Chapter Summaries

After the previous night’s clash with the Holy Spirit Cult, Jiang Ming’s group joined the other teams at the Sun Moon Empire’s elaborate tournament grounds. As the tournament was about to begin, a heavily armed Soul Engineer Legion surrounded the grandstand.

• Star Cloud Douluo Manyi told Xu Jiu Jiu how Jiang Ming had killed Scorpion Tiger Douluo Zhang Peng and helped capture an Evil Soul Master Titled Douluo after confronting Long Xiaoyao.
• Jiang Ming and the other competitors left Mingyue Hotel under heavy military guard and arrived at the tournament grounds outside Radiant City.
• The teams took their places, with Shrek Academy seated beneath the awnings and the Tang Sect relegated to a distant bench area.
• Jiang Ming recognized the Holy Spirit Cult team and warned Wang Qiuer and the other Shrek competitors to fight hard or surrender rather than risk being killed.
• A force of about five hundred gold-clad guards surrounded the grandstand and deployed Soul Tools, including seventh-rank heavy cannons.

At the tournament’s opening, Crown Prince Xu Tianran appeared with Ju Zi, Jing Hongchen, and Jiang Ming’s twin brother Ming Jiang, revealing the Sun Moon Empire’s powerful support and raising questions about the brothers’ divided loyalties. The first match began with Ming Jiang serving as referee, and the crowd learned that the young man was both a Rank Eight Soul Douluo and a Rank 9 Soul Master of Bright Virtue Hall.

• Jiang Ming and Zhang Lexuan discussed Shrek Academy’s need for more time and resources to build a Soul Engineer Legion.
• Crown Prince Xu Tianran arrived at the tournament with Ju Zi, Jing Hongchen, four elderly Soul Masters, and Ming Jiang, prompting Jiang Ming to suspect Xu Tianran already controlled the Sun Moon Empire.
• Wang Qiuer asked Jiang Ming about Ming Jiang, and Jiang Ming called him a traitor while Zhang Lexuan quietly explained their supposed grievance to the other competitors.
• Xu Tianran opened the tournament, and Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy was scheduled to face Dragon Slaying Sect in the first match.
• Ming Jiang took the field as referee, and the host announced he was a Rank Eight Soul Douluo and a Rank 9 Soul Master of Bright Virtue Hall.

Meng Hongchen won the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy’s opening match by defeating all seven Dragon Slaying Sect contestants, while Tang Sect also claimed a decisive victory. The next day, Ming Jiang refereed a match between the Holy Spirit Cult and Tiandu Academy, where he intervened as the Holy Spirit Cult contestant’s purple mist threatened his opponent.

• Ming Jiang refereed Meng Hongchen’s match against the Dragon Slaying Sect, and she defeated its first contestant with her poison.
• Meng Hongchen defeated the Dragon Slaying Sect’s remaining six contestants, earning praise and a promised reward from Crown Prince Xu Tianran.
• Tang Sect defeated Earth Dragon Gate, prompting Xu Tianran to order an investigation into the sect.
• The Holy Spirit Cult and Tiandu Academy began their match, and the Tiandu Academy contestant struck the Holy Spirit Cult contestant with powerful saber attacks.
• The Holy Spirit Cult contestant’s black mist turned purple and began devouring his opponent, so Ming Jiang rushed in and revealed his eight Soul Rings.

Ming Jiang stopped the Holy Spirit Cult contestants from killing their opponents as the first elimination round ended, and Shrek Academy began its second-round match against Heaven Armor Sect. Xu Tianran and Jing Hongchen discussed a plan to control Jiang Ming, while Jiang Ming considered the Sun Moon Empire’s secret preparations.

• Ming Jiang revealed his powerful Soul Rings, protected a Tiandu Academy contestant from a fatal attack, and warned the Holy Spirit Cult that further killing would mean disqualification.
• Tiandu Academy was eliminated, and Xu Tianran approved Ming Jiang’s intervention because the Holy Spirit Cult’s killings could invite criticism.
• The first elimination round ended, and Tang Sect entered the VIP rest area before Shrek Academy was called to face Heaven Armor Sect in the second round.
• Xu Tianran told Jing Hongchen he wanted Jiang Ming and Ming Jiang to serve the empire, and Jing Hongchen said Bright Virtue Hall’s Soul Tool to control Jiang Ming had a ninety percent chance of success.
• Dai Huabin and Han Yu took the stage as the first contestants, while Jiang Ming recalled that his clone had reported unusual secret preparations by Bright Virtue Hall and Kong Deming.

