Chapter Summaries

Xiao Fan spent a month completing minor missions at the Black Skull Tomb while secretly gathering information and maintaining the Eagle Protector’s trust. When the Eagle Protector announced he would leave on an assignment, Xiao Fan saw his chance to head for Jia Nan Academy, and the system issued him a mission to go there.

• Xiao Fan completed missions for the Black Skull Tomb and used his time there to learn about the sect and explore its territory.
• The Eagle Protector continued watching Xiao Fan, then grew satisfied with his apparent diligence and dependence on the sect.
• The Eagle Protector told Xiao Fan he was leaving for a while and assured him that his identity token would protect him.
• Xiao Fan returned to his room and received a system mission to proceed to Jia Nan Academy.
• Xiao Fan planned to leave after the Eagle Protector departed, using a mission as cover to travel to Peaceful Town.

The Alchemist Tournament began in the Jia Ma Empire, where Xiao Yan uncovered a flaw in the second-round formula and clashed with a skilled alchemist from the Chu Yun Empire. He passed the round using his heavenly flame and prompted the other contestants to restart their attempts.

• Fa Ma opened the Alchemist Tournament, and more than two thousand contestants began the first round by reconstructing and refining the Bone-Growing Pill formula; a third of them were eliminated.
• Contestants struggled in the second round because the Alchemist Guild's formula contained conflicting medicinal properties, while a gray-robed alchemist from the Chu Yun Empire refined with exceptional skill.
• Xiao Yan realized the formula was flawed after his pill turned to ash, then challenged the gray-robed youth when he mocked the Jia Ma Empire's alchemists.
• Xiao Yan revealed his blue-green heavenly flame and accelerated his ingredient extraction, but the gray-robed youth initially remained ahead.
• Xiao Yan knocked his pill out of the Medicine Cauldron before it had fully formed and finished baking it in his heavenly flame, successfully refining the pill.
• Xiao Yan tossed aside the Thick Earth Ganoderma, signaling to the other alchemists that they could resume refining, and they restarted their attempts.

Xiao Fan strengthened himself with two Purple Heart Barrier-Breaking Pills and used a costly system item to send Han Jue instructions to protect Xiao Zhan and guide Xiao Yan. He planned to leave the Black Skull Tomb the next day and head to Black Seal City.

• Xiao Fan accepted an assassination mission, then prepared to raise his cultivation before leaving the Black Skull Tomb.
• Xiao Fan swallowed two Purple Heart Barrier-Breaking Pills and advanced from a Two-Star Great Dou Master to a four-star Da Dou Shi.
• Xiao Fan spent 500 Source Coins to contact Han Jue through the Soul Imprint he had left in his mind.
• Xiao Fan ordered Han Jue to take elite mercenaries to Wutan City, protect Xiao Zhan after Xiao Yan's Three-Year Agreement, and direct Xiao Yan to Jia Nan Academy if Xiao Zhan disappeared.
• Xiao Fan ended the brief connection and prepared to leave for Black Seal City the next day.

After winning the Alchemist Tournament, Yan Xiao left Nalan Yanran hurt by his coldness while Xiao Fan explored Black Seal City and prepared to attend an auction. In his inn room, Shasha transformed into Medusa, and after a struggle over her draining his Dou Qi, Xiao Fan suddenly kissed her.

• Fa Ma announced Yan Xiao as the Alchemist Tournament champion, and Nalan Yanran wondered why he treated her coldly before leaving for the Misty Cloud Sect.
• Xiao Fan arrived in Black Seal City, saw its violent rules in action, and learned that the Black Seal Auction House would hold an auction the next day.
• Xiao Fan rented an inn room and fed companion amethyst source to the restless Shasha.
• Shasha transformed into Medusa, who pinned Xiao Fan down and drained his Dou Qi while biting his finger.
• Xiao Fan checked Medusa's favorability, reminded her that he had helped her through her tribulation, and kissed her when she finally released his finger.

After accidentally kissing Medusa and being blasted through the inn wall, Xiao Fan negotiated a deal to give her the Spirit Fusion Pill recipe in exchange for a favor. Medusa chose to stay with him in the Black-Corner Region and planned to visit the auction, leaving Xiao Fan sharing a room with her.

• Xiao Fan apologized to the innkeeper for the damage, then got up when Medusa ordered him to explain where they were.
• Xiao Fan told Medusa they were in the Black-Corner Region and offered the Spirit Fusion Pill recipe to help her absorb the Heaven Swallowing Python's soul.
• Medusa agreed to owe Xiao Fan a favor, and he transmitted the recipe to her.
• Xiao Fan asked when Medusa would return to the Jia Ma Empire, but she said she planned to keep following him and attend the next day's auction.
• Medusa stopped Xiao Fan from seeking another room, and he covered the hole in the wall before settling down to cultivate across from her.

