Chapter Summaries

Chen Cang lured Han Feng away from Maple City with the aura of the Green Lotus Core Flame and captured him after Queen Medusa revealed her Dou Zong strength. As a Soul Hall operative hurried to answer Han Feng’s distress signal, he mistook the situation for a dispute with another Soul Envoy.

• Two seventh-rank magical beasts emerged after Chen Cang’s group left, and the gaunt one proposed claiming Heavenly Poison Mountain now that its chief was dead.
• Chen Cang told Queen Medusa that he had served the Xiao Clan because of its origins and the promise of its young genius.
• After two months of travel, Chen Cang’s group reached Maple City, where Zi Yan volunteered to loot Han Feng’s lair while Chen Cang lured him away.
• Han Feng sensed the Green Lotus Core Flame through the Sea Heart Flame, left the city, and followed its aura to the mountain valley where Chen Cang waited.
• Chen Cang exposed Han Feng’s hidden position, and Han Feng fled when Queen Medusa revealed her Dou Zong strength, only to be trapped by Chen Cang’s soul net.
• A black-robed Soul Hall operative received Han Feng’s signal and hurried toward the valley, believing another Soul Envoy had threatened him.

Chen Cang and Queen Medusa confronted Protector Xuan after Chen sealed Han Feng's soul, then defeated and captured the Soul Hall protector. Chen revealed to Queen Medusa that he belonged to the Soul Hall and asked her to keep it secret from Zi Yan.

• Protector Xuan arrived to rescue Han Feng, but Chen Cang sealed Han Feng's soul in a jade bottle and demanded soul points from him.
• Protector Xuan offered 1,500 soul points and promised to stay out of Han Feng's affairs, then transferred all 2,100 points in his Soul Token to Chen Cang.
• Protector Xuan launched a surprise attack on Queen Medusa with his Three-Stage Soul Lock, but her seven-colored energy blocked the chains.
• Chen Cang trapped Protector Xuan in a soul net, drained his strength with the Soul Token, and sealed him in a jade bottle.
• Queen Medusa asked whether Chen Cang was a Soul Hall member, and he confirmed it and told her not to tell Zi Yan.

Chen Cang returned to Jia Nan Academy, reunited with Tianying, and entered seclusion to refine Han Feng’s Sea Heart Flame. As the energy of heaven and earth surged outside his sealed cave, Su Qian wondered whether Chen Cang was breaking through to Dou Emperor.

• Chen Cang returned to Jia Nan Academy with Queen Medusa, Zi Yan, and two magical beasts, then met Su Qian in the Inner Academy.
• Chen Cang toured the Inner Academy with Queen Medusa and reunited with Tianying’s members, learning that the group had grown into a dominant force with hundreds of members.
• Chen Cang held a banquet for Tianying and guided its Dou Ling cultivators and Alchemists before preparing to enter seclusion.
• Chen Cang tortured Han Feng into silence, kept his soul, and began refining the Sea Heart Flame with the Fallen Heart Flame.
• As Chen Cang remained in seclusion, Queen Medusa missed his company, and Su Qian arrived when the energy of heaven and earth surged around the cave.

Chen Cang completed his breakthrough at Jia Nan Academy, drawing the attention of several Black-Corner Region powers before emerging as a Dou Zong powerhouse. He left the collapsed mountain by walking through the void, astonishing Su Qian and the others.

• Su Qian and Queen Medusa guarded Chen Cang as his breakthrough stirred the natural energy and attracted attention across the region.
• Earth Demon Old Ghost sensed the breakthrough at Jia Nan Academy and crushed a Jade Slip to seek help from a mysterious faction.
• Mo Tianxing learned that someone at Jia Nan Academy was breaking through and told his son Ya'er to keep the Black Emperor Sect from provoking unfamiliar powerhouses.
• The Gold and Silver Elders headed for Maple City to seek help from the Medicine Emperor with their own breakthroughs.
• Chen Cang emerged from an energy cocoon as a towering azure-blue giant, then returned to the valley after splitting the ground with one punch.
• Chen Cang rose from the rubble and walked through the void, revealing that he had reached Dou Zong.

