Chapter Summaries

After Xiao Lin revealed his identity to trusted allies, the Myriad Formation Spirit Palace kept his secret and continued growing under Ji Li’s daily leadership. The announcement that disciples could enter the Realm of Formations for Essence of Life drew particular interest from Lei Guang and Lei Ya, the sect’s leading core disciples.

• Xiao Lin’s allies agreed to keep his identity secret, and he continued leading the Myriad Formation Spirit Palace as Lin Xiao while avoiding public appearances.
• The Myriad Formation Spirit Palace expanded its resources and disciples, with Ji Li and the Eight Elders managing its routine affairs.
• The sect established cultivation-based ranks, making Dou Emperors under fifty core disciples and reserving elder and steward roles for stronger or older members.
• Lei Guang and Lei Ya advanced from early-stage Dou Wangs to Peak Dou Emperors over six or seven years and became the sect’s top-ranked core disciples.
• The siblings looked down on ordinary disciples but refrained from bullying them, until the sect’s leaders announced that the Realm of Formations would be opened and contained Essence of Life.

Zuo He announced that the Myriad Formation Spirit Palace’s Realm of Formations contained essence of life, and disciples who ranked in the top ten of their cultivation tier could enter for three months. After a month of preparation, the sect’s first Ranking Tournament began, leaving disciples ready to compete.

• Zuo He revealed the Realm of Formations, and Lei Guang and Lei Ya were shocked to learn it could contain essence of life.
• Lei Guang resolved to compete for a top-ten place, while Lei Ya questioned whether the Realm of Formations truly held such a treasure.
• Xiao Lin and the other Formation Grandmasters prepared the Realm of Formations with trials around its wutong trees, including a Fifth-Level Grand Formation around the ancient Cangwu tree.
• The Myriad Formation Spirit Palace divided the rankings into three cultivation tiers, allowing thirty disciples to qualify for the three-month cultivation opportunity.
• A month later, disciples signed up and the Myriad Formation Spirit Palace held its first Ranking Tournament.

The Myriad Formation Spirit Palace held ranking tournaments for its ordinary, inner, and core disciples, with senior leaders focusing most closely on the core contest. Xiao Lin and the other leaders watched Lei Guang and Lei Ya overwhelm their fellow core disciples, leaving the siblings as the tournament’s most dominant contenders.

• The Myriad Formation Spirit Palace began its ranking tournaments, while Xiao Ding competed among inner disciples and Xiao Li among ordinary disciples.
• Xiao Lin had already given Xiao Ding and Xiao Li essence-of-life baptisms, and Qing Lin and Xue Lan did not enter the tournament.
• The core disciples began competing before nearly all the senior leaders, including palace master Xiao Lin.
• Lei Guang defeated a Peak Dou Emperor core disciple in fewer than a hundred exchanges without showing his full strength.
• Lei Ya defeated an Eight-Star Dou Emperor in just over ten exchanges, and Ji Li attributed the siblings’ dominance to their Emperor Clan talent and foundations.

Xiao Lin and the Myriad Formation Spirit Palace elders grew frustrated as Lei Guang and Lei Ya defeated the sect’s disciples, so they decided to release Tian Huangzi from the Realm of Formations to challenge the siblings. Ji Li went to retrieve him while the ranking tournament continued.

• Lei Guang and Lei Ya defeated more core disciples, leaving Zuo He, Wu Yunfeng, Ji Li, and the Eight Elders frustrated that no disciple could match them.
• Xiao Lin said Qing Lin could eventually challenge the siblings but proposed releasing Tian Huangzi rather than waiting for her to grow stronger.
• The elders explained that Tian Huangzi had surpassed their Dou Huang limit and reached Dou Zong while confined in the Realm of Formations.
• Xiao Lin asked Ji Li to retrieve Tian Huangzi, and Ji Li opened a Spatial Passage and left as the tournament continued.

The Myriad Formation Spirit Palace settled the core disciple tournament rankings as Lei Guang yielded the final to Lei Ya. Tian Huangzi emerged from the Realm of Formations, arriving above the arena after thirteen years in seclusion.

• Lei Guang and Lei Ya defeated their semifinal opponents, and Lei Guang forfeited the final so Lei Ya could take first place.
• A Peak Dou Emperor disciple challenged the current third-place disciple and took his ranking, prompting further challenges to settle the standings.
• A piercing cry rang through the Myriad Formation Spirit Palace, and Xiao Lin recognized it as Tian Huangzi's normal cry.
• A huge golden fireball flew from deep within the sect and stopped above the arena.
• Tian Huangzi emerged from the fireball and announced that he had come out of the Realm of Formations after thirteen years.

