Arc 2The Soul Hunting Expedition

Zhou You studied Spirit Hall’s cultivation methods, helped Yan and Zhang Ping prepare for Soul Hunts, and joined an expedition into the Soul Hunting Forest. After meeting Xiao Wu, he chose to help her injured mother escape Bibi Dong’s group, leaving himself captured and pursued in the forest.

  • Zhou You refused the class monitor position, began studying Spirit Hall’s teachings, and gained access to its Library and Angel Holy Church.
  • Zhou You helped Yan plan his second Soul Ring and agreed to help Zhang Ping hunt a Sonic Bird after accepting the Eye of Truth from Sun Chuantao.
  • Zhou You persuaded Hu Liena to join Yan’s Soul Hunt and assembled with Yan, Zhang Ping, Xie Yue, Hu Liena, and Wei Lin for the expedition.
  • After the group fought Ghost Baboons, Zhou You pursued the Golden-Waisted Flying Swallow and became separated from the others.
  • Zhou You met Xiao Wu, used the Eye of Truth to communicate with her, and learned about Da Ming, Er Ming, and her search for her mother.
  • Zhou You followed Xiao Wu’s mother’s Soul Power trail while the others set out to find him, and he discovered Bibi Dong, Yue Guan, and Gui Mei cornering her.
  • Zhou You told Xiao Wu and her mother how he would help, then exposed himself and used his umbrella to delay Xiao Wu’s mother before she seized him and carried him into the forest as Bibi Dong’s group pursued.
Chapters 26–50 Vol. 1 Read

Ch. 26Hu Liena's Panic

Hu Liena tried to charm Zhou You, but he resisted and treated the effect as a subject of research, leaving her shaken. Xie Yue brought Zhou You his academy uniform and asked him to become class monitor.

  • Hu Liena used her pheromones to charm Zhou You, while Yan became captivated by her.
  • Zhou You accepted the effect to study it and suppressed its influence, but Hu Liena lost composure when she realized he was distracted.
  • Hu Liena's emotions weakened her charm, and Zhou You refocused on her as she panicked and hid behind Xie Yue.
  • Xie Yue gave Zhou You his tailored academy uniform and explained the academy's student benefits.
  • Xie Yue asked Zhou You whether he would be willing to serve as class monitor, silencing the classroom.

Ch. 27Refusal

Zhou You refused to become class monitor and future team captain, leaving Xie Yue hurt and the class bewildered. As Liu Suxin taught the Meditation Method, Zhou You compared Soul Power with the cultivation methods of Otherworldly Beings and considered why his Qi gave him an advantage.

  • Yan explained that the class monitor would become captain of Spirit Hall Academy's future tournament team, and Xie Yue said he was willing to step aside for Zhou You.
  • Zhou You refused the position and told Xie Yue he could remain class monitor and keep the future captaincy, which left Xie Yue more upset than before.
  • Liu Suxin entered and quieted the class, then began teaching the Meditation Method for sensing and drawing vital energy into the body.
  • Zhou You judged the Meditation Method crude compared with his former world's cultivation methods and reasoned that abundant vital energy on the Douluo Continent strengthened Arts while his Qi remained easier to control than Soul Power.

Ch. 28Learning and Deconstruction

During Liu Suxin’s lesson on the Meditation Method, Zhou You developed a theory about Mental Power, consciousness, and cultivation while Yan failed to follow the class and became jealous of him. Liu Suxin sent Yan out to run laps, while Xie Yue disapproved of Yan’s interest in Hu Liena.

  • Liu Suxin explained the Meditation Method, but most students struggled to understand her lesson.
  • Zhou You connected Mental Power to the Consciousness Spirit and concluded that Soul Masters cultivated consciousness rather than nature, which explained the limits of their advancement.
  • Yan could not understand Zhou You’s notes and mistook Hu Liena’s glances toward Zhou You for attention directed at himself.
  • Yan grew jealous when he realized Hu Liena was watching Zhou You, and Zhou You told him to keep quiet.
  • Liu Suxin struck Yan on the forehead and ordered him to run laps outside the Teaching Building.
  • Xie Yue watched Yan run and resented him for coveting Hu Liena.

