Chapter Summaries

Xu Yang gathered the ingredients for Dragon-Tiger Profound Connection Pills and began refining them while preparing to enter the Middle Court. He learned that the Han Family was investigating him, while the Xiao Family chose to let him waste his resources; the chapter ended with Xu Yang sealing the furnace after a day and night of alchemy.

• Xu Yang exchanged academic credits for the four main ingredients for Dragon-Tiger Profound Connection Pills and refused Xiao Qi’s offer to buy the heart-calming fire lotus.
• Xu Yang bought the remaining herbs, and Jin Yu gave him twelve days to settle his affairs before entering the Middle Court and permission for Xu Qing to stay with him until the next Dragon Ascension.
• Jin Yu warned Xu Yang that Han Jun and Han Qian suspected him of killing Han Feng and were investigating him.
• Xiao Hui told Xiao Qi not to retaliate against Xu Yang because Huo Xiaochэнь wanted to kill him himself after reaching the Final Dragon.
• Xu Yang began refining Dragon-Tiger Profound Connection Pills as Xu Qing watched, and after a day and night he started circulating the Greenwood Spirit-Guiding Art to seal the furnace.

Xu Yang completed a batch of Dragon-Tiger Profound Connection Pills and entered the Heavenly Strategy Academy’s Middle Court with Fan Yi. After passing through the Heart Inquiry Tower in under fifteen minutes, he left Jin Yu baffled about what the test had revealed about him.

• Xu Yang refined eleven Dragon-Tiger Profound Connection Pills, earned 200 panel points, and prepared to leave the Lower Court with Xu Qing’s help.
• Xu Yang and Fan Yi followed Jin Yu through the passage into the Middle Court, where Jin Yu explained that demonic qi could strengthen them if properly refined.
• Jin Yu brought the two students to the Heart Inquiry Tower, where Fan Yi entered first and emerged after nearly four hours with a sharper aura.
• Inside the tower, Xu Yang rejected illusions offering martial advancement, revenge, wealth, power, and other temptations, then emerged in less than fifteen minutes.
• Jin Yu questioned Xu Yang’s swift passage, and Xu Yang claimed his devotion to martial arts had helped him resist before following Jin Yu to his quarters.

Xu Yang settled into the Middle Court, learned that its four free legacies required approval from their Martial Masters, and chose the body legacy after discovering that influential figures were obstructing other choices. At the Martial Transmission Hall, the Saber Technique Martial Master and the fist legacy’s Martial Master rejected him, leaving his attempt to obtain the body legacy uncertain.

• Xu Yang moved into a Middle Court courtyard, learned from Sun Tao that the Demon Abyss produced the corrosive demonic qi, and discovered that the academy’s unique legacies required qualification tasks and a choice among four disciplines.
• Xu Yang refined a Dragon-Tiger Profound Connection Pill during seven days of seclusion, improving his cultivation and advancing his Dragon Elephant Heart Sutra, Azure Dragon Tyrant Body, and Blood Prison Heart Saber Scripture.
• Xu Yang learned that the saber legacy’s Martial Master favored the Xiao Family and that the fist legacy’s Martial Master belonged to the Han Family, then chose to pursue the body legacy.
• At the Martial Transmission Hall, Wei Liuyun told Xu Yang that the saber legacy was not suited to him, and the Martial Master associated with Han Yi rejected him from the fist legacy as well.

Xu Yang chose the physical inheritance and accepted three assessments to qualify for Heavenly Strategy Academy’s true inheritance. Meanwhile, Shen Juefeng accused the academy of hiding a seventh Spirit Bone Prodigy, escaped Jin Yu’s attack, and left the students debating whether such a person existed.

