Chapter Summaries

Xiao Fan left Yue Yao and met Medusa in the mountains near Jia Nan Academy. Medusa asked him to find the remaining ingredients for the Spirit Fusion Pill, and he agreed to check the academy’s exchange for them.

• After the academy bell rang, Xiao Fan and Yue Yao left the Heavenly Flame Qi Refining Tower together.
• Xiao Fan stopped on the way back and sent Yue Yao to the dorms alone.
• Xiao Fan went into the mountains, where Medusa emerged and asked where they were.
• Xiao Fan told Medusa he was a fifth-tier Alchemist and was still missing green wood immortal vine and mountain essence for the Spirit Fusion Pill.
• Medusa told Xiao Fan to check Jia Nan Academy’s exchange for the two ingredients.

Xiao Fan entered the Inner Academy marketplace with Medusa hidden in his sleeve to find the medicinal ingredients she needed. He found them at a stall run by a notoriously hot-tempered young man, but could not meet the seller’s demands, leaving the trade unresolved.

• Xiao Fan agreed to let Medusa hide as the Seven-Colored Little Snake and took her into the Inner Academy marketplace.
• Xiao Fan searched the East District for nearly half an hour, traded for several materials, and considered selling pills there.
• Xiao Fan spotted a gray-clad young man’s stall and recognized the Green Wood Immortal Vine and Black Ghost Vine Medusa needed.
• The stall owner struck at Xiao Fan when he reached for the vines, then demanded four hundred days of Fire Energy for the Black Ghost Vine.
• The stall owner asked for an Earth Tier Dou Technique instead, but Xiao Fan said he had none, and the young man ended the conversation.

Xiao Fan struck a deal with Lin Yan to treat his fire poison in exchange for Lin Yan’s black ghost vine. After giving Lin Yan medicine and instructions, Xiao Fan agreed to continue treating him, and Lin Yan offered his protection.

• Xiao Fan offered to clear Lin Yan’s fire poison in exchange for the black ghost vine, stopping Lin Yan’s attack.
• Xiao Fan revealed that he was a Fifth-Rank Alchemist, and Lin Yan agreed to the deal after demanding an extra hundred days of fire energy; Xiao Fan refused the extra payment.
• Xiao Fan took Lin Yan to his living quarters, where Xiao Yan gave him two bottles of Ice Spirit Pills.
• Xiao Fan explained that Lin Yan’s fire poison could not be removed at once, then made Marrow-Washing Cold Spirit Liquid and told Lin Yan how to use it.
• Lin Yan agreed to avoid the Heavenly Flame Qi Refining Tower during treatment and offered Xiao Fan a favor and protection.

Xiao Fan discovered that Eagle Protector was tracking the Brand inside him and received a five-day mission to take control of the powerful Hall of Souls protector. Unable to face Eagle Protector alone, he asked Medusa for help, and she offered to consider it if he acknowledged her as his superior for three years.

• Medusa appeared in Xiao Fan's room, and Xiao Fan explained that he still could not find mountain essence.
• Xiao Fan noticed that the Brand left by Eagle Protector had grown hot, signaling that Eagle Protector was sensing his location.
• The system assigned Xiao Fan a five-day mission to take control of Eagle Protector, with severe penalties for failure.
• Xiao Fan considered his limited options and told Medusa that he had to deal with an enemy who was a high-level or Peak Dou Emperor.
• Medusa agreed to consider helping Xiao Fan if he promised to acknowledge her as his superior for three years.

Xiao Fan persuaded Medusa to help him deal with Eagle Protector in exchange for three conditions, then bought a formation to prevent Eagle Protector from escaping. With Medusa’s help secured and the Five-Direction Space-Sealing Formation in hand, Xiao Fan began preparing for the confrontation.

• Medusa praised Xiao Fan’s rapid growth and offered to help him, while Xiao Fan weighed the risks of confronting Eagle Protector and the Hall of Souls.
• Xiao Fan agreed to Medusa’s three conditions, and she named refining the Spirit Fusion Pill as the first.
• Xiao Fan planned to lure Eagle Protector to a secluded location but worried that he might flee if the fight turned against him.
• Xiao Fan consulted the system’s Shop and chose the Five-Direction Space-Sealing Formation as an affordable way to lock down the battlefield.
• Xiao Fan spent more than half his Source Coins and received five formation flags in his System Space.