Ch. 29First Hints of Hidden Secrets

Zhou You went to the Library and learned from Yang Tianxiong that Spirit Hall had granted him access to its restricted collection of ancient Soul Master knowledge. The chapter ended with Yang Tianxiong revealing that the Worship Hall might hold secrets about how Soul Masters become gods.

  • Hu Liena watched Zhou You leave, while Xie Yue regained his fighting spirit and resolved to prove himself.
  • Zhou You met Yang Tianxiong at the Library, and Yang Tianxiong teased him before explaining that Spirit Hall had approved his access to the Library.
  • Yang Tianxiong told Zhou You that the Library held ancient knowledge about Soul Master cultivation, preserved and organized by the founder of Spirit Hall, the Angel God.
  • Yang Tianxiong explained that the Elder Hall controlled the Library and said the Worship Hall might possess secrets about becoming a god.

Ch. 30Holy Church

Zhou You visited the Angel Holy Church after Yang Tianxiong pointed him toward its library, and he encountered a middle-aged man beside a statue of the Angel God. When the statue’s lingering Power of Faith affected Zhou You’s Consciousness Spirit, the man explained that the Angel God had fallen long ago and the remaining power was harmless.

  • Zhou You suspected Yang Tianxiong was subtly encouraging him to join the Elder Hall, but decided to visit the Library anyway.
  • Yang Tianxiong gave Zhou You a badge that allowed him to enter the Angel Holy Church and watched him leave, admitting that Zhou You had not been easy to fool.
  • Zhou You entered the quiet Holy Church and found its halls filled with angel statues and murals before reaching the great hall.
  • A Six-Winged Angel statue’s lingering Power of Faith disturbed Zhou You’s Consciousness Spirit, but he used the Nine Sequence Heart Method to steady himself.
  • The middle-aged man explained that the Angel God had fallen many years earlier and that the statue’s remaining Power of Faith was a harmless natural phenomenon.

Ch. 31The wisdom of those who came before

Zhou You followed Priest to Spirit Hall’s underground library and found a book that supported his theory that Martial Souls refine Heaven and Earth Power into Soul Power. The book explained why conventional cultivation methods favored talented Martial Souls and questioned why the more effective method remained obscure.

  • Priest explained that the Angel God did not need to use Mental Power to deceive people to establish Spirit Hall, then offered to guide Zhou You to the Library.
  • Priest led Zhou You through a maze-like underground passage to the library and told him that the ancient texts on display were artifacts, while the books on the shelves could be read.
  • Zhou You opened On the Origin of Soul Power and found its claim that Martial Souls refine Heaven and Earth Power into Soul Power matched his own analysis.
  • Zhou You read that focusing cultivation on Mental Power could waste energy, while Martial Souls with greater aptitude absorbed and refined vital energy more efficiently.
  • The book argued that a Martial Soul could refine and store Soul Power even when its owner had poor aptitude, then raised the question of why this cultivation method was not widely shared.

Ch. 32Talent and Rotten Wood

Zhou You borrowed a restricted Spirit Hall book after recognizing its extraordinary implications, while Qian Daoliu and She Long discussed Spirit Hall’s factions and the reasons its leadership controlled deeper Soul Master knowledge. Qian Daoliu wondered whether Zhou You had noticed the balance Spirit Hall was trying to preserve, but She Long did not understand what he meant.

  • Zhou You asked the priest to borrow the book and agreed to return it within a week.
  • The priest led Zhou You out of the underground library and watched him leave the Holy Church.
  • Qian Daoliu appeared and told She Long that Zhou You was remarkable, though She Long had little to teach him.
  • She Long explained that Bibi Dong trusted him, while Yue Guan and Gui Mei kept him at a distance.
  • Qian Daoliu reflected that Spirit Hall and established Soul Master families restricted fundamental knowledge partly to preserve the balance between Soul Masters and Soul Beasts.
  • Qian Daoliu asked whether Zhou You had noticed something, but She Long failed to understand the question.

Ch. 33A Warning

Zhou You helped Yan understand a fire-attribute Meditation Method and warned him that neglecting cultivation for Hu Liena could leave him unable to keep up with her. Yan remained at rank nineteen, and Zhou You’s warning left him facing the risk of losing both strength and Hu Liena’s attention.

