Chapter Summaries

Huo Yuhao’s barbecue restaurant prospered, and Bei Bei brought Xu Sanshi there for Tang Ya’s birthday gathering so he could reconnect with Jiang Nannan. Xu Sanshi made an awkward entrance by demanding the restaurant’s most expensive food, then was directed upstairs to speak with Huo Yuhao.

• Huo Yuhao’s restaurant earned nearly two thousand Gold Soul Coins a day, and he continued buying alcohol from Jie Chu’s family bar to repay their earlier help.
• Bei Bei told Xu Sanshi that Jiang Nannan would be at Tang Ya’s birthday gathering and instructed him to join their table upstairs.
• Xu Sanshi recalled how his past actions had hurt Jiang Nannan and resolved to make amends.
• Xu Sanshi entered the restaurant and loudly ordered its most expensive food to show Jiang Nannan his determination.
• Huo Yun’er explained the menu prices, and after Xu Sanshi asked for special dishes, she sent him upstairs to speak with Huo Yuhao.

After students drove off those trying to steal Huo Yuhao’s barbecue recipe, his business faced no further interference. Xu Sanshi then demanded an off-menu dish from Huo Yuhao, who calmly refused and revealed that he was the restaurant’s owner.

• Students confronted the man threatening Huo Yuhao over his secret recipe, frightening away the forces behind him.
• Huo Yuhao’s barbecue business continued without further trouble, and he trusted Boss Ning’s judgment more.
• Xu Sanshi went upstairs after failing to quiet the students whispering about his embarrassment.
• Xu Sanshi rudely demanded an off-menu dish from Huo Yuhao and threatened to have him fired.
• Huo Yuhao refused, explained that he was the owner, and told Xu Sanshi to leave if he was dissatisfied.

Xu Sanshi attacked Huo Yuhao in the canteen, prompting the students around them to intervene and Jiang Nannan to reject him. Huo Yuhao challenged Xu Sanshi to a soul duel, which Xu Sanshi accepted, and then returned to work while the match waited.

• Xu Sanshi tried to grab Huo Yuhao, but Huo Yuhao dodged and drew his katana as Jie Chu and the others rushed to protect him.
• Jiang Nannan confronted Xu Sanshi with disgust, then left with Tang Ya while Jie Chu kept Xu Sanshi from following her.
• Bei Bei demanded an explanation from Xu Sanshi, and Huo Yuhao challenged him to a soul duel.
• Xu Sanshi agreed to use only his First Soul Skill and offered a Mystic Water Pill if he lost; Bei Bei said Xu Sanshi would owe more than an apology.
• Huo Yuhao postponed the duel until after his work shift and went downstairs to make barbecue skewers.

After work, Huo Yuhao headed to the Soul Duel Stage for his promised match with Xu Sanshi, while reflecting on his slow Soul Power growth and Qian Daoliu’s advice about Immortal-Grade Natural Treasures. The match drew a large crowd, and Huo Yuhao arrived determined to defeat Xu Sanshi for causing trouble and luring customers away from his shop.

• Xu Sanshi waited anxiously outside the barbecue shop as passersby recognized him and arranged to watch his match against nine-year-old Huo Yuhao.
• Huo Yuhao finished work and considered how his Mental Power had improved while his Soul Power remained at level eleven, with level twelve still ahead.
• Qian Daoliu told Huo Yuhao that Immortal-Grade Natural Treasures could greatly improve cultivation aptitude, but he could not say where to find them.
• Huo Yuhao remembered Qian Daoliu’s advice, untied his apron, and set off for the Soul Duel Stage to establish his reputation.
• Many students followed Huo Yuhao and Xu Sanshi to watch their match, and Huo Yuhao blamed Xu Sanshi for drawing customers away from the shop.

Huo Yuhao faced Xu Sanshi in a duel, needing only to survive for one minute while Xu Sanshi had to defeat him without using his Second Soul Skill. Huo Yuhao cracked Xu Sanshi’s Mystic Tortoise Shield with a Soul Tool strike, and Xu Sanshi retaliated with his First Soul Skill, Mystic Tremor.

• Huo Yuhao received the notice to go to the Soul Duel Stage, where Jie Chu and Bei Bei encouraged him before his match against Xu Sanshi.
• The referee announced the duel’s conditions, and Xu Sanshi released his Martial Soul while Huo Yuhao charged at him without releasing his own.
• Huo Yuhao leapt off Xu Sanshi’s fist, drew a Soul Guidance Hand Axe, and used its jets to smash a crack into Xu Sanshi’s shield.
• Xu Sanshi recovered from the blow and activated his First Soul Skill, Mystic Tremor, to knock Huo Yuhao back and stun him.

