Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: Inner Academy Selection Tournament

Plot Points and Events

• Canaan Academy begins its prestigious Inner Academy Selection Tournament, which will determine five students eligible to enter the Scripture Pavilion and seek powerful opportunities.
• The tournament attracts unusual attention because Xiao Yan, Xiao Xun’er, and Little Fairy Doctor—three recently enrolled students—are competing. Rumors claim that Xiao Yan became a Three-Star Great Dou Master at age twelve and is also a Third-Grade Alchemist.
• Xiao Yan is matched against Raina, a Four-Star Great Dou Master from Profound Tier Class Two. Raina is considered a strong contender for one of the five Inner Academy positions.
• Before the match, Raina attempts to intimidate Xiao Yan by emphasizing the difficulty of entering the Inner Academy. Xiao Yan responds calmly, irritating him further.
• Once the battle begins, Raina immediately activates Dou Qi Armor and charges at Xiao Yan with overwhelming force.
• Xiao Yan remains motionless until Raina closes within three feet, then counters with the Advanced Profound Rank Dou Skill First Sun Scorching Sky, learned from Xiao Xun’er. The technique has grown dramatically in size and power due to Xiao Yan’s increased cultivation, forming a golden sphere as large as a water vat.

Character Developments

• Xiao Yan displays confidence and composure despite facing a reputed Four-Star Great Dou Master. His calm attitude suggests that he no longer views opponents of Raina’s level as serious threats.
• His strength has advanced significantly during the three months spent traveling to and preparing at Canaan Academy. His use of First Sun Scorching Sky demonstrates both improved cultivation and greater mastery of the technique.
• Xiao Xun’er remains confident in Xiao Yan’s abilities and openly states that Raina cannot defeat him.
• Little Fairy Doctor has also grown considerably through her Calamity Poison Physique. Although she once would have struggled against a Four-Star Great Dou Master, she now believes she could defeat stronger opponents by using poison.
• Raina is portrayed as talented and ambitious, but his pride is wounded by Xiao Yan’s indifferent attitude and by the attention Xiao Yan receives from the female students, including Liu Fei.

Significant Themes

• Strength versus reputation: The tournament is designed to reveal whether Xiao Yan’s extraordinary reputation is genuine or exaggerated.
• Hidden and rapidly developing power: Xiao Yan and the other new students have cultivated far beyond what the Outer Academy expects, making them unpredictable competitors.
• Pride and jealousy: Raina’s hostility is driven not only by competition but also by resentment that Xiao Yan attracts the admiration of students, including the girl Raina admires.
• Preparation and growth: The characters’ progress during their journey and preparation at Canaan Academy becomes evident once the battle begins.
• Public judgment: The students in the stands eagerly scrutinize Xiao Yan, expecting the match to confirm or disprove the rumors surrounding him.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Yan jokes with Xiao Xun’er and Little Fairy Doctor before entering the arena, showing their familiarity and mutual confidence.
• Xiao Xun’er reassures Xiao Yan that Raina’s strength is insufficient to defeat him.
• Raina confronts Xiao Yan verbally, but Xiao Yan’s measured response frustrates him rather than intimidating him.
• The crowd largely supports Raina, partly because they resent Xiao Yan’s fame and popularity. However, many female students immediately admire Xiao Yan after seeing him.
• The chapter ends as Xiao Yan launches his counterattack, setting up the decisive clash between his overwhelming technique and Raina’s Dou Qi Armor.

Chapter Summary: Alchemy Department Recruitment

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Yan decisively defeats Raina, a Four-Star Great Dou Master, with a single use of his powerful Golden Ball Battle Technique. His Dou Qi Armor shatters, and he is knocked out of the arena.
• Raina realizes that Xiao Yan is not the rumored Three-Star Great Dou Master but a peak Five-Star Great Dou Master, only one step away from the Six-Star realm.
• Xiao Yan’s victory silences all doubts about his strength and establishes him as one of the competition’s most formidable participants.
• Xiao Xun’er and Xiao Yi Xian also win their matches easily, confirming the strength of Xiao Yan’s group.
• After the competition, Ruo Lin informs Xiao Yan that Old Man Huo, head of the Alchemy Department, wishes to recruit him.
• Xiao Yan visits the Alchemy Department, housed in a huge building shaped like a medicinal cauldron. Old Man Huo offers him membership, explaining that it would not interfere with his entry into the Inner Academy and would provide systematic alchemy instruction.
• Xiao Yan is interested, particularly because joining may give him access to valuable pill formulas. However, before he can agree, Han Xian interrupts and challenges the claim that Xiao Yan has truly reached the Third-Grade Alchemist level.

Character Developments

• Xiao Yan: Reveals his true cultivation level and demonstrates overwhelming combat strength. His success also confirms that he possesses exceptional alchemical talent, having reached the Third-Grade level through self-study. He begins considering formal membership in the Alchemy Department to obtain knowledge and pill formulas.
• Raina: Suffers a crushing defeat and is shocked to discover how much Xiao Yan has surpassed the rumors about him.
• Ruo Lin: Gains a deeper understanding of Xiao Yan’s strength and realizes that his Golden Ball Battle Technique could likely have defeated her instantly.
• Xiao Xun’er and Xiao Yi Xian: Reinforce their reputations by winning their own matches with ease.
• Bai Cheng: Becomes increasingly concerned that Xiao Yan may threaten his opportunity to enter the Scripture Pavilion.
• Liu Qing, Lin Xiuyan, Han Yue, and Lin Yan: Acknowledge Xiao Yan’s talent and strength, though their reactions range from admiration to skepticism and competitive concern.
• Old Man Huo: Becomes highly eager to recruit Xiao Yan, recognizing him as an unusually gifted alchemist and cultivator.
• Han Xian: Appears as a disruptive and skeptical figure, questioning Xiao Yan’s alchemy credentials.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and underestimated talent: Xiao Yan’s real power greatly exceeds public expectations, allowing him to overturn the assumptions of both competitors and spectators.
• The value and danger of accelerated cultivation: Xiao Yan has used medicinal aids to advance quickly but has also taken care to purify and stabilize his Dou Qi rather than relying recklessly on external boosts.
• Recognition of genius: Xiao Yan’s accomplishments in both combat and alchemy make him a rare talent within Jia Nan Academy.
• Institutional opportunity versus personal cultivation: The Alchemy Department offers Xiao Yan knowledge and resources, while the Inner Academy and Burning Heaven Qi Refining Tower promise greater advancement in Dou Qi. He must balance these goals.
• Competition and ambition: Xiao Yan’s rise threatens established students such as Bai Cheng, while also drawing the attention of influential figures within the academy.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Yan and Raina clash in the arena, with Xiao Yan’s overwhelming attack ending the match immediately.
• Bai Cheng asks several talented students for their opinions of Xiao Yan, revealing the growing attention surrounding him and Bai Cheng’s anxiety.
• Ruo Lin relays Old Man Huo’s invitation to Xiao Yan and later guides him to the Alchemy Department.
• Old Man Huo appeals directly to Xiao Yan’s ambition, promising formal instruction and continued access to the Inner Academy.
• Han Xian interrupts the recruitment meeting, creating immediate tension by disputing Xiao Yan’s Third-Grade Alchemist status.

Summary

Old Man Huo discovers that Han Xian has recently advanced to the third-grade alchemist level. Han Xian, suspicious and hostile toward Xiao Yan—whom he considers an unorthodox outsider—challenges him to a pill-refining contest to prove who is the superior alchemist.
Rather than allowing them to refine familiar third-grade pills, Old Man Huo proposes a more difficult test: both will attempt to refine the fourth-grade Beast-Strength Pill using the same formula. The pill temporarily enhances a person’s physical strength and is more powerful than the Force-Accumulating Pill, though weaker than the fifth-grade Dragon-Strength Pill. The winner will be allowed to choose two treasures from Old Man Huo’s collection, greatly increasing the stakes. Han Xian becomes especially interested in obtaining a powerful Beast Flame, while Xiao Yan hopes to find additional Beast Flames to support his Five-Ring Flame-Separation Technique.
At the Alchemy Plaza, Han Xian reads the formula first. Its complexity overwhelms him, though he remains determined to try. Xiao Yan, meanwhile, is confident because the Palm-Heaven Bottle has allowed him to cultivate large quantities of medicinal herbs and gain extensive experience with rare ingredients. His background and resources give him an advantage over Han Xian in both preparation and medicinal fusion.
News of the contest quickly attracts students, instructors, and elders. Most spectators favor Han Xian because of his reputation within the Alchemy Department and assume that, even if he fails, his attempt will be superior. Ruo Lin questions why Xiao Yan is competing rather than simply joining the department, but Xiao Xun’er confidently supports Xiao Yan and believes he will win. Hu Gan and other senior figures also arrive, curious about Xiao Yan’s true alchemical ability.
After Han Xian finishes reading the formula, Xiao Yan studies it much more quickly. Han Xian expects the difficult formula to expose Xiao Yan’s lack of formal training, but is surprised when Xiao Yan remains calm and even smiles. Old Man Huo confirms that the formula becomes blurred after Xiao Yan reads it, proving that Xiao Yan’s soul power is exceptionally strong—stronger than Han Xian’s. The contest officially begins when Old Man Huo provides each competitor with three sets of ingredients and announces that the winner will be the one who produces the highest-quality Beast-Strength Pill.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Xiao Yan: Displays confidence, strong soul power, extensive practical experience, and strategic interest in acquiring Beast Flames. His hidden advantages begin to distinguish him from formally trained alchemists.
• Han Xian: Proud of reaching the third grade, but his confidence is shaken by the difficulty of the fourth-grade formula and Xiao Yan’s effortless reading of it. His rivalry with Xiao Yan becomes personal.
• Old Man Huo: Acts as mediator and examiner. He recognizes Han Xian’s talent but remains objective, using the contest to test both youths’ potential.
• Xiao Xun’er: Supports Xiao Yan without hesitation, contrasting with the doubts of the surrounding spectators.
• Ruo Lin: Shows curiosity and uncertainty about Xiao Yan’s role in the Alchemy Department, while becoming impressed by Xun’er’s confidence.
• Hu Gan and the elders: Observe the contest to assess whether Xiao Yan’s alchemical abilities match his extraordinary reputation in cultivation.

