Chapter Summaries

Chen Cang traveled with the new students to the Inner Academy, where Su Qian offered him alternatives to the Fire Energy Hunting Competition. Chen Cang chose to enter the Inner Academy directly, leaving Su Qian to provide him with comparable fire energy.

• Hu Gan led the new students on Griffin Beasts toward the Inner Academy, and Chen Cang helped fend off magical beasts along the way.
• Chen Cang used a sword technique he had copied from Han Xu to kill a magical beast, astonishing the students and leaving Han Xu feeling outdone.
• Hu Gan brought the students to a ravine, where Su Qian and Qing Hua appeared through a concealed silver gate and took charge of their entry.
• Su Qian exempted Chen Cang from the Fire Energy Hunting Competition and offered him three ways to enter the Inner Academy.
• Chen Cang chose to enter the Inner Academy directly.

Chen Cang rejected Elder Su Qian’s proposed sparring route, accepted a Fire Crystal Card and map, and entered Jia Nan Academy’s Inner Academy with the Void Pegasus Beast. He settled into a residence and visited the Heavenly Flame Qi Refining Tower, where he felt no heart-flame scorching as someone called him out for pretending to be a new student.

• Chen Cang declined to fight Strong Ranking veterans, explaining that he was an Alchemist and preferred choosing his own opponents.
• Elder Su Qian gave Chen Cang a Fire Crystal Card loaded with a thousand points of Fire Energy and a map to the Inner Academy.
• Chen Cang washed the camouflage off the Void Pegasus Beast, then rode with it through the forest to the Inner Academy.
• Chen Cang chose a two-story residence in the new students’ area and left the Void Pegasus Beast there while he went to scout the Heavenly Flame Qi Refining Tower.
• Chen Cang entered the tower and waited for the heart flame’s scorching, but felt only warmth until someone told him not to pretend to be a new student.

Chen Cang visited the Heavenly Flame Qi Refining Tower for the first time, learned how its floors and Fire Crystal Cards worked, and discovered that its Heart Flame greatly boosted his cultivation when combined with the Earth Core Lotus Platform. He left cultivation confident he could reach Six-Star Dou Ling in less than two months.

• Elder Liu questioned Chen Cang about his identity, learned he was a new student, and explained the Heart Flame and the tower’s cultivation rooms and Fire Crystal Cards.
• Elder Liu left to stop a fight between students, while Chen Cang used his Azure Fire Crystal Card to enter a cultivation room on the sixth floor.
• Chen Cang sensed a wisp of Heart Flame and used it to temper his Dou Qi, improving its quality without reducing its quantity.
• Chen Cang cultivated on the Earth Core Lotus Platform and found that it combined with the tower’s effects to dramatically increase his cultivation speed.
• Chen Cang estimated that he could break through to Six-Star Dou Ling in less than two months.

After eighty-six days of intensive cultivation, Chen Cang completed his goal and returned to the pavilion as a Six-Star Dou Ling. He agreed to form a faction with the new students and named it Tianying.

• Chen Cang finished cultivating on the eighth floor after using his remaining fire energy, having advanced to Six-Star Dou Ling and moved closer to seven stars.
• Chen Cang left the cultivation tower, where Inner Academy students watched him with curiosity and concern because he had claimed the room feared by the Strong Ranking seniors.
• Wang Si and Han Xu visited Chen Cang to ask what name he had chosen for their new-student faction.
• Chen Cang agreed to form the faction and named it Tianying, which Wang Si explained as a gathering of elites.

Chen Cang and the Void Pegasus Beast infiltrated a Snow Demon Heavenly Ape’s valley to seize the earth core body tempering milk hidden underground. Chen Cang reached the cavern and found the deposit, which he hoped would strengthen his body and help the Void Pegasus Beast develop its innate abilities.

• Chen Cang left the Inner Academy early and rode the Void Pegasus Beast into the mountains to claim the earth core body tempering milk he had located.
• The Void Pegasus Beast lured the Snow Demon Heavenly Ape away from its lair by provoking it and leading it on a chase.
• Chen Cang slipped into the ape’s lair, uncovered the concealed underground entrance, and followed the passage to a cavern.
• Chen Cang found the enormous stalactite containing the earth core body tempering milk and recognized its importance to his physical training and plans for the Void Pegasus Beast.

