Recaps

Xiao Yan captured the Green Lotus Core Flame and Wind Fury Dragon Flame, then returned to rescue Qing Lin from the Mo Family. After Qing Lin chose to leave with Lu Man, Xiao Yan traveled with Nalan Yanran to the Imperial Capital, where he agreed to try to treat her grandfather.

• Xiao Yan found Empress Medusa attempting to absorb the Green Lotus Core Flame, then escaped with the transformed seven-colored snake as the Wind Fury Dragon Flame pursued him.
• Xiao Yan used Essence of Life to strengthen the Green Lotus Core Flame, survived its clash with the Wind Fury Dragon Flame, and tamed both heavenly flames, reaching One-Star Dou Wang.
• Xiao Yan defeated Yun Zhi in a fight before they recognized each other, then gave her a Green Lotus Seed in exchange for a Dou Ling Pill.
• Xiao Yan returned to Stone Desert City, discovered the Desert Iron Mercenary Group under attack and Qing Lin missing, then destroyed the Storm Mercenary Group and vowed to rescue her.
• Xiao Yan entered Mo Cheng’s birthday banquet, killed Mo Cheng, and confronted Lu Man, who had taken Qing Lin, while the Eight-Winged Black Snake Emperor arrived to fight him.
• Xiao Yan fused his three heavenly flames into a Flame Sun and nearly killed the Eight-Winged Black Snake Emperor, but let Qing Lin leave with Lu Man for the Heavenly Snake Mansion.
• Nalan Yanran rescued the unconscious Xiao Yan and told him her grandfather was dying from poison that required precise control of a Heavenly Flame to treat.
• Xiao Yan traveled with Nalan Yanran to the Imperial Capital, agreed to try treating Nalan Jie, and met Ya Fei at the Mittel Auction House.

Xiao Yan acquired an Earth Tier technique, accepted a mission involving the Shadow Tower, treated Nalan Jie, and entered the Alchemist Conference after confronting several rivals. The conference began with Xiao Yan's strength drawing the attention of Jia Xingtian and the empire's leading alchemists.

• Xiao Yan killed Lei Le, overpowered Lei Ou, and later accepted Mittel Tengshan's request to find Hai Bodong in exchange for the embryonic pill.
• Xiao Yan treated part of Nalan Jie's poison with his Heavenly Flame and agreed to compete in the Alchemist Conference after learning it offered a Spirit Fusion Pill recipe.
• Xiao Yan passed the Third-Rank Alchemist assessment and accepted Lin Li's commission to kill Han Feng and the Shadow Tower's three chief tower masters.
• Xiao Yan refined the ironwood spirit leaf in one pass, earned a perfect score, and qualified for the Alchemist Conference.
• Mu Zhan attacked Xiao Yan at the Nalan Family estate, but Xiao Yan spared him after Nalan Jie warned that killing him there could endanger the family.
• Xiao Yan arrived at the Royal Plaza for the conference, met Jia Xingtian's probing gaze, and was praised by President Fa Ma before the event began.