Significant Themes

• Talent versus formal training: Han Xian represents a recognized departmental prodigy, while Xiao Yan’s unconventional background and hidden resources allow him to rival or surpass him.
• The danger of underestimating others: Han Xian assumes Xiao Yan lacks sufficient knowledge, but Xiao Yan’s soul power and experience quickly challenge that belief.
• Competition as a test of character: The contest reveals Han Xian’s pride and competitiveness, while Xiao Yan remains composed and confident.
• The value of rare resources: Beast Flames, pill formulas, medicinal herbs, and cultivation tools are essential sources of power and motivation in the alchemical world.
• Recognition of true ability: The contest is intended to determine who possesses genuine skill rather than merely a prestigious reputation.

Chapter Summary: “Fragrance of Medicine”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Yan and Han Xian begin an alchemy contest to refine the Beast-Strength Pill, each given three attempts.
• Han Xian mocks Xiao Yan’s speed in reading the prescription, insisting that fast preparation does not guarantee success.
• Both alchemists reveal their equipment:
  • Han Xian uses a high-quality second-tier cauldron and the Beast Flame of a fifth-tier Earth Wolf Beast.
  • Xiao Yan uses a superior third-tier cauldron and the stronger Lionheart Sacred Flame, obtained from a fifth-tier Blazing Male Lion.
• The spectators immediately recognize Xiao Yan’s advantage in both cauldron quality and flame power, which unsettles Han Xian.
• Han Xian’s nervousness causes his flame temperature to fluctuate, burning the first medicinal ingredient almost immediately.
• Xiao Yan remains completely focused and calmly refines the ingredients. He processes the first seven of the nine ingredients with exceptional speed and precision.
• His performance makes Old Man Huo suspect that Xiao Yan may already possess the abilities of a Fourth-Rank Alchemist.
• Xiao Yan successfully reaches the fusion stage, using his mastery of flame control to combine the medicinal essences.
• A strong medicinal fragrance spreads through the square, causing everyone to believe that Xiao Yan is about to produce a fourth-rank pill.
• However, the resulting pill is black and defective. Old Man Huo identifies that too much medicinal potency escaped during the final heating stage, meaning Xiao Yan’s first attempt failed.
• Han Xian is relieved and begins his second attempt, believing Xiao Yan has lost his advantage. The spectators are similarly disappointed, though Hu Gan and others admire Xiao Yan’s composure.
• Xiao Yan studies his failure without anger or blame, then begins refining his second batch. His experience allows him to proceed even faster.
• As Xiao Yan again reaches the fusion stage, he makes an unexpected move that leaves everyone stunned, ending the chapter on a cliffhanger.

Character Developments

• Xiao Yan demonstrates extraordinary concentration, technical skill, and experience with medicinal ingredients. His calm response to failure reveals strong mental discipline and resilience.
• His control over the Lionheart Sacred Flame is highly refined, allowing him to adjust between intense and gentle heat during the fusion process.
• Han Xian is shown to possess genuine ability and a powerful Beast Flame, but his confidence is fragile. Xiao Yan’s superior equipment and performance make him increasingly anxious, causing repeated mistakes.
• Han Xian’s early celebration after Xiao Yan’s failed pill exposes his lack of composure and premature judgment.
• Old Man Huo recognizes that Xiao Yan’s skill may already approach the Fourth-Rank level and emphasizes that personal alchemy ability matters more than external tools.
• Hu Gan admires Xiao Yan’s temperament, particularly his ability to remain calm after failing at the final stage.

Significant Themes

• Skill versus equipment: Superior cauldrons and flames provide advantages, but they cannot replace discipline, experience, and technical mastery.
• Composure under pressure: Han Xian’s nervousness directly harms his performance, while Xiao Yan’s concentration lets him continue improving even after failure.
• Learning through failure: Xiao Yan treats failure as useful experience rather than a reason for despair, embodying persistence and self-correction.
• Appearances versus substance: Although Xiao Yan’s pill looks dark and defective, his near-success is far more impressive than Han Xian’s incomplete attempts.
• Hidden strength and rising expectations: Xiao Yan’s performance suggests that his true alchemy level is much higher than observers expected.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Yan and Han Xian exchange provocative remarks before the contest, establishing their rivalry.
• Han Xian watches Xiao Yan’s progress anxiously and becomes increasingly unsettled by his speed and precision.
• Old Man Huo and Hu Gan analyze the contestants for the spectators, contrasting Han Xian’s technical advantages with Xiao Yan’s superior temperament.
• The crowd’s reactions shift from excitement over Xiao Yan’s apparent success to disappointment after the failed pill, while Xiao Yan’s calm behavior earns the respect of the more perceptive observers.

Chapter Summary: “Fourth-Rank Alchemist”

Key Plot Points and Events

• During the alchemy competition, Xiao Yan realizes that his initial Beast-Strength Pill lacks sufficient medicinal power.
• Instead of following the traditional formula, he adds herbs from additional batches to strengthen the pill. He eventually uses ingredients from three batches and even throws his failed pill back into the cauldron to serve as a “Magic Core.”
• The audience and Alchemy Department students consider his approach reckless and expect the cauldron to explode, but Xiao Yan skillfully divides and controls the flames to refine multiple ingredients simultaneously.
• Han Xian, competing against Xiao Yan, cautiously purifies and fuses his ingredients. He manages to create a pill-shaped medicinal lump, though it is oversized and foul-smelling.
• Xiao Yan’s cauldron produces a powerful violet-red pill fragrance first, signaling the formation of a high-quality pill. He successfully refines a superior Beast-Strength Pill.
• Old Man Huo appraises Xiao Yan’s pill and declares that its effectiveness may rival an ordinary fifth-rank Dragon-Strength Pill.
• Han Xian’s creation is judged merely a “Beast Pill,” while Xiao Yan is announced as the winner.
• After the competition, Old Man Huo explains that true alchemy depends not only on formulas, ingredients, flames, and cauldrons, but also on the ability to adapt to changing circumstances.
• Han Xian admits defeat and leaves angrily. Xiao Yan keeps Han Xian’s failed product, intending it for a Magic Beast rather than human consumption.
• As promised, Old Man Huo invites Xiao Yan to choose two items from his personal collection.

Character Developments

• Xiao Yan: Demonstrates exceptional alchemical talent, creativity, confidence, and composure. His willingness to alter established formulas and make full use of available materials allows him to refine a fourth-rank pill despite being only twelve years old. His success reveals that his practical understanding of alchemy has advanced far beyond what others expected.
• Han Xian: Shows determination and some genuine achievement by refining a rudimentary fourth-rank product despite only recently reaching the third rank. However, his pride and emotional instability are exposed when he reacts bitterly to Xiao Yan’s victory. Old Man Huo suggests that Han Xian’s defeat may teach him humility and adaptability.
• Old Man Huo: Acts as judge, mentor, and interpreter of Xiao Yan’s achievement. He recognizes the deeper principle behind Xiao Yan’s unconventional technique and uses the competition to teach the students about innovation in alchemy.
• Xiao Xun’er and Xiao Yu: Both are astonished by Xiao Yan’s progress. Xiao Yu compares his growth favorably with that of the famous Pill King Gu He, while Xun’er predicts that Xiao Yan could advance rapidly within the Pill Tower.
• Alchemy Department students and spectators: Their initial skepticism changes into shock and admiration once Xiao Yan succeeds.

Significant Themes

• Innovation versus rigid tradition: Xiao Yan proves that inherited formulas are not absolute and can be improved through experimentation.
• Adaptability: Old Man Huo emphasizes that alchemists must adjust to available ingredients, changing environments, and unforeseen problems.
• Resourcefulness: Xiao Yan’s use of additional herbs and the failed pill shows the value of making full use of every available resource.
• Talent and effort: Xiao Yan possesses extraordinary innate talent, but the chapter also highlights the importance of experience, boldness, and practical judgment.
• Pride and humility: Han Xian’s defeat illustrates the dangers of arrogance, while Xiao Yan’s success—despite being praised excessively—remains driven mainly by his personal goal of winning the reward.
• Breaking expectations: Xiao Yan’s accomplishment shocks the audience because of both the pill’s quality and his exceptionally young age.

Character Interactions

• The Alchemy Department students ridicule Xiao Yan’s unconventional method, while he ignores their criticism and continues refining.
• Old Man Huo reacts with surprise when he realizes that Xiao Yan used the failed pill as part of the refining process, then praises the result.
• Han Xian proudly presents his crude medicinal lump, but Old Man Huo’s appraisal indirectly exposes the gap between their achievements.
• Han Xian is stunned by Xiao Yan’s success, reluctantly acknowledges defeat, and exchanges a sarcastic remark with him before leaving.
• Old Man Huo turns the contest into a lesson for the students, presenting Xiao Yan’s methods as an example of adaptable alchemy.
• The chapter ends with Old Man Huo honoring the agreement and inviting Xiao Yan to select two treasures from his collection.