Chen Cang collected diluted earth core body tempering milk and defeated the berserk Snow Demon Heavenly Ape, then used some of the true treasure in a medicinal bath at the Inner Academy. His cultivation was underway when a little girl in white appeared on his roof beam, watching him.

• Chen Cang collected most of the diluted earth core body tempering milk and cut into the stalactite to obtain the true liquid.
• The Snow Demon Heavenly Ape awakened its berserk bloodline and charged Chen Cang after discovering him leaving its lair.
• Chen Cang struck the Snow Demon Heavenly Ape with Hidden Dragon Emerging from the Abyss, then left it alive and called it his future whetstone.
• That night, Chen Cang added drops of earth core body tempering milk to his medicinal bath and cultivated in his room.
• A little girl in white appeared on Chen Cang's roof beam and watched him from above while eating a Nishang Fruit.

Chen Cang befriended Zi Yan by refining a sweet pill for her, and she agreed to join Tianying in exchange for his help making pills. She brought him a stolen yellow jade ginseng and asked his name.

• Zi Yan explained how she had entered Chen Cang’s room, then agreed to wait while he finished his medicinal bath.
• After his bath, Chen Cang found Zi Yan riding the subdued Void Pegasus Beast and began preparing to refine pills.
• Chen Cang demonstrated his alchemy by making Zi Yan a sweet pill from bitter dragon gallbladder grass and a luo luo berry.
• Zi Yan asked Chen Cang to refine pills for her, and he agreed if she supplied the ingredients and joined Tianying.
• Zi Yan agreed, showed Chen Cang a partly eaten yellow jade ginseng she had reclaimed from Old Man Su, and asked his name.

Chen Cang faced down the Medicine Gang after Qin Yuan arrived to challenge Tianying. He accepted Qin Yuan’s terms and defeated him so quickly that the crowd reached the Arena only after the fight was over.

• Zi Yan showed off her rare medicinal ingredients and made more pills with Chen Cang before the Medicine Gang arrived.
• Qin Yuan led the Medicine Gang toward Chen Cang but froze when he spotted Zi Yan, whom he feared.
• Chen Cang declared a five-day open challenge at the Arena, offering three thousand Fire Energy to anyone who could defeat him.
• Qin Yuan challenged Chen Cang directly, wagering that Tianying would stop selling pills if Chen Cang lost and that the Medicine Gang would leave Tianying alone if Qin Yuan lost.
• Chen Cang agreed to Qin Yuan’s terms, and Qin Yuan was already defeated by the time the late-arriving students reached the Arena.

Chen Cang defeated Qin Yuan and defended his arena challenge against increasingly powerful Strong Ranking students. Su Qian’s arranged sequence of challengers forced Chen Cang to fight the tournament’s top ranks early, and Chen Cang ended the third day undefeated.

• Chen Cang explained that his beast flame was an origin qi flame, and Qin Yuan accepted his defeat after learning Chen Cang could refine fifth-grade pills.
• Qin Yuan left to attempt refining a fifth-grade pill as news of his loss spread through the academy.
• Chen Cang defeated four challengers on the first day, including the Strong Ranking’s eleventh-place student, using Guardian Trigram Palm.
• On the second day, Chen Cang made the eighth-, ninth-, and tenth-ranked students concede with Swallow Return Strike.
• Su Qian revealed to the elders that he had arranged for the top-ranked students to challenge Chen Cang, forcing him to fight early.
• Chen Cang learned the truth behind the sequence of challengers and finished the third day undefeated.

Chen Cang defeated the Strong Ranking’s second- through fourth-ranked fighters and secured second place before asking Su Qian about the Black-Corner Region and the Heavenly Flame Qi Refining Tower. After twenty-five days of cultivation and Tianying’s growth, the Strong Ranking Tournament began, and Chen Cang awaited it for his own reasons.

• Chen Cang defeated the second-, third-, and fourth-ranked Strong Ranking fighters, earning second place and congratulations from Qin Yuan.
• Chen Cang invited Zi Yan to visit Su Qian, who agreed that Chen Cang could skip the Strong Ranking Tournament unless an extraordinary challenger appeared.
• Chen Cang asked Su Qian about Black List experts while secretly using the conversation to learn about the fallen heart flame and the tower’s ninth- and tenth-floor defenses.
• Chen Cang returned to cultivation as Tianying recruited two Alchemists and grew, while twenty-five days passed.
• Students gathered at the Arena for the Strong Ranking Tournament, and Chen Cang looked forward to the event for reasons of his own.