• Martial Master Lieshan confirmed Xu Yang had reached the silver-blood realm and gave him five years to reach golden blood energy, perfect the Eight Fiends Subduing Dragon Force, and master the Frenzied Battle Four Symbols Art.
• Fan Yi chose the saber inheritance and Qiu He chose the fist inheritance, while Xu Yang began studying the Four Symbols Art and considered combining it with his other secret art.
• Shen Juefeng defeated Li Zihua and Yang Xingda, accused Jin Yu of concealing a seventh Spirit Bone Prodigy, and escaped after Jin Yu wounded him with a powerful strike.
• At the dining hall, Xu Yang heard reports of Shen Juefeng’s escape and listened as students argued over whether Heavenly Strategy Academy had a hidden Spirit Bone Prodigy.

Xu Yang steadily cultivated in the Middle Court, strengthening his techniques and defenses as Qi Ning claimed first place on the Heavenly Strategy Wind and Cloud Rankings. After refining his tenth Dragon-Tiger Profound Connection Pill, Xu Yang neared fourth Heavenly Origin perfection and revealed a terrifying fist intent that startled Fan Yi.

• At the academy, students speculated about a hidden Spirit Bone Prodigy while Shen Juefeng escaped after draining a Heaven-Burning Sect disciple to recover his strength.
• Xu Yang advanced several martial arts, perfected his Spirit-Nurturing Art, and reached the third level of the Golden Astral Skill, forming a body-protecting vajra manifestation.
• Xu Yang declined Sun Tao's invitation to enter the Demon Abyss and continued refining pills and cultivating in his courtyard.
• Qi Ning reached fourth Heavenly Origin perfection, cleared the Battle Tower's fifteenth floor, and took first place on the Heavenly Strategy Wind and Cloud Rankings; Leng Qiuyue later reached the same floor and placed second.
• After refining his tenth Dragon-Tiger Profound Connection Pill, Xu Yang came close to fourth Heavenly Origin perfection and unleashed a domineering Eight Desolations Demon-Subduing Fist intent that frightened Fan Yi.

Xu Yang broke through to fifth heavenly origin after cultivating in the Spirit Tower, greatly increasing his strength and beginning to develop a dragon bone. He headed for the Battle Tower to improve his ranking, while Zhang Yong and Zhang Hong arrived in Cloud Province and learned how dangerous the city was.

• Xu Yang exchanged his academic credits for pill ingredients, cultivated until he reached fourth heavenly origin perfection, and entered the Spirit Tower to attempt a breakthrough.
• Xu Yang shattered the fifth heavenly origin barrier with the help of a Dragon-Tiger Profound Connection Pill, then consolidated his cultivation and discovered his spirit bone and mental power had strengthened.
• Zhang Yong and Zhang Hong arrived in Cloud Province, learned that Lu Ren and Li Chuyang were dead, and refused Qi Xuancheng's invitation to join his gang after Zhang Yong recognized the danger.
• Xu Yang went to the Battle Tower seeking a higher ranking and found Lu Wei challenging it, with Huo Xiaochен and Tu Gang also present after reaching fourth heavenly origin perfection.

Xu Yang entered the Battle Tower after Huo Xiaochેન reached the fourteenth floor, then surprised the academy by clearing the eleventh and rising to twenty-fifth in the rankings. His achievement drew the attention of the Han Family and prompted Jin Yu to arrange protection for him, while Xu Yang later challenged Lu Wei and his allies before celebrating with his friends.

• Lu Wei reached the thirteenth floor, but Huo Xiaochેન surpassed him by reaching the fourteenth and placing ninth in the rankings.
• Xu Yang entered the Battle Tower, cleared the tenth floor, and then defeated the sixth-Heavenly-Origin Gatekeeper on the eleventh floor while concealing his true strength.
• Xu Yang emerged exhausted, and the Heavenly Strategy Wind and Cloud Rankings placed him twenty-fifth; Han Yi resolved to kill him, while Jin Yu sought Martial Master Lieshan's protection for him.
• Xu Yang revealed that he had driven Lu Wei off during the Azure Dragon Trial's Secret Realm, and Lu Wei left with Han Yi and Wan He after trading threats.
• Xu Yang joined Wu Xiuyuan, Gu Qingfeng, and the others for drinks, where Gu Qingfeng asked why his talent seemed to keep improving.

