Recaps

Xiao Yan arrived at the Alchemist Grand Meeting with Qin Zhong and Elder Xuan, then took a seat on the judges’ bench beside them. After trading barbs with Wei Yi and Mo Zhai, he watched Gu Li formally open the meeting.

• Xiao Yan appeared in the sky above Ancient Wilderness City, where Half-Emperor experts recognized his strength and reputation as a second-tier alchemist.
• Qin Zhong greeted Xiao Yan, and Elder Xuan invited him to travel with them to the Alchemist Grand Meeting.
• Xiao Yan, Qin Zhong, and Elder Xuan arrived at Void Plaza, where Gu Li welcomed them and led them to their seats.
• Gu Li gave Xiao Yan a place on the judges’ bench beside Elder Xuan, Wei Yi, and Mo Zhai.
• Wei Yi mocked Xiao Yan’s alchemy skills, and Mo Zhai retorted by insulting Wei Yi.
• Gu Li rang in the start of the Alchemist Grand Meeting.

Gu Li began the third round of the alchemy contest after eliminating nearly half the competitors with a spiritual-pressure test. While Xiao Yan slept through the pill-refinement round, Mo Zhai challenged Wei Yi to a spiritual-strength contest and lured Xiao Yan in with a crimson-gold crystal.

• Gu Li used spiritual pressure on thousands of suspended platforms, eliminating contestants who fell before ending the test and starting the pill-refinement round.
• Xiao Yan found the contest dull and fell asleep while the alchemists refined pills for four hours.
• Mo Zhai provoked Wei Yi, and the two revealed their strength as Three-Star and One-Star Half-Emperors, respectively.
• Mo Zhai proposed a contest of Spiritual Strength and invited Xiao Yan to join, offering a crimson-gold crystal as a wager.
• Xiao Yan accepted after seeing the crystal.

At the Alchemist Grand Meeting, Mo Zhai and Wei Yi challenged Xiao Yan to display his flame control, disrupting the contestants’ pill refining as they showed off their flames. Xiao Yan revealed his Heavenly Flames, leaving the crowd stunned and the two rivals’ flame beasts subdued.

• Mo Zhai proposed that he, Wei Yi, and Xiao Yan settle their dispute by competing with their flames.
• Mo Zhai unleashed a massive black flame serpent, ruining several contestants’ pills, and argued with President Gu Li when he objected.
• Wei Yi defended Mo Zhai and released a blue-gold flame that took the shape of a magical beast.
• Mo Zhai demanded that Xiao Yan show his flame, and Xiao Yan revealed multicolored Heavenly Flames.
• Xiao Yan’s flames extinguished the contestants’ cauldron fires and subdued both flame beasts, prompting Mo Zhai, Wei Yi, Gu Li, Chi Lin, and the others to cry out that they were Heavenly Flames.

Xiao Yan revealed a Heavenly Flame, overwhelmed Mo Zhai, and collected the Crimson Flame Crystal wager. After consuming Wei Yi’s Beast Flame and injuring him, Xiao Yan returned to his seat as the pill-refining contest resumed.

• Xiao Yan revealed a Heavenly Flame, drawing the attention of the contestants and the Half-Emperors and forcing Mo Zhai to withdraw from their flame contest.
• Xiao Yan demanded his wager from Mo Zhai, who hurled the Crimson Flame Crystal at him; Xiao Yan secretly stored it away and Mo Zhai left in anger.
• Xiao Yan devoured Wei Yi’s Azure-Gold Beast with his Heavenly Flame, injuring Wei Yi and provoking his angry protest.
• Xiao Yan dismissed Wei Yi’s complaint and returned to his seat, while Gu Li and Chi Lin ordered the contestants to continue refining their pills.

Mo Zhai met Wei Yi and proposed an alliance to kill Yan Xiao and help Wei Yi become guildmaster of the Alchemist Guild. Wei Yi agreed to lose their alchemy competition in exchange, while Mo Zhai waited for his watchers to report Yan Xiao’s movements.