Chapter Summary: The Incomplete Earth-Tier Combat Technique

Key Plot Points and Events

• After his successful refinement of the Beast-Strength Pill, Xiao Yan leaves the square with Old Man Huo and returns to Huo’s underground treasure chamber.
• Old Man Huo allows Xiao Yan to choose two treasures from his vast collection of weapons, materials, medicinal herbs, flames, cultivation methods, and combat techniques.
• Xiao Yan searches specifically for:
  • A fourth-rank pill formula
  • A fifth-tier medicinal cauldron
  • A sixth-tier Beast Flame
  • An Earth-Tier combat technique
• He discovers a sixth-tier Beast Flame belonging to the Moon-Howling Azure Wolf and selects it as his first treasure.
• Among the scrolls, he finds an incomplete Earth-Tier combat technique. Although others have failed to cultivate it because its opening portion is missing, Xiao Yan senses that it is connected to Xiao Xun’er’s technique, First Sun Scorching Sky.
• Xiao Yan realizes the scroll may contain the later portion of First Sun Scorching Sky, making it far easier for him to cultivate than it would be for others.
• He leaves with the Beast Flame and combat technique, believing both will significantly improve his chances in the upcoming Fire-Energy Hunting Competition.

Character Developments

• Xiao Yan: His alchemy has advanced to the level of a Fourth-Rank Alchemist, prompting him to seek stronger flames, equipment, and techniques. His ability to recognize the connection between the incomplete technique and First Sun Scorching Sky also demonstrates his growing insight and resourcefulness.
• Old Man Huo: He reveals the immense value of his personal collection and shows generosity toward Xiao Yan. Though initially worried that Xiao Yan might find nothing suitable, he supports Xiao Yan’s choice and acknowledges his exceptional talent.
• Xiao Xun’er: Though absent from most of the chapter, her First Sun Scorching Sky becomes crucial because it appears to be related to Xiao Yan’s newly acquired technique.

Significant Themes

• Preparation and growth: Xiao Yan focuses on acquiring resources that match his current advancement as an alchemist and fighter.
• Scarcity and decline: The discussion of disappearing medicinal herbs, Magic Beasts, and Origin Qi establishes a wider crisis affecting the Dou Qi Continent and the future of cultivation.
• Inherited knowledge and hidden connections: The relationship between First Sun Scorching Sky and the incomplete Earth-Tier technique suggests that techniques may be fragmented across lineages and rediscovered through chance.
• Talent overcoming limitations: A technique considered nearly impossible to cultivate may become accessible to Xiao Yan because of his unique knowledge and prior exposure.

Character Interactions

• Old Man Huo acts as both host and benefactor, inviting Xiao Yan to select treasures from his collection.
• He explains the strengths and limitations of the Moon-Howling Azure Wolf’s Beast Flame and warns Xiao Yan about the incomplete combat technique.
• Xiao Yan respectfully accepts Old Man Huo’s gifts while confidently choosing the difficult technique, believing his connection to First Sun Scorching Sky gives him an advantage.
• Their interaction reflects mutual respect: Old Man Huo recognizes Xiao Yan’s unusual talent, while Xiao Yan appreciates the value of Huo’s generosity.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Yan travels to a secluded valley near Ruo Lin’s residence, where he usually refines medicine and cultivates.
• He releases the Fire Cloud Wolf from its Storage Ring and feeds it a fire-attributed herb before assigning it to guard the cave.
• Xiao Yan prepares to fuse the Moon-Howling Azure Wolf’s sixth-tier Beast Flame, the Heavenly Wolf Ming Flame. He refines the Vein-Guarding Pill and Iceheart Pill to assist with the process.
• Using Han Xian’s Beast Pill, medicinal herbs, refined liquids, and the Lionheart Sacred Flame, Xiao Yan creates a medicinal pool designed to strengthen the Fire Cloud Wolf.
• Xiao Yan successfully fuses the Heavenly Wolf Ming Flame into his body. The process is easier than his earlier fusion because of his stronger cultivation, powerful fire-attributed Dou Qi, and the supporting pills.
• He places the Fire Cloud Wolf into the medicinal pool. Though it senses danger, it willingly undergoes the painful cultivation process to improve its strength.
• While the wolf cultivates, Xiao Yan studies a newly obtained Earth Tier Dou Technique scroll.
• After absorbing the Heavenly Wolf Ming Flame, Xiao Yan’s Dou Qi changes to an emerald-green color and becomes considerably hotter.
• He tests the improved version of First Sun Scorching Sky, discovering that it can now be launched at a distance rather than used only in close combat.
• Xiao Yan then begins practicing the follow-up Earth Tier Dou Technique and finds it surprisingly easy to execute.

Character Developments

• Xiao Yan grows stronger by successfully fusing a second Beast Flame, increasing both the power and temperature of his Dou Qi.
• His Dou Qi changes from its former golden appearance to a refined jade-green color, reflecting the influence of the Heavenly Wolf Ming Flame.
• His understanding of fire manipulation and medicinal refinement has become exceptionally advanced. Years of refining medicine have effectively served as repeated practice for his fire-based Dou Techniques.
• Xiao Yan demonstrates increased responsibility toward the Fire Cloud Wolf by preparing a safe cultivation environment and personally standing guard while it undergoes its transformation.
• The Fire Cloud Wolf shows growing intelligence and loyalty. Although it recognizes the danger of the medicinal pool, it chooses to endure the pain because it understands the opportunity to become stronger.

Significant Themes

• Strength through controlled risk: Both Xiao Yan and the Fire Cloud Wolf willingly endure dangerous processes to advance their abilities.
• Accumulated preparation and mastery: Xiao Yan’s effortless mastery of the new technique results from years of refining medicine and practicing the prerequisite technique.
• The difference between Beast Flames and Strange Flames: Beast Flames weaken and disappear after leaving their master, unlike Strange Flames, which can be inherited or preserved.
• Cooperation between humans and magical beasts: Xiao Yan and the Fire Cloud Wolf function as partners, with mutual trust supporting their growth.
• The pursuit of multiple flames: The chapter places Xiao Yan’s progress within the wider tradition of powerful cultivators who control several flames.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Yan communicates with the Fire Cloud Wolf through commands and shared understanding rather than ordinary speech.
• He feeds and protects the wolf, while the wolf accepts his instructions and trusts him enough to enter the dangerous medicinal pool.
• Xiao Yan’s relationship with the wolf develops beyond that of master and beast; he treats it as a valuable companion whose growth is important to his own cultivation plans.

Chapter Summary: “Another Way Out”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Han Xian is consumed by rage after losing the alchemy contest to Xiao Yan. Because he never witnessed Xiao Yan’s refinement process, he refuses to believe Xiao Yan genuinely produced a Fourth-Rank Beast-Strength Pill.
• His resentment develops into a conspiracy theory: Han Xian convinces himself that Canaan Academy fabricated Xiao Yan’s accomplishments to attract students and improve its reputation.
• Han Xian destroys his room in frustration, believing the academy should have promoted him instead, since he is a legitimate Third-Grade Alchemist and Four-Star Great Dou Master.
• His sworn elder brother, Han Beng, visits him. Han Xian vents his grievances, and Han Beng validates his suspicions rather than challenging them.
• Han Xian declares that he wants to personally defeat and humiliate Xiao Yan, not merely rely on Han Beng to punish him.
• Han Beng gives Han Xian two precious peak Fourth-Rank Purpleheart Barrier-Breaking Pills. They can potentially raise Han Xian’s strength by two stars, allowing him to reach the Six-Star Great Dou Master level.
• Han Beng hints that he has found a stronger faction or “another way out” beyond Canaan Academy and encourages Han Xian to join him. He promises to reveal more later.
• Han Xian accepts the pills and plans to use them before the Inner Academy Selection Tournament so that he can defeat Xiao Yan if they meet.

Character Developments

• Han Xian: His defeat intensifies his jealousy, paranoia, and hatred toward Xiao Yan and Canaan Academy. He refuses to acknowledge Xiao Yan’s talent and shifts blame onto the academy. Although he lacks combat strength compared with others of the same cultivation level because he relies heavily on pills, he becomes determined to increase his power and personally take revenge.
• Han Beng: He appears supportive and generous, offering Han Xian rare pills and emotional encouragement. However, his eagerness to exploit Han Xian’s resentment and his vague references to a more powerful faction suggest that he may have ulterior motives.
• Xiao Yan: He does not appear directly, but his exceptional cultivation and alchemy achievements remain the central source of Han Xian’s envy and motivation.
• Han Xian and Han Beng’s relationship: Their sworn-brother bond deepens Han Xian’s trust. Han Xian is willing to follow Han Beng into an unknown faction because of the aid and respect Han Beng has shown him.

Significant Themes

• Jealousy and self-deception: Han Xian cannot accept being defeated, so he invents an explanation that preserves his belief in his own superiority.
• Ambition and revenge: His goal shifts from simply improving his alchemy to humiliating Xiao Yan and proving Canaan Academy wrong.
• Manipulation through resentment: Han Beng encourages Han Xian’s anger and uses it to draw him toward another power.
• The danger of relying on external shortcuts: Both Han Xian’s cultivation and his planned breakthrough depend heavily on pills, highlighting the weakness of rapid, externally aided advancement.
• Belonging versus betrayal: Feeling rejected by Canaan Academy makes Han Xian receptive to abandoning it and seeking recognition elsewhere.

