Chapter Summaries

Xiao Yan returned to the Alchemist Guild and used his powerful purple flame to make Foklan treat him respectfully. When Foklan insisted that he take the rank examinations one by one, Xiao Yan agreed, eager for a safe chance to show off.

• Xiao Yan left the guild without explaining to Yun Yun that he had been avoiding romantic entanglements, and Yun Yun decided she would help him with his certification next time.
• A few days later, Xiao Yan returned to the guild with Yun Yun and found that Lin Fei and Xue Mei were absent, but Foklan and Otto were there.
• As Foklan approached to confront him, Xiao Yan summoned a purple flame whose power shocked Foklan and made him wary.
• Xiao Yan reassured Foklan that he only wanted his alchemist rank certified, and Foklan and Otto then spoke warmly with him.
• Foklan said Xiao Yan had to begin with the first-rank examination, and Xiao Yan agreed while Yun Yun held back from intervening.

Xiao Yan earned his Fourth-Tier Alchemist certification by astonishing Foklan and Otto with his speed and control, then bought medicinal ingredients and poisons before cultivating for half a year. He reached Fifth-Tier Alchemist and used the remaining companion amethyst source to advance to Three-Star Dou Wang.

• Xiao Yan refined the first- through fourth-tier pills with extraordinary speed, leaving Foklan and Otto amazed.
• Foklan awarded Xiao Yan a Fourth-Tier Alchemist badge and robe, and Xiao Yan politely bought fifth-tier ingredients and poisons at a discount.
• Xiao Yan returned to the inn and began partial seclusion to pursue Fifth-Tier Alchemist status and improve his cultivation while continuing to spend time with Yun Yun and Xiao Yi Xian.
• After half a year, Xiao Yan had reached Fifth-Tier Alchemist and Peak Dou Ling.
• Xiao Yan absorbed all ten bottles of companion amethyst source and advanced directly to Three-Star Dou Wang.

Xiao Yan prepared to leave Black Rock City for Stone Desert City, where he planned to help Xiao Ding and Xiao Li grow stronger. Before setting out, he visited the Alchemist Guild as Li Feiyu to acquire sixth-tier ingredients, leaving Foklan and Otto convinced that his alchemy was advancing rapidly.

• Xiao Yan urged Yun Yun to return and prepare for the Xiao Clan's move to the imperial capital, then embraced her before she departed.
• Xiao Yan visited Xiao Yi Xian and learned that she had risen to six-star Dou Ling in nine months; he invited her to travel with him to Stone Desert City, and she agreed.
• Xiao Yan realized he needed supplies for the journey and went to the Black Rock City Alchemist Guild disguised as Li Feiyu to seek sixth-tier medicinal ingredients.
• Foklan balked at providing the scarce ingredients, but Otto took Xiao Yan to the storeroom and urged Foklan to invest in Li Feiyu's potential.
• Foklan realized Li Feiyu might already be a fifth-tier Alchemist and could be pursuing the sixth tier before seeking certification.

Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian reached Stone Desert City, where Xiao Yi Xian rescued a mercenary squad and Xiao Yan discovered its members belonged to his brothers’ Desert Iron Mercenary Group. Xiao Yan reunited with Xiao Ding and Xiao Li at a welcoming feast, where Yao Lao warned him that the timid young maid was not ordinary.

• Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian traveled from Black Rock City to Stone Desert City and stopped to watch Snake-People attack a mercenary squad.
• At Xiao Yan’s urging, Xiao Yi Xian fought the Snake-People and drove them away without pursuing them.
• Xue Lan invited Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian to the Desert Iron Mercenary Group headquarters, and Xiao Yan realized the group was founded by his brothers.
• Xiao Yan reunited with Xiao Ding and Xiao Li, and they held a lavish feast to welcome him.
• Xiao Yan refused Xue Lan’s attention at the feast, then Yao Lao warned him that the shy young maid serving him was anything but ordinary.

Yao Lao identified the girl as a bearer of the legendary Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils and explained the Medusa Clan’s history and fall. Alarmed by the string of extraordinary coincidences surrounding him, Xiao Yan resolved to strengthen himself, gather heavenly flames, and secretly hunt the Soul Clan while investigating the scheme behind his fate.