• Wei Yi met Mo Zhai at a secluded inn because Mo Zhai promised help with revenge on Yan Xiao.
• Mo Zhai offered to help Wei Yi kill Yan Xiao and replace Gu Li as guildmaster.
• Wei Yi agreed that Mo Zhai could claim Yan Xiao’s Heavenly Flame if he helped kill him.
• Mo Zhai demanded that Wei Yi lose their alchemy competition, and Wei Yi agreed after recalling the agreement between the two cities.
• Mo Zhai said he had people watching Yan Xiao and would wait for him to make a move.

Xiao Yan secured the Crimson Flame Crystal and killed Wu Mohui after catching him setting a trap at the inn. Mo Zhai sent Wang Qi and Fang Xun, two Seven-Star Half-Emperors, after Xiao Yan, who was already flying beyond Ancient Wilderness City.

• Xiao Yan examined the Crimson Flame Crystal and considered it the key to securing his third incarnation.
• Xiao Yan detected Wu Mohui hiding near an unfinished teleportation formation, sealed his Dou Qi, and killed him with a ray of fire.
• Xiao Yan left the inn and flew toward the outskirts of Ancient Wilderness City while another observer watched him depart.
• A man reported Wu Mohui's death to Mo Zhai, and Wei Yi tried to distance himself from the plan against Yan Xiao.
• Mo Zhai ordered Wang Qi and Fang Xun to pursue Xiao Yan, and the two Seven-Star Half-Emperors set off after him.

Xiao Yan created his third avatar by combining Spiritual Strength with Heavenly Flames, then pushed it through a Lightning Tribulation that raised it to Nine-Star Dou Sheng before Xiao Jin erased the final thunder dragon. He gathered all three avatars and began fusing them, while two figures tracked toward a place ten thousand li away.

• Xiao Yan sent a Crimson Flame Crystal into his Spiritual Strength avatar and attacked it repeatedly with a dragon formed from Heavenly Flames and Spiritual Strength.
• After five hours of impacts, the avatar faced a Lightning Tribulation, shattered many bolts, and broke through to Nine-Star Dou Sheng.
• The remaining thunder dragon swallowed the avatar, but Xiao Jin appeared and made the dragon vanish.
• Xiao Yan returned his consciousness to his original body and assembled all three avatars to begin their fusion.
• As the avatars merged, two figures tracked toward a place ten thousand li away.

Xiao Yan faced the Seven-Star Half-Emperors Fang Xun and Wang Qi, whom Mo Zhai had hired to kill him. Fang Xun attacked with his Ice Domain, but Xiao Yan resisted with his Heavenly Flames and remained ready to fight or escape.

• Xiao Yan sensed two Seven-Star Half-Emperors approaching and absorbed his three avatars before their fusion was complete.
• Fang Xun and Wang Qi introduced themselves and ordered Xiao Yan to take his own life, but he refused.
• Fang Xun opened his Ice Domain, freezing the area around Xiao Yan and trapping him with Ice Palm.
• Xiao Yan melted the ice with his Heavenly Flames and met Fang Xun's palm head-on, creating a devastating clash.
• Fang Xun sent hidden force into Xiao Yan and knocked him backward, but Xiao Yan's Heavenly Flames devoured it before it could erupt.

Xiao Yan battled Fang Xun, a Seven-Star Half-Emperor, until Fang Xun called on Wang Qi to join him. Xiao Yan overwhelmed their fused ice-and-fire techniques with his Heavenly Flames, then froze their summoned beast with an eerie white flame, leaving Fang Xun and Wang Qi stunned.

• Xiao Yan and Fang Xun fought for half a day, with Fang Xun suppressing him but failing to defeat him because of Xiao Yan’s movement technique and Heavenly Flames.
• Fang Xun asked Wang Qi to join the fight, and Xiao Yan released more of his Heavenly Flames as Wang Qi prepared to attack.
• Fang Xun and Wang Qi opened their Extreme Cold Domain and Lion Flame Domain, but Xiao Yan’s Domain of Flame engulfed both.
• Fang Xun and Wang Qi combined their attacks to summon the Ice Crystal Yan Shi Beast and sent it charging at Xiao Yan.
• Xiao Yan released an eerie white flame that froze the Ice Crystal Yan Shi Beast solid, astonishing Fang Xun and Wang Qi.

