Chapter Summaries

Xiao Xun'er and the other victors competed for places in the top ten, with the Inner Academy elders arranging the matches to keep the strongest students apart. Xiao Xun'er revealed formidable strength to defeat Huang Yaolin, securing her victory as the first-round matches concluded.

• The First Elder announced the first-round pairings, including Xiao Xun'er against Huang Yaolin, and explained that only the top ten could enter the Black Tower's lowest level.
• Zi Yan, Qian Mo, Qin Zhen, and Lin Yan defeated their opponents in the opening matches.
• Xiao Xun'er faced Huang Yaolin while spectators expected her to lose.
• Xiao Xun'er unleashed Nine Heavens Phoenix Dance, surprising Lin Xiuya, Yan Hao, and the spectators with her power.
• The referee declared Xiao Xun'er the winner.

Xun'er defeated Huang Yaolin, and Xiao Fan and Xiao Yan advanced through their next fights as the Strong Ranking Tournament narrowed to its top ten. Xiao Fan overwhelmed Qiu Buyu, while Liu Qing won after venting his anger, and the top ten were finally decided.

• Xun'er returned after defeating Huang Yaolin, impressing the spectators and prompting Hu Jia and Han Yue to reconsider her strength.
• Xiao Fan and Xiao Yan went to the Competition Stages, where the matchups kept them apart from Lin Xiuya, Yan Hao, and Liu Qing.
• Xiao Fan defeated Qiu Buyu with a rapid series of strikes and kicks, then told him to seek revenge by sending Liu Qing.
• Liu Qing watched Xiao Fan's fight, attacked his own opponent more fiercely, and forced the opponent to surrender.
• Lin Xiuya and the other contestants finished their fights, confirming the tournament's top ten.

The top ten drew opponents for the next round, and Lin Yan defeated Qian Mo to secure a place in the top five. Zi Yan then faced Qin Zhen, who nervously asked her to go easy on him.

• The First Elder had the ten remaining contestants draw mixed red and blue tokens, setting the matchups: Lin Yan against Qian Mo, Hu Jia against Qin Zhen, Xiao Fan against Liu Qing, Xiao Yan against Yan Hao, and Xun'er against Lin Xiuya.
• The spectators expected Pan Gate's contestants to lose against the veteran Strong Ranking experts, while Liu Qing taunted Xiao Fan and Xiao Fan calmly warned that Liu Qing might be the unlucky one.
• Lin Yan used his increased strength to catch Qian Mo off guard, suppress him throughout the fight, and win a place in the top five.
• Xiao Yan told Xiao Fan he suspected the tournament matchups had been arranged, but Xiao Fan said it did not matter as long as their plans were unaffected.
• Zi Yan went onto the Competition Stage for her match, and Qin Zhen nervously asked her to go easy on him.

Zi Yan easily defeated Qin Zhen, who surrendered rather than face another of her blows, before Xiao Fan began his match against Liu Qing. Xiao Fan held his own despite Liu Qing’s higher cultivation, and the chapter ended as Liu Qing unleashed his Great Coffin Splitting Claw.

• Zi Yan caught Qin Zhen’s charge, hurled him into the stage barrier, and watched him surrender.
• Xiao Fan and Liu Qing began their match, trading attacks without either gaining a clear advantage.
• Liu Qing’s claws tore Xiao Fan’s clothes, while Xiao Fan’s heavenly flames singed Liu Qing’s hair.
• Liu Qing summoned black energy around his claws and announced his Great Coffin Splitting Claw.

Xiao Fan’s two-colored Buddha’s Fury Fire Lotus clashed with Liu Qing’s Great Coffin Splitting Claw, leaving Liu Qing scorched and forcing him to take Xiao Fan seriously. As the rivals prepared to settle the fight with one final move, Xiao Fan began using an Earth Tier Dou Technique, stunning the spectators.

• Xiao Fan fused his green and purple flames into a Buddha’s Fury Fire Lotus and launched it at Liu Qing’s Great Coffin Splitting Claw.
• The explosion tore a crater into the Competition Stage, and the smoke revealed Liu Qing battered and scorched while Xiao Fan remained standing.
• Liu Qing acknowledged Xiao Fan’s strength, summoned his Great Splitter Spear, and proposed they decide the winner with one move; Xiao Fan answered with his Thousand-Flame Spear.
• Xiao Fan began gathering power for an Earth Tier Dou Technique, prompting Lin Xiuya, Yan Hao, and Yao Sheng to react with shock.

Xiao Fan defeated Liu Qing with a powerful spear technique, destroying the Competition Stage and shocking the Inner Academy. Liu Qing conceded, and the next match began with Xiao Yan facing Yan Hao.