Character Interactions

• Han Xian’s emotional outburst to Han Beng reveals his bitterness and conspiracy theory.
• Han Beng agrees that Xiao Yan’s achievements seem suspicious, reinforcing Han Xian’s paranoia.
• When Han Xian insists on defeating Xiao Yan himself, Han Beng respects this desire but provides the means to do so.
• By gifting the Purpleheart Barrier-Breaking Pills and hinting at a stronger faction, Han Beng strengthens Han Xian’s loyalty while steering him away from Canaan Academy.

Chapter Summary: “Small Medicine Jar Against Big Medicine Vat”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Inner Academy Selection Tournament continues, with the students eagerly awaiting Xiao Yan’s appearance after learning that he is a twelve-year-old Fourth-Rank Alchemist.
• Xiao Yan’s fame overshadows even Xiao Xun’er, the Little Fairy Doctor, Xiao Yu, and Instructor Ruo Lin, as everyone wants to see whether his reputation is genuine.
• Xiao Yan is matched against Han Xian, whom he defeated in alchemy the previous day.
• Han Xian is revealed to have taken two peak Fourth-Rank Purpleheart Barrier-Breaking Pills, forcibly raising his cultivation from roughly a Four-Star to a Six-Star Great Dou Master overnight.
• Although Han Xian’s realm has increased, his Dou Qi is unstable and “flimsy,” making the judges uncertain whether his increased strength can overcome Xiao Yan’s superior techniques and combat experience.
• When Xiao Yan fails to appear immediately, Han Xian mocks him publicly, claiming Xiao Yan’s previous strength came from temporary medicinal effects and that he is now suffering backlash.
• Many students believe Han Xian and begin insulting Xiao Yan, while others remain skeptical.
• Just as Han Xian attempts to claim victory by forfeit, Xiao Yan arrives dramatically, riding a fiery-red third-tier Magic Beast.
• Xiao Yan immediately exposes Han Xian’s unstable cultivation and claims he does not want to hurt him. Han Xian, despite being a Six-Star Great Dou Master, is terrified by the beast and collapses.
• The chapter ends with Han Xian trembling before Xiao Yan, completely stripped of his earlier confidence.

Character Developments

• Xiao Yan: His reputation grows significantly, but he remains composed and confident. His delayed entrance appears deliberate and allows him to humiliate Han Xian psychologically before the fight even begins. His mastery of medicinal cultivation is contrasted with Han Xian’s crude reliance on pills.
• Han Xian: He becomes desperate to restore his reputation after losing to Xiao Yan in alchemy. By consuming two powerful pills, he increases his cultivation but sacrifices stability. His arrogance and public taunting collapse instantly when Xiao Yan makes his intimidating entrance.
• Xiao Xun’er: She remains perceptive and calm, recognizing that Xiao Yan has arrived before the others notice him. Her attention stays fixed on him.
• Little Fairy Doctor: She laughs at the ironic contrast between Han Xian’s pill-dependent cultivation and Xiao Yan’s even more extensive use of medicinal resources.
• Xiao Yu and Instructor Ruo Lin: Xiao Yu worries about Xiao Yan’s absence, while Ruo Lin accurately identifies Han Xian as a weak, medicine-dependent fighter.
• Other students and rivals: The students are easily influenced by rumors. Han Yue, Lin Yan, Liu Qing, Lin Xiuyan, and Bai Cheng each react according to their own attitudes toward Xiao Yan, ranging from amusement and curiosity to hostility and secret hope that he will lose.

Significant Themes

• True strength versus artificial power: Han Xian’s rapid advancement demonstrates that a higher cultivation level does not necessarily equal genuine strength. His unstable Dou Qi contrasts with Xiao Yan’s more solid foundation and powerful techniques.
• Reputation and public perception: Xiao Yan’s sudden fame causes the students to scrutinize and speculate about him. The crowd quickly turns against him based on Han Xian’s unsupported accusations, showing how easily public opinion can be manipulated.
• Confidence versus arrogance: Han Xian’s confidence is based on borrowed power and collapses under pressure, while Xiao Yan’s confidence comes from real ability and experience.
• Medicine as both aid and weakness: The chapter humorously contrasts Han Xian’s dependence on medicinal pills with Xiao Yan’s extensive medicinal cultivation. Medicine can enhance strength, but careless reliance on it creates instability.
• Dramatic presentation and psychological dominance: Xiao Yan’s arrival on a Magic Beast is not merely practical; it immediately intimidates Han Xian and reverses the emotional momentum of the arena.

Character Interactions

• Ruo Lin explains Han Xian’s weak foundation to Xiao Yu, while Xiao Xun’er and the Little Fairy Doctor privately joke about Han Xian being a “medicine jar.”
• Hu Gan and Old Man Huo analyze Han Xian’s sudden breakthrough and debate whether his increased strength can compensate for his unstable Dou Qi.
• Han Xian provokes Xiao Yan before the entire arena, accusing him of cheating and hiding because of backlash.
• The students echo Han Xian’s accusations, while Xiao Yu, Xiao Xun’er, and several experienced competitors remain doubtful.
• Xiao Yan answers Han Xian’s insults with calm mockery, calling his Dou Qi unstable and warning him to withdraw.
• Xiao Yan’s arrival on the fiery-red Magic Beast terrifies Han Xian, transforming their interaction from public challenge to complete intimidation.

Chapter Summary: Outline Distinctions, Breakthrough After Battle

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Yan enters the arena riding Little Red, a rare variant third-tier Fire Cloud Wolf. The dramatic entrance terrifies Han Xian and excites the spectators, who are impressed by Xiao Yan’s ability to tame such a powerful Magic Beast.
• The referee reminds Xiao Yan that Magic Beasts are forbidden in matches, so Xiao Yan sends Little Red away before the duel begins.
• Han Xian, humiliated by his initial fear and still resentful after losing the previous alchemy contest, refuses Xiao Yan’s suggestion to concede.
• Han Xian immediately uses his strongest Dan Flame technique, empowered by the Purpleheart Barrier-Breaking Pills that raised him to the Six-Star Great Dou Master level.
• Xiao Yan counters by unleashing Twin Suns Burning Wind, an Earth Tier Dou Technique using the Beast Flame of the Moon-Howling Azure Wolf. The technique draws energy from heaven and earth and produces two enormous green spheres.
• Xiao Yan’s first sphere overwhelms Han Xian’s flame cone and blasts him into the air. The second would have seriously killed him, but Hu Gan intervenes and redirects it into the ground.
• Han Xian survives but is badly scorched and defeated. Xiao Yan calmly reminds him that he had warned him he would be injured.
• After the battle, Xiao Yan suddenly begins absorbing the surrounding energy of heaven and earth, signaling an imminent breakthrough in cultivation.

Character Developments

• Xiao Yan demonstrates his growing superiority in combat, alchemy-related flame control, beast taming, and cultivation talent. His mastery of an Earth Tier technique in less than a day astonishes even experienced elders.
• Han Xian becomes increasingly driven by jealousy and humiliation. Despite gaining two stars through pills, he remains unable to overcome Xiao Yan and suffers a crushing defeat.
• Hu Gan shifts from referee and observer to protector, intervening to save Han Xian. He is also deeply shocked by the destructive power of Xiao Yan’s technique.
• Old Man Huo recognizes the extraordinary nature of Xiao Yan’s flame control and realizes that Xiao Yan has mastered a technique the Alchemy Department had failed to cultivate.
• Xiao Xun’er analyzes the relationship between Xiao Yan’s technique, multiple Beast Flames, and Flame Valley’s secret arts, revealing her deeper understanding of the technique’s origins and potential.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming talent and rapid growth: Xiao Yan repeatedly surpasses expectations, mastering advanced techniques and advancing in cultivation with astonishing speed.
• Pride and humiliation: Han Xian’s refusal to concede stems less from confidence than from wounded pride, driving him to make a reckless attack.
• Power versus technique: Although Han Xian has the higher cultivation level and a powerful offensive Dan Flame technique, Xiao Yan’s superior fire-control method and Earth Tier technique decisively overcome him.
• Public reputation and shifting allegiance: The students quickly change from concern to enthusiastic support once Xiao Yan reveals his strength, highlighting the crowd’s tendency to admire power and success.
• The distinction between categories of flame arts: The chapter contrasts Dan Flame techniques, which focus primarily on attack, with Xiao Yan’s broader and more sophisticated fire-control method, which allows him to wield a true Earth Tier technique.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Yan taunts and advises Han Xian to concede, while Han Xian responds with anger and defiance.
• The spectators praise Xiao Yan and mock Han Xian, intensifying Han Xian’s humiliation.
• The referee enforces the arena rules by ordering Xiao Yan to remove Little Red.
• Old Man Huo and Hu Gan discuss and react with astonishment to Xiao Yan’s use of Twin Suns Burning Wind.
• Xiao Xun’er privately connects Xiao Yan’s technique to Flame Valley and the incomplete technique in her possession.
• Hu Gan saves Han Xian from Xiao Yan’s second attack and later reacts in disbelief when Xiao Yan begins breaking through immediately after the battle.