Xiao Yan destroyed Fang Xun and Wang Qi’s combined Ice Crystal Yan Shi Beast and fought off their attacks, revealing the strength of his Bone Spirit Cold Flame and dragon-enhanced body. Fang Xun’s hidden second slash shattered Xiao Yan’s Heavenly Flame ruler and wounded his arm, leaving Xiao Yan enraged and ready to retaliate.

• Xiao Yan shattered the frozen Ice Crystal Yan Shi Beast, severing Fang Xun and Wang Qi’s combined attack.
• Wang Qi recognized the Bone Spirit Cold Flame, and he and Fang Xun decided to attack Xiao Yan together.
• Fang Xun struck with Ice Seal Slash, and Xiao Yan countered with a Heavenly Flame ruler as their attacks erupted into a spatial storm.
• Wang Qi ambushed Xiao Yan with Yan Shi Break, but Xiao Yan’s dragon-arm punch sent him crashing into the mountain range.
• Fang Xun attacked from behind with a second slash, shattering Xiao Yan’s ruler and freezing his wounded dragon arm.
• Xiao Yan’s eyes filled with firelight as he declared, “ruler shattered... man dead!”

Xiao Yan fought Fang Xun and Wang Qi after his Heavenly Flame ruler was destroyed, but the pair joined forces to unleash powerful Dou Techniques against him. When Xiao Yan broke free of Fang Xun's ice seal, his counterattack pierced Fang Xun, leaving Wang Qi alone in terror.

• Xiao Yan attacked Fang Xun with his dragon claws and threw Fang Xun's ice broadsword into the mountains.
• Wang Qi struck Xiao Yan with Yan Shi Break, giving Fang Xun time to prepare the Extreme Cold Ice Soul.
• Fang Xun sealed Xiao Yan in ice while he and Wang Qi formed and launched their paired High Level Tian Class Dou Techniques.
• Xiao Yan's ice prison cracked just before the two attacks hit him, and a black pillar of Dou Qi erupted from the blast.
• Xiao Yan's black pillar pierced Fang Xun, killing the Seven-Star Half-Emperor and leaving Wang Qi terrified.

After Fang Xun died, Wang Qi transformed into a flame lion and overwhelmed Xiao Yan with strength rivaling an Eight-Star Half-Emperor. Xiao Yan discovered the lion’s chest seal powered it, then sensed his avatar awakening with One-Star Half-Emperor strength.

• Wang Qi grieved Fang Xun’s death and vowed to kill Yan Xiao, then transformed into a flame lion through the Lionheart Tyrant Body Technique.
• The flame lion struck Xiao Yan from behind and blasted him with a massive energy pillar, but Xiao Yan escaped using his Heavenly Flame wings.
• Xiao Yan attacked with Flame Splitting Devouring Wave Ruler, but the lion swallowed the fiery attack and absorbed its power.
• Xiao Yan realized the fire seal on the lion’s chest was the source of its strength, but feared approaching it.
• A powerful presence emerged from Xiao Yan’s avatar, reaching the level of a One-Star Half-Emperor and delighting him.

Xiao Yan used the time he gained against the lion to recover his Dou Qi and unleash the Emperor Seal Art, but the beast swallowed the attack. He then sent his newly formed One-Star Half-Emperor avatar into the lion, where it destroyed the Beast Flame and detonated its condensed power against the source flame, tearing the lion apart.

