Chapter Summaries

Xiao Hua finished tempering the Fire Marrow Blazing Crystal in his meridians and prepared to advance to the eighteenth layer of Qi Cultivation while experimenting with the Soul Capturing Bells. Xun Shu and Qian Diheng sent word that they had both established their foundations, and Xun Shu’s message left Xiao Hua with mixed feelings.

• True Person Shenyan advised Xunyunzi to recruit more disciples and compare their cultivation progress, then gave him a method for ordinary disciples to refine Life Spirit Tablets.
• Xiao Hua finished tempering the Fire Marrow Blazing Crystal in his meridians and prepared to use the final piece to break through to the eighteenth layer of Qi Cultivation.
• Xiao Hua controlled the Soul Capturing Bells with black threads of soul power and wondered how soul cultivators cultivated their souls and spirits.
• Xiao Hua opened the formation after sensing a disturbance and received simultaneous messages from Xun Shu and Qian Diheng announcing their Foundation Establishment.
• Xun Shu told Xiao Hua she had begun practicing Zhe Lei Evasion and expressed her gratitude, but stopped short of saying what she truly wanted.

Xiao Hua rejected the invitation to Qian Diheng’s Foundation Establishment celebration and resumed tempering his body with a Fire Marrow Blazing Crystal while pursuing clues to his origins. As the black collapse beneath East Ridge rose toward him, Qian Yuhua left Dry Thunder Palace and arrived outside East Ridge Medicine Garden carrying a token like Xiao Hua’s.

• Qian Yuhua and Qian Diheng invited Xiao Hua to their Foundation Establishment celebration, and Qian Diheng sent him a magic treasure as a gift.
• Xiao Hua declined to attend, sent replies to the other communication talismans, and vowed to uncover his origins through cultivation.
• Xiao Hua used his final Fire Marrow Blazing Crystal to temper his body, but the red threads in his bones stopped spreading at ninety-nine percent.
• The black collapse beneath East Ridge passed through the formation surrounding the medicine garden and continued rising toward Xiao Hua.
• Qian Yuhua grew anxious during a Golden Core lecture because he was refining Lingli Pills, then left to check on them.
• Qian Yuhua used Zhe Lei Evasion to reach East Ridge Medicine Garden, carrying a token identical to Xiao Hua’s.

Xiao Hua broke through to the eighteenth layer of Qi Cultivation while absorbing Fire Marrow Blazing Crystal, but his cultivation was interrupted by the arrival of the Origin of Fire and Qian Yuhua. The chapter ended with Xiao Hua offering to let Qian Yuhua take it while keeping his own distance.

• Xiao Hua's Phoenix Dharma Body and meridians absorbed Fire Marrow Blazing Crystal, and he broke through to the eighteenth layer of Qi Cultivation.
• An unseen attack shattered Xiao Hua's formations, so he flew out of his cave and used the Eye of Delusion Breaking to identify a moving black dot as the Origin of Fire.
• Qian Yuhua appeared behind Xiao Hua, called the Origin of Fire Fire Essence, and revealed that he had entered East Ridge Medicine Garden with another token.
• Qian Yuhua destroyed his token with Samadhi True Fire and questioned Xiao Hua about the flames around his body.
• The Origin of Fire changed direction to follow Xiao Hua, who offered to let Qian Yuhua take it and flew farther away.

Qian Yuhua failed to capture the Origin of Fire and revealed that he intended to possess Xiao Hua’s body to claim it. Xiao Hua resisted with his Phoenix Dharma Body and Town Cloud Seal, but Qian Yuhua began countering his attacks.

• Qian Yuhua tried to collect the Origin of Fire with a blue sphere and a lightning ruler, but both artifacts failed to contain it.
• Qian Yuhua used a cauldron and Leaf Sun Fan to halt the Origin of Fire briefly, then realized it kept returning to Xiao Hua.
• Qian Yuhua revealed his plan to possess Xiao Hua and admitted he wanted the Fire Essence to advance his cultivation.
• Xiao Hua summoned his Phoenix Dharma Body, which blocked Qian Yuhua’s pressure, and attacked him alongside the Town Cloud Seal.
• Qian Yuhua repelled the Phoenix Dharma Body with his robe, dissolved the Town Cloud Seal’s karmic obstacles, and sent a fire dragon against its clouds.