• Liu Qing attacked Xiao Fan with Great Splitter Rock, and Xiao Fan countered with Cloud Crane Shadow from his Thousand-Flame Spear.
• Their clash shattered the Competition Stage’s formation, but the First Elder contained the explosion’s remaining force.
• The crowd saw Liu Qing badly burned and defeated, while Xiao Fan remained standing; Liu Qing admitted his loss and conceded.
• Lin Xiuya resolved to win the tournament, while Xiao Fan privately believed he would be the ultimate victor.
• Xiao Yan and Yan Hao began their match on a nearby Competition Stage because the original one had been destroyed.

Xiao Yan fought Yan Hao on the Competition Stage and surprised the spectators by matching his strength despite his lower cultivation. As they prepared to settle the match with one move, Xiao Yan activated his Green Lotus Transformation and gathered power for an attack that made the crowd suspect he was using an Earth Tier Dou Technique.

• Yan Hao tested Xiao Yan in a fierce exchange and recognized that his strength rivaled that of an ordinary Seven-Star Dou Ling.
• Xiao Yan realized he could not win by meeting Yan Hao head-on and challenged him to decide the match with one move.
• Yan Hao agreed and summoned his enormous warhammer as Xiao Yan prepared the Xuan Heavy Ruler.
• Xiao Yan used the Green Lotus Transformation, raising his cultivation from Three-Star Dou Ling to the peak of Five-Star Dou Ling.
• Xiao Yan poured heavenly flames into his hands, and the spectators sensed a familiar aura and wondered whether he knew an Earth Tier Dou Technique.

Xiao Yan defeated Yan Hao with the Flame Splitting Wave Ruler and advanced to the tournament’s top five. The spectators then turned their attention to Xun’er’s upcoming match against Lin Xiuya.

• Xiao Yan and Yan Hao gathered power and unleashed the Flame Splitting Wave Ruler and Purple Extreme Lightning at the same time.
• Their attacks collided in a massive explosion that swallowed the Competition Stage despite the elders stabilizing its formation.
• When the energy cleared, Yan Hao lay defeated and Xiao Yan stood leaning on his Xuan Heavy Ruler.
• The First Elder announced Xiao Yan as the winner, and the crowd cheered as he advanced to the top five.
• The spectators looked ahead to Xun’er’s match against Lin Xiuya, whom they considered a formidable opponent.

Xiao Xun'er defeated Lin Xiuya, and Lin Yan and Xiao Fan's group withdrew from the remaining Strong Ranking Tournament matches, ending the tournament with Zi Yan declared champion. Xiao Fan claimed his quest rewards and prepared for the Black Tower, but a major upheaval struck before the planned trial.

• Xiao Xun'er defeated Lin Xiuya, surprising the spectators, then joined Xiao Yan as he praised her.
• The First Elder praised the tournament's unexpected results and postponed the championship matches until the next day.
• Lin Yan withdrew from the remaining matches, and Xiao Yan said that he and his companions would withdraw as well.
• The First Elder declared the tournament concluded and named Zi Yan first place, then told the top ten to gather in two days to discuss entering the Black Tower Lower Level.
• Xiao Fan claimed the tournament quest rewards, received forty alchemy experience, and found that he had not earned doubled rewards or championship points.
• Xiao Fan worried that the heavenly flame in the Black Tower had targeted him, but an enormous upheaval struck before the group could enter the trial.

Xun'er faced Ling Quan and the Black Annihilation Army, who arrived on the Clan Leader’s orders to escort her back to the clan, while Xiao Yan emerged from hiding and confronted Ling Quan’s contempt. Xiao Fan received a mission to defeat Ling Quan and headed toward the group.

• Xun'er told Xiao Yan to cultivate the sealed scroll once he reached Dou Wang, then pushed him into the woods when Yao Lao sensed powerful arrivals approaching.
• Ling Quan arrived with nine members of the Black Annihilation Army on Four-Winged Unicorns and told Xun'er he had come to escort her back to the clan.
• Ling Quan’s men attacked Xiao Yan after discovering him in the woods, but Xun'er ordered them to stop.
• Ling Quan belittled Xiao Yan and the Xiao Clan, prompting Xiao Yan to reach for his Xuan Heavy Ruler.
• Xiao Fan received a timed mission to defeat Ling Quan, sensed his location, and headed into the mountain range while Yue Yao watched.