Jiang Ming assessed the Sun Moon Empire’s likely methods for countering him while watching Shrek Academy face Heaven Armor Sect. The match began with Heaven Armor Sect unleashing a powerful Seven-in-One skill, and Wang Qiuer charged forward with support from her teammates as Cao Jinxuan briefly rewound its attack.

• Jiang Ming reasoned that the Sun Moon Empire was likely developing Soul Tools capable of restraining or killing a Limit Douluo, and he watched Xu Tianran and Jing Hongchen from the VIP platform.
• Dai Huabin, Wu Feng, and Xie Huanyue each won two individual matches, leaving Shrek Academy with four members and four points before the Team Battle.
• Jiang Ming recognized Heaven Armor Sect’s shield-wielding team as likely having a Seven-in-One Martial Soul Combination Skill, while Wang Qiuer arranged Shrek’s team in its usual triangular formation.
• Han Jian’s team combined its seven shields into a giant shield and fired the Combined Heaven Armor Needle at Wang Qiuer, who charged toward it with her Golden Dragon Spear and strength-enhancing Soul Skills.
• Ning Tian boosted Wang Qiuer with three Glazed Pagoda skills, while Cao Jinxuan used his Grandfather Clock Martial Soul to rewind the attack by one second.

Wang Qiuer led Shrek Academy to defeat the Heaven Armor Sect, then provoked referee Ming Jiang after the match, prompting Jiang Ming to intervene. Jing Hongchen realized Jiang Ming had engineered the confrontation to discredit the Sun Moon Empire and possibly create grounds to kill Ming Jiang.

• Wang Qiuer shattered the Heaven Armor Needle with her Golden Dragon Spear, then broke the Heaven Armor Sect members’ Martial Souls and secured Shrek Academy’s victory.
• After Ming Jiang declared Shrek Academy the winner, Wang Qiuer told him he could never compare to her master, Jiang Ming.
• Ming Jiang released his Martial Soul and Soul Rings against Wang Qiuer and the Shrek contestants, but Jiang Ming arrived and crushed his aura.
• Jing Hongchen stopped Ming Jiang from attacking Jiang Ming with a Rank 9 Soul Tool, while Xu Tianran’s aides restrained and removed him.
• Jiang Ming demanded an explanation from Jing Hongchen, and Jing Hongchen realized Jiang Ming had deliberately provoked the incident to damage the Sun Moon Empire and target Ming Jiang.

Jiang Ming manipulated the tournament incident to secure a Rank 8 Soul Tool and push the Sun Moon Empire to remove Ming Jiang as a referee. Wang Qiuer later sensed that Ming Jiang was neither human nor Soul Beast, leaving Jiang Ming to suspect her perception came from a power connected to destiny.

• Jiang Ming pressured Jing Hongchen into compensating Wang Qiuer with a Rank 8 Soul Tool for her supposed distress.
• Jing Hongchen told Xu Tianran he suspected Jiang Ming had caused the incident, and Xu Tianran ordered Ming Jiang replaced as referee and vowed to eliminate Jiang Ming.
• Jiang Ming praised Wang Qiuer's acting, then reassured Shrek's contestants and returned to the hotel with Zhang Lexuan.
• Wang Qiuer visited Jiang Ming and Zhang Lexuan and said Ming Jiang felt like neither a human nor a Soul Beast.
• Jiang Ming discouraged Wang Qiuer from investigating further and privately wondered whether her ability to perceive Ming Jiang's nature came from destiny.

After losing his referee position, Ming Jiang vented his humiliation to Old Zhang while Jing Hongchen watched over him. Ming Jiang then decided to enter the Ming Capital Soul Master Elite Tournament under a mask, hoping to prove his talent, and used his own name to gain entry after the qualifying round had begun.

• Ming Jiang lamented that Jiang Ming and even Jiang Ming’s disciple looked down on him, then drank heavily as Old Zhang listened.
• Jing Hongchen reflected on Ming Jiang’s youth and followed him through Radiant City, worried he might confront Jiang Ming.
• Ming Jiang reached Aodu Hotel, recognized the ongoing Ming Capital Soul Master Elite Tournament, and decided to enter as a masked contestant.
• Ming Jiang told the guard he was recommended by Lord Ming Jiang, and the guard hurried inside to report his arrival.

Ming Jiang entered the Aodu Chamber of Commerce’s Soul Tool competition disguised as A Shuai, claiming he had been recommended by Ming Jiang and trying to bet on himself. He reached the qualifying round with one hour remaining and confidently prepared to compete.

