Chapter Summaries

Jiang Yan and Muling Daoist Boy finalized a contract that made Muling Jiang Yan’s follower and promised to help him become Blowing Fire High Person’s disciple. Muling left to report to Blowing Fire High Person, while Jiang Yan stayed behind rather than risk leaving town.

• Jiang Yan and Muling Daoist Boy signed a contract covering Muling’s help with Jiang Yan’s apprenticeship, their mutual obligations, and a ban on betrayal or deliberately suicidal missions.
• Muling Daoist Boy called Jiang Yan his master, but Jiang Yan told him to use “young master” and asked how he could meet the Fire Head.
• Muling revealed that Blowing Fire High Person was a sixth-grade High Person and had authorized Muling to bring a chosen candidate to him.
• Jiang Yan went with Muling to his residence, where Muling gathered his remaining belongings and explained that his family property had been lost after his parents died.
• Muling set out for Blowing Fire High Person’s cultivation grounds to report the matter, while Jiang Yan remained in town to avoid the danger posed by Desire Corpse Daoist.

Jiang Yan met Dragonflame Daoist, Blowing Fire High Person's second disciple, who brought him to the Daoist Arena and explained the academy's approach to dangerous threats. The chapter ended with Jiang Yan realizing that the academy treated most disciples as expendable while protecting its most promising geniuses.

• Jiang Yan refined a batch of eight Bear-Tiger Pills, including three upper-grade pills, before Muling Daoist Boy returned with Dragonflame Daoist.
• Dragonflame Daoist tested Jiang Yan's willpower with his heat, then apologized by giving him a Fire-Resisting Pill.
• Dragonflame Daoist carried Jiang Yan and Muling Daoist Boy toward the Daoist Arena on a Red Glaze dragon soul and dismissed Jiang Yan's fears of Desire Corpse Daoist.
• Dragonflame Daoist explained that the academy let threats like Desire Corpse Daoist create urgency among disciples, while higher-ups protected talented geniuses for the Dao Army.
• Jiang Yan understood that the academy considered most disciples expendable and felt fortunate that he had never hidden his talent.

Dragonflame Daoist explained the Dao Realm’s vastness and the Immortal Dynasty’s varied methods for preparing Daoists to conquer different planes, while testing Jiang Yan’s resolve. Jiang Yan remained eager, and Dragonflame brought him to the Fire-Breathing Lineage’s volcanic foothold in the East River Realm.

• Dragonflame Daoist explained that register investiture rewarded merit in Plane Wars and aided a Daoist’s cultivation and arts.
• Dragonflame Daoist described the enormous scale of Donghe Prefecture, the nineteen provinces, and the countless subordinate planes.
• Dragonflame Daoist explained that local academies and armies followed different customs to prepare for varied opponents, including cultivating brutal Demon Daoists.
• Jiang Yan considered how the Immortal Dynasty prepared for different kinds of planes and felt anticipation rather than fear.
• Dragonflame Daoist reassured himself that Jiang Yan’s resolve was firm and urged Red Glaze toward their destination.
• Dragonflame Daoist pointed out the Fire-Breathing Lineage’s foothold, and Jiang Yan saw a vast cluster of volcanoes on the East River Realm’s plains.

Dragonflame Daoist brought Jiang Yan and Muling Daoist Boy to meet Blowing Fire High Person, who accepted Jiang Yan as his nominal disciple and promised to make him a personal disciple once he reached Eighth Grade. Afterward, Dragonflame began showing Jiang Yan around and called a giant carp out of the lake.

• Dragonflame Daoist explained that Blowing Fire High Person had created the volcanoes as a home for the Fire-Breathing Lineage and warned Jiang Yan not to underestimate geniuses from other realms.
• Dragonflame Daoist led Jiang Yan and Muling Daoist Boy to Blowing Fire High Person's hall, where the master declared Jiang Yan a nominal disciple until he reached Eighth Grade.
• Jiang Yan knelt and accepted Blowing Fire High Person as his master, who then told Dragonflame Daoist to show him around and arrange a Daoist Arena.
• Dragonflame Daoist explained that the Blowing Fire High Person they had met was an avatar and that the master had been in seclusion for over ten years.
• Dragonflame Daoist called Uncle Flame Carp from the lake, and the enormous golden-red carp emerged and asked why he had been summoned.