Xiao Fan and Medusa attended the Black Seal Auction, where Medusa’s strength earned them VIP treatment and an apology from the auction house manager. The auction began with Xiao Fan holding a black card containing five hundred thousand gold coins.

• Xiao Fan twisted the hand of a man who harassed Medusa and kicked him into the crowd.
• Xiao Fan and Medusa bypassed the public line and entered the auction house through the VIP entrance after Medusa revealed her Dou Emperor aura.
• A maid gave Medusa a second-tier VIP card, which Xiao Fan accepted, and escorted them to a private room.
• Qingyin brought the man who had harassed Medusa to apologize, then gave Xiao Fan a black card containing five hundred thousand gold coins.
• The Black Seal Auction began with a gong.

Xiao Fan attended an auction with Medusa, bought a Black Tier Dou Technique, and obtained some of the Spirit Fusion Pill ingredients along with another requested item. The chapter ended after Qingyin sold him the boxed item for fifty thousand gold coins.

• Xiao Fan watched the weekly auction with Medusa and asked Qingyin’s maid to check for the ingredients needed for the Spirit Fusion Pill.
• Xiao Fan bid on and won the mid-grade Black Tier Dou Technique scroll, Void Blade, for five hundred thousand gold coins.
• Qingyin brought Xiao Fan three available medicinal ingredients and the other item he had requested.
• Xiao Fan accepted the ingredients as a gift but paid Qingyin fifty thousand gold coins for the boxed item.

Xiao Fan gave Medusa an enchanted pair of shoes, then accompanied her on a stroll through Black Seal City. After Medusa killed two men who tried to approach them, she returned to her snake form, and Xiao Fan set off for Jia Nan Academy.

• Xiao Fan presented Medusa with a pair of ornate shoes enchanted with fire-beast magic cores and cultivation formations, and she put them on.
• After the auction ended, Xiao Fan collected the Void Blade and went strolling through Black Seal City with Medusa.
• Two men staged a fight to draw near Medusa, and she killed them by twisting their heads around with her power.
• Medusa lost interest in the stroll and began turning into the Seven-Colored Little Snake after Xiao Fan declared he would marry her the next time she came out.
• Xiao Fan fed the sleepy Seven-Colored Little Snake companion amethyst source, then decided to leave for Jia Nan Academy.

Xiao Fan reached Peace Town near Jia Nan Academy and encountered the Law Enforcement Team enforcing the town’s strict entry rules. After showing his admission invitation, he surprised the team by revealing that he had crossed the Black-Corner Region alone.

• Xiao Fan traveled north for two days, then continued on foot toward Jia Nan Academy to avoid its no-flying zone.
• Xiao Fan arrived at Peace Town and saw the Death Spirit Tree, where the corpses of those who had defied the academy hung.
• A stern middle-aged man from the Law Enforcement Team ordered visitors to state their identities and swallow pills that detected killing intent.
• The Law Enforcement Team drew their swords when some newcomers hesitated, and the visitors eventually took the pills and entered town.
• Xiao Fan asked whether academy students could skip the pill, showed his admission invitation, and confirmed that he had crossed the Black-Corner Region alone.

Xiao Fan reached Jia Nan Academy after Huo De verified his identity and arranged griffin transport from Jia Nan City. At Xun'er's cultivation spot, Bai Shan attacked him, and their fight drew a crowd just as Xun'er recognized Xiao Fan.

• Huo De verified Xiao Fan's identity, gave him an academy badge, and arranged for two law enforcement members to fly him to Jia Nan City.
• Xiao Fan reached Jia Nan Academy and headed to the secluded hill where Xun'er cultivated.
• Bai Shan confronted Xiao Fan, who confirmed he had come to see Xun'er and continued toward her cultivation spot.
• Bai Shan attacked Xiao Fan from behind, and Xiao Fan blocked his strike and countered with a palm strike.
• Xun'er arrived as Xiao Fan and Bai Shan faced off and called out to him as Big Brother Xiao Fan.

Xiao Fan met Xiao Xun'er at Jia Nan Academy and asked her to help him register for the Inner Academy Selection Tournament. As they headed to see Instructor Ruo Lin, Xiao Yu confronted him, and the three continued toward the instructor's cultivation room together.

