Chapter Summaries

Xiao Yan searched the magma for Xiao Fan, then followed the fallen heart flame’s reaction to an unknown black flame that he hoped might be an undiscovered heavenly flame. Unaware that Xiao Fan was concealed inside it, Xiao Yan approached while Xiao Fan prepared to defend himself.

• Xiao Yan searched the magma for Xiao Fan but stopped when the fallen heart flame stirred and guided him toward something nearby.
• Xiao Yan spotted a pitch-black flame that his soul power could not detect, and the Heavenly Fire Venerable warned him that it was unknown and might be dangerous.
• Xiao Fan, trapped and injured inside the chaos flame, rested after failing to escape and did not know Xiao Yan had found him.
• Xiao Yan tested the black flame with a wisp of dou qi, saw it consume the energy without reacting, and wondered if devouring it could advance his Flame Mantra.
• Xiao Yan cautiously approached the black flame as Xiao Fan sensed someone coming and prepared to fight despite his injuries.

Xiao Yan found Xiao Fan in the Magma World and carried him back to the Heavenly Flame Qi Refining Tower, where Xiao Fan reassured him that his injuries would heal. Xiao Fan gave Xiao Yan a Flying Dou Technique and Fire Beads, then the two stayed at the Inner Academy so Xiao Fan could recover and Xiao Yan could grow stronger.

• Xiao Yan recognized Xiao Fan inside the chaos flame and carried his badly injured Senior Brother out of the Magma World.
• Xiao Fan told Xiao Yan that his injuries would heal with time and gave him golden wings made from a Heavenly Demon Phoenix's Bone Wings.
• Xiao Fan handed Xiao Yan a bag of several hundred Fire Beads, including several taken from Dou Zong-level Lizardmen.
• Xiao Fan revealed the Earth Demon Puppet, which he had refined from Earth Demon Old Ghost's corpse and which now possessed Six-Star Dou Zong strength.
• Xiao Fan and Xiao Yan decided to remain at the Inner Academy while Xiao Fan recovered and Xiao Yan refined the Fire Beads and practiced his Flying Dou Technique.
• Xiao Fan and Xiao Yan walked through the reopened Heavenly Flame Qi Refining Tower, where students and Pan Gate disciples filled the floors.

Xiao Fan received the Five-Wheel Flame Separation Art while recovering in seclusion, and Gu Yuan agreed to let Xun'er attend the Spirit Clan's ceremony. The chapter ended with gifted Gu Clan youths gathering outside Xun'er's courtyard, where Ling Quan guarded his claim to her attention.

• Xiao Fan and Xiao Yan returned to Pan Gate and entered seclusion, with Xiao Yan absorbing energy from Fire Beads and Xiao Fan focusing on healing.
• After Xiao Yan revealed the Heavenly Fire Venerable, Xiao Fan gave him Spirit Liquid, and the Heavenly Fire Venerable offered Xiao Fan the Five-Wheel Flame Separation Art.
• Gu Yuan learned that Xun'er wanted to attend the Spirit Clan's investiture ceremony and allowed her to go.
• Gu Yuan ordered Gu Su and Gu Zhe to accompany Xun'er and protect her at the ceremony.
• Gifted Gu Clan youths gathered near Xun'er's courtyard, where Ling Quan was among those who treated the area as his preserve.

Xun'er learned that Gu Yuan had approved her request to attend the Spirit Clan Ceremony as the Gu Clan’s representative, and she departed with two elders and a Dou Zong escort. After she left, Gu Yuan told Ling Ying that his duties would change because he could no longer protect Xun'er effectively.

• Xun'er told Ling Ying that she intended to attend the Spirit Clan Ceremony even if Gu Yuan and the clan elders refused.
• Ling Ying teased Xun'er about missing Xiao Yan, while Gu Yuan watched them secretly and decided to support his daughter.
• Ling Ying returned with Gu Yuan’s reply, granting Xun'er permission to attend the ceremony as the Gu Clan’s representative.
• Xun'er greeted Gu Su and Gu Zhe, then led the assembled Dou Zong experts toward the Spirit Clan Ceremony.
• Gu Yuan told Ling Ying that his duties would change because his strength no longer made him useful at Xun'er's side.