Flame Carp created a new magma volcano for Jiang Yan to use as his Daoist Arena, and Dragonflame Daoist introduced him to his senior brothers and sister. Jiang Yan accepted their gifts and chose a place to live on the mountainside.

• Flame Carp inspected Jinbao, then used his power to raise a volcano and solidify its magma into a new Daoist Arena for Jiang Yan.
• Dragonflame Daoist introduced Jiang Yan to Ying Leng, Fenghuo, and Liaoyuan, and explained that several of their fellow disciples had graduated or died pursuing the Dao.
• Ying Leng gave Jiang Yan a Spirit Boat, Fenghuo gave him a jade pendant, and Liaoyuan gave him a hundred Spirit Stones.
• Dragonflame Daoist brought Jiang Yan to his new volcano, and Jiang Yan agreed to live on a level spot halfway up the mountainside.

Jiang Yan settled into a courtyard gifted by Dragonflame Daoist and learned about the Fire-Breathing Lineage and its benefits. Dragonflame Daoist promised to take him to the Prefecture Academy’s Fire Vein the next day, and Jiang Yan went upstairs to process everything he had learned.

• Dragonflame Daoist gave Jiang Yan a courtyard seized from the Scale Feather Clan, whose formations kept the interior cool and purified the air.
• Dragonflame Daoist explained the lineage’s origins, its rules, and Jiang Yan’s place among its twelve disciples.
• Dragonflame Daoist listed Jiang Yan’s benefits, including an annual stipend, a Dao-Protection Law Artifact, Dao Robes, altar implements, and a chance to explore the Fire Vein.
• Dragonflame Daoist explained that Flame Carp was born in a Fire Vein and that the prefecture’s other leaders feared he could manipulate it.
• Dragonflame Daoist said he would take Jiang Yan to the Fire Vein the next day, then left him a booklet and departed.
• Jiang Yan asked Muling Daoist Boy to arrange accommodations for the attendants and went upstairs to sort through the day’s information.

Jiang Yan settled into his new residence at the Prefecture Academy, reviewed his plans, and cultivated through the night. After Dragonflame Daoist visited, he prepared Jiang Yan to accompany him to the Fire Vein.

• Jiang Yan memorized Dragonflame Daoist's booklet about spiritual objects in the Fire Vein and cultivated in the Spirit Gathering Formation.
• Muling Daoist Boy received four Lishi, two Celestial Maidens, and supplies for Jiang Yan, then organized the courtyard and had the Lishi build lodgings, a storehouse, and steps.
• Jiang Yan named the Lishi Niu Da, Niu Er, Ma Yi, and Ma Er, and named the Celestial Maidens Rabbit Tail and Fox Tail.
• Jiang Yan furnished the first floor and courtyard, then welcomed Dragonflame Daoist, who asked if he was ready to go to the Fire Vein.
• Dragonflame Daoist selected the Daoist Robe and sealed jade bottle from Jiang Yan's supplies and told him to put away the rest.

Dragonflame Daoist prepared Jiang Yan to enter the Fire Vein and warned him about its dangers. After jumping into the magma at the Central Main Volcano, Jiang Yan crossed into the blazing Fire Vein, adapted his protections, and set off to search for treasures.

• Dragonflame Daoist gave Jiang Yan a Fire Silkworm silk Daoist robe and two Fire-Resisting Pills, cautioning him not to stay too long in the Fire Vein.
• Jiang Yan changed into the flame-colored robe, and Dragonflame Daoist flew with him and Jinbao to Blowing Fire High Person's volcano.
• Dragonflame Daoist told Jiang Yan to jump into the crater, and Jiang Yan plunged through the magma into the Fire Vein.
• Jiang Yan swallowed one Fire-Resisting Pill, found that Jinbao could store the other in its belly, and used his robe and Law Power to protect himself.
• Jiang Yan headed toward the fiercest flames, expecting to find more spirit materials and treasures there.