• Jing Hongchen decided not to interfere with Ming Jiang joining the underground competition and returned to work on a Soul Tool intended to kill Jiang Ming.
• Disguised as a masked guest, Ming Jiang met an Aodu Chamber of Commerce manager and said he had come to compete and earn money for Rare Metal.
• Ming Jiang called himself A Shuai and asked to bet one hundred million Gold Soul Coins on himself, then accepted placing a one-million-coin bet when the manager could not afford more.
• A Shuai told the manager to hold the bet until betting on him to win was available and asked that his winnings and Rare Metal be sent to Ming Jiang.
• The manager led A Shuai to the competition hall, where the qualifying round had one hour remaining, and A Shuai declared that any Soul Engineer unable to make a Rank 3 Soul Tool in that time should raise pigs.

A Shuai qualified for the Radiant City Soul Engineer Tournament by crafting a powerful Rank Four Green Light Dagger, then warned the tournament supervisor to protect his and Lord Ming Jiang’s share of the profits. Meanwhile, Jiang Ming began another secret raid on Radiant City’s wealthy residents, but his entry into a corrupt official’s residence was interrupted by what he heard inside.

• A Shuai carved a Green Light Dagger in midair with one hand, and the black-clothed elder confirmed it was a top-grade Rank Four Soul Tool.
• A Shuai passed the qualification round, sold the dagger, and told the supervisor to send the tournament rewards to Lord Ming Jiang.
• The supervisor worried about dividing the tournament’s profits and decided to report the matter to his superiors.
• Jiang Ming planned to steal Rare Metals and Gold Soul Coins from Radiant City’s wealthy residents while Ming Jiang and Zhang Lexuan gathered resources through other channels.
• Jiang Ming teleported to a corrupt Sun Moon Empire finance official’s residence, located its valuables with Little Yellow, and entered a room where he heard intimate voices.

Jiang Ming raided a corrupt Sun Moon Empire minister’s underground Rare Metal treasury, disabling its alarm Soul Tools and leaving a timed Fixed Soul Cannonball behind. Meanwhile, Xu Jiu Jiu offered the disguised Huo Yuhao, whom she believed to be Jiang Ming, the Star Luo Empire’s highest honors and her own hand, leaving him to promise only that he would consider the proposal.

• Jiang Ming used the Power of Earth to reach the minister’s underground treasury and swept away its Rare Metal, tables, and metal walls.
• Jiang Ming destroyed the pressure-transmission Soul Tool and other circuits, then left a timed Rank Seven Fixed Soul Cannonball in the emptied room.
• Jiang Ming set off to loot another corrupt Sun Moon Empire official while Xu Jiu Jiu arrived at Shrek Academy and asked to speak with Jiang Ming alone.
• Zhang Lexuan advised Huo Yuhao, disguised as Jiang Ming, to listen to Xu Jiu Jiu without agreeing to anything.
• Xu Jiu Jiu offered Jiang Ming leadership of the Star Luo Empire’s Hall of Offerings, unlimited access to resources, and her own hand in marriage.
• Huo Yuhao said he needed time to consider, and Xu Jiu Jiu assured him that the Star Luo Empire would remain his friend.

Huo Yuhao reported Princess Jiujiu’s offer to recruit Jiang Ming, while Zhang Lexuan calmly continued planning Shrek’s tournament tactics. After learning that the Sun Moon Empire had sealed off Radiant City with Soul Engineer legions, the empire’s princesses and Shrek’s elders feared war was imminent; Jiang Ming returned late that night, and a series of explosions suddenly shook the city.

• Huo Yuhao told Zhang Lexuan that Princess Jiujiu had offered to include herself in the Star Luo Empire’s attempt to recruit Jiang Ming, and Zhang Lexuan continued reviewing the teams’ tactics without concern.
• Bei Bei asked Zhang Lexuan about Tang Ya, and she assured him that Tang Ya was safe but still recovering from her Martial Soul mutations and prolonged control by Evil Soul Masters.
• Xuan Zi and Elder Song reported that Sun Moon Empire Soul Engineer legions had encircled Radiant City, prompting Shrek’s leaders to consider escape plans and contact with the other empires.
• Princess Jiujiu and Princess Vina learned that Radiant City had been blockaded and feared the Sun Moon Empire was about to start a war.
• Jiang Ming returned to the hotel, heard from Zhang Lexuan about Bei Bei’s request and Princess Jiujiu’s recruitment offer, and then muffled explosions erupted across Radiant City.