Xiao Hua fought Qian Yuhua with the Town Cloud Seal, a puppet, a demonic hammer, and Zhu Meng, managing to injure him despite Qian Yuhua’s powerful fire techniques. The battle paused when Qian Yuhua withdrew to treat his wounds, and Xiao Hua dodged as the pursuing Origin of Fire threatened him from behind.

• Qian Yuhua burned away the Town Cloud Seal’s clouds with the Leaf Sun Fan, but the seal struck his arm and damaged his daoist robe.
• Xiao Hua flew at Qian Yuhua with his snake-shaped puppet and demonic hammer, breaking through several scarlet defenses.
• Zhu Meng emerged from the puppet and split into eight sword lights, piercing Qian Yuhua’s daoist robe and forcing him upward.
• Qian Yuhua abandoned his plan to preserve Xiao Hua for possession, then sent fire dragons at Xiao Hua and Zhu Meng before retreating to tend his wounds.
• Xiao Hua smashed the fire dragons but did not pursue, then dodged left when he sensed the Origin of Fire approaching from behind.

Xiao Hua and Qian Yuhua fought for a day and night over the Fire Essence, with Xiao Hua using multiple treasures and his endless flame-derived magic power to hold off the stronger cultivator. When Qian Yuhua trapped him with a giant-hand talisman, Xiao Hua finally unleashed Bright Thunder Evasion and reached him before he could escape.

• Qian Yuhua used his sword artifact and Leaf Sun Fan to overwhelm Xiao Hua, who relied on his demonic hammer, Phoenix Dharma Body, and allies to survive.
• Xiao Hua brought out his own Leaf Sun Fan and accelerated the refinement of the Fire Marrow Blazing Crystal to keep its power from dwindling.
• Xiao Hua and Qian Yuhua battled across East Ridge for a day and night, while Zhu Meng wore down Qian Yuhua's defenses and the Origin of Fire pursued Xiao Hua.
• Xiao Hua's Leaf Sun Fan caught fire and failed, so he used the Water Blue Bead and spirit armor to withstand Qian Yuhua's sword attack.
• Qian Yuhua hurled his sword artifact and used a spirit talisman to summon a giant hand that pinned Xiao Hua beneath its pressure.
• Xiao Hua blocked the sword with his demonic hammer, unleashed Bright Thunder Evasion, and shot toward the astonished Qian Yuhua.

Xiao Hua killed Qian Yuhua with a concealed magic artifact, but Qian Yuhua’s giant-hand spirit talisman struck him into the mountain. As the Origin of Fire pursued him relentlessly, Xiao Hua searched Qian Yuhua’s jade slips for a way to deal with it and learned that Qian Yuhua had mistaken it for a Fire Marrow Blazing Crystal.

• Xiao Hua’s concealed magic artifact pierced Qian Yuhua’s defenses and killed him, but Qian Yuhua’s giant hand struck Xiao Hua into the mountain.
• The Origin of Fire followed Xiao Hua underground, melting and vaporizing rocks as he fled.
• Xiao Hua retrieved Qian Yuhua’s spirit talisman and storage pouch, then found a jade slip explaining Qian Yuhua’s preparations.
• Xiao Hua learned Qian Yuhua had mistaken the Origin of Fire for a Fire Marrow Blazing Crystal and concluded that Qian Yuhua would have been burned by it.
• Xiao Hua tried several ways to escape the Origin of Fire, but it continued following him without changing direction.

After killing Qian Yuhua, Xiao Hua discovered that performing the Big Dipper Divine Fist drew the Origin of Fire into his body and began tempering him. The Origin of Fire finished transforming his bones and Phoenix Dharma Body, then entered his meridians, where Xiao Hua began circulating the Dragon Transformation Art to endure the next stage.

