Chapter Summaries

Fan Ling and the Blood Sect withdrew after realizing they had provoked a powerful alchemist and Dou Zong expert, while Yuan Yi tried to win Cai Lin’s favor. Elsewhere, Xiao Yan bought a sealed Storage Ring at a market, and its contents appeared to surprise him.

• Fan Ling recognized the purple-clad woman as the Dou Zong expert from the auction and led the Blood Sect members out of Black Seal City.
• Elder Qing decided that the Heavenly Snake Mansion needed to get on good terms with the mysterious alchemist, while Yuan Yi dispersed the crowd and gave Cai Lin a Black-Gold Card.
• Xiao Yan wandered through Black Seal City’s markets in disguise, searching for unusual items.
• Xiao Yan bargained with a stallholder and bought a sealed high-grade Storage Ring for two hundred thousand gold coins.
• Xiao Yan examined the pale-blue Storage Ring and reacted with surprise and delight.

Xiao Yan discovered Han Feng’s diary and remnant soul inside the Advanced Storage Ring, learning that Han Feng had betrayed Yao Lao over the Flame Mantra. Xiao Yan captured Han Feng in a Jade Bottle and planned to deliver him to Starfall Pavilion.

• Xiao Yan erased the ring’s Seal and found Pill recipes, Medicinal Materials, and a fragment of the Flame Mantra containing Han Feng’s Log.
• Xiao Yan read how Han Feng plotted against Yao Lao, was defeated, and escaped with his remnant soul.
• Han Feng appeared and tried to recruit Xiao Yan by promising to teach him the Flame Mantra.
• Xiao Yan revealed that he knew Han Feng’s identity and trapped him inside a Fire Dragon.
• Xiao Yan burned Han Feng with Heavenly Flames, sealed him in a Jade Bottle, and decided to hand him over to Starfall Pavilion.

Xiao Yan absorbed Han Feng’s Sea Heart Flame and refused to help Elder Qing beyond arranging her escape from the Black-Corner Region. After spending the night with Cai Lin and disturbing Xiao Yi Xian, he examined Han Feng’s Storage Ring and decided to test a pill formula that could help someone advance to Dou Emperor.

• Xiao Yan’s Fire Flood Dragon swallowed the Sea Heart Flame, adding it to the three Flame Seeds within his Qi Fire.
• Elder Qing asked Xiao Yan to save her, but he refused to help the Heavenly Snake Mansion beyond having White Fang escort her out of the Black-Corner Region.
• Cai Lin checked Xiao Yan for signs of Elder Qing’s advances, then kissed him and went with him to the rear rooms.
• Xiao Yi Xian was kept awake by Xiao Yan and Cai Lin and angrily shattered the Jade Bottle containing her Fire Poison Pill.
• Xiao Yan studied Han Feng’s Storage Ring, found the Azure Nether Longevity Pill formula, and decided to buy its ingredients and try making it.

Xiao Yan prepared to leave Black Seal City for Jia Nan Academy, while Yuan Yi discovered the Emperor's Extreme Pill Xiao Yan had left him. Elder Qing's attempt to leave without the Blood Sect ended in an ambush, leaving her surrounded and in danger.

• Xiao Yan decided to head to Jia Nan Academy to find Xun'er and asked Cai Lin whether Elder Qing had left Black Seal City.
• Xiao Yan and his companions departed, and Yuan Yi found an Emperor's Extreme Pill Xiao Yan had left behind.
• Fan Lao dismissed Fan Ling's concerns and waited with the Blood Sect to ambush Elder Qing and seize her treasures.
• Elder Qing stopped at a suspicious valley, hoping Xiao Yan might arrive and protect her.
• Fan Lao struck Elder Qing from her horse, and the Blood Sect surrounded her and threatened to imprison and abuse her unless she surrendered her possessions.

Xiao Yan rescued Elder Qing and the Heavenly Snake Mansion disciples from Fan Lao and the Blood Sect, killing Fan Ling, Fan Lao, and the sect members. He refused the Seventh-Grade Pill Elder Qing offered and left with White Fang for Jia Nan Academy.

• Elder Qing led the Heavenly Snake Mansion disciples against Fan Lao, but a Blood Sect subordinate stole her Storage Ring and Fan Lao ordered his men to kill the others and take her captive.
• White Fang arrived with Xiao Yan and overwhelmed the battlefield, prompting Fan Lao to offer the Seventh-Grade Pill in exchange for the Blood Sect’s withdrawal.
• Xiao Yan burned Fan Ling, Fan Lao, and the remaining Blood Sect disciples with Dark-Green Flame.
• Xiao Yan asked White Fang to take the Heavenly Snake Mansion disciples back to their sect after dropping him and his companions off at Jia Nan Academy.
• Elder Qing thanked Xiao Yan and offered him the Seventh-Grade Yin-Yang Profound Dragon Pill and her Three Thousand Lightning Movement technique, but he returned the pill and said he was not interested.