Jiang Ming celebrated the Rare Metal he had stolen from Radiant City's corrupt officials, but Zhang Lexuan warned him that the Sun Moon Empire had surrounded the city and was detaining tournament teams. As dawn arrived, Jiang Ming weighed the dangers of intervening against Xu Tianran and the Holy Spirit Cult while searching for another way to delay war.

• Jiang Ming told Zhang Lexuan that his raids had yielded a vast haul of Rare Metal from nobles and officials involved in smuggling.
• Zhang Lexuan reported that Elder Xuan and Elder Song had found the Sun Moon Empire's Soul Engineer legions surrounding Radiant City.
• Jiang Ming reasoned that the empire might already have secretly captured teams eliminated from the tournament and decided to investigate where they were held.
• Jiang Ming reconsidered his plan to attack Xu Tianran after weighing the Holy Spirit Cult's Limit Douluo, the royal forces, and Bright Virtue Hall's Rank 9 Soul Masters.
• Jiang Ming recalled that the Evil Eye Tyrant Sovereign protected the Holy Spirit Cult's headquarters, leaving him without a safe target to disrupt the Sun Moon Empire's war plans.
• Zhang Lexuan comforted Jiang Ming as dawn broke and tournament spectators began filling the competition venue.

The Tang Sect forfeited its match against Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy to preserve its strength and still qualified for the round-robin stage through points. During the rest day, the characters pursued separate plans, and Ming Jiang entered the underground Soul Master tournament, where he learned the first event required crafting Milk Bottles.

• The draw matched the Tang Sect against Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy, and Jiang Ming assessed the strength of the Hongchen siblings and their team.
• The Tang Sect forfeited the match, and Jiang Ming explained that preserving its limited lineup and hidden abilities mattered more than an early victory.
• After the third round, the Tang Sect qualified through point differential, while the tournament’s violent matches caused deaths and serious injuries.
• Huo Yuhao and He Caitou went to compete in the underground tournament, Jiang Ming investigated Radiant City, and Zhang Lexuan went to inspect her Rare Metal trade.
• Ming Jiang, using the name A Shuai, met Kano at the Aodu Chamber of Commerce and learned that the event required contestants to craft a Rank 3 Milk Bottle or better.
• A Shuai prepared to craft a Rank Four or higher Milk Bottle to advance past the next round.

Ming Jiang disguised himself as A Shuai and crafted a Rank Five Milk Bottle from tournament materials, then investigated Radiant City’s defenses and planned an escape for Shrek Academy and the Tang Sect. With the tournament groupings forcing Shrek and the Tang Sect into the same group as Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy, Jiang Ming began planning a major disturbance in the Sun Moon Empire to delay its march toward war.

• A Shuai completed a Rank Five Milk Bottle, shocking chief judge Kano with its immense Soul Power storage and earning his confidence in A Shuai’s championship prospects.
• Jiang Ming investigated Bright Virtue Hall’s secret project and learned Radiant City was surrounded, though underground passages and his Small World offered ways for Shrek Academy and the Tang Sect to escape.
• Huo Yuhao and Wang Qiuer told Jiang Ming that Shrek Academy and the Tang Sect were grouped together with Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy, and Jiang Ming urged both teams to fight safely and try to defeat their common rival.
• Jiang Ming told Mu En that he planned to cause major disturbances at the imperial palace, Bright Virtue Hall, and the homes of pro-war ministers after the tournament to foment unrest and delay war.
• Du Busi warned that powerful experts might guard the imperial palace, and Jiang Ming replied that the palace attacks would be feints he would handle.

Jiang Ming prepared the Shrek and Tang Sect teams for their tournament matches while explaining Tang Ya’s corrupted Martial Soul and sealed memories to Bei Bei. In the Small World, he discovered that several Soul Beasts had taught themselves to make Soul Tools, and Snow Empress had just completed a Rank 7 Core Magic Array.

• Jiang Ming assigned Xuan Zi and Du Busi to survey Bright Virtue Hall while warning the tournament teams that Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy might field Evil Soul Masters and telling them to protect themselves and kill any they encountered.
• Jiang Ming brought Bei Bei into his Small World to visit Tang Ya, then explained that her memories were sealed and her Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul had become corrupted.
• Bei Bei stayed with Tang Ya while Jiang Ming inspected crates of Rank 9 Fixed Soul Cannonballs and resolved not to use them unless there was no other choice.
• Rongrong called Jiang Ming to see the Core Magic Arrays she, Little Prison, Meng Bing, and Snow Empress had carved from Rare Metals.
• Jiang Ming praised Rongrong and Little Prison’s Rank 6 Core Magic Arrays and learned they had copied Soul Engineers in the Small World to teach themselves Soul Tool crafting.
• Snow Empress finished carving a Rank 7 Soul Tool Core Magic Array.