• Yao Lao recognized the girl’s eyes as the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils and told Xiao Yan that the Medusa Clan had once used their power to command snake clans.
• Yao Lao explained that the Medusa Clan lost its ruling bloodline, was overthrown by the Nine Netherworld Python Clan, and fled to the Jia Ma Empire.
• Xiao Yan suspected that his repeated encounters with extraordinary people were part of a hidden scheme involving his fate or the Heavenly Dao.
• Xiao Yan decided to collect heavenly flames, improve the Flame Mantra, and secretly hunt Soul Clan members to strengthen his soul.
• Xiao Yan lost his desire to drink, studied the girl, and resolved to take her in.

Xiao Ding and Xiao Li proposed that Qing Lin leave Stone Desert City with Xiao Yan, hoping she would find a safer life, while Qing Lin mistakenly believed they had offered her as a plaything. When she tried to serve Xiao Yan in bed, he stopped her and found a way to earn her loyalty.

• Xiao Ding suggested that Qing Lin accompany Xiao Yan and attend to his daily needs, and Xiao Yi Xian accepted the idea of sharing the burden of serving him.
• Qing Lin silently agreed, believing she owed Xiao Ding and Xiao Li enough to submit to Xiao Yan, while Xiao Yan postponed discussing her future until after the banquet.
• After the banquet, Xiao Yan stopped Qing Lin from preparing to wash his feet and began thinking about how to win her loyalty.
• Qing Lin assumed Xiao Yan expected her to share his bed and began unfastening her clothes, but Xiao Yan stopped her because of her young age.
• Qing Lin revealed the scales on her arm as a special charm, and Xiao Yan caught her shoulders after realizing how to win her loyalty.

Xiao Yan helped Qing Lin confront her struggle over whether she belonged among humans or the Snake-People, and she chose to identify as one of the Snake-People. He planned to make others accept her choice by helping her grow strong enough to defeat them.

• Xiao Yan stopped Qing Lin from undressing and reassured her that he wanted to talk with her.
• Xiao Yan asked Qing Lin whether she wanted to be human or one of the Snake-People, and she chose the Snake-People.
• Qing Lin explained that her human father and Snake-People mother had been rejected by both sides, and that she preferred the Snake-People's straightforward nature.
• Xiao Yan told Qing Lin she could choose her own identity and proposed using strength rather than words to win others' acknowledgment.
• Xiao Yan decided to help Qing Lin grow stronger and planned to ask Xiao Ding and Xiao Li to cooperate with his scheme.

Over six months, Qing Lin used her Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils to defeat challengers and advance from a One-Star Dou Zhe to a Nine-Star Dou Ling, transforming Stone Desert City's contempt into admiration. As she ended her arena matches, Qing Lin felt at peace with her identity and understood Xiao Yan's advice to choose whichever race brought her peace.

• Xiao Yan reassured nervous Qing Lin before her first arena matches and told her to glare at opponents if she could not beat them.
• Qing Lin used her illusion arts to win three matches at each rank, while the Desert Iron Mercenary Group posted new challenges as she advanced every few days.
• Qing Lin rose from Dou Zhe to Nine-Star Dou Ling in 180 days, and Stone Desert City's people stopped challenging her and began calling her Lady Qing Lin.
• Qing Lin ended her arena matches after six months and reflected on how battle had overcome her insecurity and uncertainty about her identity.
• Qing Lin understood Xiao Yan's advice that she could choose whichever race brought her peace, regardless of other people's acknowledgment.

Xiao Yan and his companions reviewed their cultivation progress, while Xiao Yan concealed his true strength by claiming to be a Nine-Star Great Dou Master. Nine months before the Three-Year Agreement, Nalan Yanran prepared to enter seclusion, confident she would defeat Xiao Yan.

• Xiao Ding reported advancing to Three-Star Dou Ling, Xiao Li to Two-Star Dou Ling, Qing Lin to Nine-Star Dou Ling, and Xiao Yi Xian to Seven-Star Dou Wang.
• Xiao Yi Xian explained that Qing Lin had cultivated faster, reaching Nine-Star Dou Ling in six months compared with her own rise from Dou Zhe to Seven-Star Dou Ling in nine months.
• Xiao Yan recalled his progress to Nine-Star Dou Wang but told the group he was only a Nine-Star Great Dou Master.
• Nalan Yanran wondered why Yun Yun discouraged her from rushing to cultivate, then recalled that Gu He had given her pills to help her advance.
• Nalan Yanran entered seclusion, believing she could reach Da Dou Shi and crush Xiao Yan at the Three-Year Agreement.

