Chapter Summaries

Tang Yan and Lin Dongxue faced Liu Jing, who revealed that he had ambushed them on behalf of the Liu Family. After Lin Dongxue broke through to profound rank second grade, Tang Yan swallowed too many pills and, near death, found a way to unleash their spiritual energy as he attacked Liu Jing with Flame Burst Palm.

• Tang Yan deduced that the masked attacker was Liu Jing, and Liu Jing revealed his identity and threatened to kill both Tang Yan and Lin Dongxue.
• Lin Dongxue advanced to profound rank second grade and chose to fight alongside Tang Yan instead of fleeing.
• Tang Yan swallowed several bottles of pills, causing spiritual energy to overwhelm his body and leaving him close to bursting.
• Tang Yan realized he could survive by releasing the spiritual energy faster than the pills produced it.
• Tang Yan charged Liu Jing with Phantom Shadow Steps and struck with Flame Burst Palm.

Tang Yan defeated and killed Liu Jing after an exhausting series of Flame Burst Palms, then the Heaven-Earth Creation Cauldron absorbed his excess spiritual energy and healed his damaged Dantian and meridians. He broke through to profound rank second grade, and his aura continued to rise.

• Tang Yan combined Flame Burst Palm with the Heaven-Earth Creation Flame and repeatedly clashed head-on with Liu Jing, gradually wearing him down.
• After Tang Yan's fifty-eighth palm strike blasted Liu Jing away, Tang Yan pursued him and killed him despite his plea for mercy.
• Lin Dongxue collapsed in relief while Tang Yan noticed the Heaven-Earth Creation Cauldron absorb his excess spiritual energy and release a healing aura.
• Tang Yan discovered that his Dantian and meridians had expanded, then sat down to regulate his breathing and prepare to break through.
• Tang Yan crossed into profound rank second grade, and his aura continued to climb.

Tang Yan advanced two grades in succession and spent six days mastering the fusion of the Heaven-Earth Creation Flame with the Combat Heart while Lin Dongxue trained under his guidance. After reaching Fang City, they checked into the Ten Thousand Directions Tower and went to meet Lin Xiao, who greeted them with relief.

• Lin Dongxue saw Tang Yan advance two grades in a row and was stunned by his indifference to the feat.
• Tang Yan guided Lin Dongxue's combat training while refining his new fighting technique over six days.
• Tang Yan and Lin Dongxue reached Fang City on the day they had arranged to meet the City Lord.
• Tang Yan and Lin Dongxue checked into the Ten Thousand Directions Tower's secluded courtyard grounds.
• Lin Dongxue hurried Tang Yan to Lin Xiao's courtyard, where Lin Xiao opened the gate and greeted them with relief.

After returning from Cangyun Mountain, Lin Dongxue impressed Lin Xiao with her rapid breakthrough and improved fighting skills, which Tang Yan had taught her. Lin Xiao learned that Tang Yan had reached Profound Tier Third Grade and was stunned to hear Liu Jing had tried to assassinate them.

• Lin Dongxue and Tang Yan returned safely, and Lin Dongxue told Lin Xiao they had killed every third-tier spirit beast they encountered.
• Lin Dongxue sparred with Lin Xiao, who struggled to keep up with her fierce, newly refined moves before defeating her by exploiting a small opening.
• Lin Xiao praised Lin Dongxue, then sent Tang Yan off and asked his daughter to recount their ten days on Cangyun Mountain.
• Lin Dongxue explained that Tang Yan had taught her and revealed that he was at Profound Tier Third Grade after advancing two grades on the mountain.
• Lin Dongxue told Lin Xiao that Liu Jing had tried to assassinate them, and Lin Xiao anxiously asked how they had escaped.

After learning how Tang Yan saved Lin Dongxue, Lin Xiao took him and the others to Slaughter Tower so they could test their strength before the Eastern Region Tournament. Tang Yan and Lin Dongxue agreed to compete over how many floors they could clear, with Tang Yan invoking the stakes from their earlier race.

• Lin Dongxue told Lin Xiao that Tang Yan had killed Liu Jing and risked his life to save her, prompting Lin Xiao to praise Tang Yan and promise to repay the Tang Family.
• Tang Yan practiced the Extreme Six Forms in his courtyard, then joined Lin Dongxue the next morning to visit Slaughter Tower with Lin Xiao and Liu Zhi.
• Lin Xiao explained that Slaughter Tower had six dangerous trials and that the floors challengers reached could indicate their prospects in the tournament and admission to Azure Dragon Academy.
• Liu Zhi tried to approach Lin Dongxue, but she coldly warned him to at least reach the third floor and bring no shame to Cloud City.
• Lin Dongxue challenged Tang Yan to see who could clear more floors, and Tang Yan accepted if they used the same stakes as their previous competition.