Xun'er traveled to the Spirit World for its Enfeoffment Ceremony, accompanied by Ling Quan and the Black Annihilation Army. There, Aunt Tianchi welcomed her and recounted how a dying Dou Di had given the Mother Tree the power to restore the ruined world.

• Ling Quan caught up with Xun'er and insisted that he and a squad of the Black Annihilation Army had been ordered to accompany her; Xun'er accepted but reminded him that he was only an acting commander.
• Xun'er and her party arrived in the Spirit World, where Aunt Tianchi welcomed the Gu Clan delegation at the space wormhole.
• Aunt Tianchi led the party toward the World Tree, and Xun'er admired the immense tree and the natural power surrounding it.
• Aunt Tianchi explained that two Dou Di had once repaired the world and taught its inhabitants, helping the plants develop awareness.
• Aunt Tianchi recounted how a gravely wounded Dou Di had poured blood and vital energy into the Mother Tree, whose roots and canopy restored the shattered world and whose surviving creatures gained a Dou Di bloodline.

Xun'er visited the Spirit World with a Gu Clan delegation, received a calming blessing from the Mother Tree of All Things, and arrived at the Spirit Clan's Holy Maiden investiture ceremony. There, she defended the Xiao Clan's place among the Ancient Eight Clans after a Soul Clan youth disparaged it.

• Tianchi led Xun'er and the Gu Clan party to the Mother Tree, where Xun'er accepted the Spirit Clan's rules and entered the tree's city on foot.
• As Tianchi explained the Mother Tree's connection to the Spirit World, Xun'er resonated with it and received a gift that eased her turmoil and brought her closer to a breakthrough.
• Tianchi guided the party to the ceremony plaza, where Xun'er recognized representatives of the other clans, including the Soul Clan, and took her place on a platform reserved for the Gu Clan.
• A black-robed Soul Clan youth said the Xiao Clan existed in name only and suggested the Ancient Eight Clans should become the Seven Clans.
• Xun'er defended the Xiao Clan's standing and challenged the Soul Clan youth, while a red-haired young man urged them not to disrupt the ceremony's harmony.

At the Spirit Clan’s holy maiden investiture ceremony, Granny quelled the clash between Xun’er and Hun Feng before delivering a speech that transformed the surroundings. She ended her address and announced Yue Yao’s entrance as the ceremony began.

• Xun’er confronted Hun Feng when he unleashed his battle intent, and their auras clashed until Granny appeared and stopped them.
• Granny revealed overwhelming power, introduced herself to Xun’er, and recognized the significance of the Jade Pendant she wore.
• Granny began the ceremony with a long speech whose shifting aura conjured spectacular scenes and weather, while Tianchi watched from a distant pavilion.
• A middle-aged man tried to interrupt Granny, but a spatial rift swept him away before she finished speaking.
• Granny ended her speech and announced the Spirit Clan’s holy maiden, Yue Yao, as the guards released their power and summoned strange beast-shaped Dou Qi.

The Spirit Clan displayed its Ten Thousand Sects Returning to Spirit Formation, and Gu Su and Gu Zhe explained its power and restrictions to Xun'er. The Spirit Clan's saintess, Yue Yao, arrived and recognized Xun'er, leaving her searching the Gu Clan stand for someone.

• The Spirit Clan guards formed the Ten Thousand Sects Returning to Spirit Formation, summoning distinct magical beast spirits that bowed beside the red carpet.
• Gu Su and Gu Zhe explained that the formation boosted its participants but required each to earn a unique magical beast's willing blessing.
• Xun'er watched the formation, while Hun Feng dismissed the magical beast spirits and judged the approaching saintess to be interesting.
• Yue Yao arrived at the viewing stand, grew nervous at the crowd, and stood beside the old woman after being reassured.
• Yue Yao spotted Xun'er, showed tenderness, and looked beside her as though searching for someone.