• Xiao Hua collected Qian Yuhua's spirit armor, sword, Leaf Sun Fan, and used spirit talisman, then spent a day searching for a way to handle the Origin of Fire.
• Xiao Hua realized the Big Dipper Divine Fist might guide the Origin of Fire and began performing its opening stance as the Origin approached.
• The Origin of Fire entered Xiao Hua's left foot and painfully tempered his bones, so Xiao Hua continued the fist while summoning his Phoenix Dharma Body and circulating the Buddhist Sect cultivation method.
• After Xiao Hua repeated the Big Dipper Divine Fist 360 times, the Origin of Fire had turned his bones crimson and transparent, then passed through his flesh and solidified the Phoenix Dharma Body's points.
• The Origin of Fire entered Xiao Hua's meridians and began tearing them apart, so Xiao Hua kept his Phoenix Dharma Body outside his body and circulated the Dragon Transformation Art.

Xiao Hua absorbed the Origin of Fire, which merged with the Heavenly Dao Starry Sky in his space and greatly clarified its paths. He awoke with his cultivation advanced and the East Ridge Medicine Garden calm, then prepared to leave with Little Yellow and Little Silver.

• Xiao Hua tempered his meridians with the Origin of Fire and ignited the spirit fire from the Myriad Monster Realm.
• The Origin of Fire entered Xiao Hua's space through a Heavenly Dao ripple, and its power spread through the space.
• The Origin of Fire merged with the Heavenly Dao Starry Sky, setting it ablaze and deepening Xiao Hua's understanding of its paths.
• Xiao Hua awoke and found Little Yellow unharmed; Little Silver climbed onto Little Yellow's back.
• Xiao Hua left the space with Little Yellow and Little Silver as his cultivation reached the middle stage of the eighteenth layer of Qi Cultivation and the spiritual energy in the East Ridge Medicine Garden calmed.

Xiao Hua escaped East Ridge Medicine Garden after restoring its formation and learned that Cui Hongshen had established his foundation. He hurried to Zhai Hongshen’s celebration, where Helpless reluctantly ordered that he be admitted.

• Xiao Hua burned Qian Yuhua’s token and storage pouch after taking Qian Yuhua’s belongings, then discovered that his own space could hold storage pouches.
• Xiao Hua found that Qian Yuhua had altered the East Ridge Medicine Garden formation, and he spent more than ten days restoring it using Qian Yuhua’s formation jade slips.
• Xiao Hua received Xiangyang’s messages that Cui Hongshen had established his foundation and that Helpless expected him at the celebration.
• Xiao Hua rushed toward Myriad Thunder Valley by a shortcut through a forbidden area, inadvertently startling a small green-patterned creature hidden there.
• Xiao Hua found Helpless and Xiangyang absent from their cave dwellings and realized the celebration was at Zhai Hongshen’s new cave dwelling.
• Xiangyang welcomed Xiao Hua and asked about his seclusion, while Helpless ordered Xiangyang to let him in.

Xiao Hua arrived late at Zhai Hongshen’s residence-opening gathering and was scolded by Helpless for missing Cui’s return and Foundation Establishment ceremony. The gathering left Xiao Hua sidelined as Zhen Mo and Zhai Hongshen talked, while Zhuo reminded him to give Zhai Hongshen a gift.

• Xiao Hua entered Zhai Hongshen’s spacious cave residence with Xiangyang and was reprimanded by Xiangyang and Helpless for arriving late and neglecting Cui’s ceremony.
• Several of Zhai Hongshen’s companions mocked Xiao Hua’s failed Foundation Establishment, while Helpless explained his shortcomings to Zhen Mo.
• Zhen Mo encouraged Xiao Hua, then turned his attention to Zhai Hongshen after Zhai Hongshen praised him and invoked his ancestor’s ties to Zhen Mo.
• Xiao Hua went to Zhuo and Yan Qinglian after being left out of the conversation, and Zhuo offered him a gift for Zhai Hongshen.
• Xiao Hua told Zhuo that he had prepared a gift and would present it to Zhai Hongshen.

At Zhai Hongshen’s Foundation Establishment celebration, Xiao Hua bristled when Zhai demanded he address him as Senior Brother, and the gathering was interrupted by the arrival of Zhen Jie from Yan Lei Ridge. Zhen Jie praised Zhai and presented gifts while Zhen Qikui and the others exchanged courtesies, leaving Xiangyang to receive a mocking greeting from Zhen Weisheng.