  • Zhou You explained that meditation classes were infrequent and that Yan’s restless habits slowed his Soul Power growth compared with Xie Yue.
  • Yan asked Zhou You to interpret an obscure character in a fire-attribute Meditation Method scroll.
  • Zhou You explained how Yan could absorb Sun Qi safely at dawn and dusk, and use Earth Qi at other times to cultivate both his fire and earth attributes.
  • Zhou You noticed that Yan was still rank nineteen and inferred that his daily visits to Hu Liena and Xie Yue had distracted him from cultivation.
  • Zhou You warned Yan that Hu Liena might soon surpass him in Soul Power and become even harder to resist with her Charm.

Ch. 34Advice

After Yan reached Soul Power Level 20, Zhou You discussed his upcoming hunt for a second Soul Ring and explained how to choose a Soul Beast. He left Yan to decide whether to pursue more attack power or address his lack of mobility.

  • Yan's Soul Power Level broke through to 20, and he planned to stabilize his cultivation before hunting for a second Soul Ring.
  • Zhou You asked to accompany Yan to the captive Soul Beast area because he wanted to study how Soul Beasts produced Soul Rings and Soul Skills.
  • Zhou You learned that Yan had not considered which Soul Beast to hunt and had never read Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul.
  • Zhou You explained that Yan's Fire and Earth attributes suited Soul Beasts with matching attributes, then compared the strengths and drawbacks of earth- and fire-attribute Soul Beasts.
  • Zhou You pointed out that Yan's powerful First Soul Skill consumed much Soul Power and was difficult to land without help because Yan lacked mobility.
  • Zhou You asked Yan to choose between strengthening his offense with another costly Soul Skill or finding a way to improve his agility.

Ch. 35Making Friends?

Zhou You persuaded Liu Suxin to let him join the Soul Hunting trip after she was astonished by how quickly his Soul Power had grown. Outside the Teaching Building, four classmates approached him, and Zhang Ping explained that they wanted to be friends.

  • Liu Suxin tested Zhou You and learned that his Soul Power had risen from level eleven to level thirteen in twenty-seven days.
  • Liu Suxin agreed to let Zhou You join the Soul Hunting trip, provided he obeyed the Soul Master leading the group.
  • Zhou You left the Teaching Building and encountered Sun Chuantao, Li Kai, Xu Yu, and Zhang Ping waiting for him.
  • Li Kai told Zhou You that the group wanted to follow him because he had taken Yan as his underling.
  • Zhang Ping stepped forward and clarified that she and the others simply wanted to be friends with Zhou You.

Ch. 36The Reason for Their Visit

Zhou You met Zhang Ping and the others, then learned they had come to ask for help finding her a Soul Ring. The group wanted to hunt a Sonic Bird for Zhang Ping, who had reached level twenty, and Zhou You learned that a Soul King had led the unsuccessful search.

  • Zhang Ping's companion Li Kai mistook Zhou You's exchange with Zhang Ping for bullying and attacked him, but Zhou You threw Li Kai to the ground.
  • Zhou You introduced himself to Zhang Ping and agreed to be her friend, while Xu Yu stepped on Li Kai's face and provoked another argument.
  • Sun Chuantao stopped Li Kai and Xu Yu from fighting, and Zhou You invited the group to a rest room to talk.
  • Zhou You asked the group why they had really come, and Sun Chuantao said they wanted his help.
  • Sun Chuantao explained that Zhang Ping had reached level twenty but had not found a suitable Soul Ring, and said they wanted to hunt a Sonic Bird.
  • Zhou You asked who had led their earlier hunt, and Sun Chuantao answered that it had been a Soul King.

Ch. 37Request

Zhou You learned that Zhang Ping’s unusual Golden-Waisted Flying Swallow Martial Soul could remotely control a manifested bird, making a Sonic Bird an ideal target for her second Soul Skill. Sun Chuantao asked Zhou You to help because Zhang Ping’s earlier hunts had failed, and her class ranking was at risk.