Xu Yang entered the Demon Abyss to search for a heart-calming fire lotus, where he fought and killed a resilient demonic beast. Meanwhile, Han Yi rejected Wan He's suggestion to pursue Xu Yang, though he still intended to kill him once his Spirit Weapon was forged.

• Xu Yang learned that the Logistics Hall had no heart-calming fire lotuses and paid Zhang Jing ten academic credits for information about one in the Demon Abyss.
• Xu Yang entered the Demon Abyss, concealed his aura, and found himself in a blood-red world connected to several passages.
• A leopard-like demonic beast attacked Xu Yang, who tested its defenses before killing it with the Diamond Great Hand Seal.
• Han Yi refused Wan He's suggestion to follow Xu Yang into the Demon Abyss or ask Han Qianlin to intervene, and said he would kill Xu Yang after forging his Spirit Weapon.

Xu Yang explored the Demon Abyss, collecting spirit herbs and defeating a black python before claiming a mutated Earth Fate Fruit from a powerful humanoid demonic beast. He then heard a battle near the Heart-Calming Fire Lotus’s location and quietly approached.

• Xu Yang crushed a Demon Herb and found a mutated Sunfire Vermilion Fruit guarded by a fifth Heavenly Origin black python, which he killed with the Diamond Great Hand Seal.
• Xu Yang spent the night hiding in a cave, contemplating martial arts, then continued through the Demon Abyss and gathered more spirit herbs.
• Xu Yang found a mutated Earth Fate Fruit and fought a humanoid demonic beast whose strength rivaled the seventh Heavenly Origin stage.
• Xu Yang used the Heavenly Star Saber and the Earth-Splitting Dragon-Shocking Slash to destroy the demonic beast, then took the Earth Fate Fruit and fled as other presences approached.
• Xu Yang heard humans and demonic beasts fighting near the Heart-Calming Fire Lotus and silently moved toward the battle.

Xu Yang found and claimed a heart-calming fire lotus after killing the demonic beast guarding it, then faced two Eight Extremes Sect disciples who tried to take it. He launched a surprise attack and battled the pair, revealing himself as Huo Xiaochен and unleashing the power of his spirit bone.

• Xu Yang watched four fighters from the Blazing Sun Sect and the Eight Extremes Sect battle over a spirit treasure, then withdrew when an eighth Heavenly Origin demonic beast arrived.
• Xu Yang found the heart-calming fire lotus in a lava pool and killed its lizard-like guardian with the Eight Desolations Demon-Subduing Fist.
• Two Eight Extremes Sect disciples demanded the lotus, but Xu Yang stored it in a Spirit Box and refused to surrender it.
• Xu Yang claimed to be an Eight Extremes Sect disciple to distract the pair, then attacked them while activating his Golden Astral Skill, azure dragon tyrant body, and Eight Fiends Subduing Dragon Force.
• Xu Yang identified the burly disciple as a body-tempering martial cultivator and staggered him with the Asura Armor-Piercing Fist, then blocked the white-robed disciple's spirit-weapon fan and revealed himself as Huo Xiaochен.
• Xu Yang released the suppression on his spirit bone as he prepared to strike the white-robed disciple.

Xu Yang killed Bai Yu and Jiang Hua, then defeated an injured Eight Extremes Sect martial cultivator and claimed the mysterious gourd he carried. After cleansing the gourd with astral energy, Xu Yang opened it and wondered if it was a storage spirit treasure.

• Xu Yang used the Thunderfire Bomb’s blast to gravely wound Bai Yu and Jiang Hua, then killed them and left their bodies in the lava.
• Xu Yang encountered an injured Eight Extremes Sect body-tempering martial cultivator, defeated him, and found a plain iron gourd in the pit.
• Xu Yang escaped the approaching demonic beasts and later entered a cave to examine the gourd.
• Xu Yang poured astral energy into the gourd until its dirt and rust fell away, revealing a green body covered in mysterious runes.
• Xu Yang continued feeding the gourd astral energy, and its lid popped open, leading him to suspect it was a storage spirit treasure.