Xiao Yan went to a map shop in Stone Desert City to investigate a mysterious old man and discovered a Map Fragment for the purifying lotus demon flame. After the two traded fragments and tried to outwit each other, Xiao Yan returned in disguise and caught the old man attempting to deceive him.

• Xiao Yan recalled the sealed old man with a Dou Emperor-level soul and decided to confront him before leaving for the imperial capital.
• At the map shop, Yao Lao pointed out an ancient Map Fragment among the scrolls, and Xiao Yan recognized it as a fragment for the purifying lotus demon flame.
• Xiao Yan showed the old man a forged fragment, and they traded it for the piece displayed in the shop, each believing he had tricked the other.
• After Xiao Yan appeared to leave, the old man joined his hidden half to Xiao Yan's fake fragment and found no clues.
• Xiao Yan, concealed with Yao Lao's help, revealed himself and accused the old man of offering only half a fragment.

Xiao Yan caught Hai Bodong trying to flee after stealing the other half of the Map Fragment, then learned where the Medusa Clan was excavating heavenly flames. Xiao Yan headed for the Medusa Tribe after offering to break Hai Bodong’s seal, leaving Hai Bodong to consider selling his services in exchange.

• Xiao Yan returned to the shop, defeated Hai Bodong, and took his ring and the matching half of the Map Fragment.
• Hai Bodong revealed that Queen Medusa had sealed his strength ten years earlier and gave Xiao Yan a map marking the heavenly flames’ location.
• Xiao Yan decided to pursue the heavenly flames and showed Hai Bodong Bone Spirit Cold Flame, offering to break his seal after he returned.
• Xiao Yan left with Hai Bodong’s ring, while Hai Bodong realized he had little left to offer and might have to sell his life to Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan found the Green Lotus Core Flame beneath the magma lake and discovered Queen Medusa waiting to claim it. After resisting her charm and sensing her ambush, he attacked, and the two began fighting.

• Xiao Yan and Yao Lao entered the magma lake, where Yao Lao used Bone Spirit Cold Flame to destroy the attacking Two-Headed Fire Serpents.
• Xiao Yan found a hidden space containing the Green Lotus Core Flame on a Green Lotus Platform.
• Xiao Yan and Yao Lao detected Queen Medusa hiding behind the platform, and Xiao Yan called her out.
• Queen Medusa revealed herself and tried to exploit Xiao Yan's brief fascination with her, but he quickly regained his composure.
• Xiao Yan and Queen Medusa gathered their Dou Qi and charged into battle.

Xiao Yan subdued Queen Medusa and refined the Green Lotus Core Flame while Yao Lao stood guard. After the Flame Mantra advanced, Xiao Yan worried that the powerful flame wielder controlling the flame’s true spirit would come after him.

• Yao Lao defeated Queen Medusa, leaving her despairing, and Xiao Yan knocked her unconscious and bound her with a restriction.
• Xiao Yan began refining the Green Lotus Core Flame on the Green Lotus Platform while Yao Lao guarded him.
• Xiao Yan wore away the flame’s violent sentience, severed a hidden force’s control of its true spirit, and refined the flame.
• The Flame Mantra advanced from Profound Tier High Grade to Earth Tier Low Grade, and Xiao Yan explained why his flame retained more power than Yao Lao’s Bone Spirit Cold Flame.
• Xiao Yan worried that the mighty flame wielder would seek revenge, while Tou She Ancient God remained asleep in his cave mansion.

After absorbing Queen Medusa’s Heavenly Flame, Xiao Yan tried to bargain with her by offering to help her evolve her bloodline in exchange for her future fighting strength. He revealed that he knew where to find a bearer of the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils, and Queen Medusa agreed to do anything if he could restore that bloodline to the Medusa Clan.

• Xiao Yan woke Queen Medusa, who asked him to kill her because she believed the Medusa Clan had lost its only chance to survive.
• Xiao Yan hinted that the Medusa Clan had another powerful bloodline and asked whether Queen Medusa still wanted to evolve.
• Xiao Yan offered to provide the Heavenly Flame for her evolution in exchange for her fighting strength, but Queen Medusa suspected he wanted control of her clan and rejected the deal.
• Xiao Yan described the Medusa Clan’s lost history and the power of the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils, stirring Queen Medusa’s longing to restore her clan.
• Xiao Yan claimed he knew where to find a bearer of the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils, and Queen Medusa promised to do anything if he could return the bloodline to her clan.