Huo Yuhao defeated Xu Sanshi by threatening him with a Soul Guidance Ray Gun before Xu could use his Mystic Tremor. After the referee declared Huo Yuhao the winner, Xu demanded a rematch, and Huo Yuhao agreed with higher stakes.

• Huo Yuhao waited until Xu Sanshi prepared to strike, then aimed his Soul Guidance Ray Gun at Xu while holding the Adamantine Umbrella in his other hand.
• Xu Sanshi froze, and the referee declared Huo Yuhao the winner as the crowd cheered.
• Elder Xuan praised Huo Yuhao's nerve and asked Wang Yan about his barbecue restaurant and Soul Master talent.
• Xu Sanshi challenged Huo Yuhao to fight again, and Huo Yuhao accepted while demanding greater stakes, including the valuable Mystic Water Pill.

Huo Yuhao wagered two Mystic Water Pills and challenged Xu Sanshi to an unrestricted Dark Duel, with the loser falling from the contest. As Xu Sanshi opened with an aerial shield attack, Huo Yuhao knocked him off balance and slashed his katana toward Xu Sanshi’s neck.

• Huo Yuhao offered to stake his place in the third round against two Mystic Water Pills and demanded an unrestricted deciding duel.
• Xu Sanshi accepted, and the referee officially began the Dark Duel between Xu Sanshi and Huo Yuhao.
• Huo Yuhao and Xu Sanshi powered up on opposite sides of the Soul Duel Arena as spectators watched.
• Xu Sanshi charged, leaped into the air, and activated Mystic Tremor with his shield.
• Huo Yuhao leaped after Xu Sanshi, slammed into him, pressed down on his shoulder, and swept his katana toward the red mark on Xu Sanshi’s neck.

Huo Yuhao’s Mid-Air Shinobi Execution was blocked by Xu Sanshi’s Mystic Dark Tortoise Shield Array, but the Illusory Eye revealed that it had gained the ability to read Soul Skill information after his Mental Power advanced. After learning the defenses’ details, Huo Yuhao evaded Xu Sanshi’s charge and counterattacked.

• Huo Yuhao’s airborne slash struck a small shield from Xu Sanshi’s Mystic Dark Tortoise Shield Array, leaving Xu Sanshi unharmed.
• Huo Yuhao realized his Illusory Eye could display golden descriptions of Xu Sanshi’s Soul Skills and read the details of Mystic Dark Tortoise Shield Array and Mystic Tremor.
• Xu Sanshi seized Huo Yuhao’s moment of surprise and charged at him with a powerful punch.
• Huo Yuhao sidestepped Xu Sanshi’s punch, stepped between his legs, and drove an elbow into his open chest.

Huo Yuhao overwhelmed Xu Sanshi with precise strikes and Flowing Water Swordplay, then called their fight a draw because his Katana had shattered against Xu Sanshi's Mystic Tortoise Shield. Xu Sanshi accepted the result and apologized to Huo Yuhao.

• Huo Yuhao struck Xu Sanshi's diaphragm and throat, leaving him struggling to breathe.
• Huo Yuhao deflected Xu Sanshi's Mystic Tortoise Shield attacks with the Ashina Style and recovered strength while Xu Sanshi weakened.
• Huo Yuhao struck Xu Sanshi's shielded arm with a powerful sword slash and closed in with his Katana pointed at Xu Sanshi's throat.
• Huo Yuhao explained Flowing Water Swordplay after Xu Sanshi asked about the technique.
• Huo Yuhao declared the match a draw because his Katana shattered, and Xu Sanshi accepted the result and apologized.

After Huo Yuhao’s duel with Xu Sanshi, Wang Yan introduced him to Elder Xuan, who had come to ask about his performance. Huo Yuhao’s danger-sensing ability warned him that trusting Elder Xuan could bring death and endanger many others.

• Bei Bei and Jie Chu congratulated Huo Yuhao after his draw with Xu Sanshi, and Bei Bei promised to help him collect the Mystic Water Pills.
• Wang Yan and Elder Xuan approached the group, and Wang Yan greeted Huo Yuhao and congratulated Bei Bei on placing first in the Second Grade Promotion Exam.
• Wang Yan scolded Jie Chu for nearly failing his theory score, which had dragged down his overall ranking.
• Wang Yan introduced Elder Xuan and explained that he wanted to ask Huo Yuhao some questions.
• Huo Yuhao’s danger-sensing ability flashed a blood-red warning, telling him not to trust Elder Xuan or rely on him as a protector.