  • Zhou You explained that Sonic Birds were exceptionally difficult to catch because of their small size, speed, and instinct to flee.
  • Zhang Ping revealed her mutated Golden-Waisted Flying Swallow Martial Soul, which she could control outside her body, and Zhou You recognized its potential with a Sonic Bird Soul Skill.
  • Sun Chuantao explained that Zhang Ping’s three previous hunting attempts had failed: they could not find a Sonic Bird, found one that was too young, and then failed to catch one that fled from a Soul King.
  • Sun Chuantao asked Zhou You for help because the group hoped a Soul Saint accompanying Yan’s upcoming hunt could catch a Sonic Bird.
  • Zhou You understood that Zhang Ping needed a stronger second Soul Skill to improve her combat ability and protect her precarious class ranking.

Ch. 38Refusal & Apology

Zhou You refused to use his influence to help Sun Chuantao and his friends, exposing their insincere attempt to exploit him. Sun Chuantao apologized, leaving the group’s request unresolved.

  • Sun Chuantao asked Zhou You to help Zhang Ping join a Soul Hunting team, but Zhou You refused.
  • Xu Yu restrained Li Kai as Sun Chuantao tried to explain, and Zhou You told them he would not help because they were insincere.
  • Zhou You accused Zhang Ping of being their accomplice and said he had no obligation to use his privileges for people who did not respect him.
  • The group fell silent, and Zhou You decided to leave.
  • Sun Chuantao stood and bowed deeply to Zhou You, apologizing for his arrogance and that of his friends.

Ch. 39Soul Tool & Promise

Zhou You accepted Sun Chuantao’s Eye of Truth in exchange for helping the group hunt a Sonic Bird, then went to see Hu Liena. He began considering a clever way to catch the exceptionally fast and timid Soul Beast.

  • Sun Chuantao apologized to Zhou You and offered him the Eye of Truth, a rare Soul Tool, in return for another chance to ask for help.
  • Zhou You tested the Eye of Truth and discovered that it converted Soul Power into Mental Power.
  • Zhou You accepted the Soul Tool and promised to do his best to help Sun Chuantao hunt a Sonic Bird, returning it if they failed.
  • Sun Chuantao wondered if he had sold the Soul Tool too cheaply, while Xu Yu and Li Kai started fighting and Sun Chuantao and Zhang Ping intervened.
  • Zhou You arrived at Xie Yue and Hu Liena’s dormitory, told Xie Yue he had come to see Hu Liena, and considered how to catch a Sonic Bird without relying on speed or brute force.

Ch. 40Hu Liena's Change

Zhou You asked Hu Liena to help restrain a Sonic Bird during an upcoming Soul Hunt, and she agreed in exchange for him joining her and Xie Yue’s inter-academy tournament team. Hu Liena’s newly direct manner surprised Xie Yue, who began to see Zhou You’s strength as a chance for them to grow stronger.

  • Zhou You explained to Xie Yue that he wanted Hu Liena to use Charm to immobilize the Sonic Bird during his Soul Hunt with Yan.
  • Xie Yue blocked Zhou You from entering, but Hu Liena emerged and greeted Zhou You calmly after he had started to leave.
  • Zhou You offered Hu Liena either a favor or a place as Xie Yue’s second-in-command in the inter-academy tournament, and she chose the tournament offer.
  • After Zhou You left, Hu Liena asked Xie Yue to consider Zhou You’s strength and urged him to look beyond immediate wins and losses.

Ch. 41Soul Hunting Squad

Wei Lin led Yan, Zhou You, Zhang Ping, Hu Liena, and Xie Yue on a Soul Hunting expedition, while Zhou You questioned him about Soul Master cultivation. The group traveled toward Spirit Hall’s Soul Beast breeding base, and Hu Liena began talking to Zhang Ping after noticing her admiration for Zhou You.

  • Wei Lin assembled the expedition, which included Yan, Zhou You, Zhang Ping, Hu Liena, and Xie Yue, while Sun Chuantao stayed behind.
  • The group set off in two carriages, and Zhou You kept the Eye of Truth with him as they traveled.
  • Zhou You asked Wei Lin about the breeding base’s boundaries and the Angel God Statues that deterred powerful Soul Beasts.
  • Zhou You questioned Wei Lin about the Martial Soul Avatar, leaving Wei Lin and the other young Soul Masters struggling to follow the discussion.
  • Hu Liena noticed Zhang Ping admiring Zhou You and struck up a conversation with her.