Xiao Fan and Medusa prepared to capture the Eagle Protector by setting up the Five-Direction Space-Sealing Formation in a secluded valley. They concealed the completed formation and left it ready for the coming confrontation.

• Xiao Fan learned that Medusa could control the Eagle Protector and satisfy the system's mission if she made him obey Xiao Fan's commands.
• Xiao Fan left the Inner Academy with Medusa, keeping Yao Lao and Xiao Yan uninformed about their plan.
• Medusa opened a passage through the formation surrounding Jia Nan Academy, and she and Xiao Fan traveled to a secluded valley.
• Xiao Fan planted the five formation flags around the valley and connected them to the green lotus core flame as the formation's hub.
• Xiao Fan concealed the flags, completing the formation intended to prevent the Eagle Protector from escaping.

Xiao Fan prepared to make Mo Shang an independent person by splitting his soul origin, despite Medusa’s objections. He began the process and was overwhelmed by the extreme pain of dividing the core of his soul.

• Medusa agreed to help lure Eagle Protector, and Xiao Fan separated the Spirit Puppet from his body as a backup plan.
• Xiao Fan told Medusa he intended to split his soul origin, but she warned him of the risks and stood guard when he refused to stop.
• Xiao Fan entered his soul space and found his fist-sized soul origin, strengthened by the system’s repeated tempering.
• The system instructed Xiao Fan to divide his soul origin with his consciousness and inject one portion into the Spirit Puppet.
• Xiao Fan began splitting his soul origin, but the pain was so intense that he instinctively stopped.

Xiao Fan struggled to split his soul origin while Medusa watched, torn between concern and reluctance to intervene. Pressured by the little purple snake, Medusa entered Xiao Fan’s consciousness to help, where she found his soul origin only barely beginning to separate.

• Xiao Fan endured intense pain as he tried to divide his soul origin, losing awareness of the outside world.
• Medusa argued with the little purple snake, which urged her to save Xiao Fan, and finally agreed to intervene.
• Medusa set up a protective barrier and sent her soul form into Xiao Fan’s consciousness.
• Medusa found Xiao Fan’s powerful sea of consciousness and discovered that his soul aura had begun clinging to her scales.
• Medusa reached Xiao Fan’s soul origin, saw that it was only faintly starting to separate, and heard him cry out in pain.

Xiao Fan tried to split his soul origin, enduring unbearable pain while Medusa watched from inside his consciousness space. He lost consciousness just before finishing, and his soul origin began to draw back together.

• Medusa entered Xiao Fan’s consciousness space after Shasha forced her to come and asked how she could help.
• Xiao Fan explained that Medusa could not intervene without risking their souls becoming entangled, then continued pulling his soul origin apart.
• Medusa watched helplessly as Xiao Fan endured the pain and gradually shaped his soul origin into two nearly separated spheres.
• Xiao Fan’s consciousness faded before he could complete the split, and the force guiding his soul origin vanished.
• Medusa saw Xiao Fan’s hourglass-shaped soul origin slowly drawing back together without his control.

Medusa entered Xiao Fan’s consciousness and split his Soul Origin after he fell unconscious, enduring the pain and seeing fragments of his memories. Their souls became inseparably entwined, so Medusa made a Symbiotic Contract with Xiao Fan; she then woke beside him, exhausted, and touched the rune on his forehead.

• Medusa approached Xiao Fan’s Soul Origin and used her soul power to divide it, experiencing the pain he had endured.
• As their Soul Origins touched, Medusa saw fragments of Xiao Fan’s memories, including his time with Yun Yun and his help during her tribulation.
• After splitting the Soul Origin, Medusa realized their soul auras had become inseparably entwined.
• Medusa invoked her full name, You Ruo Medusa, and willingly formed a Symbiotic Contract with Xiao Fan.
• Medusa infused both Soul Origins with soul power, then returned to her body and found a contract rune on Xiao Fan’s forehead.

Xiao Fan discovered that Medusa had helped split his Soul Origin, allowing him to create a separate incarnation as Mo Shang. He reunited with Medusa and explained his plan to lure out Eagle Protector, leaving them ready to put it into action.