Chapter Summary: “Guardian of the Grass”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Yan, already at the peak of the Five-Star Great Dou Master realm, uses the heat of the Sixth-Tier Beast Flame to draw out the medicinal energy accumulated in his body.
• By circulating the Sacred Sun Technique, he successfully breaks through to the Six-Star Great Dou Master realm while sitting in the arena.
• The spectators are stunned by his achievement, especially because he is only about twelve years old.
• Raina accepts his defeat calmly, recognizing Xiao Yan’s superior strength and Earth Tier Dou Technique. In contrast, Han Xian is badly injured because anger and carelessness prevented him from using Dou Qi Armor.
• Old Man Huo treats Han Xian and admires Xiao Yan’s balanced progress in both cultivation and alchemy, believing Xiao Yan may eventually become a grandmaster.
• Hu Gan worries that Xiao Yan’s overwhelming strength will unfairly eliminate other talented students from the Inner Academy Selection Tournament.
• To prevent the tournament from being dominated by sequential one-on-one matches, Hu Gan changes the rules to a melee: anyone remaining inside the plaza will be declared victorious.
• The melee begins, and instead of avoiding Xiao Yan, numerous students rush to protect him or attack those who approach him.
• Xiao Yan draws closer to Xiao Xun’er and Xiao Yi Xian as the battle starts. Xiao Yi Xian releases a grayish-purple poisonous mist across the plaza, setting the stage for a chaotic mass confrontation.

Character Developments

• Xiao Yan: Breaks through to the Six-Star Great Dou Master level. His accumulated medicinal energy and Beast Flame prove that his unconventional cultivation methods have given him enormous reserves. He becomes increasingly confident and eager to test his new strength.
• Xiao Xun’er: Remains supportive and playful, suggesting that Xiao Yan gather allies during the melee. Her confidence shows how closely she understands his influence and strength.
• Xiao Yi Xian: Demonstrates her growing importance as Xiao Yan’s partner and combat ally. She prepares to control the battlefield with her poisonous mist and becomes visibly embarrassed when Xiao Yan places an arm around her.
• Raina: Displays maturity and sound combat judgment despite losing. His use of Dou Qi Armor allows him to survive, contrasting with Han Xian’s recklessness.
• Han Xian: Suffers serious injuries because resentment and overconfidence clouded his judgment. His defeat exposes the danger of allowing emotion to interfere with combat.
• Old Man Huo: Gains a deeper appreciation of the connection between Dou Qi cultivation and alchemy. Xiao Yan inspires him to reconsider his own neglected cultivation.
• Hu Gan: Acts pragmatically to protect the tournament’s fairness, though his rule change is clearly intended to limit Xiao Yan’s dominance.
• Bai Cheng, Han Yue, and Liu Qing: Lose confidence in their chances of reaching the Scripture Pavilion now that Xiao Yan has advanced and destabilized the competition.

Significant Themes

• The relationship between cultivation and alchemy: Xiao Yan’s medicinally enhanced body and Old Man Huo’s reflections suggest that stronger Dou Qi can greatly improve an alchemist’s potential.
• The risks and benefits of unconventional methods: Xiao Yan wonders whether his constant use of medicinal pills may eventually create an artificial “Pill Saint Physique,” raising questions about how cultivation can permanently alter the body.
• Composure versus emotion: Raina survives because he remains cautious, while Han Xian is defeated because anger causes him to neglect basic protection.
• Individual power disrupting institutions: Xiao Yan’s overwhelming strength forces the academy to alter its tournament rules, showing how an exceptional individual can challenge established systems.
• Allies, loyalty, and popularity: Students voluntarily gather around Xiao Yan, turning him into the center of a protective faction despite the competitive nature of the tournament.
• Strategic chaos: The new melee format rewards adaptability, teamwork, and battlefield control rather than simply individual strength.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun’er discuss forming a protective group, though Xiao Yan believes his strength makes additional guardians unnecessary.
• Xiao Xun’er points out that Xiao Yan’s popularity will naturally attract many “guardians of the grass.”
• Xiao Yi Xian humorously warns that the supporters may become more troublesome than helpful.
• Xiao Yan moves protectively toward Xiao Yi Xian and places an arm around her waist, causing her to blush.
• Several students loudly declare their intention to protect Xiao Yan, while others attempt to reach Xiao Xun’er.
• Xiao Yi Xian responds to the advancing crowd by releasing a poisonous grayish-purple mist, immediately transforming the plaza into a dangerous and chaotic battlefield.

Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• During the Inner Academy Selection Tournament, Xiao Yi Xian releases a grayish-purple poison mist through her Calamity Poison Physique. Nearly every contestant is incapacitated instantly, including several Da Dou Shi-level fighters.
• Hu Gan disperses the mist before it can cause serious harm. Old Man Huo examines the fallen students and confirms that they are alive but will sleep for two days while their bodies purge the remaining poison.
• The referee declares the five students still standing as the tournament’s winners: Xiao Yan, Xiao Yi Xian, Xiao Xun’er, Lin Xiuyan, and Han Yue.
• Although Xiao Yi Xian dominates the battle, the spectators assume Xiao Yan remains the strongest because he is able to carry her away afterward.
• Xiao Yan promises Xiao Yi Xian that he will find a way to control her Calamity Poison Physique. Xiao Xun’er privately doubts that such a solution will be easy to find.
• After stabilizing his cultivation, Xiao Yan consumes another Purpleheart Barrier-Breaking Pill and advances to the Seven-Star Da Dou Shi realm.
• The five finalists are granted access to the Scripture Pavilion. Hu Gan leads them through a secret passage to an ancient pavilion in a remote valley.
• Before entering, Xiao Yan secretly asks the two guardian elders about Xiao Yi Xian’s physique. They admit they do not know how to control it but explain that she should be relatively safe after reaching the Da Dou Shi stage, until she approaches the Dou Wang realm.
• The elders praise the exceptional quality of this year’s finalists and prepare to remove the pavilion’s Spatial Lock.

2. Character Developments

• Xiao Yi Xian reveals the frightening power of her Calamity Poison Physique, establishing herself as potentially more dangerous than the other competitors. Her inability to control this power remains a major concern.
• Xiao Yan continues progressing rapidly, reaching Seven-Star Da Dou Shi shortly after his previous breakthrough. His concern for Xiao Yi Xian shows his loyalty and determination to protect her.
• Xiao Xun’er gains a deeper understanding of the Calamity Poison Physique and recognizes its potential to rival even powerful ancient bloodlines. Her skepticism emphasizes how difficult Xiao Yan’s goal will be.
• Bai Cheng, Liu Qing, and Lin Yan are overwhelmed by Xiao Yi Xian’s poison. Bai Cheng especially realizes that he underestimated her while focusing his caution entirely on Xiao Yan.
• Han Yue feels fortunate to remain standing longer than Liu Qing and Lin Yan, though she believes Xiao Yi Xian deliberately spared her.
• Lin Xiuyan manages to remain upright through willpower, but he develops a clear wariness toward Xiao Yan and his companions.
• Hu Gan and the two elders display concern and curiosity regarding Xiao Yi Xian’s rare physique, while also recognizing the extraordinary talent of the finalists.

3. Significant Themes

• The danger and burden of exceptional power: Xiao Yi Xian’s overwhelming ability is also a threat to herself and others because she cannot fully control it.
• Loyalty and companionship: Xiao Yan’s promise to help Xiao Yi Xian demonstrates his willingness to face great difficulty on behalf of a friend.
• Rapid cultivation and privilege: Xiao Yan’s advancement through medicinal pills highlights both his talent as an alchemist and the advantages available to those with access to powerful resources.
• Fear of the unknown: The students, academy authorities, and even ancient records offer limited understanding of the Calamity Poison Physique, leaving Xiao Yi Xian viewed with both awe and apprehension.
• Recognition of talent: The tournament and the Scripture Pavilion access mark the five finalists as an exceptional generation of cultivators.

4. Character Interactions

• Xiao Yi Xian’s poison mist completely overturns the contestants’ expectations, particularly Bai Cheng’s assumption that Xiao Yan was the only major threat.
• Xiao Yan comforts and reassures Xiao Yi Xian after the tournament, promising to help her control her physique.
• Xiao Xun’er responds internally with doubt, understanding from historical records that Calamity Poison Physique possessors have often caused disasters.
• Han Yue and Lin Xiuyan exchange no major direct dialogue with Xiao Yan, but their reactions reveal respect, caution, and gratitude toward Xiao Yi Xian.
• Xiao Yan privately consults the Scripture Pavilion elders about Xiao Yi Xian, while Xiao Yi Xian understands the significance of his question and feels deeply touched.
• Hu Gan acts as the authority overseeing both the tournament’s conclusion and the group’s entry into the Scripture Pavilion.

Chapter Summary: Seizing Treasures in the Scripture Pavilion

Key Plot Points and Events

• The group learns that the Scripture Pavilion is protected by a powerful Spatial Lock, a barrier created centuries earlier by the academy’s Headmaster. Even Dou Zong experts would be unable to enter without the gray-robed elders’ special method.
• The elders open a spatial doorway, allowing Xiao Yan, Xiao Xun’er, Xiao Yi Xian, Han Yue, and Lin Xiuyan to enter the pavilion.
• They are warned that every treasure is protected by an energy barrier and that, regardless of how many items they obtain, each person may ultimately take only one treasure. Forcing an item is impossible and may result in failure.
• Inside the pavilion, countless glowing energy shields release cultivation methods, combat skills, medicinal pills, and rare ingredients.
• Xiao Yan explains that he is searching for a new cultivation method, preferably an Earth Tier fire-attribute technique, and the others agree to help him search.
• Xiao Yi Xian easily captures an Advanced Profound Rank water-attribute cultivation method, the Raging Waves Formula. Though valuable, it reminds her that the pavilion still offers no solution to her uncontrollable Calamity Poison Physique.
• Xiao Xun’er catches several treasures, but none are useful to her.
• Han Yue obtains a rare Jadeite Fruit, a powerful medicinal ingredient capable of directly increasing a Da Dou Shi’s strength and potentially being refined into a sixth-grade Battle Spirit Pill.
• Lin Xiuyan realizes that the colors of the energy clusters indicate their attributes. He attempts to seize a powerful green cluster containing an Earth Tier item, but the barrier repels him, demonstrating that treasures depend on fate and cannot be forcibly taken.
• He then successfully obtains the Wind-Chasing Formula, an Advanced Profound Rank technique with the unusual ability to help cultivators condense Dou Qi wings earlier than normal.
• The chapter ends as Xiao Yan targets a blazing red light cluster whose appearance dramatically raises the room’s temperature, strongly suggesting that it contains a powerful fire-attribute treasure suited to him.