Xiao Yan negotiated with Queen Medusa to enlist her help for a hundred years in exchange for promising eventual freedom for her and Qing Lin. Queen Medusa accepted after mistaking his teasing condition as a demand for her to serve him, and Xiao Yan then demanded her soul origin as proof of trust.

• Xiao Yan told Queen Medusa that Qing Lin was his disciple and promised not to restrict either woman's freedom after a hundred years of service.
• Queen Medusa agreed to help Xiao Yan for a hundred years and demanded that he leave Qing Lin alone and let her protect the girl.
• After Yao Lao teased Xiao Yan, Xiao Yan provoked Queen Medusa by asking what she would do if he targeted Qing Lin.
• Queen Medusa begged Xiao Yan to spare Qing Lin and offered herself instead, while Xiao Yan used the exchange to put her in her place.
• Queen Medusa agreed to Xiao Yan's terms, believing he expected her to serve him, and Xiao Yan demanded her soul origin to secure his trust.

Xiao Yan took Queen Medusa’s soul origin and the Green Lotus Platform, then learned that the Misty Cloud Sect had retired masters capable of becoming Dou Zongs. He persuaded Medusa, now calling herself Cai Lin, to accept his help and proposed luring Jia Ma Empire’s alchemists to the desert to force negotiations.

• Queen Medusa surrendered a lethal portion of her soul origin to Xiao Yan, who then took the Green Lotus Platform and planned to absorb its stored energy.
• Xiao Yan released Medusa’s restraints, learned that she called herself Cai Lin, and introduced himself as Li Feiyu, an alchemist.
• Xiao Yan asked Cai Lin whether the Medusa Clan could leave the desert, and she explained that the Misty Cloud Sect’s retired masters could become Dou Zongs through a secret method.
• Xiao Yan offered to help the Medusa Clan and assured Cai Lin that he could face the Misty Cloud Sect’s Dou Zong.
• Cai Lin accepted Xiao Yan’s help, and he proposed announcing a heavenly flame to lure alchemists, including Pill King Gu He, into a trap and use them to negotiate with the Jia Ma Empire.

Xiao Yan brought Queen Medusa to Hai Bodong's shop and led her to a private chamber to begin tempering her body with the Green Lotus Core Flame. The chapter ended with Xiao Yan reassuring the fearful Queen Medusa that he could control the flame gently.

• Queen Medusa agreed to Xiao Yan's plan and left the underground cavern with him after telling the guards to return to the tribe.
• Hai Bodong panicked when Xiao Yan arrived at his map shop with Queen Medusa, then realized she was standing behind Xiao Yan and seemed to defer to him.
• Xiao Yan asked Hai Bodong for a private chamber, and Hai Bodong led them downstairs before standing guard outside.
• Queen Medusa questioned Xiao Yan's courtesy toward Hai Bodong, and Xiao Yan said the old man might someday guard his home.
• Xiao Yan summoned the Green Lotus Core Flame, then softened it into a gentle green cloud and told Queen Medusa he could control its heat while tempering her body.

Xiao Yan used the Green Lotus Core Flame to temper Queen Medusa’s body, helping her awaken her seven-colored bloodline and advance to Dou Zong. He told her that reaching the nine-colored bloodline would require continued tempering, and she agreed to remain under his control to pursue that evolution.

• Xiao Yan accidentally burned away Queen Medusa’s clothes with the Green Lotus Core Flame, then began tempering her body after she insisted they continue.
• Queen Medusa guided her Heaven Swallowing Python Bloodline as Xiao Yan’s flames strengthened it and refined her meridians and bones.
• Queen Medusa’s aura erupted as she successfully advanced to Dou Zong, but she refrained from challenging Xiao Yan because he held her Soul Origin.
• Xiao Yan explained that Queen Medusa could awaken the nine-colored bloodline through extensive body tempering with his heavenly flames, and she agreed to pursue it.
• Queen Medusa asked whether further evolution meant repeating the embarrassing body-tempering process, and she left the chamber after Xiao Yan corrected her wording.