• Zhai Hongshen insisted that Xiao Hua call him Senior Brother Cui, and Xiao Hua resisted the public humiliation.
• A disciple suggested sparring with Xiao Hua, who challenged him to meet at Thunder Competition Ground before Wu Nai stopped the exchange.
• Zhen Jie arrived with Zhen Weisheng, Zhen Qikui, and Yan Xuefeng, surprising Wu Nai and the other guests.
• Zhen Jie said he had come to celebrate Zhai Hongshen’s Foundation Establishment and let Zhen Weisheng give Zhai a Yilian Pill.
• Zhen Weisheng introduced Zhen Qikui and Yan Xuefeng to Zhai, then greeted Xiangyang with a mocking congratulations on his advancement.

Zhen Jie and his disciples visited Cui Hongshen’s cave abode, where Zhen Qikui apologized to Xiao Hua before Zhen Weisheng questioned Wu Nai about two missing disciples near East Ridge. Zhen Jie pressured Wu Nai to swear he had not seen them, leaving Wu Nai facing a humiliating demand.

• Xiao Hua exchanged barbed remarks with Zhen Qikui and Xiangyang before everyone entered the cave abode.
• Zhen Jie ordered Zhen Qikui to apologize to Xiao Hua, and Xiao Hua returned the courtesy.
• Zhen Jie warned that disciples must resolve disputes properly rather than secretly harm fellow disciples.
• Zhen Weisheng asked Wu Nai whether he had seen Zhen Mie and Zhen Hao near East Ridge, and Wu Nai said he had been on duty at Myriad Thunder Valley.
• Zhen Jie used his pressure on Wu Nai and demanded that he swear a blood oath, leaving Wu Nai and Zhuo alarmed.

Qian Tian silenced the gathered cultivators and asked Xiao Hua for the Zhong Yaoru, which he believed could help Qian Diheng. Xiao Hua confirmed he still had it but bargained to give only half a drop, leaving Qian Tian displeased.

• Qian Tian confronted Zhen Jie and Xun Ming about why they had come to question Xiao Hua, then ordered everyone except Xiao Hua and Qian Diheng to swear secrecy.
• Wu Nai, Zhuo, Xun Ming, and Zhen Jie made heart oaths under Qian Tian's threat.
• Qian Tian thanked Xiao Hua for protecting Qian Diheng during the Mingxi trial and asked whether Xiao Hua still had the Zhong Yaoru.
• Xiao Hua said the Zhong Yaoru was in his storage pouch and revealed he had considered giving it to Cui Hongshen, who had rejected it.
• Xiao Hua asked whether Qian Tian would accept half a drop, and Qian Tian refused to bargain.

Xiao Hua gave Qian Tian and Xun Ming the remaining Zhong Yaoru, and Qian Tian ended the dispute over it. When Yan Xuefeng challenged Xiao Hua, Xiao Hua accepted by proposing a match on the Thunder Competition Ground.

• Qian Tian accepted Xiao Hua’s jade box, examined its contents, and returned it to him.
• Xiao Hua gave Xun Ming another jade box containing Zhong Yaoru, and she accepted it and promised a return gift through Xue Xue.
• Xiao Hua presented his storage pouch to Qian Tian, who declared that no disciple could trouble Xiao Hua over the matter again.
• Yan Xuefeng asked to spar with Xiao Hua, and Qian Tian said they could fight if they wished.
• Xiao Hua agreed to face Yan Xuefeng and the other disciples on the Thunder Competition Ground.

Xiao Hua was drawn into a Thunder Competition Ground duel with Yan Xuefeng, who demanded the Prajna Heavy Sword as the wager. Zhen Jie produced an ancient jade ring as a counter-wager, and Qian Tian confirmed it was an ancient divine object, leaving Xiao Hua unable to withdraw.

• Yan Xuefeng agreed to duel Xiao Hua and asked to wager for the Prajna Heavy Sword.
• Xiao Hua insisted Yan Xuefeng offer something of equal value, but Qian Diheng mocked the magical artifact Yan Xuefeng produced.
• Qian Tian and Zhen Jie pressed for a better wager, and Zhen Weisheng presented an ancient jade ring said to contain a Fire Control technique.
• Xiao Hua tried to cancel the duel, but Zhen Jie demanded he honor the wager after proposing that the items be equal in value.
• Qian Tian examined the jade ring, confirmed it was an ancient divine object, and told Xiao Hua he could not go back on his word.