• Xiao Yan discovered that his newly formed avatar possessed the strength of a One-Star Half-Emperor and swallowed dozens of ninth-grade Qi Recovery Pills.
• Xiao Yan launched the Ancient Emperor Seal at the lion, but it swallowed the attack and absorbed its Heavenly Flames.
• Xiao Yan summoned his avatar, covered it in Heavenly Flames, and had it bombard the lion with Dou Techniques until the beast swallowed it.
• Inside the lion, the avatar's Heavenly Flames suppressed the Beast Flame and drove toward its source in the lion's chest.
• Xiao Yan condensed the avatar's power into a crystalline orb and sent it crashing into the source flame, triggering a vortex that tore the lion's body apart.

Xiao Yan captured the weakened Beast Flame after destroying the first energy vortex with a Heavenly Flame blast. Dozens of even stronger vortexes then appeared and surrounded him, leaving him to charge forward in search of a way to survive.

• Xiao Yan swallowed medicinal pills, restored his Dou Qi, and formed a flame dragon with his Domain of Flame.
• The flame dragon seized the struggling Beast Flame as its fireball detonated inside the vortex, unleashing a blast that devastated the surrounding land.
• Xiao Yan collected the Beast Flame and prepared to leave, believing the battle was over.
• Dozens of more powerful energy vortexes appeared from the Void Space and trapped Xiao Yan.
• Xiao Yan realized retreat meant certain death and decided to charge forward to seek a chance to escape.

After learning that the space vortexes could temper his body, Xiao Yan entered one and endured its crushing pressure. He triggered a spatial upheaval and encountered a Void Lightning Beast, while Gu You assured him it was only a phantom.

• Gu You explained that the connected space vortexes could strengthen Xiao Yan's body if he moved through them quickly.
• Xiao Yan rushed into a vortex, where immense spatial pressure crushed him and swelled his body.
• Following Gu You's instructions, Xiao Yan activated the Vajra Glazed Body and used Eight Extremes Blast and Yellow Springs Heavenly Wrath to break through the pressure.
• Xiao Yan's passage triggered a spatial upheaval that formed a powerful Void Lightning Beast from silver lightning.
• Gu You told Xiao Yan that the beast was only a phantom, and Xiao Yan asked whether it was real.

Xiao Yan was battered by the Void Lightning Beast’s phantom inside a spatial vortex until he awakened his Dou Di and Dragon-Phoenix bloodlines, raising his strength to Early Five-Star Half-Emperor. The beast recoiled in terror at his Dragon-Phoenix Bloodline, and Xiao Yan seized the pause to race toward the vortex’s end.

• Gu You explained that the Void Lightning Beast phantom was only a juvenile and that the Dragon Clan surpassed its race in spatial power.
• The Void Lightning Beast struck Xiao Yan with overwhelming speed, repeatedly hurling him away and breaking many of his bones.
• Xiao Yan awakened his Dou Di Bloodline and Dragon-Phoenix Bloodline, causing his strength to rise from Mid-Stage Three-Star Half-Emperor to Early Five-Star Half-Emperor.
• A being with silver eyes watched Xiao Yan and a dragon-scaled figure from the endless void, declaring that the Lightning Beast Holy Clan would rule the Beast Realm after a hundred years.
• The Void Lightning Beast froze in terror at Xiao Yan’s Dragon-Phoenix Bloodline, and Xiao Yan rushed toward the end of the spatial vortex.

Xiao Yan battled the Void Lightning Beast’s projection inside a spatial vortex and discovered it was holding back because of the Fallen Heart Flame. After their clash revealed a source of pure spatial power, Xiao Yan chose to remain in the collapsing vortex and attack the beast to harvest it.

• Xiao Yan escaped the first vortex through a Space Wormhole, but the Void Lightning Beast struck him as he left and appeared to hold back.
• Xiao Yan entered another vortex and found the Void Lightning Beast waiting there, then used the Fallen Heart Flame to weaken the projection and attack it with Flame Splitting Tsunami.
• The collision between Xiao Yan and the Void Lightning Beast opened a vast spatial crack and scattered energy that tempered Xiao Yan’s body and revealed pure spatial power.
• Gu You identified the energy as spatial power and said the beast’s true body must be formidable, prompting Xiao Yan to stay in the vortex and charge at the beast again.