After breaking through to Dou Zong, Chen Cang left Jia Nan Academy with Queen Medusa and Zi Yan to settle his remaining business in the Black-Corner Region. At Black Emperor City, he pressured Mo Tianxing into trading the Black Emperor Sect’s dried Heavenly Demon Phoenix corpse for two Emperor’s Extreme Pills.

• Chen Cang reached Dou Zong, reunited with Queen Medusa and Zi Yan, and told them he would finish his Black-Corner Region business before traveling with them to Tagor.
• Chen Cang and his companions left Jia Nan Academy the next morning and arrived at Black Emperor City, where Mo Tianxing approached them.
• Chen Cang learned from Mo Tianxing’s memories that the Black Emperor Sect possessed the dried Heavenly Demon Phoenix corpse, while the Bodhi Body-Transforming Saliva remained unaccounted for.
• Chen Cang and Queen Medusa released their auras, and Mo Tianxing recognized Han Feng’s Nether Sea Storage Ring and reconsidered his refusal to sell the corpse.
• Chen Cang offered Mo Tianxing two Emperor’s Extreme Pills for the corpse, and Mo Tianxing agreed to send for it despite doubts about the pills’ condition.

Chen Cang and Queen Medusa confronted Demon Flame Valley over its attacks on Jia Nan Academy, and Chen Cang defeated Earth Demon Old Ghost with his newly mastered Samadhi True Body. He left Earth Demon Old Ghost dying after capturing him from the Void Space, while the rest of the group battled Demon Flame Valley’s forces.

• Chen Cang collected the dried magical beast corpse from Mo Tianxing and departed with his group.
• Queen Medusa struck down Demon Flame Valley’s Great Elder Fang Yan after he challenged the group in the sky.
• Chen Cang demanded that Earth Demon Old Ghost answer for Demon Flame Valley’s attacks on Jia Nan Academy, and Earth Demon Old Ghost appeared and attacked him.
• Chen Cang summoned a giant blue-green Samadhi True Body that withstood Earth Demon Old Ghost’s ice attacks and repeatedly smashed him down.
• Queen Medusa, Zi Yan, and the magical beasts engaged Demon Flame Valley’s elders and fighters while Chen Cang beat Earth Demon Old Ghost into a blood mist.
• Chen Cang used his soul perception to pull Earth Demon Old Ghost from the Void Space, then revealed that his technique was called the Samadhi True Body.

After Demon Flame Valley fell, Chen Cang and his companions gathered its spoils and prepared to leave the Black-Corner Region. They headed for the Jia Ma Empire, where Chen Cang planned to rest, work on the Heavenly Demon Puppet, and attend to matters involving Xiao Yi Xian and the Xiao Clan.

• Chen Cang collected souls and other spoils while Queen Medusa defeated the Three Great Elders and the Snow Demon Heavenly Ape and Void Pegasus Beast routed Demon Flame Valley's forces.
• Queen Medusa gave Chen Cang the Flame Manipulation Art, and Zi Yan returned from looting the valley to distribute the remaining treasures among the group.
• Zi Yan gave Queen Medusa the Thunderclap Mirror and Awakening Thunder Technique, and gave Chen Cang the Heavenly Demon Puppet Refining Method and a seventh-tier magic core.
• Chen Cang told the group to leave before more people arrived, and they decided to travel to the Jia Ma Empire instead of returning to Jia Nan Academy.
• Chen Cang planned to deal with the Heavenly Demon Phoenix corpse and puppet, find a new place for Xiao Yi Xian and her mother, and arrange for Xun'er to attend Jia Nan Academy.

Chen Cang left Medusa and Zi Yan in the Tagor Desert and traveled toward Wutan City, where he met Xiao Ding and Xiao Li in Stone Desert City. After learning of Xiao Yan’s strange loss of Dou Qi, he agreed to examine him and found Qing Lin, whom he took in as his maid.

• Chen Cang parted from Medusa and Zi Yan, then sent his magical beasts ahead and entered Stone Desert City alone.
• Xiao Ding and Xiao Li told Chen Cang that Xiao Yan had lost his Dou Qi and asked him to help; Chen Cang agreed to look at Xiao Yan when he returned to Wutan City.
• Chen Cang wandered Stone Desert City with Xiao Ding and Xiao Li until they reached a dilapidated house where Qing Lin was repairing a basket.
• Chen Cang recognized that Qing Lin had Snake-People scales, and Xiao Ding suggested that Chen Cang take her in as a maid.
• Qing Lin agreed to leave with Chen Cang, packed her belongings, and prepared to follow him.