After Huo Yuhao’s performance draws Elder Xuan’s attention, he learns Shrek’s leaders are focused on a student named Xiaotao and a problem involving the Far North Land. Xu Sanshi then pays Huo Yuhao the three Mystic Water Pills he won, leaving Huo Yuhao impressed by them.

• Elder Xuan asks where Huo Yuhao’s barbecue shop is, then tells him to seek help from Wang Yan or Bei Bei and hints at his future in Shrek.
• Elder Xuan and Wang Yan discuss Xiaotao’s condition and the possibility of traveling to the Far North Land for help.
• Huo Yuhao considers asking Xu Sanshi about Xiaotao and wonders about the powerful figure called Old Mu.
• Xu Sanshi gives Huo Yuhao the three Mystic Water Pills he lost in their bet.

Huo Yuhao offered Mystic Water Pills to Bei Bei and Jie Chu, but both declined, and Qian Daoliu explained what the pills’ price and availability revealed about the modern Douluo Continent. Huo Yuhao took a pill himself and began experiencing its cleansing effects.

• Huo Yuhao offered Mystic Water Pills to Bei Bei and Jie Chu, but they refused, and Jie Chu hinted that Xu Sanshi had helped him cultivate quickly.
• Huo Yuhao asked Qian Daoliu about the changes he had noticed after nearly ten thousand years, and Qian Daoliu urged him to look for pills with other effects.
• Qian Daoliu explained that Mystic Water Pills selling for ten thousand Gold Soul Coins showed that pills had become more available than they were in his era.
• Huo Yuhao swallowed a Mystic Water Pill and felt his body relax as soul power and pale blue mist began flowing through his pores.

After taking the Mystic Water Pill, Huo Yuhao’s cultivation speed increased dramatically and his soul power rose to Level 13. A year later, Wang Yan met with a troubled Xuan Zi at Huo Yuhao’s barbecue restaurant, where Xuan Zi revealed that his trip to the Far North Land had gone poorly.

• Huo Yuhao washed off the black grime expelled by the Mystic Water Pill and discovered that his cultivation speed had increased by another thirty percent.
• Huo Yuhao completed a Greater Circulation in less than an hour and measured his soul power at Level 13, setting a goal of reaching Level 20 before enrollment.
• One year later, Huo Yuhao served barbecue to Xuan Zi and Wang Yan in a private room at the Little Huo Family Barbecue.
• Wang Yan asked Xuan Zi whether his trip to the Far North Land had gone smoothly, and Xuan Zi slowly nodded that it had not.

Xuan Zi told Wang Yan that his search for a way to suppress Xiaotao’s Evil Fire had failed. Huo Yuhao continued preparing to enroll at Shrek next year, then found a crying senior in the Library and offered to help.

• Xuan Zi recounted how he had searched the Far North Land for a powerful Ice Soul Beast, Ten Thousand-Year Profound Ice Marrow, and a snow lotus, but returned without a solution for Xiaotao.
• Wang Yan recognized how hard Xuan Zi had tried, while Huo Yuhao remained unaware of their conversation and finished his barbecue work.
• Huo Yuhao visited the Library with Wang Yan’s approved borrowing pass, where he continued studying after passing the Second Level Soul Engineer Qualification Exam and reaching Soul Power Level sixteen.
• Huo Yuhao decided to enroll next year after learning that the New Student Tournament could offer teaching-resource privileges and Core Disciple status.
• Huo Yuhao heard a girl crying in the Library, handed her tissues, and asked what was wrong; she recognized him and teased him for startling his senior.

Huo Yuhao comforted a student who feared being expelled from Shrek Academy by Zhou Yi, then learned how her teacher’s relentless physical training had harmed and frightened Class One. He left the chapter condemning Zhou Yi’s methods and understanding why expelled students had been unable to challenge the academy’s support for her.

• Huo Yuhao gave the girl a cake and listened as she described her fear of Zhou Yi, who had expelled many students from Class One.
• The girl explained that Zhou Yi forced students through repeated running drills, expelled those who could not endure them, and punished one student for crying during her period.
• Huo Yuhao rejected Zhou Yi’s claim that pushing students to their limits every day made them stronger, reasoning that the strain could damage their bodies and minds.
• Huo Yuhao noticed deformities in the girl’s legs and feared that Zhou Yi’s training would lead to her expulsion.
• After walking around Sea God Lake with the girl, Huo Yuhao learned that the academy dismissed complaints by allowing teachers to use independent teaching methods.
• Huo Yuhao understood that expelled students often hid the real reason from their families because a teacher’s expulsion could damage their standing among their relatives.

Huo Yuhao learned how Zhou Yi favored students from powerful backgrounds and devised a plan with a senior sister to stop her. As he wondered about Zhou Yi’s protection and watched a red figure race across Sea God Lake toward him, he activated his First Soul Skill while Qian Daoliu held back.