Chen Cang studied the Nightmare Demon Sky Mist soul technique and became absorbed in analyzing it as strange illusions spread through the Inner Academy. Su Qian broke the arena-wide confusion and ordered the interrupted tournament match to be fought again.

• Chen Cang reached seven-star High-Rank Dou Ling and began examining the Nightmare Demon Sky Mist, considering how it could help him study soul cultivation.
• Ma Jiangfei cultivated alone and unexpectedly advanced to Eight-Star Dou Shi in one uninterrupted session.
• Spectators and elders watching Tang Si and Qin Yijing argued over which fighter had won, while Qin Yuan saw them leave the arena without a clear victor.
• Zi Yan discovered that the pills in her jade bottle seemed never to run out.
• Su Qian shouted for everyone to wake up, ended the confusion, and ordered the thirty-ninth- and forty-third-ranked fighters to return for a rematch.

Chen Cang broke through to the Spirit Realm and discovered the full reach of his soul perception. Su Qian warned him to conceal his new power and offered him one request, leaving Chen Cang to decide what to ask for.

• Chen Cang manifested a soul avatar and used his Soul Perception to survey the Inner Academy as far as the Heavenly Flame Qi Refining Tower.
• Chen Cang realized his soul had reached the Spirit Realm and gained confidence that he could face Queen Medusa without relying on the Void Pegasus Beast.
• Su Qian met Chen Cang outside and joked that he could take the Great Elder's seat, then warned him not to reveal his soul power again.
• Chen Cang agreed to be more careful, and Su Qian offered to grant one request as a reward for his breakthrough.
• Su Qian told Chen Cang to wait for the Heart Flame Body Tempering after the Strong Ranking Tournament and departed.

Chen Cang and Zi Yan joked over the name of a scripture before Chen Cang joined the other Strong Ranking Tournament winners to undergo heart flame body tempering. Su Qian led them into the tower’s heavily guarded depths and revealed the Fallen Heart Flame’s origin heart flames, leaving the group on the verge of the tempering.

• Zi Yan caught Chen Cang writing about the Three Origin Scripture, suggested the name Ancestral Dragon Scripture, and demanded some earth core body tempering milk.
• The Strong Ranking Tournament ended, and Chen Cang was summoned with the other nine top-ranked contestants to the tower’s lowest level.
• Su Qian warned the group not to stray or investigate anything as he led them through guarded passages beneath the Heavenly Flame Qi Refining Tower.
• The elders used hand seals to draw ten pale orbs from the central black hole, and Su Qian revealed that they contained the origin heart flame.

Chen Cang and nine other students underwent painful body tempering with origin heart flame, while Su Qian and the elders discussed the fallen heart flame’s unusual inactivity. After completing the tempering, Chen Cang left the Heavenly Flame Qi Refining Tower and told Su Qian he planned to travel to the Black-Corner Region, while keeping his intention to descend into the shaft for later.

• Su Qian warned the students about the risks of origin heart flame body tempering, then released the flames into their bodies.
• Su Qian learned that the fallen heart flame had been unusually quiet for eighteen days and suspected it was gathering strength.
• Five students failed the tempering, while Chen Cang endured it and woke a day later with a more solid aura and improved physical strength.
• Chen Cang considered descending into the shaft to reach the fallen heart flame but decided to make final preparations first.
• An elder escorted Chen Cang out of the tower, and Chen Cang told Su Qian he planned to visit the Black-Corner Region.
• Su Qian warned Chen Cang about the dangers there, and Chen Cang promised to return after handling his business.

Chen Cang and Zi Yan went to Maple City to seek Han Feng’s alchemical knowledge and heavenly cold qi, but found him shut away in his estate. After Chen Cang requested an audience, Han Feng, already in a foul mood, ordered the visitors turned away.

• Chen Cang explained to Zi Yan that they had come to Maple City for Han Feng’s memories, the Azure Nether Longevity Pill recipe, and heavenly cold qi.
• After two days of searching, Chen Cang decided to request an audience with Han Feng and resort to making a commotion if that failed.
• Chen Cang and Zi Yan presented a visiting card and token at Han Feng’s estate, identifying themselves as envoys of the Tianxing Empire.
• Han Feng recalled that the Tianxing Empire’s envoy had previously sought his help extending its emperor’s life, then ordered his attendant to send the visitor away.