Ling Quan came to escort Xun'er back to her clan and questioned Xiao Yan about the Xiao Clan's piece of the key, but Xiao Yan did not understand what he meant. Xiao Fan intervened when Ling Quan tried to separate the pair, and began using his Radiant Sun Transformations to face the Black Annihilation Army.

• Xun'er rebuked Ling Quan for insulting Xiao Yan, and Ling Quan asked Xiao Yan about the Xiao Clan's portion of the key.
• Ling Quan ordered Xun'er to return with him, and she warned Xiao Yan to keep the Tou She Ancient God Jade's whereabouts secret before saying goodbye.
• Xiao Yan held on to Xun'er until Xiao Fan emerged from the woods and offered to fight Ling Quan.
• Ling Quan sent two members of the Black Annihilation Army to attack Xiao Fan, who used his first two Radiant Sun Transformations to rise from Dou Ling to One-Star Dou Wang.
• Xiao Fan activated his third Radiant Sun Transformation as Ling Quan watched in astonishment.

Xiao Fan used Bright Sun Three Transformations to overpower the Black Annihilation Army soldiers and then faced their Seven-Star Sword Formation. He broke the formation by exploiting its illusory sword phantoms and letting his soft armor block a solid strike.

• Xiao Fan's strength surged to Three-Star Dou Wang, and he knocked two Black Annihilation Army soldiers unconscious with one strike each.
• The remaining seven soldiers formed the Seven-Star Sword Formation, while Xun'er explained its abilities to Xiao Yan.
• Xiao Fan recognized that the formation's sword phantoms could switch between illusory and solid attacks and could grow stronger by drawing on his responses.
• Xiao Fan charged a formation member instead of blocking the phantom behind him, and his pale blue soft armor stopped its solid strike as his spear knocked the soldier down.
• The injured soldier fell, and the Seven-Star Sword Formation broke apart.

Xiao Fan overwhelmed Ling Quan after pushing the Radiant Sun Transformation to its dangerous Fifth Transformation. Xun'er departed with the Black Annihilation Army, and Xiao Yan discovered that Xiao Fan had collapsed unconscious.

• Xiao Fan broke the Black Annihilation Army's Seven-Star Sword Formation and knocked its soldiers from the sky.
• Xiao Fan activated the Fourth and then Fifth Transformation, reaching Eight-Star Dou Wang strength despite the strain threatening to destroy his body.
• Xiao Fan used his speed and power to defeat Ling Quan and smash him into the ground.
• Xiao Fan identified himself as Xiao Fan of the Xiao Clan and asked Xiao Yan and Xun'er whether they needed more time together.
• Xun'er left on the Unicorn after saying farewell to Xiao Yan and Xiao Fan.
• Xiao Yan turned to Xiao Fan and found him unconscious beside the Spear.

Xiao Yan brought the unconscious Xiao Fan back to Pan Gate, where Yao Lao examined him and Medusa briefly emerged from Xiao Fan’s sleeve. Yao Lao concluded that Medusa and Xiao Fan had formed a rare Snake-People Tribe soul contract, and Xiao Yan left to prepare medicine while Yue Yao waited outside.

• Xiao Yan carried the unconscious Xiao Fan back to the Inner Academy, and the First Elder watched them leave before remarking on Xiao Fan’s strength.
• Yao Lao examined Xiao Fan and found that he was not in serious danger despite the strain caused by his Secret Technique.
• Medusa emerged from Xiao Fan’s sleeve, explained that she had awakened because of the unusual energy, then returned to his arm as her soul fusion neared completion.
• Yao Lao told Xiao Yan that Medusa carried a strong trace of Xiao Fan’s soul aura and suggested they had formed a rare Snake-People Tribe contract.
• Xiao Yan left to refine medicine for Xiao Fan, saw Yue Yao waiting outside, and looked forward to her meeting Medusa.

Xiao Fan woke after the Fifth Transformation with severely damaged meridians and a weakened soul, but Yue Yao gave him a precious pill that fully healed him. Afterward, he discovered that the pill had added moon god's power to his system items, leaving him to wonder what it was.

• Xiao Fan regained consciousness and found that the Fifth Transformation had left his meridians badly damaged and his soul weakened.
• Yue Yao gave Xiao Fan a pill kept in a box made from superior-grade purple thornwood, but he initially refused to take it.
• Yue Yao pushed the pill into Xiao Fan's mouth, healing his injuries and soul while a full-moon mark briefly appeared on his forehead.
• Xiao Fan noticed that Medusa absorbed some of the pill's silvery-white energy, then checked his system panel after Yue Yao left.
• Xiao Fan saw moon god's power among his items and suspected it came from Yue Yao's pill and was connected to the Moon's Sorrow quest.

