried to persuade him by claiming his grandson had the Posture of a Dou Emperor, leaving Yao Chen stunned.

• Xiao Lin told Yao Chen he wanted him to take his talented grandson as a disciple and teach him medicine refinement.
• Yao Chen refused, recalling that Han Feng had betrayed him after becoming his disciple.
• Xiao Lin asked Yao Chen what had happened, and Yao Chen recounted Han Feng's betrayal while concealing the Flame Mantra.
• Yao Chen asked Xiao Lin to make a different request, but Xiao Lin insisted his grandson was nothing like Han Feng.
• Xiao Lin claimed his grandson had the Posture of a Dou Emperor and could help Yao Chen rebuild his body, leaving Yao Chen dumbfounded.

Yao Chen agreed to consider taking Xiao Lin’s grandson as his disciple and asked to meet him, while learning that he had been brought to the Jia Ma Empire. Xiao Lin wrote to his family in Wutan City, asking them to bring his grandsons to the ancestral residence.

• Yao Chen agreed to wait a few days and meet Xiao Lin’s grandson before deciding whether to accept him as a disciple.
• Xiao Lin told Yao Chen that they were in the Jia Ma Empire on the Northwest Continent, and Yao Chen reflected on the region’s safety and Xiao Lin’s power.
• Xiao Lin wrote to Xiao Zhan and Yang Xiyue, asking them to bring their three grandsons from Wutan City to the Jia Ma Imperial Capital.
• Yao Chen watched Xiao Lin write the letter and wondered why he did not simply visit his family himself.

After Xiao Zhan received Xiao Lin’s letter, he regretted neglecting his father and sent Yang Xiyue with their children and other Xiao Household members to visit the ancestral residence in the Jia Ma Imperial Capital. On the journey, the chapter revealed how Gu Xun’er grew attached to the Xiao Household and recalled Xiao Yan sneaking into her room to test his Dou Qi.

• Xiao Zhan read Xiao Lin’s letter, blamed himself for failing to visit his father, and asked Yang Xiyue to apologize for him.
• Yang Xiyue gathered their children, Gu Xun’er, and Xiao Household clansmen and led them toward the ancestral residence in the Imperial Capital.
• Ling Ying secretly followed the traveling group to protect Gu Xun’er while the Xiao Household members camped for the night.
• Gu Xun’er had grown comfortable with the Xiao Household and had put aside her mission to find its Tou She Ancient God Jade.
• A year earlier, Xiao Yan had sneaked into Gu Xun’er’s bedroom to test his Dou Qi by nourishing her meridians, while Ling Ying stood guard outside.
• Gu Xun’er had ordered Ling Ying to keep the incident secret.

Xun'er secretly fell in love with Xiao Yan after believing he spent each night nourishing her meridians, but she grew jealous of his admirers and learned he had a fiancée. She traveled with the Xiao Household children to the Imperial Capital, where Xiao Yu noticed Xun'er's affection and sensed Xiao Yan's distance from his clansmen.

• Xiao Yan visited Xun'er's room each night for nearly half a year, while Ling Ying chose not to report him.
• Xun'er believed Xiao Yan was nourishing her meridians and fell for him, but she resented his female admirers and his engagement to a fiancée arranged by Xiao Lin.
• Xun'er insisted on joining Yang Xiyue and the Xiao Household children on their trip to the ancestral residence in the Imperial Capital because Xiao Yan's fiancée was there.
• At the campfire, Xiao Ning offered Xun'er grilled fish, and she politely declined while Xiao Yu watched his foolish delight.
• Xiao Yu recognized Xun'er's feelings for Xiao Yan and sensed that he kept an instinctive distance from the Xiao Household clansmen.

The Xiao Household returned to its ancestral residence in Jia Ma Imperial Capital, where Xiao Lin welcomed Xun'er as part of the family. Their reunion was interrupted by the arrival of Nalan Jie and his granddaughter, Nalan Yanran.

• Xun'er asked Xiao Yan to grill her fish, leaving Xiao Ning envious as he watched them together.
• After three days of travel, the Xiao Household party reached Jia Ma Imperial Capital and rested at the ancestral residence.
• Yang Xiyue brought the children to pay their respects to Xiao Lin and explained that Xiao Zhan could not return.
• Xiao Lin recognized Xun'er as the unfamiliar girl in green and welcomed her into the Xiao Household.
• A clansman reported that Nalan Jie had arrived with Nalan Yanran.