Character Developments

• Xiao Yan takes responsibility for coordinating the group and makes clear that their former academy rivalry should end once they enter the Inner Academy. His willingness to share opportunities and compensate others builds trust.
• Xiao Yi Xian demonstrates exceptional control and skill by effortlessly breaking through an energy barrier. However, her reaction to the Raging Waves Formula reveals her continuing anxiety over the dangerous Calamity Poison Physique.
• Xiao Xun’er proves to be the fastest treasure hunter, though her catches do not yet provide anything useful.
• Han Yue gains a rare and valuable medicinal fruit, giving her a significant potential boost in cultivation.
• Lin Xiuyan learns humility after failing to seize an Earth Tier treasure. He adapts quickly and obtains a highly useful Advanced Profound Rank technique instead.
• The gray-robed elders and Hu Gan are portrayed as powerful guardians who emphasize discipline, fate, and respect for the pavilion’s rules.

Significant Themes

• Fate and qualification: Valuable treasures cannot simply be taken through strength; the cultivator must be compatible with the item and able to overcome its barrier.
• The academy’s immense heritage: Even supposedly rare treasures such as Advanced Profound Rank techniques and sixth-grade medicinal resources are relatively common within the Scripture Pavilion.
• Cooperation replacing rivalry: Former competitors begin working together, recognizing that unity will be essential in the Inner Academy.
• Power and limitation: The chapter highlights both the characters’ growing abilities and the overwhelming strength of the academy’s ancient defenses.
• Unresolved personal burdens: Xiao Yi Xian’s inability to control the Calamity Poison Physique remains a major concern despite her valuable discovery.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Yan explains his goals to Xiao Yi Xian, Han Yue, and Lin Xiuyan, encouraging them to search for their own treasures rather than compete selfishly.
• Han Yue and Lin Xiuyan agree to help Xiao Yan find a suitable cultivation method, while Xiao Yan promises to compensate them if their unwanted discoveries prove useful to him.
• Xiao Yi Xian catches the Raging Waves Formula and shares the discovery with the group, while Han Yue identifies the Jadeite Fruit and explains its extraordinary value.
• Lin Xiuyan’s failed attempt to seize the Earth Tier item becomes an example for the others of the pavilion’s “fate-based” selection process.
• The group’s attention ultimately converges on Xiao Yan’s pursuit of the mysterious red fire-attribute treasure, setting up the chapter’s next major development.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Yan retrieves a crimson scroll from the Scripture Pavilion and obtains the Nine Yang Divine Art, a Low-Level Earth Tier cultivation technique. Its heat is neutralized by the protective green energy in his palm.
• He immediately recognizes the technique’s immense value and realizes that, combined with the Burning Heaven Qi Refining Tower, it could help him quickly complete the final stage of the Da Dou Shi realm.
• Xiao Yan offers the technique to Xiao Xun’er, suggesting that they cultivate it together. Their shared cultivation is especially meaningful because they already possess a secret technique that requires them to practice the same method.
• The group continues searching the Scripture Pavilion:
  • Xiao Xun’er obtains the Advanced Profound Rank sound-wave Dou Technique, Lion-Tiger Shattering Gold Cry.
  • Xiao Yan explains that its true power requires dragon qi, making it impractical for him to cultivate at present.
  • Xiao Yi Xian finds a Sixth Tier Beast Flame, which greatly excites Xiao Yan because it will be useful with the Five-Ring Flame-Separation Technique once he finds Skyfire Venerable.
  • Xiao Xun’er selects a longsword containing a Sixth Tier Magic Core, though the Scripture Pavilion’s guardian later reclaims it.
• Upon leaving, the gray-robed elders warn the group never to reveal anything about the Scripture Pavilion’s interior or their experiences there. A powerful energy searches them and retrieves the Magic Core weapon.
• Hu Gan tells them to rest for two days before entering the Inner Academy.
• Back at their residence, Xiao Yan confirms that the Palm-Heaven Bottle was not detected.
• Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun’er begin studying the Nine Yang Divine Art together and discover that it vastly surpasses Xiao Yan’s current Sacred Sun Technique.

Character Developments

• Xiao Yan gains a major cultivation opportunity and becomes even more determined to improve his strength. He also demonstrates practical foresight by seeking items that can be sold or traded if they are not immediately useful.
• His knowledge of future techniques, dragon qi, Zhukun, Zi Yan, and the Yin-Yang Profound Dragon Pill shows his growing strategic awareness, though he abandons the idea of cultivating Lion-Tiger Shattering Gold Cry because the required resources are too difficult to obtain.
• Xiao Xun’er continues to display her close bond with Xiao Yan by accepting his shared cultivation plan. Her discovery of a rare sound-wave technique highlights her exceptional fortune and talent, even though she has little interest in using it.
• Xiao Yi Xian remains unable to benefit directly from the Pavilion’s cultivation techniques because of the limitations of her Calamity Poison Physique, but she helps retrieve the Beast Flame that is highly valuable to Xiao Yan.
• Han Yue and Lin Xiuyan gain a deeper understanding of Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun’er’s abilities and relationship, especially after witnessing their access to an Earth Tier technique and their willingness to share it.

Significant Themes

• The rarity and value of cultivation resources: Earth Tier techniques and advanced sound-wave Dou Techniques are shown to be treasures capable of causing conflict throughout the Black-Corner Region.
• Trust and emotional bonds: Xiao Yan’s immediate willingness to share the Nine Yang Divine Art with Xiao Xun’er emphasizes the depth of their childhood relationship and mutual trust.
• Strategic cultivation: Xiao Yan evaluates every reward according to its future usefulness, prioritizing the Beast Flame because of its connection to the powerful Five-Ring Flame-Separation Technique.
• Secrecy and danger: The elders’ warning and overwhelming power reinforce that the Scripture Pavilion contains secrets beyond what the students are permitted to understand.
• The gap between techniques: The Nine Yang Divine Art is presented as far superior to Xiao Yan’s Sacred Sun Technique, offering faster cultivation, physical strengthening, regeneration, and seemingly inexhaustible energy.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Yan congratulates himself on obtaining the Earth Tier technique, while Xiao Xun’er warmly congratulates him.
• Xiao Yan invites Xiao Xun’er to cultivate the Nine Yang Divine Art with him, reinforcing their closeness.
• Han Yue and Lin Xiuyan react with surprise to Xiao Xun’er’s fire affinity, the value of the Earth Tier technique, and the rarity of her sound-wave Dou Technique.
• Xiao Yan discusses the limitations of Lion-Tiger Shattering Gold Cry with the group, particularly its dependence on dragon qi.
• The gray-robed elders assert authority by reclaiming the Magic Core weapon and imposing strict secrecy.
• Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun’er end the chapter studying the Nine Yang Divine Art side by side, beginning a new stage in their cultivation.

Chapter Summary: Dou Emperor Cultivation Plan

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun’er study and replace their previous cultivation methods with the Earth Tier Nine Yang Divine Art.
• Xiao Xun’er, already a Three-Star Great Dou Master, experiences a powerful golden energy that purifies surrounding heaven-and-earth energy before she absorbs it. Although the transition temporarily slows her cultivation, the new method greatly improves her future potential.
• Xiao Yan adapts to the new method smoothly because of his experience handling medicinal and elemental energies. After twelve circulation cycles, he discovers that the Nine Yang Divine Art:
  • Channels Dou Qi through many more meridians.
  • Produces hotter yet gentler energy.
  • Nourishes his organs, bones, and muscles.
  • Strengthens his physical body and improves his resistance to powerful flames.
• Xiao Xun’er remarks that Earth Tier methods usually prioritize cultivation speed, making the Nine Yang Divine Art’s emphasis on both speed and foundational strength especially rare.
• After cultivating for two days, Xiao Yan says farewell to Ruo Lin and Xiao Yu before departing for the Inner Academy.
• At Hu Gan’s study, fifty students gather for their departure. Many other students arrive to watch them leave, and the group receives considerable admiration after Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian’s impressive performances in the selection competition.
• Xiao Yan notices that Han Yue has used the Jadeite Fruit to advance to the Six-Star Great Dou Master level.
• Hu Gan gives a graduation speech, explaining that the Inner Academy is the true core of Jia Nan Academy and that students who spend a year there will undergo a major transformation.
• Ten powerful fourth-tier Griffin Beasts arrive to escort the students. Hu Gan explains that the Inner Academy’s location is secret, even from most Outer Academy instructors.
• Xiao Yan, Xiao Xun’er, and Xiao Yi Xian board one Griffin Beast. Xiao Yi Xian summons Xiao Yan’s Blue Eagle, which carries the Fire Cloud Wolf.
• Several weaker students fall from the Griffin Beasts’ slippery backs, illustrating the gap between ordinary students and those with Da Dou Shi-level strength.
• Lin Xiuyan and Han Yue join Xiao Yan’s group, restoring the familiar five-person team. Hu Gan and three elders lead the beasts toward the academy’s rear mountain.