Xu Yang discovered a mysterious Golden Book inside a Storage Spirit Treasure, then encountered Liu Gao, Jiang Yun, Song Tie, and another Heavenly Strategy Academy student surrounded by demonic beasts. After refusing to save them, he secretly waited for the survivors and attacked them, revealing his Azure Dragon Tyrant Body and prompting them to suspect he was the academy’s hidden seventh Spirit Bone Prodigy.

• Xu Yang found an indestructible, blank Golden Book in the Storage Spirit Treasure and received 500 points for it, matching the treasure’s reward.
• Xu Yang killed several demonic beasts but left when Liu Gao and three other Heavenly Strategy Academy students asked him for help against a growing swarm.
• Jiang Yun and the others tried to break through separately; Song Tie and another student died, while Liu Gao and Jiang Yun escaped by burning their lifespan, and Jiang Yun lost an arm.
• Liu Gao and Jiang Yun blamed Xu Yang for their losses and vowed revenge as they fled through the woods, unaware that he had stayed nearby.
• Xu Yang emerged to kill them, unleashed the Azure Dragon Tyrant Body, and made Liu Gao and Jiang Yun suspect he was the Heavenly Strategy Academy’s seventh Spirit Bone Prodigy.
• Xu Yang closed in on the injured pair and struck with Asura Armor-Piercing Fist.

Xu Yang returned from the Demon Abyss after killing Jiang Yun and Liu Gao and obtaining a purple-patterned king ginseng. Back at the Heavenly Strategy Academy, he learned Sun Tao had survived an assassination attempt, mastered the Spring Silkworm Salvation Art, and prepared to break through his Azure Dragon Tyrant Body.

• Xu Yang killed Jiang Yun and Liu Gao, looted their belongings, and discovered a purple-patterned king ginseng among his spoils.
• Xu Yang returned to the Heavenly Strategy Academy, paid Zhang Jing, and declined Sun Tao's invitation to meet Zhang Yong and Zhang Hong so he could cultivate.
• Xu Yang heard that the Eight Extremes Sect was killing people in the Demon Abyss and that Liu Gao and Jiang Yun had died, then rushed to Sun Tao after learning he had been attacked.
• Jin Yu treated Sun Tao and said his injuries would heal, while Sun Tao and Xu Yang suspected the danger might have come through Zhang Hong and Zhang Yong's connection to Qi Xuancheng.
• Xu Yang cultivated the Azure Dragon Tyrant Body and mastered the Spring Silkworm Salvation Art, then took a Sunfire Vermilion Fruit to the Spirit Tower to pursue a breakthrough.

Xu Yang broke through to the fifth layer of the Azure Dragon Tyrant Body, then climbed to eighteenth place on the Heavenly Strategy Wind and Cloud Rankings after reaching the Battle Tower's twelfth layer. His rise drew congratulations and attention from the Spirit Bone Prodigies, including Leng Qiuyue, while Huo Xiaochен and Li Xun reacted with unease and jealousy.

• At the Spirit Tower, Xu Yang saw Leng Qiuyue and Xiao Yun emerge after failing to break through to fifth heavenly origin, and Xiao Yun taunted him and Wu Xiuyuan.
• Xu Yang used the Spirit Tower and a Sunfire Vermilion Fruit to break through to the fifth layer of the Azure Dragon Tyrant Body, while his Blood Prison Heart Saber Scripture also reached the third layer's perfection.
• After leaving seclusion, Xu Yang revealed fourth heavenly origin perfection and went to the Battle Tower to improve his ranking.
• Xu Yang cleared the Battle Tower's twelfth layer and rose to eighteenth place on the Heavenly Strategy Wind and Cloud Rankings, surprising Huo Xiaochен, Lu Wei, and the others.
• Leng Qiuyue and Li Xun defended Xu Yang's potential against Huo Xiaochен's doubts, and Leng Qiuyue personally congratulated Xu Yang, making Li Xun jealous.