• Xiao Xun'er greeted Xiao Fan, and he teased her about looking for Xiao Yan.
• Bai Shan tried to approach Xiao Xun'er, but she rejected his familiarity, and Xiao Fan mocked him as he left.
• Xiao Fan told Xiao Xun'er he was a Specially Invited Student and wanted to enter the upcoming selection tournament, so she led him to Instructor Ruo Lin.
• Xiao Yu attacked Xiao Fan, but they lost their balance and tumbled to the ground in an awkward tangle.
• Xiao Yu asked why Xiao Fan was there, then followed him and Xiao Xun'er toward Instructor Ruo Lin's cultivation room.

Xiao Fan registered for the Inner Academy Selection Tournament under Instructor Ruo Lin, while Xiao Xun'er persuaded Ruo Lin to register Xiao Yan as well. After Xiao Fan revealed he was a five-star Da Dou Shi, Xiao Yu took him to arrange his lodging.

• Xiao Xun'er brought Xiao Fan to Instructor Ruo Lin, who accepted him as her student and agreed to submit his tournament registration.
• Xiao Fan received his system mission rewards after Ruo Lin agreed to become his instructor.
• Xiao Xun'er persuaded Ruo Lin to register her and Xiao Yan for the Inner Academy Selection Tournament.
• Xiao Fan told Ruo Lin that he was an eighteen-year-old five-star Da Dou Shi, surprising Ruo Lin, Xiao Xun'er, and Xiao Yu.
• Ruo Lin asked Xiao Yu to take Xiao Fan to register and find lodging, and Xiao Xun'er left them as they departed.

Xiao Fan settled into his dormitory at Jia Nan Academy while Xiao Yan defeated Nalan Yanran in the Three-Year Agreement at the Misty Cloud Sect. Xiao Yan burned their marriage contract and began to leave, but Yun Leng stopped him.

• Xiao Fan followed Xiao Ning to his assigned dormitory and claimed his system reward for reaching Jia Nan Academy.
• Xiao Yan defeated Nalan Yanran, and Jia Xingtian explained that the Jia Ma Imperial Family had given Yan Xiao a wisp of azure water flame in a deal.
• Nalan Yanran tried to take her own life, but Xiao Yan knocked her sword away and declared that he would not make her his servant.
• Xiao Yan burned the marriage contract between Nalan Yanran and the Xiao Clan, then turned to leave the Misty Cloud Sect square.
• Yun Leng called out to stop Xiao Yan, prompting Jia Xingtian to question whether he intended to force Xiao Yan to stay.

After Xiao Yan defeated Nalan Yanran, Yun Leng accused him of killing Mo Cheng and tried to detain him for questioning. Yun Yun stopped the accusation for lack of clear evidence, and Xiao Yan left wondering why she had asked him to tell Xiao Fan she would be waiting at the Misty Cloud Sect.

• Yun Leng accused Xiao Yan of killing Mo Cheng based on Ge Ye’s identification, but Xiao Yan questioned how he could have defeated a Dou Ling.
• Yun Yun initially ordered Yun Leng to end the matter because there was no concrete evidence.
• Ge Ye recalled that Mo Cheng’s killer had used a white flame, and Yun Leng cited that and Ge Ye’s sighting as reasons to investigate Xiao Yan.
• Yun Yun again ordered Yun Leng to stop and used her Dou Emperor pressure to make him comply.
• Yun Yun ended the proceedings and left, while Xiao Yan departed wondering about her final message: she would wait for Xiao Fan at the Misty Cloud Sect.

After the system malfunctioned during an upgrade, Xiao Fan briefly met a chained stranger in a dark space who warned him about fake penalty missions and told him to find Xiao Yi Xian after leaving the Inner Academy. Xiao Fan returned to his room with the encounter erased from his memory, but discovered the warning he had carved into the table and realized he had lost memories.

• Xiao Fan absorbed the system experience, triggering another malfunction as the system attempted to upgrade.
• Xiao Fan found himself in a dark space without access to his Dou Qi and spoke with a mysterious chained figure.
• The stranger told Xiao Fan that future penalty missions were false and urged him to find Xiao Yi Xian after the Inner Academy, but the chains silenced him before he could finish a warning.
• Xiao Fan returned to his room and carved the stranger's messages into the table before his memories of the encounter disappeared.
• Xiao Fan noticed the words on the table and deduced that he had lost memories after the system malfunction.

After recovering from a strange disruption to his memories, Xiao Fan left his room and began exploring Jia Nan Academy. He decided to practice the Void Blade and planned to master it and advance his Alchemy before the Inner Academy Selection Tournament.