Xiao Hua agreed to settle the dispute over Zhen Weisheng’s mysterious jade tablet by fighting Yan Xuefeng at the Thunder Competition Ground. As Qian Diheng and the others accompanied him, Xiao Hua learned they had brought him gifts and prepared for the contest.

• Qian Tian ordered Xiao Hua to meet Yan Xuefeng at the Thunder Competition Ground and said he would judge the contest.
• Qian Diheng accompanied Xiao Hua, and Xun Shu and Xue Xue joined them after Qian Tian approved their presence.
• Qian Diheng and Xun Shu admitted they had concealed that Xiao Hua still had not used the Zhong Yaoru, and they gave him items they had chosen for him.
• Xun Shu concluded that Xiao Hua had surrendered the remaining Zhong Yaoru to prevent further trouble and to spare Xue Xue from being slighted.
• Qian Diheng and Xun Shu praised Xiao Hua’s strength and predicted he would defeat Yan Xuefeng, while Xiao Hua remained calm about his plans.
• The group headed for the Thunder Competition Ground, which disciples could enter only through their palace’s Hall of Life and Death with an elder escort and a life-and-death contract.

Zhen Jie and Qian Tian waited at the Hall of Life and Death to arbitrate a duel between Wu Nai’s and Zhen Weisheng’s disciples, but Wu Nai’s disciple had not arrived. After Zhen Jie punished Xu Ming for demanding to go first, Xu Ming and his opponent were persuaded to leave, and the group continued waiting.

• Zhen Jie brought Qian Tian and the others to the Hall of Life and Death and ordered Zhen Hongwen to prepare a life-and-death contract for Yan Xuefeng and Wu Nai’s disciple.
• Yan Xuefeng imprinted his identity token on the contract, but Wu Nai said his disciple had not arrived, so the group waited.
• Xu Ming arrived with his opponent and demanded entry, but Zhen Hongwen told them others were ahead of them.
• Xu Ming complained about the delay, and Zhen Jie struck him with a spiritual attack and warned his elders to wait their turn.
• Xu Ming and his opponent left with their elders after being persuaded, while Zhen Jie and the others remained at the Hall of Life and Death.

Xiao Hua and his companions reached the Hall of Life and Death, where he signed a contract to fight Yan Xuefeng on the Thunder Competition Ground. After the elders signed as well, Zhen Hongwen opened the Hall’s mirror-like entrance and sent the contract through, leaving the red-and-blue passage opening before Xiao Hua.

• Xiao Hua asked Xu Ming's elder how to reach the Hall of Life and Death and headed there with Qian Diheng and the others.
• Xiangyang warned Xiao Hua that entering the Thunder Competition Ground was not easily undone, but Xiao Hua continued.
• Qian Tian examined the Prajna Heavy Sword, took it as the wager, and agreed to hold it while Xiao Hua entered the competition ground.
• Zhen Hongwen confirmed Xiao Hua's identity and had him sign a life-and-death contract with Yan Xuefeng; Wu Nai and Zhen Weisheng signed as their elders.
• Zhen Hongwen opened the Hall of Life and Death and sent the contract through its mirror-like surface, causing a red-and-blue passage to appear.

Xiao Hua and Yan Xuefeng entered the Thunder Competition Ground and were placed in an illusion of an immortal realm, where Yan Xuefeng launched a concealed attack. Xiao Hua’s protective magic treasure stopped the lightning, leaving the two to face each other as their duel began.

• Zhen Hongwen explained the rules of the Thunder Competition Ground, and Xiao Hua and Yan Xuefeng entered their assigned gates.
• Xiao Hua arrived in a vast, lightning-protected space, and Zhen Hongwen announced that an illusion would appear and that the fight would end only with death or surrender.
• The illusion showed Xiao Hua an immortal realm, where a bolt of lightning struck him but was stopped by the protective magic treasure Qian Diheng had given him.
• Outside the illusion, Zhen Jie and Qian Tian argued over the magic treasures Xiao Hua and Yan Xuefeng carried, while Zhen Jie realized Xiao Hua’s defense gave him a major advantage.
• Xiao Hua flew toward Yan Xuefeng, who had used a secret technique to launch the initial attack and now faced him with his Lightning Gourd after exhausting much of his spiritual power.