After Han Feng refused to meet Chen Cang and Zi Yan, they attacked his guards and fled Maple City to draw him out. They prepared to fight the pursuing experts, with Zi Yan eagerly taking on the first two Dou Wangs.

• Han Feng dismissed Chen Cang and Zi Yan through a guard, who insulted them and returned their visiting card and token.
• Chen Cang burned the visiting card, and Zi Yan knocked out the guards while Chen Cang let her fight.
• Chen Cang and Zi Yan left Maple City before it was sealed, then planned to wage guerrilla warfare until Han Feng came after them.
• Two Dou Wangs pursued them outside the city, and Zi Yan flew out to meet them as Chen Cang followed.

Chen Cang and Zi Yan repeatedly attacked Maple City's forces, severely injuring six Dou Wang experts and forcing Han Feng to respond. Han Feng went to meet the mysterious pair, and they finally faced each other outside the city.

• Chen Cang and Zi Yan defeated Maple City's Pursuit Team, then withdrew when reinforcements arrived.
• Throughout the day, Chen Cang and Zi Yan severely injured six Dou Wang experts from Maple City.
• Han Feng questioned his subordinates and concluded the pair were trying to force him to appear in person.
• Han Feng led his subordinates out of Maple City to find Chen Cang and Zi Yan.
• Chen Cang and Zi Yan arrived to face Han Feng, and Chen Cang used Memory, read!

Chen Cang and Zi Yan lured Han Feng into a valley and used an illusion of Yao Chen to exploit Han Feng’s fear of his former mentor. Chen Cang immobilized Han Feng with his Soul Perception and took the jade bottle, leaving the pair poised to strike.

• Chen Cang copied Flame Mantra fragments, pill formulas, alchemy insights, Cultivation Methods, and Combat Skills from Han Feng before fleeing with Zi Yan.
• Han Feng pursued them, but Zi Yan dodged his attacks with her unusual movement technique and Chen Cang anticipated his strikes.
• Chen Cang and Zi Yan stopped above a valley and tricked Han Feng into seeing an illusory Yao Chen, whose appearance provoked Han Feng into attacking.
• Han Feng fought the illusion and prepared to use a chilling jade bottle, believing he had gained an advantage over Yao Chen.
• Chen Cang overwhelmed Han Feng with his Soul Perception, immobilized him, seized the jade bottle, and told Zi Yan to go.

Chen Cang and Zi Yan escaped with Han Feng’s heavenly cold qi, then returned to the Inner Academy, where Chen Cang examined their spoils. He decided to grow stronger before pursuing the fallen heart flame beneath the Heavenly Flame Qi Refining Tower.

• Han Feng realized Chen Cang and Zi Yan had tricked him into surrendering his heavenly cold qi, then offered a Dou Ling Pill for information about them.
• Chen Cang and Zi Yan hid in a cave until Han Feng left the valley, then hurried away to avoid him calling in allies.
• The next day, Zi Yan informed Great Elder Su Qian that they were safe while Chen Cang examined the Flame Mantra and memorized Han Feng’s pill formulas.
• Chen Cang briefly reviewed the cultivation methods and Dou Techniques, then tested the jade bottle containing the heavenly cold qi and quickly sealed it again.
• Chen Cang considered asking Great Elder Su Qian about the fallen heart flame but decided to increase his strength before approaching it.

Chen Cang completed refining a powerful new pill in the Inner Academy’s mountain valley, drawing Su Qian’s attention with the disturbance. He revealed the Jade King Pill and credited Su Qian for the sky jade fruit, while Yan Xin brought new students—including a boy who admired Chen Cang—to the academy.

• Yan Xin told a frail new student that Chen Cang ranked first on the Inner Academy’s Strong Ranking and was likely close to becoming a Dou Wang.
• Chen Cang spent three days refining a pill while Zi Yan, the Snow Demon Heavenly Ape, and the Void Pegasus Beast watched.
• Chen Cang condensed the pill, unleashing waves of energy and a green pillar of light that shook the valley.
• Su Qian appeared and asked Chen Cang what pill he had refined.
• Chen Cang revealed the Jade King Pill and thanked Su Qian for trading him the sky jade fruit.