• Huo Yuhao learned that Zhou Yi punished students from powerful backgrounds less harshly and rarely expelled them.
• Huo Yuhao devised a plan with Light Red Hair High Ponytail Senior to challenge Zhou Yi, and she hurried away to discuss it with her classmates.
• Huo Yuhao decided to investigate Zhou Yi’s backer and noticed a faint red light on Sea God Lake.
• Huo Yuhao realized the light was a masked, blood-haired figure racing toward him with a frenzied aura.
• Huo Yuhao activated his First Soul Ring, while Qian Daoliu withdrew after deciding not to intervene.

Huo Yuhao used Dispel to suppress Ma Xiao Tao’s flames, but her momentum carried her into him and left her clinging to him. After Shrek elders arrived and treated him, Huo Yuhao used his Library Card to point out that he was not a Shrek student and could not be expelled.

• Huo Yuhao used Dispel to strip Ma Xiao Tao’s dark red flames and Fire Phoenix, revealing her as a Six Rings Soul Emperor.
• Ma Xiao Tao crashed into Huo Yuhao and held him so tightly that he struggled to breathe.
• A White-robed Elder arrived with others, lifted Huo Yuhao and Ma Xiao Tao, and sent Ma Xiao Tao away with the group.
• Teacher Li used his healing abilities on Huo Yuhao, while the White-robed Elder gave him a green pill and warned him to keep the incident secret.
• Huo Yuhao showed the White-robed Elder his Library Card and argued that Shrek could not expel him because he was not a student there.

Huo Yuhao used his Library Card and knowledge of the academy’s misconduct to pressure the White-robed Elder into submitting evidence against Teacher Zhou’s actions and helping former students return. Afterward, Qian Daoliu advised Huo Yuhao on reaching Level 20 and choosing his second Soul Ring.

• The White-robed Elder gave Huo Yuhao two Soul Ascension Pills as compensation and hush money, but Huo Yuhao demanded further action in exchange for keeping quiet.
• Huo Yuhao asked the White-robed Elder to submit his organized materials so Shrek Academy could punish wrongdoers, restore expelled students, and protect its reputation.
• Teacher Li supported Huo Yuhao’s request, and the White-robed Elder agreed to submit the materials while warning Huo Yuhao to stay silent about what happened.
• Teacher Li offered to help Huo Yuhao in the future before leaving, and Qian Daoliu praised Huo Yuhao’s boldness and explained why the White-robed Elder had accepted the task.
• Huo Yuhao asked about reaching Level 20 and finding a second Soul Ring; Qian Daoliu recommended finishing the remaining Mystic Water Pill before taking a Soul Ascension Pill.

Huo Yuhao’s rumor campaign turned new students, parents, and former students against Zhou Yi, prompting a formal investigation into her teaching. The Sea God Pavilion issued its judgment, and Zhou Yi’s punishment and compensation for her former students were left to a joint decision by the academy and Parents’ Committee.

• Huo Yuhao spread a rumor that Zhou Yi would be assigned to a new student class, making every incoming student and parent fear they might be placed under her.
• Parents and students shared allegations about Zhou Yi’s expulsions, abusive training, and poor teaching, and the new student reception office was besieged by angry parents.
• The academy denied that Zhou Yi would teach a new student class, but students and parents continued demanding an inquiry into her conduct.
• Class 1, Grade 3 students submitted a joint petition and evidence about Zhou Yi to the Sea God Pavilion.
• Zhou Yi sat in the faculty dormitory in panic as Fan Yu struggled to respond to the accusations against her.
• The Sea God Pavilion found Zhou Yi guilty of severe misconduct, referred her punishment to a joint panel, and ordered compensation, renewed enrollment opportunities, and treatment for affected students.

Ma Xiao Tao woke after her Evil Fire vanished during her collapse by Sea God Lake, then found it had become afraid to emerge. She suspected the black-haired, gold-eyed boy whose power she had sensed before losing consciousness.

• Ma Xiao Tao woke in the Secret Chamber, and Dean Yan reprimanded her for rushing her cultivation.
• Ma Xiao Tao asked whether Elder Xuan had returned from the Far North Land with a way to suppress her Evil Fire.
• Dean Yan told Ma Xiao Tao that her Evil Fire and Evil Fire Phoenix had inexplicably dissipated while she was unconscious, without any detectable external force.
• Ma Xiao Tao found that her Soul Power had become controllable and that her Evil Fire was too frightened to emerge from her Martial Soul.
• Ma Xiao Tao recalled the black-haired, gold-eyed little boy and wondered whether his power had frightened her Evil Fire.