Chapter Summaries

Xu Xin defeated the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger in its Life and Death Arena by using the Tara Mask to command the arena’s darkness. He returned with the tiger dead, its soul ring appearing, and the Evil God Pearl in hand.

• Bi Ji knocked the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger aside after it attacked Xu Xin, and Xu Xin explained that it had grown stronger by absorbing darkness in the Ghost Shadow Kingdom.
• Xu Xin asked Bi Ji to stand guard, then attacked the tiger, triggering its Life and Death Arena skill and drawing him inside.
• Xu Xin wore the Tara Mask and found that the darkness in the arena obeyed him, while the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger fled from his power.
• Xu Xin caught up with the tiger and battered it to death, absorbing its darkness before the arena faded away.
• Bi Ji gave Xu Xin the Evil God Pearl, and a black soul ring appeared above the dead tiger.

Xu Xin absorbed the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger’s Soul Ring and Evil God Wing, then revealed the Ghost Shadow Kingdom as the Shadow Hall’s true main base. He led Ah Yin, Liu Erlong, Bi Ji, and Dugu Bo through a gateway into its darkness, where they used their masks for protection.

• Xu Xin examined the Evil God Pearl and set it aside to absorb later before beginning to absorb the Soul Ring.
• Xu Xin broke through to level fifty-two as he absorbed the Soul Ring, then endured the painful fusion of the Evil God Wing into his back.
• Ah Yin, Liu Erlong, and Dugu Bo arrived after their masks reacted, and Bi Ji told them Xu Xin was safe.
• Xu Xin revealed that the Ghost Shadow Kingdom was the Shadow Hall’s true main base and opened a gateway with his forehead eye.
• Xu Xin led the group into the Ghost Shadow Kingdom, where they put on their masks to protect themselves from the darkness.

Xu Xin activated Dark Emperor Tarak’s inheritance by sitting on the highest throne in the Ghost Shadow Kingdom, gaining Tara’s combat technique and Crimson Form. He learned that defeating the nine generals was necessary to fully control the kingdom, while Ah Yin, Bi Ji, and Dugu Bo were injured in the generals’ trial spaces.

• Xu Xin showed Ah Yin, Liu Erlong, Bi Ji, and Dugu Bo the Ghost Shadow Kingdom’s unsealed statues and brought them to its main hall, where their seats strengthened their control over their troops.
• Xu Xin sat on the highest throne, triggering the hall to tremble as five statues emerged from the darkness.
• Xu Xin received Tara’s combat technique and Crimson Form, and learned that he needed to defeat the nine generals to fully control the Ghost Shadow Kingdom.
• Ah Yin, Bi Ji, and Dugu Bo entered the statues’ trial spaces and were thrown back out injured; Ah Yin and Bi Ji told Xu Xin their opponents were powerful and skilled fighters.

Xu Xin and the elders tested the Ghost Shadow General statues and learned they were opponents for his inheritance trial. After identifying the generals as the original owners of the elders’ masks, Xu Xin brought the group into General Nija’s trial ground.

• Dugu Bo, Ah Yin, Bi Ji, and Liu Erlong emerged from the trials and compared how long they had lasted against their opponents.
• Xu Xin explained that the statues were part of his inheritance trial, barred soul skills, and could help train Shadow Hall’s core members.
• Xu Xin identified four generals as the original owners of the elders’ masks and said they had served under Tara.
• Ah Yin suggested using the statues to train Shadow Hall’s students, and Xu Xin agreed they should be reserved for selected core members.
• Xu Xin and the four elders touched General Nija’s statue and appeared in a trial field before a powerful, red-bodied general.

Xu Xin entered General Nija’s trial and fought the stronger martial artist, learning combat techniques while struggling to keep up. He used Dark Energy, Soul Power, and the Tara Mask to assume Crimson Form, but eventually exhausted himself and was expelled from the trial space with his companions.

• Xu Xin stepped into General Nija’s red circle and was matched against the level-53 general, whose first punch sent him flying.
• Xu Xin fought back with newly inherited martial arts techniques, but General Nija’s skill and endless stamina kept him on the defensive.
• Xu Xin combined Dark Energy and Soul Power through the Tara Mask and transformed into Crimson Form, matching General Nija’s strength.
• Xu Xin and General Nija exchanged blows until Xu Xin’s stamina and Soul Power ran out, and General Nija knocked him away.
• Ah Yin, Liu Erlong, Bi Ji, and Dugu Bo were pulled from the trial space with Xu Xin, who collapsed into his seat, aching and exhausted.

Xu Xin explained that his Tara Form greatly strengthened his close-combat abilities, then revealed the Ika Mask as his Fifth Soul Skill and described it as the Ghost Shadow Kingdom’s second-in-command. The group returned to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and placed four generals’ statues in the Shadow Hall, while Xu Xin looked forward to awakening the still-unseen Mingta Mask.