Character Developments

• Xiao Yan: Adopts the Nine Yang Divine Art and gains a stronger, better-nourished body. He becomes increasingly focused on using the Inner Academy’s resources to reach the Dou Emperor realm within two and a half years.
• Xiao Xun’er: Her golden energy is revealed to be highly effective at purifying external energies, giving her exceptional cultivation potential despite the temporary instability caused by changing methods.
• Xiao Yi Xian: Continues to act as a close companion and assists with the group’s travel by summoning the Blue Eagle.
• Han Yue: Advances to the Six-Star Great Dou Master level after consuming the Jadeite Fruit, demonstrating her continued improvement.
• Lin Xiuyan: Shows impressive movement ability while boarding the Griffin Beast and reunites with the group.
• Ruo Lin and Xiao Yu: Receive Xiao Yan’s farewell as he leaves behind the Outer Academy and its familiar memories.

Significant Themes

• Strength and cultivation foundations: The chapter emphasizes that true power depends not only on rapid advancement but also on a strong physical foundation.
• Transformation through opportunity: The Inner Academy is presented as a place capable of radically changing students’ abilities and futures.
• Hidden potential: Xiao Xun’er’s golden energy and the exceptional properties of the Nine Yang Divine Art suggest that cultivation methods and innate abilities can dramatically alter one’s progress.
• Competition and hierarchy: The Griffin Beast scene highlights the importance of strength, while the students’ reactions to Xiao Yan’s group reinforce the widening gap between talented cultivators and ordinary students.
• Departure and new beginnings: Xiao Yan leaves behind the Outer Academy and cherished relationships, beginning a more dangerous and promising stage of his cultivation journey.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun’er cultivate together and discuss the advantages of the Nine Yang Divine Art.
• Xiao Yan bids farewell to Ruo Lin and Xiao Yu before departure.
• The gathered students react with awe toward Xiao Yan, Xiao Yi Xian, and Xiao Xun’er because of their recent achievements.
• Xiao Yan observes Han Yue’s advancement but does not directly speak with her before departure.
• Lin Xiuyan and Han Yue join Xiao Yan’s traveling group, re-forming their previous five-person team.
• Hu Gan addresses the students, explains the Inner Academy’s importance, and leads the expedition alongside the academy elders.

Chapter Summary: “Team Fight”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hu Gan, three elders, and the selected students travel to the Inner Academy’s entrance. Along the way, the elders easily destroy attacking magical beasts.
• At the entrance, Xiao Yan and the other top five students are introduced to Hao Elder and Liu Elder, who explain the rules of the Fire-Energy Hunting Competition.
• Each new student receives a Crystal Card containing Fire Energy. They must cross a forest while older Inner Academy students attempt to rob them of this energy.
• Rather than simply fleeing, Xiao Yan realizes that Fire Energy is valuable to both sides and proposes that the new students hunt the older students instead.
• The students organize themselves into six teams, with Xiao Yan’s group consisting of Xiao Yan, Zi Yan, and the Fire Cloud Wolf.
• Five older students soon appear to rob them and even threaten to take Xiao Yan’s magical beast mount.
• Xiao Yan signals the attack. Lin Xiuyan, Liu Qing, Lin Yan, Bai Cheng, and the other team leaders each engage an older student.
• The new students overwhelmingly defeat the seniors. Lin Xiuyan, an Eight-Star Da Dou Shi, quickly overwhelms his opponent, while the other leaders achieve similar victories.
• Lin Yan searches a defeated senior and discovers a Fire Crystal Card containing fifty units of Fire Energy. He mocks the bald senior, making clear that the new students intend to rob the robbers.

Character Developments

• Xiao Yan demonstrates leadership, strategic thinking, and confidence. He quickly understands the true value of Fire Energy and transforms the students from a scattered group into an organized force.
• Bai Cheng willingly supports Xiao Yan’s command despite their previous rivalry, showing respect for Xiao Yan’s strength and leadership.
• Liu Qing joins the plan because he needs resources after failing to obtain a Scripture Pavilion spot, while also lending his considerable reputation to the movement.
• Lin Yan remains energetic and impulsive but supports Xiao Yan’s strategy enthusiastically. His discovery of the Fire Crystal Card highlights his excitement at reversing the competition’s expected power dynamic.
• Lin Xiuyan reveals impressive combat ability, using wind-attributed Dou Qi and an advanced cultivation method to defeat an older student with overwhelming speed.
• The broader group of new students gains confidence after witnessing their leaders’ victories.
• The older students, particularly the bald leader, are shocked and humiliated when the new students defeat them and take their Fire Energy.

Significant Themes

• Leadership and unity: Xiao Yan recognizes that strength alone is insufficient and insists on forming coordinated teams rather than allowing the students to scatter.
• Reversal of expectations: The competition is designed for older students to prey on newcomers, but the new students’ strength reverses the traditional roles.
• Strength and reputation: Bai Cheng and Liu Qing’s influence helps unify the students, while the leaders’ combat prowess proves that the new students are formidable.
• Resource competition: Fire Energy is presented as a valuable resource, making the contest not merely an escape but a struggle over power and opportunity.
• Confidence through victory: The first battle dramatically boosts the new students’ morale and undermines the seniors’ assumption of superiority.

Character Interactions

• Hu Gan introduces Xiao Yan’s group to Hao Elder and Liu Elder, establishing their future connections within the Inner Academy.
• Xiao Yan challenges the students’ instinct to flee and persuades them to cooperate under his leadership.
• Bai Cheng publicly pledges his support, encouraging others to follow Xiao Yan.
• Lin Yan reinforces Xiao Yan’s proposal, while Liu Qing’s support helps convince additional students.
• The bald older student threatens Xiao Yan’s Fire Cloud Wolf, prompting Xiao Yan to initiate the confrontation.
• Lin Yan humiliates the defeated bald student by taking his Fire Energy, emphasizing the complete reversal of the hunting competition.

Chapter Summary: “Being Too Clever”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Yan and the other new students force a group of older students to explain how to transfer Fire Energy between Fire Crystal Cards. They drain the bald leader’s card completely, rejecting his claim that older students are entitled to retain two days’ worth of energy.
• Xiao Yi Xian intervenes, appearing compassionate at first and offering to leave the older students some Fire Energy in exchange for information. When the bald man begins explaining, his companions accuse him of being foolish.
• Xiao Yi Xian reveals her terrifying poison ability by causing a healthy tree to wither instantly. Realizing they cannot resist, the bald man explains Fire Energy, the Burning Heaven Qi Refining Tower, and the rules of the Fire-Energy Hunting Competition.
• The new students learn that Fire Energy is essential for cultivating inside the tower, where it allows them to advance much faster. They also discover that nine other teams remain in the forest, including the powerful Black-and-White Baleful Squad.
• Xiao Yi Yan gives Xiao Yan the maps taken from the older students and proposes using the captured group to locate the remaining teams. He offers them Fire Energy for every team they bring back, turning them against their fellow older students.
• To ensure their cooperation, Xiao Yi Xian secretly poisons the five older students, making them dependent on her for an antidote.
• After dividing the captured Fire Energy among the new students, Xiao Yan leaves with Xiao Yi Xian and Xiao Xun’er. His larger goal is to unite the new students, gather resources, obtain magical beast cores and medicinal herbs, and locate the Snow Demon Sky Ape for Earth Core Tempering Milk.

Character Developments

• Xiao Yan becomes increasingly strategic and ruthless. Rather than merely defeating one team, he manipulates the older students into gathering all the remaining teams, while also using the competition to build a dependable organization for life in the Inner Academy.
• Xiao Yi Xian demonstrates that her gentle, benevolent appearance hides overwhelming and dangerous poison abilities. She shifts from seemingly negotiating to controlling the situation completely.
• Xiao Xun’er displays confidence in Xiao Yan’s plan and suggests that anyone attempting to outsmart them will only be “clever in his own mind,” hinting that she possesses hidden strength or safeguards.
• Lin Yan remains practical and perceptive, recognizing the danger that the captured older students might betray the new students by bringing back a larger force.
• The bald older student changes from arrogant and exploitative to frightened and submissive, providing information once Xiao Yi Xian proves her power.
• The new students collectively begin moving from individual competitors toward a coordinated group capable of challenging the Inner Academy’s older students.

Significant Themes

• Cleverness versus true intelligence: The chapter mocks people who believe they are manipulating events while actually falling into someone else’s trap.
• Power hidden beneath appearances: Xiao Yi Xian’s pure, fairy-like image contrasts sharply with her deadly poison mastery.
• Strategy and manipulation: Xiao Yan wins not simply through force, but by exploiting divisions among the older students and making them serve his objectives.
• Unity and leadership: The competition is portrayed as training for the new students’ future lives in the Inner Academy, where cooperation will be more valuable than isolated strength.
• Resources and advancement: Fire Energy, magical cores, herbs, and Earth Core Tempering Milk all represent the material foundations needed for cultivation and future breakthroughs.