While waiting for Lin Xiao outside Slaughter Tower, Tang Yan redirected Yao Yuan’s advances toward Lin Dongxue by boasting about Liu Zhi, prompting Yao Yuan to challenge him. Yao Yuan swiftly beat and humiliated Liu Zhi, then invited Lin Dongxue to the lake.

• Tang Yan and Lin Dongxue teased each other while Liu Zhi grew jealous, and Yao Yuan approached Lin Dongxue with an unwanted invitation.
• Lin Dongxue rejected Yao Yuan, and Tang Yan claimed Liu Zhi was Cloud City’s strongest fighter and challenged Yao Yuan to defeat him.
• Yao Yuan, a peak Profound Rank Second Grade cultivator, slapped Liu Zhi repeatedly and kicked him down as spectators mocked Cloud City.
• Yao Yuan invited Lin Dongxue to Slender Moon Lake after defeating Liu Zhi, while Tang Yan hurried to help the injured Liu Zhi.

Lin Xiao intervened after Yao Yuan and the other young men offended Lin Dongxue, and Tang Yan challenged Su Wei to a contest in the Slaughter Tower to defend Cloud City's honor. Su Wei entered first, while Lin Xiao explained the tower's trials to Tang Yan.

• Lin Dongxue told Lin Xiao that Yao Yuan had bullied her and injured Liu Zhi, so Lin Xiao slapped all five young men from Yu City and warned them not to offend her again.
• Su Wei mocked Cloud City, and Tang Yan answered with insults about Yu City's tournament record until Su Wei challenged him to compete in the Slaughter Tower.
• Su Wei proposed that the loser shout three times that his city was inferior, and Tang Yan agreed to compete for the higher floor reached.
• Su Wei entered the First Floor of the Slaughter Tower first, while Lin Xiao reassured Tang Yan and described the challenges on the tower's first five floors.

Su Wei emerged from the Slaughter Tower’s fifth floor with two points, and Tang Yan entered the tower despite the crowd’s doubts. He quickly cleared the first floor and began facing the second floor’s hazards.

• Su Wei came out of the fifth floor, and Lin Xiao explained that he had scored two points there.
• Tang Yan accepted the challenge and entered the Slaughter Tower as the crowd placed bets against him; Lin Dongxue bet a hundred thousand taels on his victory, and Lin Xiao covered the wager.
• Tang Yan crossed the first floor’s narrow Copper Road over a pool of Steel Spikes and reached the staircase without difficulty.
• Tang Yan climbed to the second floor, where he noticed a twisting Bronze Path surrounded by boulders that could serve as attacks.

Tang Yan survived the second floor’s chained traps and began navigating the third floor’s moving planks and flying bronze balls. Outside Slaughter Tower, Wan Fei bet one hundred thousand taels of silver that he would win, trusting her intuition despite the crowd’s doubts.

• Tang Yan dodged the second floor’s collapsing paths, spikes, and bronze pillars, then reached the exit unharmed.
• Tang Yan entered the third floor under fifteen times normal gravity and found a pool crossed by randomly moving wooden planks.
• Tang Yan used his movement skills to leap between planks and kick off flying bronze balls, advancing across the pool.
• Wan Fei arrived as the bookmaker was closing bets and wagered one hundred thousand taels of silver on Tang Yan’s victory.
• Lin Xiao and the crowd questioned Wan Fei’s bet, while Lin Dongxue blushed when her father teased her about Tang Yan.

Wan Fei bet one hundred thousand taels that Tang Yan would clear the Slaughter Tower, prompting a clash with Zhao Yuqian. Tang Yan swiftly passed the third floor but was injured when the copper soldiers on the fourth floor attacked him.

• Wan Fei challenged Zhao Yuqian to cover her hundred-thousand-tael bet that Tang Yan would clear every floor, and Zhao Yuqian agreed to pay at a hundred-to-one rate.
• Wan Fei learned from Lin Xiao that Tang Yan came from Cloud City, then joined Lin Xiao and his companions to watch the trial.
• Tang Yan crossed the third floor in less than the time it took to burn an incense stick and entered the fourth floor.
• Tang Yan read the fourth-floor trial rules and faced eight fast, flexible copper soldiers armed with rods.
• Tang Yan struck one copper soldier, but it showed no damage and followed him through the barrage, clipping his back with a painful blow.

Tang Yan discovered that striking the crowns of the Bronze Men’s heads disabled them, then advanced to the Fifth Level’s weapon-lined Copper Road. He crossed the perilous course without being hit, leaving his progress through the Heavenly Net continuing beyond the chapter.