Ch. 42Arrival & Real Combat

Zhou You and the other students arrived at the Soul Hunting Forest, where Wei Lin prepared them for their first real combat experience. As Soul Beasts approached, Wei Lin announced that he would not intervene unless their lives were in danger and that their performance would affect their next Quarterly Assessment.

  • Zhou You overheard Hu Liena probing Zhang Ping about her relationship with him, while Zhang Ping struggled to hide her feelings.
  • Wei Lin stopped the carriages outside the Soul Hunting Forest, and the students gathered their supplies before entering with a guard commander.
  • The students formed a protective formation, with Xie Yue and Yan on the flanks, Zhou You at the rear, and Zhang Ping and Hu Liena using their abilities to scout.
  • Wei Lin suppressed his Soul Power to appear like a Soul Grandmaster, and Zhou You and Hu Liena noticed the change.
  • When Zhang Ping sensed approaching Soul Beasts, Wei Lin told the students he would only step in if their lives were at risk and tied their performance to their next Quarterly Assessment.

Ch. 43The Squad's First Battle

Zhou You led the squad through its first fight against a pack of Ghost Baboons, using his knowledge and teamwork to defeat the lead beast. When several survivors fled, he pursued them alone to prevent them from bringing a larger troop back, while Wei Lin watched with concern.

  • The Ghost Baboons emerged from the forest, and Zhou You identified them and warned the squad about their speed, strength, and vulnerability to fire.
  • Xie Yue attacked the lead Ghost Baboon, which howled and briefly dazed the group before charging at Yan.
  • Zhou You deflected the beast with his umbrella, Hu Liena stopped its howl with Charm, and Yan burned it with Flaming Meteor before Zhou You struck it into the pack.
  • Xie Yue killed or injured several Ghost Baboons, while Zhang Ping spotted three that escaped and Zhou You set off after them.
  • Several Ghost Baboons sprang a ground-level ambush, but Zhou You killed them with his Heaven- and Earth-Harmonizing Umbrella and continued deeper into the forest.
  • Wei Lin watched Zhou You's pursuit and hesitated as the others finished off the remaining Ghost Baboons.

Ch. 44An Encounter That Wasn't So Pleasant

Zhou You killed the last Ghost Baboon, then became separated from his group after Zhang Ping's Golden-Waisted Flying Swallow vanished. While navigating the forest alone, he encountered a terrifyingly powerful rabbit and realized it was Xiao Wu, whose guardians might be nearby.

  • Zhou You followed the Golden-Waisted Flying Swallow and killed the last wounded Ghost Baboon, rejecting its Soul Ring.
  • The Golden-Waisted Flying Swallow vanished, leaving Zhou You lost in the forest without a clear way back to his group.
  • Zhou You climbed a tree to get his bearings, then set off cautiously while sensing for danger.
  • A silver sword swept toward a rabbit, and Zhou You used sword Qi to intercept it.
  • Zhou You recognized the rabbit as Xiao Wu, a Soft Bone Rabbit, and worried that her powerful guardians might be nearby.

Ch. 45Stalker

Zhou You escaped the Soft Bone Rabbit but realized she was secretly following him through the forest. Suspecting Xiao Wu was lost and hoping he could help her find her mother, he proposed that they work together.

  • Zhou You calmly negotiated with the Soft Bone Rabbit and withdrew after she made no move to attack.
  • Zhou You fled several kilometers, then realized the eerily silent forest suggested the rabbit was still nearby.
  • Zhou You sensed the rabbit hiding in the bushes and guessed she might be lost and searching for her mother.
  • Zhou You called out to Xiao Wu, confirmed her interest when the bushes moved, and proposed they work together.

Ch. 46Cute, Adorable, and Brainless

Zhou You met the wary rabbit Xiao Wu and used the Eye of Truth to connect their minds as he tried to learn why she had followed him. Xiao Wu wanted to find her mother, and although Zhou You had no news for her, he won her over with fodder.

  • A white rabbit emerged from the bushes and told Zhou You through mental transmission that she wanted to find her mother.
  • Zhou You used Qi to activate the Eye of Truth, strengthening his Mental Power enough to connect with the rabbit, who introduced herself as Xiao Wu.
  • Zhou You asked Xiao Wu to picture her mother, but their mental link flooded him with her memories, so he quickly severed it.
  • Zhou You told Xiao Wu he did not remember seeing her mother, and her ears drooped in disappointment.
  • Zhou You offered Xiao Wu his prepared fodder, which she devoured and eagerly asked him to give her more.