• Xiao Fan realized Medusa had helped split his Soul Origin and formed a Symbiotic Contract with him.
• Xiao Fan transferred one Soul Origin mass into Mo Shang, restoring his control and separating their identities with Chaos Flame.
• Xiao Fan found Medusa at a cliff, thanked her, and teased her until she shoved him over the edge.
• Medusa told Xiao Fan she had suffered no loss from helping him split his origin.
• Xiao Fan separated Mo Shang from himself and explained how he and Medusa would lure Eagle Protector, with instructions to flee if the Formation failed.

Xiao Fan and Medusa used Mo Shang as bait to lure Eagle Protector into a valley, where Medusa fought him. After a fierce exchange, Eagle Protector recognized her as the Snake-People Tribe’s queen, but Medusa realized that capturing him would be difficult.

• Xiao Fan and Medusa imprisoned Mo Shang in a formation in the valley, and Xiao Fan used his soul power to trigger Eagle Protector’s brand before hiding nearby.
• Eagle Protector sensed Mo Shang’s call for help and hurried from Black Skull Tomb to the valley.
• Eagle Protector arrived and questioned Medusa, who claimed Mo Shang had offended her and continued inscribing the formation.
• Medusa attacked Eagle Protector, and the two fought until she used enough of her strength for him to identify her as the Snake-People Tribe’s queen.
• Medusa suppressed Eagle Protector but recognized that taking him alive would be difficult.

Xiao Fan abandoned his attempt to capture Eagle Protector and let Medusa trade Mo Shang for pills and ingredients. After Eagle Protector left, Xiao Fan discovered Medusa’s soul had been weakened and gave her medicinal liquid to help her recover, then planned to refine the Spirit Fusion Pill and spend a few days away before returning to the Inner Academy.

• Medusa negotiated with Eagle Protector and accepted his Storage Ring of pills and ingredients in exchange for Mo Shang.
• Eagle Protector freed Mo Shang and flew away, after which Xiao Fan reappeared beside Medusa.
• Xiao Fan entered Medusa’s mental space, found her soul weakened, and gave her medicinal liquid to repair it.
• Xiao Fan retrieved his formation flags and realized his mission had failed, though its penalty had not yet been applied.
• Xiao Fan told Medusa they would rest and travel for a few days before he refined the Spirit Fusion Pill and they returned to the Inner Academy.

Xiao Fan refined a Spirit Fusion Pill for You Ruo, with Medusa protecting the pill as it formed. Afterward, he planned to return to Jia Nan Academy the next day, while You Ruo decided to stay with him for now.

• Xiao Fan used the mountain essence and other ingredients to refine a Spirit Fusion Pill for You Ruo.
• Medusa dispelled the pill's energy ripples, allowing Xiao Fan to complete the refinement and hand her the pill.
• Xiao Fan said he would prepare to return to the Inner Academy the next day, the final day of his system deadline.
• You Ruo said she would stay with Xiao Fan for now and teased him about flirting with women.

Xiao Fan returned to the Inner Academy with You Ruo and waited for the system’s failed-mission penalty, only to discover that the punishment was fake and uncover a possible warning about the system. He resolved to keep going, saw his strength had risen to Four-Star Dou Ling, and received a new mission called Moon’s Sorrow.

• Xiao Fan spent the night outside the Mountain Cave with You Ruo, who stayed beside him to comfort him about the coming punishment.
• Xiao Fan and You Ruo returned to the Inner Academy, where You Ruo swallowed the Spirit Fusion Pill and fell asleep as a small snake coiled around his arm.
• At midnight, the system announced that the failed mission would strip Xiao Fan of his vision, but its correction instead gave him 300 Dou Qi points and 5,000 Source Coins.
• Xiao Fan found the carved message on his table—“The punishments are fake!”—and wondered whether it had been a warning about the system.
• Xiao Fan checked his status, found himself at Four-Star Dou Ling, and received the new Moon’s Sorrow mission with rewards including the Earth-tier Dou Technique Moon Shadow.

Xiao Fan discovered that the system’s blindness punishment had improved his vision and found Zi Yan near a battle between two Magical Beasts. After learning she had eaten the herbs they were guarding, he took her to safety and offered to make her bitter medicinal ingredients taste better.