Xiao Yan arrived at Peace Town and revealed to Jia Nan Academy’s Enforcement Team that he was a returning student from Instructor Ruo Lin’s class. Huo De escorted Xiao Yan toward Jia Nan City for the Inner Academy selection, while Cai Lin and Qing Lin stayed behind.

• Xiao Yan reached Peace Town atop White Fang, alarming the Enforcement Team with the enormous Sixth-Rank Magical Beast.
• Xiao Yan introduced himself to Instructor Huo De as a student from Instructor Ruo Lin’s class and confirmed that he knew Xun'er.
• Huo De recognized Xiao Yan and offered to take him to Jia Nan City before the next day’s Inner Academy selection.
• Xiao Yan asked Cai Lin to remain in Peace Town and protect his family when they arrived, and she agreed.
• Xiao Yan told Qing Lin to stay behind too, promising to bring her to the academy after she advanced to Dou Wang.

Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian arrived at Jia Nan City and revealed that they were Dou Wang experts, then rescued Xiao Ning from students targeting him over Xiao Xun'er. As the Inner Academy selection began, Xiao Xun'er waited uncertainly for Xiao Yan to arrive.

• Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian flew to Jia Nan City after leaving Instructor Huo De and the Enforcement Team stunned by their Dou Wang strength.
• Xiao Yan found Xiao Ning being beaten by Ma Yan and the other students, while Xiao Yi Xian blocked their escape.
• Xiao Yan ordered Xiao Ning to repay the beating twice over, and Xiao Ning beat Ma Yan and the others before remembering the Inner Academy selection was about to start.
• Xiao Xun'er defeated a senior in the Arena, then spoke with the Little Demoness and Ruo Lin as they wondered whether Xiao Yan would arrive in time.

Xiao Yan made a dramatic arrival at Jia Nan Academy’s competition, descending atop a colossal black pillar and revealing his overwhelming power. He introduced himself as Yellow Class Two’s contestant and prepared to face Bai Shan.

• Bai Shan taunted the absent Xiao Yan and demanded that he be declared the winner, while Ruo Lin feared she would lose her job and Xiao Xun'er insisted Xiao Yan would come.
• Hu Gan refused to remove Xiao Yan from the competition, knowing of his extraordinary abilities and background.
• A thousand-zhang black pillar descended from the sky, and Hu Gan rescued Bai Shan from being crushed beneath it.
• The students recognized Xiao Ning standing behind the young man atop the pillar, while a white-clad woman stood beside him.
• Xiao Yan looked down at Bai Shan and announced that he was there to compete.

Xiao Yan returned to Jia Nan Academy and effortlessly won the match after Bai Shan conceded. He reunited with Xiao Xun'er, then Hu Jia confessed that she had befriended Xun'er because she liked him.

• Xiao Yan revealed himself at the Arena and challenged Bai Shan to give him the welcome the students had promised.
• Hu Jia panicked at Xiao Yan's strength while Xiao Xun'er teased her and watched Xiao Yan reunite with Xiao Yi Xian.
• Bai Shan conceded, and Xiao Yan called the students pathetic trash before Hu Gan declared him the winner.
• Xiao Yan greeted Ruo Lin and Xiao Xun'er, then asked who Hu Jia was.
• Xiao Xun'er introduced Hu Jia as one of her admirers, and Hu Jia blurted out that she had gotten close to Xun'er because she liked Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan reunited with Xiao Xun'er at Jia Nan Academy and reassured her that she would be his primary wife. After promising to formally marry her and entrust her with managing his household, he left Xiao Xun'er pleased with the arrangement.

• Hu Gan backed Hu Jia's claim that she liked Xiao Yan, but Xiao Yan saw through their attempt to deflect suspicion.
• Xiao Yan apologized to Xiao Xun'er for taking so long to visit, then embraced and kissed her as Hu Jia watched jealously.
• Xiao Yan greeted Ling Ying, learned that his master's guidance had helped Ling Ying reach seven-star Dou Zong, and accepted him as a junior apprentice brother.
• Xiao Xun'er confronted Xiao Yan about his newlywed wife, Medusa, and worried she might seem like a woman breaking up their marriage.
• Xiao Yan declared Xiao Xun'er his primary wife and promised to marry her formally and let her manage his harem; Xiao Xun'er said she would reluctantly accept.