After reaching the Battle Tower’s twelfth layer, Xu Yang strengthened his ties with fellow students, accepted a pill from the scheming Su Jingxing, and refused the Kong Family’s renewed recruitment attempt. He broke through the Blood Prison Heart Saber Scripture to its fourth level, then visited Xu Qing, met her friend Leng Qiuyue, and retrieved Shen Lian’s and Lu Ren’s weapons before returning to the academy.

• Leng Qiuyue rebuked Li Xun for mocking Xu Yang, and Li Xun left in humiliation after the crowd compared him to Wu Xiuyuan.
• Su Jingxing apologized to Xu Yang with a Dragon-Tiger Profound Connection Pill, while privately resolving to kill him if the chance arose.
• After learning Xu Yang had reached the Battle Tower’s twelfth layer, Kong Shuping and Kong Shuyuan tried to recruit him again, but Xu Yang declined their invitation.
• Xu Yang used purple-patterned king ginseng to break through the Blood Prison Heart Saber Scripture to its fourth level, strengthening his mental power and also advancing the Hell-Prison Heaven-Slaying Art.
• Xu Yang visited Xu Qing, learned how she had befriended Leng Qiuyue, and helped Xu Qing with her cultivation before leaving the Lower Court.
• Xu Yang retrieved Shen Lian’s and Lu Ren’s weapons, stored them in the Spirit Treasure Gourd, and returned to the Heavenly Strategy Academy.

Xu Yang reforged and nurtured spirit weapons, killed Han Qian and Han Jun with the fourth layer of the Blood Prison Heart Saber Scripture, and used their flame marrow crystals to acquire the remaining portions of the Earth-Splitting Dragon-Shocking Slash. He then sought a trade for pills and heart-calming fire lotuses, and the chapter ended with Yan Bing recognizing his Earth Fate Fruit as one from the Demon Abyss.

• Xu Yang reforged a sword for Xu Qing and a saber for himself, then nurtured the saber into a supreme-grade spirit weapon he named Dark Edge.
• Han Qian and Han Jun confronted Xu Yang after recognizing him as the man who had killed Han Feng, and Xu Yang killed both brothers with his Blood Prison Heart Saber Scripture.
• Xu Yang took the brothers' flame marrow crystals, exchanged most of them for academic credits, and obtained the remaining portions of the Earth-Splitting Dragon-Shocking Slash.
• Xu Yang traveled to Cloud Province City in disguise and offered the Earth Fate Fruit and Ma Daxing's high-grade spirit weapon to the Spirit Treasure Market in exchange for heart-calming fire lotuses and pills.
• Yan Bing offered Xu Yang two heart-calming fire lotuses for the Earth Fate Fruit and fifteen Golden Marrow Jade-Bone Pills for the saber, then recognized the fruit as coming from the Demon Abyss.

After leaving the Spirit Treasure Market with his purchases, Xu Yang was ambushed by Wu Tieshan, a seventh heavenly origin powerhouse, and killed him in a fierce battle. Xu Yang escaped with Wu Tieshan’s pills, but realized the dead man’s powerful connections could lead suspicion back to him.

• Xu Yang bought cultivation pills for Xu Qing, traded for Heart-Calming Fire Lotuses and Golden Marrow Jade-Bone Pills, and accepted an honored guest token from Yan Bing.
• Xu Yang sensed a pursuer after leaving the city and led him into the woods, where he identified the pursuer as Brother Wu, a seventh heavenly origin expert seeking to rob him.
• Xu Yang revealed his spirit bone and defeated Brother Wu with four successive forms of the Primordial Dragon Elephant Fist.
• Xu Yang seized Brother Wu’s bundle and fled as witnesses arrived, recognized the dead man as Wu Tieshan, and hurried to notify the Han Family.
• Xu Yang found valuable pills in Wu Tieshan’s bag and considered whether the Han Family could trace his identity through the Spirit Treasure Market.