Yue Yao completed her enfeoffment as the Spirit Clan’s Holy Maiden and began accepting challenges from the other clans. After defeating Shi Potian and several Stone Clan disciples with her sword, she faced Lei Dong of the Lei Clan.

• Granny completed Yue Yao’s enfeoffment rites, and the assembled beings bowed to her as the Spirit Clan’s Holy Maiden.
• Yue Yao invited the other clans to challenge her, and Shi Potian of the Stone Clan entered the square.
• Yue Yao struck Shi Potian down with one sword attack, leaving him with a wound across his chest.
• Hun Feng recognized Yue Yao’s strength and said that only Gu Xun'er among the younger generation might match her.
• Several more Stone Clan disciples challenged Yue Yao and were defeated by her sword.
• Lei Dong of the Lei Clan entered the square, surprising the gathered clans.

Lei Dong challenged Yue Yao on the Competition Stage, where her Roaming Dragon Whip countered his lightning before he unleashed Thunder Spirit World. Yue Yao summoned Bright Moon Rising Over the Sea, which dispersed his lightning and scorched him with moonlight, leaving their battle unresolved.

• Lei Dong entered the Competition Stage, drawing the attention of the ancient clans and prompting Huo Xuan to watch his strength.
• Yue Yao put away her sword and revealed the Roaming Dragon Whip, then trapped and destroyed Lei Dong's lightning attack before driving him back with a dragon-shaped strike.
• Lei Dong unleashed Thunder Spirit World, filling the sky with dark clouds and torrents of lightning.
• Yue Yao summoned Bright Moon Rising Over the Sea, creating a full moon that shattered Lei Dong's lightning and melted away his sea of lightning.
• The moonlight scorched Lei Dong as he used Dou Qi to protect his body, while Yue Yao stood beneath the moon with an imposing, indifferent presence.

Yue Yao defeated Lei Dong by absorbing and returning his lightning spears, then faced Huo Xuan of the Yan Clan. As Huo Xuan summoned the Eight Desolations Destruction Flame, Yue Yao transformed the Competition Stage into a rising ocean, leaving the spectators bewildered.

• Lei Dong launched hundreds of lightning spears at Yue Yao, but she absorbed them with the Moon Wheel and sent them back empowered with moonlight, defeating him.
• The clans’ spectators were astonished by Yue Yao’s strength, and Huo Xuan decided to face her after his sister Huo Zhi urged him onto the stage.
• Huo Xuan introduced himself as a member of the Yan Clan and summoned the Eight Desolations Destruction Flame, forming enormous black wings behind him.
• Yue Yao waved her arm, and the Competition Stage transformed into an ocean whose water rose around her and Huo Xuan’s calves.

Yue Yao stopped Huo Xuan’s Eight Desolations Destruction Flame with a silver-white technique that shocked the ancient clans’ elders. Gu Zhe and Gu Su revealed that the technique belonged to Shangguan, the Spirit Clan’s seventy-third Saintess, leaving Xun’er astonished by Shangguan’s legendary strength.

• Huo Xuan burned away Yue Yao’s Spirit Spring water with the Eight Desolations Destruction Flame, and Yue Yao realized the stored water had lost much of its power.
• Yue Yao unleashed a silver-white ring of energy that shattered Huo Xuan’s flame, making the ancient clans’ Dou Zun elders rise in shock.
• Gu Zhe explained to Xun’er that Yue Yao’s move came from Shangguan, the Spirit Clan’s seventy-third Saintess.
• Gu Su recalled that Shangguan had defeated the younger generations of six ancient clans when she was twenty-nine and a Five-Star Dou Zun.

Xun'er learned of Shangguan, a legendary Spirit Clan genius whose fate remained unknown, as Yue Yao's battle against Huo Xuan recalled her techniques. Meanwhile, recovering at Jia Nan Academy, Xiao Fan agreed to train Pan Gate's alchemists and found himself facing a lecture for a much larger crowd of students.