• After Bi Ji and Ah Yin treated him, Xu Xin told Liu Erlong and the others that Tara Form was an inheritance that gave him immense hand-to-hand combat power.
• Xu Xin opened a doorway back to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, and the group carried out the four generals’ statues and placed them behind their seats in the Shadow Hall.
• When Ah Yin and Liu Erlong asked about the fifth statue and Xu Xin’s Fifth Soul Skill, Xu Xin summoned the Ika Mask and explained that it had once been worn on someone’s butt.
• Xu Xin called General Ika the Ghost Shadow Kingdom’s second-in-command and explained that each kind of soldier had different strengths.
• Xu Xin said he considered the not-yet-awakened Shadow Devourer Soldiers the strongest, and the others looked forward to seeing them.

Xu Xin welcomed Bi Ji’s visit to the Silver Dragon King and secretly asked her to relay an important request, but the arrival of Pope Qian Xunji interrupted his plans with Ah Yin. Qian Xunji tried the Nya Statue trial and was swiftly knocked back out, injured and stunned by its strength.

• Xu Xin agreed to let Bi Ji bring Xiong Jun to Shadow Hall, then sent her back to speak with the Silver Dragon King and gave her a secret request.
• A Ninja Soldier alerted Xu Xin that Pope Qian Xunji was coming, delaying Xu Xin and Ah Yin’s planned trip to Blue Silver Forest.
• Qian Xunji arrived at Shadow Hall with Ghost Douluo and questioned Xu Xin about the Saintess, Bibi Dong.
• Xu Xin led Qian Xunji to the Nya Statue after explaining that Bibi Dong was training there.
• Qian Xunji touched the statue, entered its trial, and was knocked out moments later with blood at the corner of his mouth.

Qian Xunji invited Shadow Hall to become one of the Upper Three Sects as part of his plan to eventually absorb its strength into Spirit Hall. Xu Xin agreed to attend a gathering three months later, while Qian Xunji secretly planned to use Bibi Dong to control Shadow Hall.

• Bibi Dong helped Qian Xunji up after General Nija defeated him, and Qian Xunji claimed he had taken ten punches.
• Bibi Dong entered the trial to face General Nija while Qian Xunji accompanied Xu Xin to the council hall.
• Qian Xunji proposed reshuffling the Upper Three Sects and placing Shadow Hall among them by removing whichever sect was weakest.
• Xu Xin accepted Qian Xunji's proposal, and they agreed to hold the gathering three months later.
• Qian Xunji privately planned to use Bibi Dong's marriage to gain control of Shadow Hall and eventually destroy Xu Xin.

Xu Xin agreed to join the Upper Three Sects reselection and told Ah Yin he intended to target the Clear Sky Sect rather than the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. He then flew with Ah Yin to the Blue Silver Forest, where she joyfully returned to her homeland.

• Qian Xunji left Shadow Hall after asking Xu Xin to protect the Saintess and agreeing to notify the Upper Three Sects about the reselection.
• Xu Xin told Ah Yin that he planned to have the Clear Sky Sect removed, arguing that Tang Chen could not interfere and the sect was vulnerable.
• Ah Yin asked when the reselection would begin, and Xu Xin said it would take place in three months after their return from the Blue Silver Forest.
• Xu Xin carried Ah Yin southwest through the sky until they reached the Blue Silver Forest.
• Ah Yin felt welcomed by the Blue Silver Grass and led Xu Xin barefoot through the forest toward her home.

Xu Xin and Ah Yin returned to the Blue Silver Forest, where the Blue Silver King welcomed his living emperor and learned she would leave again. Before they departed, Xu Xin gave the Blue Silver King a way to summon Ninja Soldiers and contact them in an emergency.

• The Blue Silver King greeted Ah Yin with relief and cautiously welcomed Xu Xin after Ah Yin said he was one of them.
• Ah Yin asked the Blue Silver King about the Blue Silver Forest, thanked him for his service, and spent two months there with Xu Xin.
• Ah Yin told the Blue Silver King that she and Xu Xin were leaving, and he asked Xu Xin to protect her and return her Seed of Life if she died.
• Xu Xin summoned a Ninja Soldier and asked permission to carve a Tara Mask onto the Blue Silver King's arm.
• Xu Xin's martial soul empowered the mark, allowing the Blue Silver King to summon a Ninja Soldier and use it to alert Xu Xin and Ah Yin if danger arose.

Xu Xin told Ah Yin that Qian Xunji had sent Bibi Dong to Shadow Hall as part of a scheme to use a marriage alliance against him, and Ah Yin responded by kissing him and agreeing to keep the danger from Bibi Dong for now. After returning to Shadow Hall, Xu Xin appointed Ye Qinglong to lead a wider intelligence network.