After killing Wu Tieshan, Xu Yang learned that the dead man was Han Qianlin’s son-in-law and that the Han Family suspected him. He hid in Heavenly Strategy Academy and cultivated for two months while the Han Family resolved to seek revenge covertly, leaving Xu Yang wary that they were waiting for a chance to strike.

• Xu Yang returned to Heavenly Strategy Academy as Han Qianhui and the other Han Family elders investigated Wu Tieshan’s death and learned he had visited Spirit Treasure Market.
• Yan Bing identified Xu Yang as someone who had been at the market before Wu Tieshan died, and Han Qianhui renewed the Han Family’s intent to eliminate him.
• Xu Yang entered the Middle Court, refused to help Ye Qiuling contact Xiao Yun, and heard that the Spirit Bone Prodigies had reached the fifth heavenly origin and begun receiving inheritances.
• Xu Yang learned Wu Tieshan was Han Qianlin’s son-in-law and feared the Han Family would suspect him; investigators later confirmed Wu Tieshan had tried to rob Xu Yang, while Han Qianlin chose to pursue revenge covertly.
• Xu Yang spent two months cultivating with pills, advancing both his Dragon Elephant Heart Sutra and Azure Dragon Tyrant Body, but judged his progress too slow to prepare for the Han Family.

Xu Yang increased his bone root to accelerate his cultivation, reached fifth heavenly origin, and drew attention from students across the Heavenly Strategy Academy. After Sun Tao warned him that Qi Xuancheng remained at large and Xu Qing might be targeted in the upcoming second dragon ascension, Xu Yang reflected on how much stronger she had become.

• Xu Yang decided to spend three thousand Martial Dao Longevity Points to raise his bone root from 300 to 600, nearly doubling how quickly he refined pills.
• Lu Wei, Huo Xiaochен, and Tu Gang reached fifth heavenly origin, prompting Wan He to urge Han Yi to kill Xu Yang before his strength grew further.
• Xu Yang entered the Spirit Tower, refined a Dragon-Tiger Profound Connection Pill, improved his Blood Prison Heart Saber Scripture, and achieved minor accomplishment in the Frenzied Battle Four Symbols Art.
• Xu Yang suppressed his spirit bone fluctuations, publicly emerged at fifth heavenly origin, and received congratulations from students throughout the Middle Court.
• Sun Tao told Xu Yang that Qi Xuancheng was suspected of serving the Demon Cult and warned that Xu Qing could be attacked during the upcoming second dragon ascension.
• Xu Yang considered Xu Qing's advanced cultivation and martial skills and judged that she could handle most opponents in the selection.

Xu Yang brought Xu Qing to Dragon Ascension Street for the Second Dragon Ascension Selection, where the Han and Xiao families and several sects threatened to target her over his past grudges. As allies gathered around Xu Qing and Xu Yang returned to the Violet Sun Gate with Sun Tao and Jiang Fan, they prepared to face the coming selection.

• Xu Yang moved Xu Qing out of the academy and arranged for her to stay at the Violet Sun Gate residence on Dragon Ascension Street.
• Han Qianlin forbade his lineage from attacking during the selection but ordered Han Yun to arrange for Xu Qing to be killed there.
• Xu Qing placed sixty-third on the Cloud Ascension Rankings, and Huo Xiaochén and Han Yi threatened to target her; Gu Qingfeng, Wu Xiuyuan, Sun Tao, and others pledged support.
• Yellow Maple Valley, the Iron Sword Gate, the Xiao Family, and the Han Family threatened Xu Qing and the Violet Sun Gate, while some of the visiting disciples refused to get involved.
• Xu Yang returned to the Violet Sun Gate with Sun Tao and Jiang Fan, and Bai Shaoling was shocked to learn that Xu Yang and Sun Tao had reached fifth Heavenly Origin.