• Tang Yan tested the Bronze Men’s bodies for weaknesses while dodging their coordinated attacks, then disabled one by striking the crown of its head.
• Tang Yan used the same tactic to eliminate the remaining Bronze Men and proceeded to the Fifth Level.
• Tang Yan recognized the Copper Road as a test of combat skill and reaction speed, then entered it as the Bronze Men attacked.
• Tang Yan used his Combat Heart to evade the weapons, obstacles, and ambushes along the road.
• Tang Yan reached the far end of the Copper Road without a corner of his robe being touched.

Tang Yan reached the sixth floor of the Slaughter Tower and endured its soul-refining flames before using the Heaven-Earth Creation Flame to devour the Soul-Refining Flame. As he left the sixth floor, onlookers outside waited to see where he would emerge.

• Tang Yan felt the Heaven-Earth Creation Flame respond to something on the sixth floor and entered the passage.
• Tang Yan discovered the Soul-Refining Flame at the center of a soul-testing array and endured its pain as he approached.
• Tang Yan summoned the Heaven-Earth Creation Flame, which subdued the Soul-Refining Flame and eased the pressure on him.
• Tang Yan drew the Soul-Refining Flame into his body and refined it until it vanished, though the Heaven-Earth Creation Flame still needed further integration.
• Tang Yan decided to leave the Slaughter Tower and hoped nobody would discover the missing flame.
• Lin Xiao and Wan Fei predicted that Tang Yan had reached the fourth or fifth floor while the onlookers waited outside; then the door opened.

Tang Yan passed the Slaughter Tower’s sixth floor and won the bet against Su Wei, prompting Yu City’s leaders to try to avoid the agreed humiliation. He refused Yao Qian’s offer of three third-tier pills and insisted that Su Wei honor the bet.

• Tang Yan appeared on the sixth floor of the Slaughter Tower, where the crowd saw that he had passed and the bookmaker paid Wan Fei and Lin Xiao.
• Tang Yan told Su Wei he had lost, but Yao Yuan objected and Su Wei balked at fulfilling the bet.
• Yao Qian arrived and tried to dismiss the bet, while Lin Xiao insisted that Yu City’s youths honor their word.
• Yao Qian offered Tang Yan three third-tier pills if he fought Su Wei again, or one pill if he accepted a clean slate.
• Tang Yan refused the offer and demanded that Su Wei honor the bet, so Yao Qian ordered Su Wei to shout.

Tang Yan forced Yu City to admit its inferiority to Cloud City, worsening the cities’ rivalry ahead of the Eastern Region Tournament. After Lin Dongxue secretly entered the Slaughter Tower and scored on the fifth floor, Tang Yan returned to his courtyard to continue refining the Soul-Refining Flame.

• Tang Yan made Su Wei shout that Yu City was inferior to Cloud City, and Yao Qian threatened retaliation at the tournament before leaving with his people.
• Lin Xiao praised Tang Yan for defending Cloud City, and Tang Yan reunited with Wan Fei and Chang Ying, though Wan Fei attacked him for calling her “auntie.”
• Tang Yan advised Lin Xiao to conceal Lin Dongxue’s identity, then described the Slaughter Tower’s sixth-floor soul-refining formation without revealing that he had devoured the Soul-Refining Flame.
• Liu Zhi emerged from the Slaughter Tower after reaching only the second floor, while Lin Dongxue secretly scored four points on the fifth floor and slipped away in disguise.
• Tang Yan returned to his courtyard and refined the Soul-Refining Flame with the Supreme Pill Canon and Flame Control Art, strengthening the Heaven-Earth Creation Flame.

Tang Yan strengthened his soul by refining the Soul-Refining Flame while the Four Young Masters of the Eastern Domain dismissed him as too weak to consider for the Eastern Region Tournament. On the day before the tournament, Tang Yan emerged from seclusion and met Lin Xiao and Lin Dongxue.

• Tang Yan discovered that the Heaven-Earth Creation Flame had absorbed the Soul-Refining Flame's abilities and could temper his soul and affect an enemy's mind.
• In Fang City, Fang Xuan, Cheng Gong, Du Shu, and Song Ze discussed the upcoming Eastern Region Tournament and the candidates they expected to qualify for Azure Dragon Academy.
• The Four Young Masters heard that Tang Yan had cleared Slaughter Tower's sixth floor but decided his publicly known Yellow Tier ninth-grade strength made him unworthy of consideration.
• Tang Yan stayed in seclusion for eight days, refining the Soul-Refining Flame and increasing his soul power before fully fusing with it.
• On the eve of the tournament, Tang Yan came out of seclusion and apologized to Lin Dongxue for being absent before asking why she had come to see him.

Lin Xiao told Tang Yan about the fierce Eastern Region Tournament and challenged him to a spar using only Profound Tier fourth-grade strength. Tang Yan matched Lin Xiao’s first attack, and the chapter ended as he charged in again without pausing.