Character Interactions

• Lin Yan humiliates the bald man by taking all his Fire Energy and rejecting the older students’ supposed privileges.
• Xiao Yi Xian first approaches the bald man with apparent kindness, then intimidates him and the others by demonstrating her poison.
• Xiao Yan pressures the captured group into becoming guides and informants, sweetening the arrangement with Fire Energy while Xiao Yi Xian ensures obedience through poison.
• Lin Xiuyan questions the risks of Xiao Yan’s plan, while Xiao Xun’er confidently dismisses the possibility that the older students can truly outwit them.
• Xiao Yan, Xiao Yi Xian, and Xiao Xun’er move forward together, combining Xiao Yan’s planning, Xiao Yi Xian’s control, and Xiao Xun’er’s mysterious confidence.

Chapter Summary: “Luring the Enemy”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Yan, Xiao Xun’er, and Xiao Yi Xian deliberately relax in the forest while several groups of older Jia Nan Academy students secretly surround them. Their peaceful “camping trip” is a trap designed to lure in multiple teams seeking Fire Energy and the Fire Cloud Wolf.
• The hidden observers react differently to Xiao Yan’s effortless strength and intimate comfort with Xun’er. Lin Xiuyan admires Xun’er’s elegance, Liu Qing is astonished by Xiao Yan and Xun’er’s backgrounds, and Lin Yan struggles to comprehend how Xiao Yan can cultivate, practice alchemy, fight, and still live so casually.
• Bai Cheng reveals that he has already gathered thirty-five points of Fire Energy and hopes to profit from the remaining teams.
• Four older-student teams arrive, including the formidable Black Baleful Squad. They intend to seize both the new students’ Fire Energy and the magical beast mount.
• When one black-robed student casually describes trading the Fire Cloud Wolf, Xiao Yan rebukes him for treating someone else’s property as a commodity. His arrogant response provokes the older students.
• Lin Xiuyan and the others launch a coordinated ambush, using arrows and poisonous smoke. Lin Xiuyan’s wind-attributed Dou Qi spreads the poison toward the enemy.
• The Black Baleful Squad’s captain counters with an Ice Spirit Barrier, freezing and neutralizing the poisonous smoke. His ice attribute and Eight-Star Da Dou Shi strength reveal him as a powerful opponent.
• Little Red suddenly attacks, shattering the ice barrier with overwhelming strength and flames. The older students are shocked to discover that the magical beast is actually third tier, not second tier as they had been led to believe.
• Xiao Yan orders everyone to end the battle quickly and summons the Crimson Flame Berserk Blade, signaling the true fight is about to begin.

Character Developments

• Xiao Yan demonstrates confidence, composure, and strategic intelligence. His leisurely behavior is not carelessness but part of a carefully prepared lure. He also openly defends his companions and refuses to let others treat Little Red as property.
• Xiao Xun’er displays deep intimacy and loyalty toward Xiao Yan. Her willingness to care for him publicly is interpreted by Han Yue as a clear declaration of possession.
• Xiao Yi Xian remains supportive and practical, preparing food while the trap unfolds.
• Lin Xiuyan proves himself a skilled strategist and powerful fighter, using wind-enhanced poison to begin the ambush. However, he is shaken by the Black Baleful captain’s equal strength and countering ice attribute.
• The Black Baleful captain is established as a dangerous Eight-Star Da Dou Shi with an ice-based technique capable of neutralizing poison.
• Little Red is revealed to be stronger than previously claimed. Its third-tier strength and destructive flames dramatically alter the balance of power.
• The older students underestimate Xiao Yan and his group because of their relaxed behavior and incomplete information, leaving them vulnerable to the ambush.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and deception: Xiao Yan’s group deliberately conceals their abilities, using appearances and misinformation to draw stronger opponents into a trap.
• Underestimation and arrogance: The older students dismiss the new students as inexperienced “bugs,” only to discover that the newcomers possess superior preparation and unexpected power.
• Strategic cooperation: The ambush depends on coordinated action among numerous students, combining arrows, poison, wind, and Little Red’s direct assault.
• Possession and loyalty: Xun’er’s public affection toward Xiao Yan emphasizes their close relationship, while the discussion of transferring magical-beast loyalty highlights the value of bonds between humans and beasts.
• Information as power: The false report that Little Red is only second tier allows Xiao Yan’s group to manipulate the older students into attacking.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Xun’er affectionately feeds Xiao Yan while he rests on her lap, reinforcing their romantic closeness.
• Han Yue observes their behavior and recognizes Xun’er’s actions as a deliberate claim over Xiao Yan.
• The older students mock Xiao Yan’s relaxed attitude, while Xiao Yan responds by insulting them as “bugs,” escalating the confrontation.
• Lin Xiuyan’s wind technique supports the group’s poison attack, but the Black Baleful captain directly counters him with ice.
• Xiao Yan takes command once Little Red breaks through the enemy’s defense, ordering the ambush party to finish the battle and preparing to fight personally.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Xiao Yan’s group defeats the Black Baleful Squad. Xiao Yi Xian’s deceptive, poison-laced arrows weaken the opponents, while Xiao Yan finishes off Luo Yue. The Fire Cloud Wolf helps bring down another member, and poison incapacitates the last two.
• Xiao Yan takes the squad’s five Fire Crystal Cards and transfers their Fire Energy to his own. He then seals their Dou Qi and hides them after hearing other teams approaching.
• To mislead the newcomers, Xiao Yan disguises himself in a black robe and stages a fight against Xiao Yi Xian and Xiao Xun’er. The Fire Cloud Wolf acts as their apparent protector.
• Three senior-student teams arrive, assume the girls need rescuing, and rush into the staged battle. The Wolf suddenly attacks them, while Xiao Yi Xian blocks their escape with poison.
• Xiao Yan unleashes three powerful Dou Techniques in quick succession, badly injuring the seniors. His smoother Dou Qi circulation—thanks to his Earth Tier Cultivation Method—allows him to chain the attacks together. The group then defeats the seniors and takes their Fire Energy.
• The resulting explosions draw the attention of four more teams, who decide to investigate.

Character developments

• Xiao Yan shows tactical cunning as well as strength: he disguises the group’s intentions, exploits the seniors’ assumptions, and demonstrates improved combat ability.
• Xiao Yi Xian proves effective as an archer and battlefield tactician, using varied arrows and poison to control opponents and their movements.
• Xiao Xun’er helps maintain the deception by convincingly playing the role of a junior under attack.
• The Fire Cloud Wolf shows loyalty to Xiao Yan’s group, attacking the seniors despite their belief that it was protecting them.

Significant themes

• Deception and misjudgment: The seniors’ eagerness to rescue the girls blinds them to the trap.
• Strength and survival: The forest rewards those able to seize opportunities and defend themselves against multiple groups.
• Cooperation: Xiao Yan, the two girls, and the Wolf combine their different abilities to overcome stronger numbers.
• Power through cultivation: Xiao Yan’s improved energy circulation lets him use his techniques more rapidly and effectively.

Character interactions

• Xiao Yi Xian’s arrows and Xiao Yan’s attacks work together to defeat the Black Baleful Squad.
• Xiao Yan and the girls coordinate their staged fight, while the Wolf reinforces the illusion by appearing to guard them.
• The seniors mistake the girls’ performance for genuine danger and charge in; the group turns their assumptions against them.
• The approaching teams interpret the repeated explosions as evidence of either unusually powerful new students or valuable spoils, setting up further confrontations.

Key plot points and events

• After defeating the Black Baleful Squad, Xiao Yan sets a trap for the four remaining veteran teams. He disables the veterans already captured with a weakening powder and arranges them around a bonfire as bait.
• The four teams approach, each misreading the gathering: some think the veterans have united, while others see an easy group of freshmen to rob.
• Xiao Yan, Xiao Xun’er, and the disguised Fire Cloud Wolf launch a coordinated ambush. Xiao Yan’s powerful combination attack injures more than ten veterans; Xun’er’s precise, flame-enhanced palm technique gravely wounds eight; Little Red routs those who try to escape.
• Xiao Yan collects the defeated teams’ Fire Energy. With the White Baleful Squad now the only veteran team remaining, the group is close to the competition’s finish line.
• The freshmen arrive, bringing along the first veteran team Xiao Yan defeated. They are stunned to see eight veteran teams—including the Black Baleful Squad—already beaten. Xiao Yan invites them to join the march toward the White Baleful Squad.

Character developments

• Xiao Yan shows strategic cunning as well as overwhelming combat power. His Earth Tier cultivation method helps him recover Dou Qi quickly, and he is eager to reach the Inner Academy’s Burning Heaven Qi Refining Tower.
• Xiao Xun’er reveals a powerful technique she had kept hidden, demonstrating precise control and formidable strength.
• Xiao Yi Xian helps draw the veterans into the trap and shares in the group’s success.
• The freshmen, including Lin Xiuyan’s group, recognize the extraordinary gap between themselves and Xiao Yan’s team, but are relieved when he welcomes them rather than excluding or belittling them.

Significant themes

• Preparation and teamwork: The trap and coordinated attacks let the group overwhelm multiple teams at once.
• Power and reputation: Xiao Yan’s group’s rapid victories overturn expectations about what freshmen can accomplish.
• Competition and cooperation: Though the event pits students against one another, Xiao Yan chooses to include the other freshmen as they face the final challenge.

Character interactions

• Xiao Yan coordinates the plan with Xun’er and Yi Xian, while the two women help conceal Little Red beneath turf.
• The veterans’ conflicting assumptions lead to confusion and accusations of collusion once the ambush begins.
• After witnessing the defeated teams, the freshmen are intimidated and embarrassed by the difference in strength. Xiao Yan responds amiably, inviting them to proceed together against the White Baleful Squad.