• Gu Zhe told Xun'er how Shangguan had defeated the Seven Clans' prodigies before disappearing after the Spirit Clan's Enfeoffment Ceremony, and he said the clan claimed she had died trying to break through to Dou Sheng.
• Xun'er worried that Yue Yao might be connected to Shangguan, but Gu Zhe insisted Shangguan would never have passed on her self-created Dou Technique; on the Competition Stage, Yue Yao continued to overpower Huo Xuan.
• Hu Jia interrupted Xiao Fan's recovery in Pan Gate's courtyard and persuaded him to spend four hours each afternoon training its alchemists.
• Xiao Fan visited Pan Gate's Alchemy Room, assessed its alchemists, and gathered them in a plaza to offer guidance.
• Hu Jia told Xiao Fan that alchemists from other factions had gathered outside hoping to attend, and she asked him how to respond.

Xiao Fan led the Pan Gate alchemists to teach a growing crowd of Inner Academy alchemists, then received a system mission to hold an Alchemist Tournament. He prepared to turn the gathering into a competition, though the tournament had not yet begun.

• Hu Jia told Xiao Fan that many alchemists had arrived, and he decided to welcome them and make the gathering a larger event.
• Xiao Fan led the Pan Gate alchemists outside and joked with the gathered students before inviting everyone to take over the Inner Academy Square.
• Xiao Fan's procession drew a large crowd, and Great Elder Su Qian ordered the square cleared for them while Alchemy Department instructors came to watch.
• The system gave Xiao Fan a mission to hold an Alchemist Tournament, rewarding him with immediate injury recovery, Pills Affinity, and a chance of double pill output.
• Xiao Fan considered holding an Alchemist Tournament and studied his system panel as the alchemists gathered around him.

Xiao Fan proposed an alchemist competition at the Inner Academy, promising Pill Formulas and a chance to discuss alchemy with him. As the contest began, he watched the students refine pills and took particular interest in Xin Lan and a young man using a red beast flame.

• Su Qian praised Xiao Fan to Elder Huo, who reflected on how little guidance he had given the academy’s alchemy students.
• Xiao Fan announced an Inner Academy alchemist competition, offering three Pill Formulas as prizes and promising to share alchemy insights afterward.
• Su Qian, Elder Huo, Elder Ren Qiu, Instructor Han Luo, and Instructor Mu Ran agreed to judge, while Su Qian added Fire Energy prizes and supplied ingredients.
• Thirty-three alchemists took the stage, and Xiao Fan announced the start of the competition.
• Xiao Fan observed flaws in the students’ flame control and refinement, but found Xin Lan and a young man using a red beast flame especially promising.

Xiao Fan and the other judges concluded the Inner Academy Alchemist Tournament, where Xin Lan took first place, Fang Zheng came second, and Gu Yue placed third before Elder Huo accepted him as his disciple. After the tournament ended, Xiao Fan’s system completed its mission, healing his injuries and granting him a chance to double his pill yield.

• The judges combined their scores and announced Gu Yue in third place, prompting Elder Huo to reveal that Gu Yue was his disciple and accept his formal bows.
• Su Qian announced Fang Zheng in second place for his fourth-rank Wind-Breaking Pill and careful flame control and ingredient extraction.
• The First Elder announced Xin Lan as champion, and Pan Gate members cheered for her.
• The First Elder awarded fire energy tokens to the top three and declared the tournament over.
• Xiao Fan received the system’s mission reward: his injuries healed and he gained pill affinity, which gave him a chance to produce twice as many pills.
• Xiao Fan felt his meridians, Dou Qi, and Soul Power rapidly recover.

Xiao Fan advised the alchemist students and then began demonstrating a pill refinement with the Myriad Beast Cauldron. He carefully extracted more than a hundred rare ingredients, leaving Elder Huo to suspect that Xiao Fan planned something extraordinary.