• Xu Xin told Ah Yin that Qian Xunji intended to use Bibi Dong as a pawn in a marriage alliance that might put Xu Xin in danger.
• Ah Yin teased Xu Xin about his jealousy, kissed him, and agreed with him that they should wait to tell Bibi Dong until they learned more about Qian Xunji's plan.
• Xu Xin and Ah Yin returned to Shadow Hall, where Ah Yin ran off after they landed; Xu Xin then visited Dugu Yan and the Three-Eyed Golden Lion at Shadow Academy.
• Xu Xin asked Ye Qinglong to lead surveillance of major forces, and Ye Qinglong agreed after hearing about the Ninja Soldiers' abilities.
• Xu Xin had the Ninja Soldiers mark Tara's symbol on Ye Qinglong's arm so he could control some soldiers and understand them, then promised him a New Year gift.

After Ning Fengzhi mentioned the Clear Sky Sect’s Explode Ring technique, Xu Xin realized it could greatly strengthen his Tara Form and sent Ninja Soldiers to copy the secret manuals of the Upper Three Sects. The chapter left the soldiers on their way to steal the techniques while Ning Fengzhi remained unaware of his mistake.

• Xu Xin and his companions arrived in Spirit City and met Ning Fengzhi, who proposed cooperating against the Clear Sky Sect.
• Ning Fengzhi’s mention of the Clear Sky Sect’s divine skill reminded Xu Xin of Explode Ring, which he decided would pair well with Tara Form.
• Xu Xin left Ning Fengzhi and explained to his companions that Explode Ring could let him unleash more power in Tara Form.
• Xu Xin decided to copy the Clear Sky Sect’s and Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan’s techniques, along with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect’s Heart Separation Control.
• Xu Xin sent Ninja Soldiers to copy the secret manuals, while Ning Fengzhi remained unaware of what his remark had set in motion.

Yu Yuanzhen and Tang Zhan plotted to eliminate the Shadow Hall from the Upper Three Sects, while Ning Fengzhi stayed noncommittal. Xu Xin learned their plan, secretly obtained the sects’ manuals, and prepared to use Explode Ring against Tang Hao.

• Yu Yuanzhen asked Tang Zhan and Ning Fengzhi to join forces against the Shadow Hall, and Tang Zhan offered to have Tang Hao challenge Xu Xin.
• Ning Fengzhi said he would follow Yu Yuanzhen’s lead without committing, leaving Yu Yuanzhen to rely on winning one match himself.
• Ninja Soldiers reported the plot to Xu Xin, who told Dugu Bo and promised to cripple Tang Hao.
• After Bibi Dong and the other women left, Ninja Soldiers returned with copied manuals, and Xu Xin studied the Great Sumeru Hammer’s Explode Ring technique.
• Dugu Bo found that he could not use Dragon Transformation with his Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor Spirit, so Xu Xin suggested adapting it into Snake Transformation.

The Upper Three Sects reselection began in Spirit City, where Tang Hao challenged Xu Xin to a duel and wagered that the loser would call the winner Dad. Xu Xin accepted and flew down to face him, leaving the crowd watching as he called Tang Hao his good son.

• Spirit Hall Pope Qian Xunji opened the grand contest as the sects gathered in Spirit City.
• Tang Hao challenged Xu Xin, while Tang Zhan and A Jing watched and imagined their future together.
• Xu Xin mocked Yu Yuanzhen by insulting his son, then teased Tang Hao by calling him his own son.
• Tang Hao wagered that the loser would call the winner Dad, and Xu Xin accepted by flying down into the arena.
• Xu Xin looked Tang Hao over and called him his good son.

Xu Xin fought Tang Hao in the Clear Sky Sect’s arena, evading his powerful attacks and striking back with his Tara Form. The battle left Tang Hao badly wounded, while Xu Xin remained ready to continue.

• Tang Zhan secretly ordered Tang Hao to show no mercy and kill Xu Xin if possible.
• Tang Hao attacked with his Clear Sky Hammer, but Xu Xin flew out of reach and dodged his Chaotic Cape: Nine-Nine Returns to One.
• Xu Xin vanished beneath the hammer strike, reappeared behind Tang Hao, and transformed into his crimson Tara Form.
• Xu Xin used his speed and repeated punches to overwhelm Tang Hao, who answered with his Clear Sky Avatar.
• Xu Xin dodged the Avatar’s hammer and landed a charged punch on Tang Hao’s back, making him cough up blood as his Avatar flickered.

Xu Xin used the Ghost Shadow Kingdom and Explode Ring to defeat Tang Hao after revealing he was a Soul King. The chapter ended with Xu Xin standing on Tang Hao’s face as Tang Zhan demanded that he let his son go.