Nalan Jie brought his granddaughter Nalan Yanran to meet Xiao Yan at the Xiao Household, reviving Xiao Yan’s childhood engagement and making Xun’er fear she might lose him. The chapter left the three children with competing first impressions as Xiao Lin watched with amusement.

• After hearing Nalan Yanran was coming, Xiao Yan remembered their engagement and felt uneasy, while Xun’er worried the girl might take him away.
• Nalan Jie arrived at the Xiao Household with Nalan Yanran to meet Xiao Yan, who had returned the previous night.
• Nalan Yanran greeted Xiao Lin and the Xiao Household children, and Xiao Lin teased Nalan Jie about his granddaughter’s looks.
• Xiao Yan admired Nalan Yanran’s appearance and imagined that he might be happy with her, while Xun’er silently resolved to keep him from spending too much time with her.
• Nalan Yanran identified Xiao Yan as her fiancé and privately judged him to look a little full of himself, as Xiao Lin watched the three children’s reactions with amusement.

Nalan Jie brought Nalan Yanran to meet Xiao Yan and encouraged the children to grow close, while Xiao Lin watched with amusement. Nalan Yanran directly challenged Xiao Yan over their engagement, saying he would have to marry into the Nalan Family if he failed to become stronger than her.

• Yao Lao noticed Xiao Lin's excitement as he secretly watched Xiao Yan, and Xiao Lin quickly hid his grin.
• Nalan Jie explained that he had brought Nalan Yanran so she and Xiao Yan could get to know each other and preserve their families' engagement.
• The Xiao Household children schemed to bring Xiao Yan and Nalan Yanran together so Xun'er would be available to them, while Xiao Yu doubted Xiao Ning had any chance with her.
• Nalan Yanran asked Xiao Yan about their engagement and told him that if he was not stronger than her when they grew up, he would have to marry into the Nalan Family.

Nalan Yanran proposed that Xiao Yan marry into her family if he proved weaker than her, provoking Xun'er and catching Xiao Yan's interest. Xiao Yan decided to train hard so he would never have to marry into the Nalan Family.

• Nalan Yanran said their engagement allowed Xiao Yan to marry into her family if he was weaker than her.
• Xun'er angrily scolded Nalan Yanran for making the demand, and Xiao Yan was surprised by Xun'er's outburst.
• Xiao Yan admired Nalan Yanran's competitive nature and saw her condition as a challenge to stay stronger than her.
• Xiao Li teased Xiao Ding about Xiao Yan's popularity with girls, while Xiao Ding disapproved of his brother's romantic prospects.
• Xiao Yan resolved to train hard to avoid marrying into the Nalan Family.

Xiao Yan and Nalan Yanran gradually grew comfortable with each other during her visits to the Xiao Household, while Xun'er grew increasingly jealous and worried about their engagement. Nalan Yanran noticed Xun'er's feelings for Xiao Yan and became possessive of her fiancé, leaving the two girls in an unspoken rivalry that Xiao Yan failed to notice.

• Nalan Yanran objected when Xiao Yan tried to call her his little sister, and he settled on calling her Yanran.
• Xun'er watched Xiao Yan and Nalan Yanran grow closer and privately resented their engagement, though she could not interfere.
• Nalan Yanran visited the Xiao Household every few days at Nalan Jie's urging and became familiar with its younger generation.
• Nalan Yanran realized Xun'er seemed to have feelings for Xiao Yan and grew more possessive of her fiancé.
• Xun'er and Nalan Yanran began an invisible rivalry while Xiao Yan remained oblivious to their sparring.

After three months observing Xiao Yan, Yao Lao warned Xiao Lin that the boy kept even his family at a distance and might not make a suitable disciple. Xiao Lin persuaded Yao Lao to accept Xiao Yan and correct his character, and Yao Lao agreed on the condition that he alone would decide how to teach him.