• Xiao Fan noticed his eyesight had improved after the system’s punishment and went to investigate an explosion near the Inner Academy.
• Xiao Fan watched a Windshadow Wolf King and a Skyhowl Ape fight, then discovered Zi Yan behind him.
• Xiao Fan realized Zi Yan had eaten the herbs the beasts were guarding and carried her away from the battlefield.
• Xiao Fan gave Zi Yan companion amethyst source, and she told him she ate medicinal ingredients to grow up and change between human and Magical Beast forms.
• Xiao Fan offered to improve the taste of Zi Yan’s herbs, and she handed him an ice spirit bitter cold fruit.

Xiao Fan refined Zi Yan’s ice spirit bitter cold fruit into tasty medicinal pellets and returned with her to the Inner Academy. Back at his residence, he learned about Xiao Yan’s victory over Lei Na and saw Yue Yao arrive after Lin Yan said she had been looking for him.

• Xiao Fan used the green lotus core flame to refine the ice spirit bitter cold fruit into pellets for Zi Yan and warned her not to share them with others.
• Zi Yan agreed to return to the Inner Academy with Xiao Fan, then parted from him near the academy and said she would visit him for more candy beans.
• Xiao Fan returned to the new students’ residential area and told Lin Yan that he had made a breakthrough, while reminding him not to cultivate until his fire poison was further treated.
• Lin Yan told Xiao Fan that Xiao Yan had defeated Lei Na, a Four-Star Dou Ling, with one move in the Heavenly Flame Qi Refining Tower, and that the White Gang had recently quieted down.
• Xiao Fan saw Yue Yao arrive, and Lin Yan told him that she had visited several times a day while he was away.

Xiao Fan reunited with Yue Yao in the Heavenly Flame Qi Refining Tower and agreed to take her to cultivate on the second floor. While he was away speaking to Elder Liu, Xi Ying and Bai Shan cornered Yue Yao, and Xi Ying knocked her down; Xiao Fan's icy voice then challenged them from behind.

• Lin Yan left Xiao Fan's room to clear out his Fire Poison, and Xiao Fan realized Yue Yao had broken through to Da Dou Shi.
• Yue Yao showed Xiao Fan Pan Gate's badge, which included his spear in its design, and told him she had been waiting for him.
• Xiao Fan agreed to take Yue Yao to the second floor and went to speak with Elder Liu while she waited.
• Bai Shan introduced Yue Yao to Xi Ying, who tried to approach her; Yue Yao insulted them and refused his advances.
• Xi Ying struck Yue Yao down and threatened her, but Xiao Fan's icy voice challenged him from behind.

Xiao Fan arrived as Xi Ying and his group were bullying Yue Yao, then overwhelmed them and broke Xi Ying’s hand. Before he could finish confronting them, a terrifying presence emerged from the Black Tower’s central hole.

• Xiao Fan found Yue Yao injured after Xi Ying knocked her down and gently helped her to her feet.
• Xiao Fan told Elder Liu not to interfere, then challenged Xi Ying and his companions.
• Xiao Fan’s spear shattered Xi Ying’s Dou Qi barrier and sent him and two others flying, revealing Xiao Fan’s four-star Dou Ling strength.
• Xiao Fan struck a Da Dou Shi and slapped Bai Shan before breaking Xi Ying’s right hand.
• A massive surge of energy rose through the Black Tower, and Xiao Fan turned to face a pair of enormous, icy eyes.

Xiao Fan absorbed the invisible flame within him as the Invisible Fire Python rampaged inside the Black Tower, then left with Yue Yao to confront the White Gang. Academy elders ordered the tower’s lower floors closed and its seals reinforced, while discussing Xiao Fan and Xiao Yan’s potential usefulness.

• Elder Liu warned the students to flee as the Invisible Fire Python grew agitated inside the Black Tower.
• Xiao Fan used the Chaos Flame to absorb the invisible flame within his body while Yue Yao supported him.
• The Invisible Fire Python tried to break through the seals, then retreated beneath the Black Tower as the disturbance ended.
• Xiao Fan thanked Yue Yao and took her with him to pursue Xi Ying and the White Gang.
• Academy elders ordered the tower’s lowest two floors closed and tasked an elder with reinforcing its seals.
• An instructor reported that Xiao Yan was cultivating on the second floor and Xiao Fan had entered the tower that day, and the elderly leader told them to give both youths extra care.