Jiang Yan explored the Fire Vein, collected spiritual materials, and claimed a strange sphere and yellow mud from a cave beneath dark-yellow flames. After An Ling left without challenging him, Uncle Flame Carp expelled Jiang Yan from the hill and warned him that he had taken enough.

• Jiang Yan harvested a Red Fire Lizard and ran toward a hill burning with dark-yellow flames.
• Jiang Yan found a cave at the hilltop, took a palm-sized sphere from the yellow mud, and concealed it before An Ling arrived.
• An Ling introduced herself as a disciple of Spirit Dharma High Person, but accepted Jiang Yan's claim to the opportunity and left.
• Jiang Yan discovered Jinbao could not swallow the sphere, then collected nearly half the cave's unusually heavy yellow mud.
• Uncle Flame Carp flung Jiang Yan and Jinbao away from the hill, warning Jiang Yan that he had taken enough for Jinbao to mature.

Jiang Yan collected Fire Fruit during his exploration of the Fire Vein, then learned that the sphere he had found was a Fire Vein Spirit. Flame Carp told him to bury it in yellow clay and choose its form before it emerged, and Jiang Yan offered him half of his Fire Fruit.

• Jiang Yan found Fire Fruit Trees and gathered their fruit without digging up the trees.
• Flame Carp summoned Jiang Yan from the Fire Vein and brought him to the crater, where he rejoined Dragonflame Daoist.
• Jiang Yan showed Flame Carp the sphere, and Flame Carp identified it as a Fire Vein Spirit and said it was one of his kind.
• Flame Carp told Jiang Yan to bury the spirit in yellow clay and decide what shape it should take before it emerged.
• Jiang Yan offered half of his Fire Fruit to Flame Carp as thanks for his help.

Jiang Yan sought Dragonflame Daoist’s advice on choosing a form for his Fire Spirit, then entered the technique hall to select Dao Arts suited to his cultivation. He began choosing techniques for his future path, with several selected cylinders laid out before him.

• Dragonflame Daoist brought Jiang Yan to the technique hall and suggested possible Fire Spirit forms, including dragons, phoenixes, qilins, tigers, turtles, and snakes.
• Jiang Yan ruled out several forms and found inspiration in the idea of giving a tiger wings, telling Dragonflame Daoist he had an idea.
• Dragonflame Daoist explained that the hall’s three floors held techniques for Ninth, Eighth, and Seventh Grade cultivators, and advised Jiang Yan to choose a complete set before reaching Seventh Grade.
• After Dragonflame Daoist left, Jiang Yan examined the reusable jade cylinders and searched for offensive, defensive, and movement techniques.
• Jiang Yan selected the Palm-Released Parting Flame Technique and rejected the Fire-Consuming Qi-Transformation Technique because its effects overlapped with the Fushi Technique and were weaker.

Jiang Yan selected four Dao Arts and returned to his Daoist Arena, where he planned to begin with Fire-Walking Cloud. After bathing and considering Jinbao’s bloodline and his own plans, he studied the jade tubes for the night.

• Jiang Yan chose Sword Talisman Beheads, Palm-Fired Departing Flame, Yellowstone Mystic Fire Shield, and Fire-Walking Cloud, and the Spell Hall’s snake warned him not to cultivate too many arts at the Ninth-Rank Lower Realm.
• Jiang Yan returned to his Daoist Arena and learned Muling Daoist Boy had directed Niu Da and the other Lishi to carve steps and begin digging a pool.
• Jiang Yan bathed with Jinbao and wondered whether he could purify Jinbao’s bloodline, deciding to ask Dragonflame Daoist and inquire about visiting his cousin in East River Town.
• Jiang Yan asked Rabbit Tail about her Beastfolk origins and sent her and Fox Tail back to the second floor after they helped him dry off.
• Jiang Yan took out the four jade tubes and began studying them.