Xiao Yan visited the Inner Academy trials, where his presence drew attention to the Xiao Clan’s growing influence and abundance of resources. Xiao Yu worked up the courage to offer him her lap as a pillow, leaving Xiao Yan speechless.

• Xiao Yu complained that Xiao Yan had not visited her, and Xiao Ning urged her to take the initiative if she liked him.
• Xiao Yan appeared at the trials and said Xiao Xun'er had gone into seclusion to attempt a breakthrough to Dou Wang.
• The Xiao Clan’s disciples gathered around Xiao Yan, whose high-grade pills had greatly improved their cultivation and prospects.
• Xiao Mei greeted Xiao Yan, and he remarked on how much she had grown.
• Xiao Yu shyly asked Xiao Yan if he wanted to rest his head on her lap, and he was left speechless.

Xiao Yan joined Jia Nan Academy’s Inner Academy assessment to plunder Fire Energy from the senior students and build up starting capital. After Elder Bai realized who was participating, he changed the rules and offered the veterans five hundred days of Fire Energy if they survived until the end.

• Xiao Yan and the other top five tournament contestants arrived with the fifty selected disciples, and Xiao Yan kept a medicinal material he had chosen from the Mystic Scripture Pavilion.
• Xiao Yan told Hu Gan he would enter the Inner Academy assessment to gather Fire Energy before joining the Inner Academy.
• Hu Gan brought the disciples through the spatial barrier, where the senior students mocked the newcomers and eyed the female contestants.
• Elder Bai recognized Xiao Yan and learned from Hu Gan that he intended to plunder the senior students’ Fire Energy.
• Elder Bai revised the rules, offering surviving senior students five hundred days of Fire Energy, prompting the veterans to consider joining forces to survive.

Xiao Yan and his companions dominated the Fire Energy Hunting Competition, revealing that three of the newcomers were Dou Wang experts. At the finish line, Luo Hou learned the Black Fiend Team had already been defeated and realized he could not avoid the newcomers.

• A senior student robbed a newcomer of his fire energy points until Xiao Yan arrived and subdued him, prompting the senior students to surrender their Fire Energy Cards.
• Xiao Yan returned the stolen points, then flew off with Xiao Xun'er and Xiao Yi Xian, whose Dou Wang auras stunned the senior students.
• A newcomer told the senior students that Xiao Yan was a Sixth-Rank Alchemist Grandmaster who had been away from the Outer Academy for more than a year.
• Luo Hou dismissed reports of three Dou Wang newcomers until his teammate confirmed that the Black Fiend Team had been swiftly defeated and stripped of its points.
• Luo Hou protested to Elder Bai that the newcomers' power violated the rules, but Elder Bai said they qualified and warned that they would soon reach the finish line.

Xiao Yan collected Luo Hou’s fire energy and agreed to establish a faction called the Dao Sect to protect future Xiao Clan students and recruit talent. When Xiao Xun'er revealed that the Gu Clan might take her back, Xiao Yan flew out to confront the ten approaching Gu Clan figures.

• Xiao Yan persuaded Luo Hou to hand over his Fire Energy Card and raised his total to 512 fire energy points.
• Hu Jia and Wu Hao proposed gathering the new students into a faction, and Xiao Yan agreed to name it the Dao Sect.
• Xiao Yan spent time with Xiao Xun'er, who asked whether he would miss her if she had to leave him.
• Xiao Xun'er explained that members of the Gu Clan wanted her returned, and Xiao Yan asked whether she minded him teaching them a lesson.
• Xiao Yan carried Xiao Xun'er into the air and faced the ten figures approaching from the Gu Clan.

Xiao Yan protected Xiao Xun'er from Ling Quan and the Black Annihilation Army, defeating Ling Quan after he insulted the Xiao Clan and attacked. He sent the soldiers back with a warning that he would visit the Gu Clan himself.

• Xiao Yan told Xiao Xun'er that no one, not even Gu Yuan, could take her away if she did not want to go.
• Ling Quan insulted the Xiao Clan and charged Xiao Yan with his spear.
• Xiao Yan caught Ling Quan's spear, burned it, and beat him until he passed out.
• Xiao Xun'er stopped the other Black Annihilation Army members from joining the fight.
• Xiao Yan ordered the soldiers to take Ling Quan back and tell Gu Yuan that Ling Quan had attacked first.
• Xiao Yan warned the Gu Clan's men that Xun'er was his and that he would visit the clan to confront them.

After the Gu Clan’s Black Annihilation Army left, Xiao Yan reassured Xiao Xun'er that his anger would not change his feelings for her. At the pavilion, Xiao Yi Xian revealed that her woeful poison body was changing again, and Xiao Yan examined her after learning the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower’s flame helped suppress it.