Xiao Yan absorbed the Void Lightning Beast’s spatial power while the Alchemist Grand Meeting gathered in Ancient Wilderness City without him. As Old Monster Hu tried to declare Yan Xiao eliminated, Xiao Yan arrived and challenged that decision.

• Xiao Yan battered the Void Lightning Beast and absorbed the spatial power it shed, turning the dangerous encounter into a source of strength.
• A month passed, and dozens of Half-Emperor experts gathered at the Void Plaza for the Alchemist Grand Meeting, where Yan Xiao was expected to compete against Wei Yi and Mo Zhai.
• Gu Li told Chi Lin that Yan Xiao had been missing for a month and that he had found blood outside Yan Xiao’s residence; Chi Lin suspected Mo Zhai, but Gu Li stopped him from attacking.
• Wei Yi urged Gu Li to begin the competition without Yan Xiao, while Mo Zhai and Old Monster Hu pressured the Guild president to declare Yan Xiao a forfeit.
• Old Monster Hu began announcing Yan Xiao’s elimination, but Yan Xiao arrived, saying he had been delayed and that his elimination was not certain.

Xiao Yan returned to the Alchemist Guild just in time to resume the Alchemist Grand Meeting, startling the spectators with his speed and improved strength. As Mo Zhai and Wei Yi formed their flame cauldrons, Xiao Yan prepared to refine an Emperor Grade Pill and summoned an enormous medicinal cauldron, leaving the judges and his rivals stunned.

• Xiao Yan appeared in the Void Square, shocking Gu Li, Chi Lin, and the gathered spectators with his strength and speed.
• Xiao Yan gave Gu Li an excuse for delaying the meeting, and Gu Li announced that the Alchemist Grand Meeting would continue.
• Old Monster Hu left the center of the square as three stone platforms formed in midair, and Xiao Yan, Mo Zhai, and Wei Yi took their places.
• Xiao Yan's moving afterimage amazed the spectators, while he reflected on how the Nine Revolutions Avatar Art could aid him in battle.
• Mo Zhai and Wei Yi formed cauldrons from their flames as Xiao Yan hesitated over his first attempt at refining an Emperor Grade Pill.
• Xiao Yan rose into the air and summoned a massive medicinal cauldron, stunning Gu Li, Chi Lin, Mo Zhai, and Wei Yi.

Xiao Yan revealed the Luo Heavenly Cauldron, shocking the alchemists and deepening Mo Zhai and Wei Yi’s fears and greed. As the contest began, Xiao Yan secured a pill formula and discovered it was the Emperor Tribulation Pill recipe.

• Xiao Yan brought out the Luo Heavenly Cauldron, which Gu Li identified as the second-ranked cauldron on the Heavenly Cauldron Ranking.
• Mo Zhai and Wei Yi worried that Xiao Yan might belong to a powerful faction, while Mo Zhai plotted to seize his Heavenly Flames and cauldron and use other factions against him.
• Gu Li announced that Xiao Yan, Mo Zhai, and Wei Yi would each choose one of three Emperor Grade Pill Formulas and compete by refining the highest-grade pill.
• Xiao Yan used Heavenly Severing Steps to race for the formulas, struck Wei Yi through his Dou Qi shield, and knocked him beyond the Void Plaza.
• Xiao Yan took a formula back to his platform and opened it, revealing the Emperor Grade Pill: Emperor Tribulation Pill.

While Xiao Yan examined an Emperor Grade Pill Formula, Wei Yi attacked him in a rage during the Alchemist Grand Meeting. Xiao Yan caught Wei Yi’s golden saber with two fingers and killed him with Heavenly Flames, while Old Monster Hu blocked Gu Li and Chi Lin from intervening.