• Xu Xin evaded Tang Hao’s Killing God Domain and revealed that he was a Soul King, surprising the spectators.
• Ning Fengzhi decided that he would cooperate with the Clear Sky Sect, while Tang Zhan and Yu Yuanzhen relaxed and A Jing remained confident in Xu Xin.
• Xu Xin exploded his soul rings, and Tang Hao reacted with shock that someone outside the Clear Sky Sect knew the technique.
• Tang Hao exploded his first five soul rings, but Xu Xin vanished into the darkness and struck him before he could release the power.
• Xu Xin knocked Tang Hao down with two punches, broke the bones in his back, and planted his foot on his face.
• Tang Zhan shouted for Xu Xin to let his son go.

Xu Xin overwhelmed the Clear Sky Sect after defeating Tang Hao, maiming Tang Zhan, and ordering the slaughter of most of the sect’s delegation. The chapter ended with Xu Xin holding Tang Hao and the survivors facing the collapse of the Clear Sky Sect’s reputation.

• Ning Fengzhi regretted backing the Clear Sky Sect’s plan after Xu Xin defeated Tang Hao, and Sword Douluo urged him to find a way to make amends.
• Tang Zhan threatened Xu Xin, so Xu Xin summoned hidden Claw Shadow Soldiers that severed Tang Zhan’s hands despite Ning Fengzhi’s attempt to heal him.
• Tang Xiao invoked Tang Chen’s name, but Xu Xin ordered the Claw Shadow Soldiers to kill the Clear Sky Sect members accompanying them, sparing Tang Zhan, Tang Xiao, and A Jing.
• Xu Xin had another Claw Shadow Soldier cut off Tang Zhan’s leg and warned him that further threats would cost him his life.
• Xu Xin seized Tang Hao and asked who was whose father, while Tang Hao realized his defeat would ruin the Clear Sky Sect’s reputation.

Xu Xin forced Tang Hao to fulfill their wager by calling Tang Zhan his father, humiliating Clear Sky Sect and establishing Shadow Hall’s dominance. Clear Sky Sect departed, while Qian Xunji invited further challengers and Sword Douluo turned toward Yu Yuanzhen.

• Xu Xin threatened to have Tang Zhan killed unless Tang Hao called him Dad, then jumped straight to counting three.
• Tang Hao shouted “Dad” to save Tang Zhan, collapsed in humiliation, and A Jing carried him away.
• Xu Xin flew back to his position as Tang Zhan led Clear Sky Sect away, leaving behind the Spirit Bone taken by a Claw Shadow Soldier.
• Qian Xunji asked whether anyone else wished to challenge, and Sword Douluo descended before turning his gaze toward Yu Yuanzhen.

Sword Douluo defeated the injured Yu Yuanzhen in their agreed single clash, and Qian Xunji announced the new Upper Three Sects with Shadow Hall in first place and Clear Sky Sect stripped of its status. Xu Xin left after promoting Shadow Hall’s upcoming Mysterious Water Pill auction, while the sects departed Spirit Hall.

• Yu Yuanzhen and Chen Xin agreed to settle their dispute with one clash, and Chen Xin defeated Yu Yuanzhen’s nine thunder dragons with his Seven Kill Sword.
• Qian Xunji asked whether anyone else would challenge the three sects, but no one stepped forward.
• Qian Xunji named Shadow Hall first, Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect second, and Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan third among the Upper Three Sects, and declared Clear Sky Sect no longer worthy of the title.
• Xu Xin announced that Shadow Hall’s Mysterious Water Pills would be auctioned at Heaven Dou Auction House in one week, then returned to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well with his group through the Ghost Shadow Kingdom.
• The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan left Spirit Hall after the gathering ended.

After Tang Zhan lost a Spirit Bone and much of his cultivation, he gave Clear Sky Sect’s inherited Spirit Bones to Tang Hao and urged him to become a Titled Douluo. Tang Yuehua confronted Xu Xin over her father’s injuries, then decided to return to Clear Sky Sect and try to prevent further conflict.

• Rumors spread across the continent that Clear Sky Sect had fallen from the Upper Three Sects and that one of its powerful members had been defeated.
• Tang Zhan gave Tang Hao Clear Sky Sect’s two inherited Spirit Bones and told him to advance to Titled Douluo; Tang Hao promised to do so within four years.
• Tang Hao looked forward to marrying A Jing after his breakthrough, and A Jing sent a Ninja Soldier to tell Xu Xin to prepare.
• Liu Erlong asked Xu Xin how he would explain Tang Zhan and Tang Hao’s injuries to Tang Yuehua, and Xu Xin said he would tell her that Tang Hao had attacked him first.
• Tang Yuehua accused Xu Xin of harming her father, and Xu Xin said he had spared Tang Zhan and Tang Hao from death but had crippled them.
• Tang Yuehua thanked Xu Xin, then said she would leave her teaching position at Shadow Academy and return to Clear Sky Sect to persuade her family to avoid conflict with Shadow Hall.