After passing Ji Li’s Nightmare Sky Mist trial, Tian Huangzi left the Realm of Formations and joined the Myriad Formation Spirit Palace’s core disciple Ranking Tournament. He challenged Lei Guang and Lei Ya together, revealing that he was a Five-Star Dou Zong despite being under twenty.

• Ji Li told Xiao Lin that Tian Huangzi had passed his final trial and was ready to leave the Realm of Formations.
• Xiao Lin invited Tian Huangzi to compete in the tournament’s final challenge stage, and Tian Huangzi eagerly accepted.
• Tian Huangzi chose Lei Guang and Lei Ya as his opponents, angering the siblings by challenging them both at once.
• Tian Huangzi revealed his Five-Star Dou Zong cultivation and offered to suppress it to the peak of Dou Emperor for their match.
• Lei Guang was stunned by Tian Huangzi’s strength and could not bring himself to refuse the challenge.

Tian Huangzi began his one-against-two challenge against Lei Guang and Lei Ya, suppressing his cultivation to Peak Dou Emperor as promised. He gained the upper hand with a swift counterattack, and the fight continued as Lei Guang met Tian Huangzi’s Flame Radiance Palm with a lightning technique.

• Lei Guang accepted Tian Huangzi’s challenge, and Lei Ya agreed to fight alongside him despite sensing Tian Huangzi’s unusual strength.
• The Myriad Formation Spirit Palace disciples and elders speculated about Tian Huangzi’s identity and debated the siblings’ chances.
• Tian Huangzi gave Lei Guang and Lei Ya the first move, and the twins attacked together with a punch and Heavenly Thunder Annihilation.
• Tian Huangzi caught Lei Guang’s fist and used him to force Lei Ya to redirect her lightning strike, then sent Lei Guang flying with a blow to the stomach.
• Tian Huangzi pursued Lei Guang with Flame Radiance Palm, and Lei Guang countered with Ten Thousand Thunders Shaking Heaven Palm, causing the two attacks to collide.

Tian Huangzi continued to overwhelm Lei Guang and Lei Ya in the Challenge Tournament, even while holding back against Lei Ya. After the siblings joined forces and attacked with lightning techniques, Tian Huangzi grew serious and unleashed Phoenix Flame Annihilation, leaving them to defend with their strongest technique.

• Lei Ya attacked Tian Huangzi from behind, but he blocked her punch and teased her before fending off her furious assault.
• Lei Guang tried to ambush Tian Huangzi, but Tian Huangzi anticipated him and retreated; Lei Guang then regrouped with Lei Ya, and they recognized how formidable their opponent was.
• Lei Guang and Lei Ya abandoned their earlier tactics and bombarded Tian Huangzi with lightning Dou Techniques, but he repeatedly broke through or blocked their attacks.
• Tian Huangzi declared that he would end the match and summoned a golden fire phoenix with Phoenix Flame Annihilation.
• Lei Guang and Lei Ya used Heavenly Thunder Realm Barrier together to form a protective shield against the charging fire phoenix.

Tian Huangzi defeated Lei Guang and Lei Ya with the Nirvana Holy Flame and became the Myriad Formation Spirit Palace's chief disciple. Palace Master Xiao Lin then announced the privileges and annual challenge rights of the Ten Ranked Disciples.

• Tian Huangzi's golden flames broke through Lei Guang and Lei Ya's Heavenly Lightning Barrier, then healed them while keeping them at his mercy.
• Lei Guang realized that Tian Huangzi's flames united life and death, but could not identify them as the Nirvana Holy Flame.
• Lei Ya persuaded Lei Guang to concede, and the siblings admitted defeat as Tian Huangzi withdrew the flames.
• Palace Master Xiao Lin appointed Tian Huangzi chief disciple after no one objected.
• Xiao Lin announced that the Ten Ranked Disciples could challenge the chief disciple once a year and receive elder-like privileges and access to the Realm of Formations.

After the Myriad Formation Spirit Palace’s Ranking Tournament ended, Xiao Lin decided to return to the Xiao Household as Xiao Yan quietly reached the Dou Zhe realm. Xiao Yan tested his new strength and eagerly called on Yao Lao to teach him the cultivation method he had promised.

• Zuo He announced Tian Huangzi as chief disciple and named the Top Ten Sequence Disciples, then thirty ranked disciples entered the Realm of Formations.
• Xiao Lin visited his grandsons and left the Myriad Formation Spirit Palace for the Xiao Household, thinking Xiao Yan’s adventure had begun early.
• Xiao Yan experimented with his newly condensed Dou Qi, then went to the Xiao Household Back Mountain and smashed a large rock with one punch.
• Xiao Yan called out to Yao Lao and proudly announced that he had reached the Dou Zhe realm.
• Xiao Yan urged Yao Lao to teach him the promised top-tier cultivation method so he could catch up to Nalan Yanran.