• Xiao Fan pointed out the students’ alchemy mistakes and answered their questions alongside Elder Huo and the other instructors.
• Xiao Fan announced a pill-refining demonstration and spent an hour preparing himself on the Competition Stage.
• Xiao Fan summoned the Myriad Beast Cauldron and heated it with the Green Lotus Core Flame.
• Xiao Fan brought out over a hundred rare ingredients and began extracting their essences with careful control of the flame.

Xiao Fan spent five days refining a pill at Jia Nan Academy, and the ingredients and medicinal power revealed that he was attempting a Seventh-Grade Pill. As the pill took shape and triggered pill lightning, the chapter ended with powerful figures across the Black-Corner Region sensing its completion.

• Xiao Fan spent two days extracting the medicinal ingredients while students, instructors, and Pan Gate watched; Elder Huo judged that he was refining a Seventh-Grade Pill.
• Xiao Fan carefully nurtured and merged the medicinal essences inside the Myriad Beast Cauldron as the crowd grew over the next two days.
• A pill embryo formed, releasing a potent fragrance as dark clouds gathered; Xin Lan recognized the pill lightning and hoped her family might be saved.
• Elder Huo warned that the pill lightning could endanger the students, but Xiao Fan assured the First Elder that he could protect them.
• At dawn on the fifth day, Xiao Fan completed the pill, and figures including Mo Tianxing, Qi Shan, and Eagle Mountain Old Man sensed the Seventh-Grade Pill's completion.

Xiao Fan refined the seventh-grade Heavenly Soul Blood Fusion Pill at Jia Nan Academy, while the Earth Demon Puppet absorbed and shattered the pill’s lightning tribulation. After gifting the students a parting lesson, Xiao Fan and Xiao Yan prepared to leave for the Central Plains to seek Venerable Feng’s help in rescuing their teacher, and Xiao Fan entrusted the pill for You Ruo to the First Elder.

• Su Mei and Tie Wu learned from Eagle Mountain Old Man that Xiao Fan had refined a seventh-grade pill and felt reassured that he had not abandoned them.
• Xiao Fan completed the Heavenly Soul Blood Fusion Pill at Jia Nan Academy, and the Earth Demon Puppet shattered and absorbed each bolt of its lightning tribulation.
• Xiao Yan returned from training, saw the Earth Demon Puppet withstand the tribulation, and joined Xiao Fan and the First Elder after the pill was secured.
• Xiao Fan addressed the students, gave them the pill refinement as a parting gift, and vanished from the Competition Stage.
• Xiao Fan told the First Elder that he and Xiao Yan planned to travel to the Central Plains and seek Venerable Feng’s help to rescue their teacher.
• Xiao Fan gave the First Elder the Heavenly Soul Blood Fusion Pill and asked him to deliver it to the Snake-People Tribe.

Xiao Fan and his companions traveled toward Tianya City, where they planned to use a Space Wormhole to reach the Central Plains. Xin Lan explained the region’s strongest factions, but naming the Hall of Souls triggered Xiao Yan’s killing intent, which Xiao Fan subdued as they continued their journey.

• The First Elder watched Xiao Fan and his companions depart, then set out for the Jia Ma Empire to deliver the Heavenly Soul Blood Fusion Pill to the Snake-People Tribe.
• Xiao Yan questioned why Xiao Fan had brought Zi Yan, and Xiao Fan said her unusual origins might prove useful on their journey.
• Xin Lan explained that they were heading to Tianya City to use a Space Wormhole and described the distance and travel time to the Central Plains.
• Xiao Yan asked about the Central Plains’ major factions, and Xin Lan named One Hall, One Tower, Two Sects, Three Valleys, and Four Pavilions.
• Xin Lan identified the Hall of Souls as the One Hall, causing Xiao Yan to erupt with killing intent over Yao Lao’s capture.
• Xiao Fan shielded Xin Lan and the Griffin, then calmed Xiao Yan and helped him regain control of his Dou Qi.