Ch. 47An Unexpected Development

Zhou You traveled through the forest with Xiao Wu, learning about Soul Beasts and warning her not to reveal important secrets to strangers. After he spotted the Golden-Waisted Flying Swallow, a disturbance from the northeast suggested a powerful battle was underway.

  • Xiao Wu ate all the fodder Zhou You had brought, then followed him after he picked her up and placed her on his shoulder.
  • Zhou You reflected on Soft Bone Rabbits’ abilities and vulnerability, and Xiao Wu let him pet her as they walked.
  • Xiao Wu told Zhou You about Da Ming, Er Ming, and the Lake of Life, so he warned her to keep important secrets from unfamiliar humans.
  • Zhou You heard the Golden-Waisted Flying Swallow and saw it flying toward them as dusk approached.
  • The ground shook, birds fled southwest, and Zhou You sensed powerful Soul Power fluctuations from the northeast.

Ch. 48Questioning the Heart

Zhou You chose to defy convention and rush to help Xiao Wu’s mother as she fought, while Zhang Ping and Wei Lin led the other students toward him. The chapter left Wei Lin and the students nearly at the battlefield, where their arrival drew the attention of the combatants.

  • Zhou You recalled his master’s advice to question his own heart and decided to go help Xiao Wu’s mother, despite the danger and uncertainty.
  • Zhou You sent the Golden-Waisted Flying Swallow back to tell the others where he was, then ran northeast toward the battlefield.
  • Zhang Ping received the bird’s memories and told Wei Lin that Zhou You was heading northeast.
  • Wei Lin took the students with him to find Zhou You, unaware that the distant fight involved Titled Douluo.
  • Near the battlefield, a powerful Soul Power fluctuation stopped Wei Lin, and Yan’s question drew the combatants’ attention to their group.

Ch. 49An Unforeseen Variable

Zhou You watched Bibi Dong’s Soul Hunting Operation and expected Wei Lin’s arrival to give Xiao Wu and her mother a chance to escape. Xiao Wu’s mother instead prepared to sacrifice herself so Xiao Wu could flee, but Zhou You contacted Xiao Wu mentally before she left.

  • Zhou You concealed himself in a thicket and observed Bibi Dong, Yue Guan, and Gui Mei cornering Xiao Wu’s mother, who was holding Xiao Wu in rabbit form.
  • Yue Guan identified Wei Lin and the arriving Spirit Hall Academy students, including Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan, and Bibi Dong ordered her allies to avoid acting rashly.
  • Bibi Dong decided to protect Hu Liena and the others and abandon the hunt if the newcomers made capturing the mother and daughter too dangerous.
  • Xiao Wu’s mother told Xiao Wu to flee to Da Ming and Er Ming while she stayed behind, revealing that her injuries would keep her from escaping far.
  • Xiao Wu noticed that Bibi Dong’s group wore an emblem like Zhou You’s and began wondering whether he was one of them.
  • Zhou You reached Xiao Wu with Mental Power and told her to calm down and listen to him.

Ch. 50"Hostage"

Zhou You exposed himself to force Xiao Wu's mother to choose whether to trust his plan, then acted as a hostage to help her escape with him. Xiao Wu's mother seized him and fled into the forest, with Bibi Dong, Yue Guan, and Gui Mei in pursuit.

  • Zhou You explained his rescue plan to Xiao Wu, who passed it on to her mother.
  • Xiao Wu's mother connected mentally with Zhou You but hesitated because she suspected he might have ulterior motives.
  • Zhou You exposed himself in the bushes, drawing Bibi Dong and the others' attention and prompting Bibi Dong to send Gui Mei to retrieve him.
  • Xiao Wu's mother teleported to Zhou You, but his Heaven- and Earth-Harmonizing Umbrella delayed her long enough for him to draw the Umbrella Sword and counterattack.
  • Xiao Wu's mother teleported behind Zhou You, restrained him, and carried him into the forest as Bibi Dong, Yue Guan, and Gui Mei pursued them.
Arc 2 of 6
Arc 2 of 6