Chapter Summaries

Xu Sheng organized the newcomers in Soto into a working group at the old courtyard and prepared them for a joint Soul Beast hunt. As the team gathered for the trip, he also began entrusting He Zheng with leadership responsibilities for when he was away.

• Xu Sheng asked Shen Zhaolin to let the newcomers use the old courtyard, and Shen agreed to call everyone in.
• Xu Sheng registered the arrivals and assigned Chen Tuo to study beast tracks with Jin Yuan, while Lu Song chose He Gu to join the front line.
• Du Wenhe confirmed that Xu Sheng’s group could join a joint hunt in four days, and Xu Sheng told He Zheng to learn the routes and take responsibility when he was away.
• The group trained and prepared: Jin Yuan took Chen Tuo to check roads, Du Wenhe assessed Song Xiaoqiao, He Zheng and Lu Song practiced moving together, Ji Juechen fought at the Soul Fighting Arena, and Xu Lizhi briefed the Soul Scholars.
• Lu Song asked to log off for a day after the hunt to attend his sister’s school performance, and Xu Sheng agreed.
• The Edge-Chasing Association gathered its departure group, and Zhuo Yuan marked several people from He Zheng’s former group to fill vacant places.

Xu Sheng’s group entered the forest while Zhuo Yuan and Shao Rong’s party pursued a separate hunt. A message from Qi Luo revealed that the otherworlders had been sent to a dangerous slope with animal-scented oil, and the chapter ended with Shen Zhaolin asking who had promised to protect them.

• Xu Sheng brought He Zheng, Song Xiaoqiao, and others out of the city with Shen Zhaolin leading the group.
• Zhuo Yuan and Shao Rong’s party met them at the forest, and Xu Sheng reassured Qi Luo that He Zheng would still help him.
• The groups split up, and Xu Sheng’s party helped two Soul Scholars obtain their first Soul Rings.
• Qi Luo told He Zheng that Shao Rong had ordered the otherworlders to smear themselves with strong-smelling oil and camp on the back slope.
• Du Wenhe identified signs of Steel-Bristled Boars near the route, and Shen Zhaolin questioned who had promised to keep Qi Luo’s group alive.

Xu Sheng and He Zheng went to retrieve Qi Luo and nine others from Zhuo Yuan’s hunting party. After the ten chose to leave, a beast attack erupted farther up the slope.

• He Zheng told Qi Luo and the other nine to stop applying the scented clay and wait for him.
• Xu Sheng organized the group’s positions and escape route, then went with He Zheng to retrieve the ten men.
• Xu Sheng offered the ten a choice to stay with Zhuo Yuan or leave, and all ten joined Xu Sheng’s group.
• Zhuo Yuan tried to persuade Qi Luo to stay by reminding him he still needed his second ring, but Qi Luo chose to leave.
• A beast roared and the ground shook as a hunter reported that fighting had already begun up ahead.

Shen Zhaolin and Xu Sheng tried to stop the Gray Fang Hunting Group from using the Outlanders as bait, while Steel-Bristled Boars broke into the hunting ground. As Chu Heng and Zhuo Yuan moved to block their escape, Xu Sheng faced Zhuo Yuan in a fight.

• Shen Zhaolin arrived as the Steel-Bristled Boars charged and confronted Shao Rong about sending Outlanders into danger, while Shao Rong said Zhuo Yuan had claimed they were willing.
• Xu Sheng ordered Du Wenhe to lead the group back, and Qi Luo revealed that only Zhuo Yuan had been promised a reward; Zhuo Yuan tried to stop Qi Luo, but Xu Sheng blocked him.
• Two century-old Steel-Bristled Boars attacked the retreat route, and Lu Song, He Gu, Song Xiaoqiao, Du Wenhe, and Ji Juechen worked together to protect the group and hold the beasts back.
• Chu Heng arrived and tried to stop the retreat, but He Zheng and Ji Juechen engaged him while Xu Sheng turned back to confront Zhuo Yuan.
• Zhuo Yuan urged the Edge-Chasing Association members to follow him, but Qi Luo exposed his attack, and the others stayed with Xu Sheng's group.
• Zhuo Yuan lit his saber's first Soul Ring, and Xu Sheng spread his wings and prepared to fight him.

Xu Sheng used his wings and sword to outmaneuver and defeat Zhuo Yuan, then joined Ji Juechen and He Zheng against Chu Heng. The fight continued as Chu Heng tried to escape while Ji Juechen targeted gaps in his armor.

• Xu Sheng dodged Zhuo Yuan's saber attacks, used his wings to evade a saber beam, and struck back at close range.
• Xu Sheng drove Zhuo Yuan into a stumble, knocked him down, and tied him to a tree for He Gu and Qi Luo to watch.
• Xu Sheng checked He Zheng's injured hand and told him to move away from the tree.
• Chu Heng tried to retreat down the slope, but Ji Juechen held his ground and watched for gaps in Chu Heng's armor.
• Xu Sheng shouted He Zheng's name as He Zheng raised his Clear Sky Hammer behind Chu Heng.

Xu Sheng and his allies subdued Chu Heng and Shao Rong after their attacks, then withdrew the hunting party from the forest as the boars fled. After the groups regrouped and checked on the injured, Lu Yi offered Xu Sheng a token for his family’s carriage company, and Xu Sheng accepted it while Xu Lizhi took him to have his burned wings treated.

• He Zheng, Xu Sheng, and Ji Juechen worked together to knock Chu Heng down and restrain him, while Xu Sheng bound He Zheng’s injured arm.
• Shao Rong tried to reach Chu Heng, but Shen Zhaolin blocked him and defeated him after Shao Rong attacked; Xu Sheng kept the injured and hunters clear of the fight.
• Shen Zhaolin and the others drove the Steel-Bristled Boar and the other boars deeper into the forest, then withdrew the hunting party without pursuing the purple ring.
• Before sunset, the group regrouped and guarded Chu Heng, Zhuo Yuan, and Shao Rong; Qi Luo’s people gathered around He Zheng to ask about his injuries.
• Lu Yi thanked Xu Sheng for saving him and left a token for his family’s carriage company, which Xu Sheng accepted.
• Xu Lizhi noticed Xu Sheng’s burned wings and led him to Du Wenhe for treatment.

Xu Sheng recovered in Soto, helped Song Xiaoqiao and Qi Luo obtain suitable second Soul Rings, and built up the Blood Angels as new members joined. After receiving official approval for the group to expand, he left He Zheng in charge of the Soto courtyard and returned to Red Pine Courtyard.

• Qi Luo and nine companions chose whether to stay with Xu Sheng's group, and Xu Sheng arranged for the newcomers to train with them before joining the official team.
• The Soto Main Hall investigated the hunting incident while Xu Sheng recovered and arranged for Lu Song to take leave to visit his sister.
• Song Xiaoqiao gained a second ring from a Hundred-Year Iron Wire Vine, allowing her Silver-Patterned Rope to anchor to the ground and pull targets in.
• Qi Luo gained a second Soul Ring that strengthened his close-range claw attacks, and Song Xiaoqiao promised to accompany He Gu when he sought his next ring.
• Xu Sheng received approval for the Blood Angels to admit up to twenty members and handed the Soto courtyard key to He Zheng before returning to Red Pine Courtyard.