After claiming his mission rewards and recovering from his injuries, Xiao Fan joined the Strong Ranking students summoned by the First Elder. The students chose to face the dangerous heart-fire tempering in the Heavenly Flame Qi Refining Tower, and the First Elder led them onward.

• Xiao Fan claimed 280 Dou Qi points and 2,800 Source Coins, then raised his Dou Qi points to 980 and approached the Dou Wang rank.
• Xiao Fan emerged fully recovered and spoke with Xiao Yan about his fight with Ling Quan; neither mentioned Xun'er.
• The First Elder warned Xiao Fan and the other Top Ten students that this year's tempering at the bottom of the Heavenly Flame Qi Refining Tower could cost them their lives, and offered a Dou Technique Pavilion opportunity if they withdrew.
• Lin Xiuya, Yan Hao, Liu Qing, Lin Yan, and the remaining students chose to enter the tower rather than give up the heart-fire tempering.
• The First Elder praised their resolve and led the students onward, believing the reinforced seal would keep them safe.

The First Elder led Xiao Fan, Xiao Yan, and the other top ten students to the bottom of the Heavenly Flame Qi Refining Tower to undergo origin heart flame body tempering. They accepted the risky procedure, and the chapter ended as the flames entered their bodies under the elders’ watch.

• The First Elder brought the group to the Heavenly Flame Qi Refining Tower, where Xiao Fan and Xiao Yan greeted the Pan Gate before entering.
• As they descended, Zi Yan told Xiao Fan she had finished the candy beans and asked him to make more.
• The First Elder led the students to a chamber above a black hole, where two elders revealed nine portions of origin heart flame.
• The First Elder warned that the flames were unusually violent and gave them only a twenty percent chance of success, but none of the students withdrew.
• The two elders sent the nine flames into the students’ bodies, and the First Elder stayed to monitor their condition.

Xiao Fan and the others underwent origin heart flame body tempering while the elders monitored the dangerous process and worried over the fallen heart flame’s sudden silence. Qin Zhen and Qian Mo failed, Xiao Yan steadied himself, and Xiao Fan endured the pain with little trouble as the others relied on their own strength.

• The First Elder and two elders discussed the unusually violent origin heart flame and worried that the fallen heart flame’s quiet might signal a coming attack.
• The elders confirmed that the seals remained intact and arranged to alert the Outer Academy if the fallen heart flame stirred.
• Qin Zhen faltered, so the First Elder extracted the origin heart flame and laid him unconscious; Qian Mo soon failed as well.
• Xiao Yan grimaced and swayed, but the First Elder allowed him more time, and he eventually steadied.
• Xiao Fan contained the origin heart flame with his chaos flame and felt only faint pain, while Lin Xiuya and the others endured through willpower and Zi Yan relied on her formidable physique.

After a day in the Black Tower, the First Elder inspected the seal beneath it and discovered that the fallen heart flame had grown several times stronger and taken the form of a giant Fire Python. As it attacked the inner formation, he called the elders to the tower and ordered all students to retreat.

• The Gray-Robed Elder and another elder watched Xiao Fan and the other students endure a full day inside the Black Tower, while the First Elder went below to inspect the seal.
• The First Elder found the outer formation intact, then searched the magma beneath a concealed formation for signs of the fallen heart flame.
• The First Elder heard increasingly rapid heartbeats and sensed the fallen heart flame's energy surging upward through the magma.
• A gigantic, nearly transparent Fire Python emerged from the magma and turned toward the First Elder.
• The First Elder retreated behind the protective formation as the Fire Python attacked it, then summoned all elders and ordered the students to withdraw at least a hundred meters from the Heavenly Flame Qi Refining Tower.

The fallen heart flame broke through the lowest seal in the Heavenly Flame Qi Refining Tower, forcing the elders to evacuate Xiao Fan, Xiao Yan, and the others. As they reached the exit, they saw the Invisible Fire Python trapped inside a pillar of light, and Xiao Fan realized it had singled him out.

• The giant flame serpent shattered the lowest seal, and the First Elder raised a new barrier through the tower.
• The two protecting elders ordered Lin Yan, Xiao Fan, Xiao Yan, and the others to leave while they hurried toward the bottom of the tower.
• Lin Yan and the others discussed the unusually violent eruption as they climbed, then found blood-red energy and a pillar of light filling the tower's center.
• The group saw magma surge upward and the Invisible Fire Python thrash inside the barrier near the exit.
• The Invisible Fire Python fixed its gaze on Xiao Fan, who sensed the fallen heart flame had noticed him and suppressed his chaos flame.