Jiang Yan prepared to cultivate the Fire-Walking Cloud, learned which volcanic materials it required, and had Muling Daoist Boy obtain them from the storehouse. After setting up a Ritual Altar, Jiang Yan opened an unexpected box containing a wisp of Metal Qi.

• Jiang Yan placed the fire spirit in a mound of yellow mud, then used the Stone Book to study the Fire-Walking Cloud and learned it required volcanic smoke and volcanic ash marrow.
• Jiang Yan discovered the fire spirit had filled his room with Fire-Element Spiritual Qi, cultivated through the night, and sensed a fifth strand of Law Power beginning to form.
• Jiang Yan asked Muling Daoist Boy about finding the materials, and Muling suggested requesting them from the storehouse; Jiang Yan sent him with his waist token.
• Jiang Yan prepared a circular Ritual Altar and inscribed register script to restrain the volcanic smoke.
• Muling returned with five portions each of volcanic ash marrow and pure volcanic smoke, plus a small box supplied by the Prefecture Academy.
• Jiang Yan wrapped the small box in Law Power and opened it, finding a wisp of Metal Qi inside.

Jiang Yan refined a Fire-Walking Cloud with Muling Daoist Boy’s help and tested its flight and mist-form abilities. Satisfied with the result, he attached it to his robe and offered to refine one for Muling as well.

• Jiang Yan recognized that the golden Qi could give the Fire-Walking Cloud a reddish-gold color and began refining it with Muling Daoist Boy’s help.
• Jiang Yan combined volcanic ash marrow, fire silkworm silk, volcanic smoke, golden Qi, and white mother cloud sand, then washed the finished cloud with his Law Power.
• Jiang Yan tested the Fire-Walking Cloud as a flying platform and dispersed it into mist that disoriented Niu Da, Ma Yi, and the other workers.
• Jiang Yan recalled the workers, gave them pills, and told them to rest for two days after accidentally catching them in the mist.
• Jiang Yan called Muling Daoist Boy back and offered to refine a Fire-Walking Cloud for him.

Jiang Yan and Muling Daoist Boy finished refining their Fire-Walking Clouds, and Jiang Yan flew to visit Dragonflame Daoist. Dragonflame arranged for Jiang Yan to travel back to East River Town with a Dao Army unit and assured him that the Prefecture Academy would provide a chance to strengthen Jinbao’s bloodline.

• Jiang Yan and Muling Daoist Boy completed their Fire-Walking Clouds, with Muling’s cloud turning black after he added too much volcanic smoke.
• Jiang Yan flew to Dragonflame Daoist’s volcano on his new cloud and visited his senior brother.
• Dragonflame Daoist told Jiang Yan he could request more Lishi, while Jiang Yan said he wanted help returning to East River Town for the annual examination without confronting Desire Corpse Daoist alone.
• Dragonflame Daoist arranged for Jiang Yan to travel with a Dao Army unit that would pass through East River Town at the end of the month.
• Dragonflame Daoist assured Jiang Yan that the Prefecture Academy would give him an opportunity to strengthen Jinbao’s thin Three-Legged Golden Toad bloodline.

Jiang Yan watched a fire spirit emerge from its shell and take the Qiongqi form he had designed, then named it Yanbao and established a master-servant contract. He left the courtyard with Yanbao and Jinbao and had Yanbao grow to nearly ten feet tall to inspect its full form.

• Jiang Yan spent half a month cultivating while Muling Daoist Boy brought back four Lishi to fill the courtyard's vacancies.
• Jiang Yan nourished the fire spirit with law power until its shell burst and it began taking the Qiongqi form he had drawn.
• The newly formed fire spirit became a palm-sized winged beast, and Jiang Yan named it Yanbao.
• Jiang Yan used the Ritual Altar and a thread of the Immortal Dynasty's fortune to make Yanbao acknowledge him as its master.
• Jiang Yan took Yanbao and Jinbao outside, then had Yanbao grow into a nearly ten-foot-tall beast.