• Xiao Yan and Mo Zhai opened their scrolls and sensed the formidable power of the Emperor Grade Pill Formulas.
• Wei Yi charged at Xiao Yan, and the crowd argued over whether he could defeat the Three-Star Half-Emperor.
• Wei Yi unleashed a golden saber slash that split the Void Plaza, while Xiao Yan calmly waited beneath it.
• Gu Li and Chi Lin rushed to save Xiao Yan, but Old Monster Hu blocked them and forced Gu Li back.
• Xiao Yan caught Wei Yi’s saber between two dragon fingers, shattered it, and burned Wei Yi away with Heavenly Flames.

Xiao Yan effortlessly stopped Wei Yi’s full-force attack while Gu Li and Old Monster Hu faced off above the Void Plaza. After sensing the Gate of Life and Death during the crisis, Xiao Yan returned to awareness and looked toward the astonished Gu Li.

• Old Monster Hu revealed that he had advanced to the late Eight-Star Half-Emperor stage and challenged Gu Li to stop him.
• Gu Li warned that Old Monster Hu’s breakthrough might prevent him from advancing again, while Old Monster Hu claimed Wei Yi had killed Xiao Yan.
• Gu Li saw Xiao Yan standing unharmed and discovered that Xiao Yan had caught Wei Yi’s enormous blade between two fingers.
• Xiao Yan reflected on the faint trace of the Gate of Life and Death he had sensed during the attack.
• Xiao Yan opened his eyes, recalled what had happened, and turned his gaze toward Gu Li.

After Xiao Yan killed Wei Yi, Gu Li announced that Xiao Yan would become the Alchemist Guild’s new chief alchemist, equal in authority to Gu Li and Chi Lin. Mo Zhai left the Void Plaza, and the Alchemist Grand Meeting was postponed until tomorrow.

• Xiao Yan demonstrated his strength, leaving Gu Li and the spectators stunned after he stopped Wei Yi’s attack with two fingers.
• Xiao Yan told Gu Li that Wei Yi’s death removed a threat to the Alchemist Guild, and Old Monster Hu departed from the plaza.
• Gu Li confirmed that Xiao Yan was unharmed after seeing him gather pure natural energy in his palm.
• Gu Li declared Wei Yi a traitor and appointed Xiao Yan the Alchemist Guild’s new chief alchemist, with authority equal to his own and Chi Lin’s.
• Mo Zhai put away the pill formula and left, knowing the Alchemist Grand Meeting could not continue until the next day.

At the Alchemist Guild, Xiao Yan affirmed that he would represent the guild in the next day’s competition before a powerful visitor arrived. The bald old man revealed that he had once held Xiao Yan’s position and attacked him with overwhelming soul power, leaving Xiao Yan to realize the man was likely a third-tier alchemist.

• Gu Li praised Xiao Yan’s growing strength, and Xiao Yan promised to do his utmost in the competition.
• A powerful man’s laughter shook the Alchemist Guild, and Gu Li and Chi Lin recognized their old acquaintance Zhou.
• Zhou entered and his domineering presence pressured the guild’s elders, but Xiao Yan resisted it without difficulty.
• Zhou asked whether Xiao Yan was Yan Xiao and said he had held Xiao Yan’s position a hundred years earlier.
• Zhou unleashed a devastating beam of soul power at Xiao Yan, who recognized the man as a likely third-tier alchemist.

Xiao Yan challenged Elder Zhou Tai after learning of the legendary alchemist’s past, and used a Space Wormhole to strike him from behind. The hall fell silent as Zhou Tai crashed into a tea table.

• Zhou Tai restrained Xiao Yan with Soul Power and shattered his soul shield with an invisible attack.
• Gu Li revealed that Zhou Tai had been the Alchemist Guild’s chief alchemist a hundred years earlier and had become a Third-Tier Alchemist.
• Xiao Yan challenged Zhou Tai to a contest of strength despite the elders’ understanding of Zhou Tai’s overwhelming reputation.
• Zhou Tai moved to interrupt Xiao Yan’s Dou Technique, but Xiao Yan’s apparent body proved to be an afterimage.
• Xiao Yan emerged from a Space Wormhole behind Zhou Tai and struck him into a tea table, leaving everyone in the hall silent.