Xun'er learned that Chen Cang had returned and waited eagerly for him, while he brought Qing Lin toward Wutan City. Xiao Yan, despairing over his lost cultivation, spotted Chen Cang arriving and called out to him.

• An elder told Xun'er that Chen Cang had reached Stone Desert City, and she decided to wait for him instead of going to the Mittel Auction House with Xiao Yi Xian.
• Xiao Yi Xian asked Xun'er to visit the Mittel Auction House, but Xun'er refused to leave because she expected a surprise.
• Chen Cang traveled slowly through Qingshan Town with Qing Lin, explaining the local mercenaries and promising to introduce her to two older sisters at the Xiao Clan.
• Xiao Yan brooded over becoming a clan outcast and wondered what was wrong with his body.
• Xiao Yan saw Chen Cang approaching with Qing Lin, hurried to his feet, and called out to him.

Chen Cang spent the day with Xun'er, Xiao Yi Xian, and Qing Lin before secretly reading Yao Chen's memories after knocking out Xiao Yan. He left Xiao Yan's apprenticeship to Yao Chen alone for now, then went to Xun'er's courtyard to discuss plans for the coming years.

• Chen Cang praised Xiao Yi Xian's strength and told her to prepare to leave Wutan City with her mother and stay by his side.
• Chen Cang invited Xun'er to attend Jia Nan Academy and agreed to guide her in forming her Dou Qi vortex.
• After spending the day with the girls, Chen Cang went to Xiao Yan's courtyard, knocked him unconscious, and confronted Yao Chen in his ring.
• Chen Cang secretly searched Yao Chen's memories for the poison pill method, the Flame Mantra, alchemical knowledge, and pill recipes.
• Chen Cang allowed Yao Chen to continue tempering Xiao Yan for three to five years before leaving the courtyard.
• Chen Cang went to Xun'er's courtyard, intending to reveal his plans and enlist her help against future trouble.

Chen Cang revealed to Xun'er that he had joined the Soul Hall to use its resources and explained how he had learned of her Gu Clan origins. After they confessed their feelings, he offered her an evolvable cultivation method tied to heavenly flames and the Tou She Ancient God, leaving her to decide whether to adopt it after returning to her clan.

• Chen Cang asked Xun'er to send Ling Ying away so they could speak privately.
• Chen Cang showed Xun'er his Soul Token and explained his connection to the Soul Hall and his decision to join it for its resources.
• Chen Cang told Xun'er that he had learned her origins from the Emperor Seal Art and asked whether she minded his background; Xun'er asked if her status pressured him.
• Chen Cang embraced Xun'er, reassured her that her background only motivated him, and sat with her as she grew comfortable beside him.
• Chen Cang offered Xun'er a Yellow Tier cultivation method that could evolve by refining heavenly flames and advised her to consider it after returning to the Gu Clan.

Chen Cang gave Xun'er the Flame Mantra and warned her to keep the Tou She Ancient God Jade secret. He then gave Xiao Yi Xian the Poison Pill Method as her coming-of-age gift, and the chapter ended with her telling him she was an adult and joining him in the bath.

• Chen Cang explained why he had obtained the Tou She Ancient God Jade and gave Xun'er the Flame Mantra as a safeguard.
• Chen Cang showed Xun'er his three heavenly flames and said he planned to acquire the Pill Tower's three thousand burning flame.
• Xun'er warned Chen Cang to keep the jade and their knowledge of the Flame Mantra secret, then reassured him that her clan would not harm her.
• Chen Cang returned to his courtyard and imparted the Poison Pill Method to Xiao Yi Xian, explaining that only Bodhi Body-Transforming Saliva remained to complete its requirements.
• Xiao Yi Xian cried with relief, then joined Chen Cang in the bathtub and told him she was an adult now.