Jiang Yan tested Yanbao’s speed and strength after his Fire Spirit took the form of a winged tiger, then brought it to Flame Carp for advice. Flame Carp admired Yanbao and explained that its deep-yellow, black-tinged fire was a combat-oriented Divergent Flame, leaving Jiang Yan to name it.

• Jiang Yan rode Yanbao away from the Small Courtyard and found that it flew faster than his Fire-Walking Cloud.
• Jiang Yan tested Yanbao’s flames and physical strength on a deserted volcano, where it destroyed the rocks.
• Jiang Yan brought Yanbao to Flame Carp, who admired its imposing form and approved of its name.
• Jiang Yan had Yanbao display its deep-yellow, black-tinged fire, and Flame Carp analyzed its properties.
• Flame Carp explained that Yanbao’s flame was a combat-suited Divergent Flame and told Jiang Yan he could name it.

Jiang Yan named his new flame Ash Calamity Fire and received a valuable scale from Flame Carp, which he used to improve his cultivation before departing to join the Dao Army. As he left, his seniors gave him protective talismans and a jade pendant, and he learned that his tenth senior brother was serving in the army unit.

• Jiang Yan named the flame Ash Calamity Fire, and Flame Carp tossed one of his large reddish-gold scales onto the shore before disappearing.
• Jiang Yan brought the scale home and decided to save it as an altar for his eighth-grade breakthrough, using it as a meditation cushion to cultivate for several days.
• Muling Daoist Boy took the Lishi behind the mountain to build a ring-shaped lake around the volcano.
• Ying Leng gave Jiang Yan three Cold Flame Talismans, and Jiang Yan departed with Long Yan to join the Dao Army.
• Long Yan gave Jiang Yan his protective jade pendant and told him to return it after facing the Desire Corpse Daoist.
• Jiang Yan learned that his tenth senior brother was part of the Dao Army unit stationed at the Blowing Fire Daoist Arena.

Jiang Yan met his tenth senior brother, Spitting Fire Daoist, and joined his Dao Army squad on the way to East River Town. Spitting Fire and his soldiers helped Jiang Yan prepare to face the grade-seven Desire Corpse Daoist, and the town came into view as they arrived.

• Long Yan brought Jiang Yan to a hidden crater, where Spitting Fire Daoist revealed himself as Jiang Yan’s tenth senior brother.
• Spitting Fire gave Jiang Yan a Scale Feather Clan weapon called Divine Thunder and led his Dao Army squad out toward East River Town.
• Spitting Fire learned that Jiang Yan was being targeted by Desire Corpse Daoist and gave him two more Divine Thunder weapons.
• Spitting Fire’s soldiers shared what they knew about Desire Corpse Daoist and discussed ways Jiang Yan could fight him.
• Jiang Yan traveled with the squad and saw East River Town’s entrance on the horizon.

Jiang Yan returned to the Prefecture Academy with the Dao Army’s protection, drawing the attention of Xiao Li and Li Yunshu. He then rode to Spring Breeze Tower to visit his cousin Jiang Yunyao and consider bringing members of the Jiang Household to his Daoist Arena.

• Spitting Fire Daoist and the Dao Army escorted Jiang Yan to the town streets, where Xiao Li and Li Yunshu recognized him and marveled at his status and appearance.
• Xiao Li and Li Yunshu speculated that Jiang Yan had gained powerful backing, while Xiao Li wondered whether Jiang Yan had cursed Xiao Sheng and Li Shun.
• Jiang Yan noticed Xiao Li and Li Yunshu but chose not to speak with them, putting them out of his mind as he rode away on Yanbao.
• Jiang Yan decided to visit Jiang Yunyao at Spring Breeze Tower, remembering her help and considering how he might shelter members of the Jiang Household at his Daoist Arena.
• Jiang Yan entered Spring Breeze Tower, recognized the young servant who had mistaken him for a guest, and asked to see Jiang Yunyao.