• Yao Lao told Xiao Lin that Xiao Yan seemed emotionally distant from his family, including his mother and grandfather.
• Xiao Lin explained that Xiao Yan was his blood grandson and had been this way since birth.
• Yao Lao said Xiao Yan's character made him hesitate to take the boy as a disciple, fearing a repeat of his betrayal by Han Feng.
• Xiao Lin urged Yao Lao to teach Xiao Yan to become a better person as well as a cultivator, and Yao Lao reconsidered.
• Yao Lao agreed to take Xiao Yan as his disciple after recognizing his exceptional talent, but required Xiao Lin not to interfere with his teaching.
• Xiao Lin accepted Yao Lao's condition, and Yao Lao resolved to prove worthy of his trust.

The Xiao Household departed the ancestral residence for Wutan City after bidding farewell to Xiao Lin. Before they left, Xiao Lin rewarded Xiao Yan with a High-Rank Storage Ring, leaving the boy delighted.

• Yang Xiyue and the Xiao Household said goodbye to Xiao Lin and prepared to return to Wutan City.
• Xiao Yan promised Xiao Lin he would grow stronger and choose a Cultivation Method and Dou Technique from the Scripture Pavilion.
• Xun'er said she would visit Xiao Lin again and blushed when he teased her about marrying a lucky boy.
• Xiao Lin stopped Xiao Yan, pinched his cheeks, and offered him a reward for reaching Three-Stage Dou Qi.
• Xiao Lin gave Xiao Yan a High-Rank Storage Ring, and Xiao Yan eagerly accepted it.

Xiao Lin gave Xiao Yan a Storage Ring containing Yao Lao’s Remnant Soul, setting Yao Lao’s plan to test and train the boy in motion. Xiao Yan said farewell to Nalan Yanran, and the Xiao Household departed for Wutan City.

• Xiao Lin gave Xiao Yan the Storage Ring and urged him to keep training and overcome future difficulties.
• Yang Xiyue recognized the ring as her own and returned to ask Xiao Lin about it; he reassured her and told her to warn A-Zhan that events would soon benefit Xiao Yan.
• Xiao Lin watched the Xiao Household leave and hoped Xiao Yan would endure what was coming.
• Xiao Yan and Nalan Yanran promised to visit and surpass each other, while Xiao Yan reflected that his fiancée could motivate him.
• The Xiao Household left the Imperial Capital for Wutan City after spending more than three months at their ancestral home.

After settling Yao Lao with Xiao Yan, Xiao Lin focused on developing the Star Codex into an astral-affinity Heaven Rank Cultivation Method so he could break through to Half-Saint or Dou Sheng. With Ji Li and his other friends overseeing the Myriad Formation Spirit Palace, he began the difficult work of creating the method himself.

• After Yao Lao went to Xiao Yan, Xiao Lin devoted himself to strengthening his cultivation.
• Xiao Lin recognized that his Nine-Transformation Peak Dou Venerable strength would not advance substantially without breaking through to Half-Saint or Dou Sheng.
• Xiao Lin decided against seeking an earth-affinity Heaven Rank Cultivation Method and chose to develop an astral-affinity one instead.
• Xiao Lin reasoned that his Heavenly Realm soul gave him the insight needed to create a Heaven Rank Cultivation Method before becoming a Dou Sheng.
• With the Myriad Formation Spirit Palace in trusted hands, Xiao Lin began preparing to develop the Star Codex into an entry-level Heaven Rank Cultivation Method.

Xiao Lin traveled across the land to study how the stars looked from different places, hoping to develop the Star Codex into a Heaven Rank Cultivation Method. His observations, use of the Three Thousand Burning Flame, and games of Go deepened his understanding, and he believed he could eventually succeed.

• Xiao Lin spent a year observing the stars nightly but found their movements too varied to fully understand.
• Xiao Lin realized the night sky looked different from different locations and left the Jia Ma Imperial Capital to travel.
• The elders at the Xiao Household Ancestral Residence alerted Xiao Zhan and Yang Xiyue, but Yun Shan vouched for Xiao Lin and stopped them from launching a search.
• Xiao Lin wandered through mountains and rivers, observed the stars, and absorbed astral power from nearby plants.
• Xiao Lin used the Three Thousand Burning Flame to depict the stars' movements and played Go to mirror their patterns, deepening his understanding of astral power.

Three years after Xiao Lin left, the Xiao Household celebrated Xiao Zhan’s growing strength and nine-year-old Xiao Yan’s exceptional talent. Yao Lao, worried that Xiao Yan’s pride and fading sense of family would lead him astray, secretly caused Xiao Yan to lose a stage of cultivation, leaving the boy searching for an explanation.