After reassuring Xiao Yan that he would recover, Chen Cang stayed at the Xiao Clan to handle several matters and used heavenly flames to extract valuable materials from a dead Heavenly Demon Phoenix. He obtained its bone wings, claws, blood, and magic core, then warned Heavenly Fire Venerable not to consider targeting Zi Yan after hinting at her true identity.

• Xiao Yi Xian told Chen Cang that Qing Lin had awakened, then went to visit her while Chen Cang remained in bed.
• Xiao Yan came to Chen Cang for news about his injured body, and Chen Cang told him he would recover within half a year at most.
• Chen Cang asked Xiao Yi Xian and Qing Lin to spend time with Xun'er, then headed to the Xiao Clan Back Mountain to process a dead Heavenly Demon Phoenix.
• Chen Cang and Heavenly Fire Venerable removed the phoenix's bone wings and claws, and Chen Cang refined the claws into spikes for Zi Yan.
• Chen Cang used heavenly flames to draw five drops of blood from the phoenix hide and form its extraordinary magic core.
• When Heavenly Fire Venerable wondered about the Ancient Void Dragon, Chen Cang warned him not to entertain such thoughts because of Zi Yan.

Chen Cang refined Earth Demon Old Ghost into a powerful Heavenly Demon Puppet and discussed the conditions for Heavenly Fire Venerable’s resurrection. After testing the puppet’s strength, Chen Cang put it away and left the Xiao Clan’s back mountain to rest and plan his next steps.

• Chen Cang chose Earth Demon Old Ghost’s body, soul, and prepared magic core for the puppet, saving the Heavenly Demon Phoenix magic core for later.
• Chen Cang explained the resurrection requirements to Heavenly Fire Venerable, who chose to delay his return to life while asking Chen Cang to refine the resurrection pill.
• Chen Cang tempered Earth Demon Old Ghost’s body, erased his soul’s consciousness, and combined the body, soul, magic core, and refined metals to create a puppet between human and earth grade.
• Chen Cang tested the puppet in a direct punch and found its raw strength matched or exceeded his own, while Heavenly Fire Venerable estimated its fighting ability at roughly that of a five- or six-star Dou Zong.
• Chen Cang stored the puppet, sent Heavenly Fire Venerable back into the Storage Ring, and left the back mountain to rest and consider advancing his standing in the Soul Hall.

After spending half a month relaxing with Xun'er, Xiao Yi Xian, and Qing Lin, Chen Cang entered the Soul Realm Trial Grounds to seek promotion to Protector. He learned he had to kill a Dou Zong-level Shadow and survive at least a month, then flew into the dark forest to begin.

• Chen Cang returned home, and Xun'er invited him to take the girls sightseeing; she secretly pinched him to ease her quiet grievance.
• Chen Cang spent the next half month touring nearby cities with Xun'er, Xiao Yi Xian, and Qing Lin, and sparring with Xiao Yi Xian.
• Chen Cang entered the Soul Hall exchange hall with the Soul Token and sealed souls, confirmed he would spend one thousand soul points on the Protector trial, and was transported away.
• A Nine-Star Dou Zong named Hun Qingxian explained that Chen Cang had to kill a Dou Zong-level Shadow and survive for a month, with longer survival earning higher Protector status.
• Chen Cang realized the trial grounds were a small world created by a Dou Sheng Expert, then rose into the air and flew off to search the forest.

Chen Cang exploited his knowledge of the small world to capture a Soul Clan energy body and earn the proof for his assessment. After revealing that he was a Sixth-Rank Alchemist, he completed a shortened three-month trial and became a Heavenly Protector of the Soul Hall.

• Chen Cang watched a trial participant draw a horde of energy bodies from Evil Spirit City, then captured a lone One-Star Dou Zong energy body after it pursued the man into the Ancient Forest.
• The captured energy body dissipated and left behind a black crystal, giving Chen Cang the proof he needed for the assessment.
• The Soul Clan elder learned Chen Cang was an upper Sixth-Rank Alchemist and shortened his assessment, offering Human-Grade Protector status after half a month or Heavenly Protector status after three months.
• Chen Cang stayed in the forest for three months, killing more than half a dozen trial participants who attacked him.
• The Soul Clan elder gave Chen Cang a Soul Token, and Chen Cang erased unnecessary ingredients from its flawed pill recipe to break its final barrier.
• Chen Cang bound the Soul Token, and the elder declared him a Heavenly Protector of the Soul Hall.