• Lin Xiao explained the tournament’s strongest competitors, the Azure Dragon Academy selection, and the pressure on Cloud City to avoid last place.
• Tang Yan said Cloud City could benefit from being underestimated and estimated his chances against Su Wei at about fifty-fifty.
• Lin Dongxue suggested that Lin Xiao spar with Tang Yan, and Lin Xiao agreed to limit himself to Profound Tier fourth-grade combat strength.
• Tang Yan opened with Phantom Shadow Steps, shifted his attack mid-charge, and struck Lin Xiao with a punch that retained peak third-grade strength.
• Lin Xiao prepared to counter, but Tang Yan immediately charged at him again without catching his breath.

Tang Yan relentlessly pressured Lin Xiao in their spar, forcing the Earth Tier expert to use several martial skills despite limiting himself to Profound Tier Fourth Grade strength. Lin Xiao unleashed a Profound Tier martial skill, prompting Lin Dongxue to accuse him of cheating.

• Lin Xiao tracked Tang Yan with his divine sense, but Tang Yan chained attacks without pausing and forced Lin Xiao to dodge and counter defensively.
• Tang Yan used Phantom Shadow Steps and Thousand Mountains Fist to keep up his assault, while Lin Xiao realized Tang Yan could flow seamlessly between martial skills and ordinary attacks.
• Lin Xiao unleashed Eight Shadow Palm, but Tang Yan discerned the real strike beneath the illusions, countered it with Cloudflow Sword, and landed another attack.
• After twelve consecutive attacks, Tang Yan had forced Lin Xiao to use martial skills three times, and Lin Xiao regretted agreeing to the spar.
• Lin Xiao used Six Shadow Slash, a Profound Tier martial skill, and Lin Dongxue shouted that her father was cheating.

Tang Yan fought Lin Xiao’s Six Shadow Slash with Thousand Mountains Fist and landed a seventh punch, but Lin Xiao accidentally struck him with more than Profound Tier Fourth Grade strength. Tang Yan declared himself the winner, and Lin Dongxue challenged him to a bet about the Eastern Region Tournament championship.

• Lin Xiao used Six Shadow Slash, and Tang Yan countered its first six attacks with the first six punches of Thousand Mountains Fist.
• Tang Yan added a seventh punch after Lin Xiao finished his technique, forcing Lin Xiao to unleash power beyond Profound Tier Fourth Grade and send Tang Yan stumbling back.
• Lin Dongxue accused Lin Xiao of breaking the rules, and Lin Xiao gave Tang Yan two pills for his minor injuries.
• Tang Yan said he had won, and Lin Xiao praised his strength and said Cloud City would finally hold its head high.
• Lin Dongxue bet Tang Yan a million taels of silver if he won the championship, or half a month of training with him if he lost.

Tang Yan recovered from his duel with Lin Xiao, accepted Lin Dongxue’s wager tied to the Eastern Region Tournament, and explored Fang City before the competition. At Slender Moon Lake, he recognized that a youth in a pavilion had an Ice Marrow Body, but he did not reveal what he knew.

• Tang Yan proposed that if he won the tournament, Lin Dongxue would owe him the same stake as their previous bet, and she agreed.
• Lin Xiao praised Tang Yan’s skill after their duel and told him to gather in his courtyard the next morning.
• Tang Yan took a pill to recover, then went out to relax and heard crowds in Fang City disparaging Cloud City ahead of the tournament.
• Tang Yan visited Slender Moon Lake and drank in a secluded pavilion beside an old man and a youth.
• Tang Yan recognized that the youth had an Ice Marrow Body and decided not to mention his knowledge of a cultivation method for it.

Tang Yan revealed that Shen Shan's grandson suffered from an ice marrow body and described two ways to treat it, including a cultivation method he claimed to possess. Shen Shan eagerly prepared to receive the method, and Tang Yan began writing it down.

• Tang Yan comforted Shen Shan with verses, gave him the false name Tang Huohuo, and received a concealed silver dagger and an invitation to visit the Artifact Pavilion.
• As Shen Shan and his grandson were leaving, Tang Yan said the boy's ice marrow body could be treated, startling them with his accurate diagnosis and warning that the boy had less than a year to live.
• Tang Yan explained that fire-property pills could neutralize the ice poison but would prevent the boy from cultivating, and Shen Shan offered to meet any conditions to obtain them.
• Tang Yan described a second method: finding an ice-compatible cultivation method that would turn the boy's cold constitution into an advantage and accelerate his cultivation.
• Tang Yan said he already had the cultivation method, and Shen Shan produced paper, brush, ink, and inkstone for him to write it down.