• Xiao Yan told Xiao Xun'er that his resentment toward the Gu Clan would not affect his feelings for her, and they embraced and kissed.
• Hu Jia recounted how she and Wu Hao nearly succumbed to heart flame scorching in the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower, while Xiao Yi Xian endured it for four hours and advanced her cultivation.
• Xiao Yi Xian explained that her seal had not stopped her hair and nails from changing, prompting Wu Hao to kneel and promise secrecy about her woeful poison body.
• Xiao Yan warned Wu Hao not to spread rumors, then asked Xiao Yi Xian about her condition.
• Xiao Yi Xian said consuming poison and netherworld poison flame caused her body to develop toward its full-fledged state, and that the fallen heart flame seemed to suppress it.
• Xiao Yan took Xiao Yi Xian's wrist to examine her after hearing about the fallen heart flame's effect.

In the Ancient Realm, Gu Yuan rebuked an elder for blaming Xiao Yan after Ling Quan’s defeat and allowed Gu Yao to challenge him later. Gu Zhen then revealed his own breakthrough to Dou Zun and vowed to confront Xiao Yan when he reached that realm.

• The white-haired elder demanded that Gu Yuan punish Xiao Yan for crippling Ling Quan, but Gu Yuan scolded him for acting without permission and losing face for the Gu Clan.
• Gu Yuan said the elders could not leave the Ancient Realm at will, and Gu Yao requested permission to travel to the Central Plains.
• Gu Yao agreed that only Gu Clan disciples of Xiao Yan’s generation could act, but said he would wait until Xiao Yan reached Dou Zun.
• Gu Zhen asked Gu Yao about the clan’s response to Ling Quan’s defeat and said he would teach Xiao Yan a lesson when he reached Dou Zun.
• Gu Zhen released a powerful aura, and Gu Yao realized that Gu Zhen had also broken through to Dou Zun.

Xiao Yan entered the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower with the Dao Sect disciples and used his Heavenly Flames to devour the heartfire affecting them. Elder Liu then asked him to refine a peak fifth-grade Dou Ling Pill, leaving Han Yue stunned by Xiao Yan’s strength and alchemy skills.

• Xiao Yan entered the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower and let his Qi Fire devour the heartfire that had entered his body.
• Xiao Yan found that several Dao Sect disciples, including Xiao Xun'er, had been caught by the heartfire, while Xiao Yi Xian and Wu Hao remained composed.
• Hu Jia called for Elder Liu, but Xiao Yan stopped her and showed that he had captured the heartfire with his three Heavenly Flames.
• Han Yue scolded Xiao Yan for risking the students’ lives, and Elder Liu explained that Xiao Yan’s fire control surpassed Elder Huo’s.
• Elder Liu asked Xiao Yan to refine a peak fifth-grade Dou Ling Pill, and Xiao Yan accepted the request.
• Han Yue realized that Xiao Yan was a fifth-rank alchemist and stared at him in disbelief.

Xiao Yan revealed himself as a Fifth-Rank Alchemist at the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower, drawing Han Yue’s interest and reuniting with Xiao Xun'er. He began cultivating in an advanced room while the fallen heart flame beneath the tower trembled at his overwhelming power.

• Han Yue recognized Xiao Yan as a Fifth-Rank Alchemist and sought to build a good relationship with him.
• Xiao Xun'er appeared beside Xiao Yan, teased him about looking at Han Yue, and promised to help him restore the Xiao Clan’s glory.
• Xiao Yan removed the heartfire from the Dao Sect disciples and instructed them to cultivate on the appropriate floors of the tower.
• Xiao Yan led Xiao Xun'er and Xiao Yi Xian to an Advanced Cultivation Room and began cultivating.
• Beneath the tower, the enormous python fled deeper underground after sensing Xiao Yan and the three Fire Flood Dragons behind him.

After half a month of cultivation in the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower, Xiao Yan broke through to Two-Star Dou Wang and went to find Zi Yan with medicinal herbs as bait. In the Inner Academy’s eastern district, he began bargaining with Lin Yan for a spirit herb.

• Xiao Yan absorbed the Fallen Heart Flame’s heartfire and broke through from One-Star to Two-Star Dou Wang.
• Xiao Yan left letters for Xun'er and Xiao Yi Xian, then headed out to lure Zi Yan with precious medicinal materials.
• Xiao Yan visited the Dao Sect and learned that its freshmen had grown stronger and settled into the Inner Academy.
• Xiao Yu agreed to let Xiao Yan touch her thigh again, then accompanied him to the eastern district market.
• Xiao Yan asked Lin Yan the price of an emerald-green herb, and Lin Yan demanded four hundred heavenly fire energy or an Earth Tier Cultivation Method.