Yao Lao explained that the Flame Mantra began as a low yellow tier cultivation method but could advance by absorbing heavenly flames, and Xiao Yan chose it despite the risks. Xiao Yan became Yao Chen’s disciple and began cultivating the Flame Mantra as Yao Lao shared his past and other secrets.

• Yao Lao told Xiao Yan that the Flame Mantra could advance in rank by devouring heavenly flames and allow its cultivator to control multiple flames.
• Yao Lao warned Xiao Yan that the Flame Mantra’s low starting rank could limit his cultivation if he failed to find heavenly flames.
• Xiao Yan chose the Flame Mantra because he wanted to help resurrect Yao Lao.
• Xiao Yan formally accepted Yao Chen as his master, received the Flame Mantra’s inheritance, and began cultivating it.
• Yao Lao told Xiao Yan about his former status as the continent’s foremost Alchemist, Starfall Pavilion, and Han Feng’s betrayal.

Xiao Yan began cultivating under Yao Lao’s guidance and decided to leave the Xiao Household to seek heavenly flames and build his strength. His mother, Yang Xiyue, reluctantly accepted his resolve to venture into the world.

• Xiao Yan swore to avenge Yao Lao against Han Feng, then began cultivating with the initial version of the Flame Mantra.
• Yao Lao guided Xiao Yan’s cultivation and gradually taught him alchemy.
• After several days, Xiao Yan decided on Yao Lao’s advice to leave Wutan City and gain experience.
• Yang Xiyue urged Xiao Yan to wait until he was older, but Xiao Yan struggled to answer because he could not bear to hurt his mother.
• Xiao Yan told Yang Xiyue he did not want to marry into the Nalan Family and firmly insisted he had to venture out.
• Yang Xiyue recognized Xiao Yan’s determination and knew she could no longer stop him.

Xiao Yan got his parents’ permission to leave the Xiao Household and venture into the world, then went to say goodbye to Xun'er. Xun'er’s happiness at his visit disappeared when he told her he was leaving to train.

• Yang Xiyue asked Xiao Yan to take care of himself, and he promised he would.
• Xiao Zhan said he would not stop Xiao Yan from leaving after Yang Xiyue confronted him.
• Xiao Yan left his parents, who trusted his teacher’s arrangements, and went to find Xun'er.
• Xun'er welcomed Xiao Yan and happily spent time talking with him in her courtyard.
• Xiao Yan told Xun'er he planned to leave for a while to train, and her smile vanished.

Xiao Yan left the Xiao Household to begin training, after reassuring Xun'er that he would return and write to her. Yao Lao redirected him to the Xiao Household Ancestral Residence in the Imperial Capital to choose Dou Techniques, where Xiao Lin recognized that Xiao Yan’s new era had begun.

• Xiao Yan told Xun'er he would travel for up to three years, and she reluctantly agreed to stay behind after asking to go with him.
• Xiao Yan said goodbye to his relatives and left the Xiao Household, then asked Yao Lao where they should train and search for Heavenly Flames.
• Yao Lao reminded Xiao Yan to visit the Xiao Household Ancestral Residence and choose Dou Techniques before setting out to train.
• Xiao Yan traveled to the Imperial Capital, where Xiao Lin realized he had become Yao Lao's disciple and learned the Flame Mantra.
• Xiao Yan greeted Xiao Lin and claimed that visiting him mattered more than choosing methods and techniques, while Xiao Lin recognized his grandson's shamelessness.

Xiao Lin teased Xiao Yan before taking him to the Xiao Household's Scripture Pavilion to choose cultivation methods and Dou Techniques. Xiao Yan entered the mysterious pavilion, unaware of the household's hidden formation and concealed fourth floor.

• Xiao Lin teased Xiao Yan for returning without a gift, and Xiao Yan offered to buy him anything he wanted.
• Xiao Yan joked with Xiao Lin and said goodbye to his family before setting out to gain experience.
• Xiao Lin took Xiao Yan to the Scripture Pavilion, where the Pavilion Guardian Elder let them pass.
• Xiao Lin opened the protective formation and led Xiao Yan inside to choose cultivation methods and Dou Techniques.
• Xiao Yan entered the pavilion for the first time, unaware that Xiao Lin had hidden a fourth floor in a separate space.

Xiao Lin took Xiao Yan to the Xiao Household Scripture Pavilion, whose collections ranged from Yellow Rank to Earth Rank, while a hidden fourth floor was being reserved for Heaven Rank techniques. Xiao Yan selected three Profound Rank Dou Techniques suited to his current cultivation and left the rest to study later.