• Xiao Zhan reached Nine-Star Dou Spirit, while Xiao Yan advanced to the Ninth Stage of Dou Qi at age nine and grew increasingly proud of his talent.
• Yao Lao observed Xiao Yan’s worsening flaws and decided he needed to intervene before the boy went astray.
• Xiao Yan eagerly cultivated to reach the Dou Zhe Realm and hoped to gain access to the Xiao Household’s high-rank techniques.
• Xiao Yan woke the next day to find that his cultivation had fallen from the Ninth Stage to the Eighth Stage of Dou Qi.
• Xiao Yan spent the day shut in his room, trying to understand the reverse breakthrough and keep it secret from the household, while Yao Lao watched in anticipation.

Xiao Yan’s cultivation fell from the Ninth Stage of Dou Qi to the Three-Section Dou Qi, leaving him shaken but determined to recover. As news spread through the Xiao Household, Xiao Zhan and Yang Xiyue suspected the Storage Ring was involved and decided to trust Yang Xiyue’s father while they waited for answers.

• Xiao Yan discovered that his cultivation had fallen to the Three-Section Dou Qi, then resolved to climb back to the top.
• Yao Lao secretly watched Xiao Yan rally himself and approved of his refusal to give up.
• After the news spread through the Xiao Household, Xiao Zhan and Yang Xiyue privately suspected the Storage Ring had caused Xiao Yan’s reverse breakthrough.
• Yang Xiyue recalled that her father had warned her something might happen to Xiao Yan, and she and Xiao Zhan agreed to trust him and wait.
• The Xiao Household’s powerful Dou Ling elders ensured that Wutan City’s other powers could not openly mock or threaten the clan.

After Xiao Yan’s cultivation fell to Three-Stage Dou Qi, support from his relatives helped him embrace his family and train back to Ninth Stage in just over a year. His cultivation then regressed again, leaving the Xiao Household convinced that something was seriously wrong.

• Xiao Ning, Xun'er, and the other young members encouraged Xiao Yan, while his parents and brothers continued treating him as family.
• Xiao Yan vowed not to fade away and trained until he regained Ninth Stage of Dou Qi in a little over a year.
• The Xiao Household and Wutan City praised Xiao Yan’s rapid recovery, and he regained confidence in his talent.
• After training one night, Xiao Yan discovered that his cultivation had regressed again to Eighth Stage of Dou Qi.
• Xiao Yan cried out in anguish as his family gathered and realized the repeated regression was not an accident.

Xiao Yan’s cultivation regressed from the Ninth Stage of Dou Qi to Three-Section Dou Qi for the second time, alarming Xun'er and stirring rumors throughout Wutan City. Xiao Lin arrived in the city and reached the Xiao Household’s residence, where the guards recognized him as their former clan chief.

• Xun'er asked Ling Ying to investigate the cause of Xiao Yan’s repeated cultivation regression, and Ling Ying agreed.
• People across Wutan City discussed Xiao Yan’s second fall from the Ninth Stage of Dou Qi to Three-Section Dou Qi.
• Xiao Lin entered Wutan City and reflected on his plans to advance the Star Codex to Heaven Rank.
• Xiao Lin recalled that Yao Lao intended to make Xiao Yan rise from Three-Section Dou Qi and fall again three times to temper his character.
• Xiao Lin arrived at the Xiao Household’s residence, and the guards recognized him and announced his return.

Xiao Lin reunited with his family in Wutan City and examined Xiao Yan, who was desperate to learn why his cultivation had fallen again. Xiao Lin found out more about Xiao Yan’s state through a secret conversation with Yao Lao, then left Xiao Yan believing the examination had failed.

• Xiao Lin arrived at the Xiao Household and dismissed the clansmen who came to greet him.
• Xiao Zhan and Yang Xiyue welcomed Xiao Lin and asked him to move to Wutan City, but he declined.
• Xiao Lin examined Xiao Yan while secretly speaking with Yao Lao about Xiao Yan’s repeated upheavals and character.
• Xiao Yan asked whether Xiao Lin had found the cause of his condition, and Xiao Lin’s feigned sigh left him despairing.
• Xiao Ding led Xiao Yan, Xiao Li, and Xiao Xun'er out, and Xiao Zhan and Yang Xiyue asked Xiao Lin why he had given Xiao Yan the Storage Ring.