Chen Cang awoke after months of silence, used his Heavenly Protector Soul Token to exchange for rare medicinal ingredients and Bodhi Body-Transforming Saliva, then returned to refining seventh-tier pills. After more than two months of routine, he heard Xiao Zhan mention distinguished guests and realized the anticipated events were about to begin.

• Chen Cang explored the Soul Token's expanded exchange panel and obtained a blood essence demon fruit, Bodhi Body-Transforming Saliva, pill ingredients, and sealed wind and thunder power.
• Xiao Yi Xian found Chen Cang awake, and he emerged with her before joining Xun'er and Qing Lin for a stroll through the marketplace.
• Chen Cang spent more than two months refining seventh-tier pills, repeatedly causing pill lightning to thunder over Wutan City.
• Yao Chen watched Chen Cang's astonishing alchemy progress from Xiao Yan's ring and credited it to his talent.
• Xiao Zhan entered Xiao Yan's courtyard and mentioned distinguished guests, prompting Chen Cang to realize that the anticipated events were about to begin.

Chen Cang reached Two-Star Dou Zong and attended the Xiao Clan meeting where Nalan Yanran sought to end her engagement to Xiao Yan. After Chen Cang resigned as Guest Elder, Xiao Yan rejected Nalan Yanran himself and vowed to confront the Misty Cloud Sect in three years.

• Chen Cang broke through to Two-Star Dou Zong and went with Xun'er, Xiao Yi Xian, and Qing Lin to the main hall.
• Chen Cang announced that he was leaving the Xiao Clan and giving up his position as Guest Elder.
• Ge Ye revealed that Nalan Yanran wanted to dissolve her engagement to Xiao Yan on the Misty Cloud Sect Sect Master's orders.
• Xiao Yan rejected Ge Ye's compensation, then learned from Chen Cang's nod that his body could recover within half a year.
• Xiao Yan wrote a divorce letter, declared that Nalan Yanran had nothing to do with the Xiao Clan, and vowed to visit the Misty Cloud Sect in three years.

After settling the Three-Year Agreement, Chen Cang arranged for Gu He to shelter Xiao Yi Xian’s mother while he traveled with Xiao Yi Xian. At the Xiao Clan back mountain, Xiao Yan brooded over his humiliation and encountered the spirit in his ring, who introduced himself as Yao Lao.

• Ge Ye and his companions left the Xiao Clan, while Gu He stayed to thank Chen Cang for the soul cultivation method.
• Chen Cang asked Gu He to look after Xiao Yi Xian’s mother, and Gu He agreed to house her near the Imperial Capital.
• Chen Cang told Xiao Yi Xian to prepare her mother to leave the next morning, while Xiao Yi Xian stayed with her mother and Chen Cang spent the evening with Xun'er and Gu He.
• Xiao Yan sat alone on the back mountain, replayed Nalan Yanran’s insults, and resolved never to endure such humiliation again.
• Yao Chen emerged from Xiao Yan’s ring, and Xiao Yan warily asked who he was.
• Yao Chen introduced himself as Yao Lao.

Chen Cang left Xun'er and Xiao Yan, then took Xiao Yi Xian’s mother to settle in Pill King Village before beginning to refine a Bone-Regenerating Blood-Melting Pill. After fifteen days of work, the pill’s completion summoned strange thunderclouds, making Gu He suspect it was more than a seventh-grade pill.

• Chen Cang bade farewell to Xun'er and Xiao Yan before departing on the Void Pegasus Beast.
• Chen Cang brought Xiao Yi Xian’s mother to Pill King Village and left Xiao Yi Xian with her while he went to Gu He’s secluded cottages.
• Chen Cang began refining the Bone-Regenerating Blood-Melting Pill, with Gu He watching and Qing Lin observing.
• Chen Cang spent ten days fusing the medicinal essences and five more days forming the pill.
• Chen Cang opened the Purple Abyss Cauldron, releasing a towering pillar of blue-green fire as strange thunderclouds gathered overhead.
• Gu He questioned whether the pill was truly seventh-grade, while Xiao Yi Xian looked toward the changing sky.