• Xiao Lin explained that the Scripture Pavilion's hidden fourth floor was meant to hold Heaven Rank methods and techniques, but it remained nearly empty.
• Xiao Lin led Xiao Yan through the protected first floor and opened the Light Curtain guarding the second floor.
• Yao Lao recognized the barriers as formation work and suspected Xiao Lin was the Xiao Household's Formation Master, but kept his suspicions from Xiao Yan.
• Xiao Lin told Xiao Yan to choose Profound Rank Dou Techniques appropriate for a new Dou Zhe, and Yao Lao advised him to focus on mastering only a few.
• Xiao Yan browsed the second floor and chose three Profound Rank Dou Techniques.

Xiao Yan chose three Profound Rank Dou Techniques and left the Xiao Household Ancestral Residence to train in the Magical Beast Mountain Range. Unaware that Xiao Lin had secretly left him a powerful safeguard, Xiao Yan headed toward the range to grow stronger and search for herbs needed to refine heavenly flames.

• Xiao Yan declined to choose more Dou Techniques or an Earth Rank technique, and told Xiao Lin that his father had found him a suitable cultivation method.
• Xiao Yan selected Flame Wheel Dance, Wind Soaring Wings, and Mountain-Piling Force before leaving the Scripture Pavilion with Xiao Lin.
• Xiao Yan spent two or three more days with Xiao Lin, who placed a heavenly soul realm safeguard on him before sending him off to train.
• Yao Lao directed Xiao Yan to seek medicinal herbs and improve his cultivation, so Xiao Yan chose the Magical Beast Mountain Range to practice his techniques and gain combat experience.

Xiao Lin completed two Heaven Rank star-attribute Dou Techniques after years of development and tested their destructive power in a space he had created. He left the space after unleashing the Myriad Heavens Stellar Palm, while the Stellar Immortal Body remained a technique he could continue to improve.

• Xiao Lin cultivated in a secluded space, using the astral power from the Three Thousand Burning Flame to develop a Heaven Rank Dou Technique.
• Xiao Lin completed the Stellar Immortal Body, a ninety-foot astral phantom he could control for offense and defense.
• Xiao Lin tested the Stellar Immortal Body with punches and kicks, tearing apart the space around him.
• Xiao Lin renamed his upgraded Stellar Hand Seal the Myriad Heavens Stellar Palm and used it to erase the damaged space into nothingness.
• Xiao Lin left the void, having developed the Mid-Tier Heaven Rank Myriad Heavens Stellar Palm and the Low-Tier Heaven Rank Stellar Immortal Body, which he could further refine.

After spending nearly half a year in the void deriving two heaven rank star-attribute Dou Techniques, Xiao Lin emerged with time to spare and visited the Misty Cloud Sect. He met Yun Yun and went to see Yun Shan, leaving Nalan Yanran teased about keeping Xiao Yan under her thumb.

• Xiao Lin left the void after deriving and testing two heaven rank star-attribute Dou Techniques, then decided to visit familiar faces.
• Xiao Lin arrived at the Misty Cloud Sect, where Nalan Yanran escorted him to Yun Yun.
• Xiao Lin told Yun Yun he had come to play chess with former Sect Leader Yun Shan, and Yun Yun sent Nalan Yanran to take him to the mountain behind the sect.
• Nalan Yanran announced Xiao Lin's visit at Yun Shan's stone door, while Xiao Lin brewed tea and waited.
• Yun Shan emerged, and Xiao Lin teased Nalan Yanran about growing strong enough to keep Xiao Yan under her thumb, embarrassing her before she left to cultivate.

After Nalan Yanran left to focus on cultivation, Xiao Lin guided Yun Shan and played Go with him, using the game to deepen his understanding of astral power and formations. He completed the Minor Zhoutian Star-Dipper Formation over the Misty Cloud Sect, though setting it up with ease would require him to become an Earth Tier Spirit Array Master.

• Nalan Yanran left to devote herself to cultivation, determined to keep ahead of Xiao Yan.
• Xiao Lin guided Yun Shan's cultivation, then defeated him in eight consecutive games of Go.
• Yun Shan refused to keep playing and went into seclusion to digest Xiao Lin's guidance.
• Xiao Lin realized that his Go games helped him derive formations and that he had reached the level of a Human Tier High-Rank Spirit Array Master.
• Xiao Lin completed the Minor Zhoutian Star-Dipper Formation above the Misty Cloud Sect and judged that he would need to advance to an Earth Tier Spirit Array Master to set it up more easily.