Snow Empress and Meng Bing studied Soul Tool creation while Jiang Ming brought Tang Sect and Shrek Team to watch Tang Sect face Sun Moon Team. Wang Dong'er won her first match, then narrowly avoided Zhou Hao's attack after the referee had declared her the winner, as Huo Yuhao and Jiang Ming reacted.

• Snow Empress broke a Rank 7 core magic array while testing her power, and Jiang Ming offered her Rare Metal to continue studying Soul Tools.
• Meng Bing finished a Rank 5 core magic array, and Jiang Ming began teaching her to optimize it and build its casing.
• Jiang Ming brought Tang Sect Team and Shrek Team to watch Sun Moon Team's match, while he sensed Limit Douluo-level Spiritual Power protecting Xu Tianran.
• Wang Dong'er defeated Sun Moon Team's first contestant and then broke Zhou Hao's Soul Cannon platform after exhausting his defenses.
• After the referee declared Wang Dong'er the winner, Zhou Hao launched a surprise attack, prompting Huo Yuhao to warn her and Jiang Ming to vanish as a terrifying pressure engulfed the stage.

After Zhou Hao’s deadly sneak attack on Wang Dong'er, Huo Yuhao killed him, triggering a standoff between the Tang Sect and the Sun Moon Team. Jiang Ming accused the referee and the Sun Moon Team of conspiring to murder a contestant, then challenged Zheng Zhan as nine blood-red soul rings appeared beneath him.

• Zhou Hao launched a fatal sneak attack after the referee had declared Wang Dong'er the winner, but Huo Yuhao struck him with golden light and vaporized him.
• The Tang Sect and Shrek Team gathered to protect Wang Dong'er as the Sun Moon Team prepared to fight, and Jiang Ming seized the referee from afar.
• Zheng Zhan intervened with a Rank 9 defensive barrier, while Jiang Ming accused the referee and the Sun Moon Team of conspiring to murder a Tang Sect contestant.
• The accusation spread through the arena and among the citizens, alarming the participating teams and angering Xu Tianran and Jing Hongchen.
• Zheng Zhan identified himself as the Unbreakable Douluo and ordered everyone to stand down, but Jiang Ming challenged him to withstand a punch.
• Jiang Ming released nine blood-red Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Rings as dark clouds gathered over the arena.

Jiang Ming revealed nine Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Rings and overwhelmed Unbreakable Douluo Zheng Zhan with a single punch, destroying his Rank 9 defenses. Long Xiaoyao intervened before Jiang Ming could continue, and Jiang Ming withdrew his Soul Rings.

• Xu Tianran and the arena’s spectators reacted with shock to Jiang Ming’s nine blood-red Soul Rings, while Xu Tianran’s killing intent toward him intensified.
• Zheng Zhan activated seven or eight Rank 9 Defensive Soul Tools as Jiang Ming drew his aura into his fist.
• Jiang Ming’s golden fist shattered Zheng Zhan’s protective shields and both Invincible Shields before blasting him into the arena.
• Long Xiaoyao appeared and ordered Jiang Ming to stop, and Jiang Ming withdrew his Soul Rings and greeted him calmly.

After Zhou Hao’s lethal sneak attack on Wang Dong, Jiang Ming turned the confrontation into a public dispute over the Sun Moon Empire’s biased refereeing and demanded compensation. Long Xiaoyao sent Zheng Zhan to ask Crown Prince Xu Tianran whether to accept Jiang Ming’s terms, leaving the settlement undecided.

• Jiang Ming ordered the Tang Sect and Shrek Academy fighters to put away their Martial Souls and Soul Tools after Long Xiaoyao intervened.
• Jiang Ming accused Zheng Zhan and the referees of bias, stirring the crowd to chant about match fixing.
• Xu Tianran ordered Ju Zi to hand the biased referee over to the Holy Spirit Cult for punishment.
• Zheng Zhan disqualified the referee and declared Zhou Hao responsible for his own death, but Jiang Ming rejected the explanation.
• Jiang Ming invoked Wang Dong’s status as the Clear Sky Sect’s Young Sect Master and demanded compensation from Zheng Zhan.
• Long Xiaoyao told Zheng Zhan to ask Xu Tianran whether he would accept Jiang Ming’s terms.