• Xiao Fan interpreted his notes about the fake punishment and Xiao Yi Xian, then kept them in his Storage Ring and spent two days recovering.
• Xiao Fan encountered Bai Shan outside their rooms, dismissed his attempt to provoke him, and left the residential area.
• Xiao Fan explored Jia Nan Academy and went to the Dou Technique Pavilion to practice the Void Blade he had bought at auction.
• Xiao Fan tried the Void Blade on a Training Dummy but failed to unleash its power, then resolved to master it within a month and pursue fifth-tier Alchemy.

After Xiao Yan defeated Nalan Yanran, Xiao Zhan celebrated the Xiao Clan’s victory, but a hostile Dou Wang attacked the clan that night. Han Jue’s Iron Cavalry Mercenary Group intervened, yet the attacker ravaged the estate and left it in ruins.

• Xiao Zhan celebrated the news that Xiao Yan had defeated Nalan Yanran and reached the Da Dou Shi level.
• Han Jue ordered the Iron Cavalry Mercenary Group to guard the Xiao Clan after learning the Three-Year Agreement’s result.
• A mysterious Dou Wang appeared over the Xiao Clan’s celebration and attacked Xiao Zhan, accusing him of being Xiao Yan’s father.
• Han Jue charged in to aid Xiao Zhan, and Xiao Zhan joined the fight, but the Dou Wang’s attack sent them crashing through a wall.
• The Dou Wang believed Xiao Zhan had escaped, gravely injured Han Jue, and destroyed much of the Xiao Clan’s estate, including its Ancestral Hall.
• The mysterious Dou Wang taunted the devastated Xiao Clan members and flew away from Wutan City.

Xiao Yan returned to Wutan City and found the Xiao Clan damaged but mostly alive, while his father Xiao Zhan was missing. After learning that an unknown Young Master had sent Han Jue to protect his father and direct Xiao Yan to Jia Nan Academy, Xiao Yan took charge of rebuilding the clan.

• Han Jue realized Xiao Zhan had not abandoned the Xiao Clan and helped the survivors recover while the Grand Elder arranged for the Iron Cavalry Mercenary Group to stay.
• Jia Lie Bi and Oba Pa brought their clans to the Xiao Clan under the pretense of helping, then left after seeing Han Jue's support.
• Xiao Yan rushed back to Wutan City, found the Xiao Clan compound damaged, and learned that Xiao Zhan had vanished after luring away a Dou Wang.
• Han Jue told Xiao Yan that his Young Master said Xiao Zhan was safe, the Misty Cloud Sect was not responsible for his disappearance, and Xiao Yan should go to Jia Nan Academy for answers.
• Yao Lao identified traces of Yun Leng's Dou Qi and suspected another hidden force had abducted Xiao Zhan; Xiao Yan decided to rebuild the clan before leaving for Jia Nan Academy.
• Han Jue left with the Iron Cavalry Mercenary Group after agreeing to strengthen ties between Desert City and Stone Desert City, and Xiao Yan accepted the role of Young Clan Leader.

Xiao Fan accepted a system quest to defeat Bai Shan and challenged him to a public fight at the Martial Arts Arena. The chapter ended as Bai Shan and Xiao Fan faced off, with Xiao Fan daring him to attack.

• Two students sent by Bai Shan challenged Xiao Fan, and Xiao Fan revealed that he was a five-star Da Dou Shi.
• The system triggered a quest requiring Xiao Fan to defeat Bai Shan for Dou Qi points and Source Coins, with penalties for failure.
• Xiao Fan told the two students to inform Bai Shan that he would meet him at the Martial Arts Arena that afternoon.
• News of the challenge spread through the academy, drawing students and instructors to watch and attracting attention to Xiao Fan's file as a specially invited student.
• Xiao Fan and Bai Shan met at the crowded arena, traded insults, and took their places on the platform.
• Xiao Fan ignored Bai Shan's threats and beckoned him to attack.

Xiao Fan defeated Bai Shan in a spear match at Jia Nan Academy, overpowering Bai Shan’s lightning attack with his Cloud Crane Shadow. Bai Shan collapsed after the fight, leaving Xiao Fan victorious.

• Xiao Xun'er told Hu Jia that Bai Shan would lose, while Hu Jia teased her about Xiao Yan.
• Xiao Fan and Bai Shan clashed with their spears, and Hu Jia judged Xiao Fan's technique to have a slight edge.
• Bai Shan and Xiao Fan unleashed their strongest attacks, with Xiao Fan's green celestial crane breaking through Bai Shan's lightning and shield.
• The blast left Bai Shan badly wounded, and Xiao Fan declared that he had lost.
• Bai Shan spat blood and toppled backward, unable to continue fighting.