Chapter Summaries

Lu PingAn passed Gu Da’s final interview after Hua Xueyi confirmed that his ability dramatically accelerated growth and the examiners judged his answers acceptable. His exceptional score secured admission, but it also distorted the interview standards and caused later candidates to receive unusually harsh scores.

• Lu PingAn used his ability on Hua Xueyi, who confirmed it could accelerate her progress and his own, rated its improvement ten out of ten, and invited him to join her club.
• The examiners tested Lu PingAn’s allegiance and asked about his political views, and he answered that he was human and supported the authorities’ reforms and control.
• Lu PingAn told the examiners he chose the dangerous job because it was interesting, paid well, and offered new experiences, while he hoped to live longer and more freely.
• The examiners welcomed Lu PingAn to Gu Da, and he left with an interview score of 8.77 and a total score of 25.19, securing admission.
• Lu PingAn’s extraordinary performance skewed the examiners’ scoring standards, leading to the later 98 Interview Massacre and severe score drops for leading candidates.

Lu Ping'an prepared for the practical combat test while paying the monthly prices on his abilities and training with Xue En. After receiving combat experience shared from Hua Xuejie, he discovered her skills could help him develop a new ability and called her to propose a deal.

• Lu Ping'an exchanged contact information with Hua Xuejie, who introduced him to her combat club and began making a preliminary connection.
• Lu Ping'an returned to his hotel, reviewed a dossier on Secret Keepers, and finished the monthly book and killing prices for his abilities.
• Lu Ping'an trained with Xue En and learned that Hua Xuejie was a well-regarded fighter recruiting for a new company.
• Lu Ping'an received shared combat experience from Hua Xuejie, including insight into All Weapons at Will and a skill for using tentacles.
• After testing the tentacle technique and finding it useful, Lu Ping'an called Hua Xuejie to propose a trade in exchange for her training hard and sharing more experience.

Lu PingAn learned he ranked 72nd in the admissions competition and weighed how to improve before the final practical combat round. He decided against taking another melee side class and planned to develop new ways for a Gardener to fight.

• Lu PingAn reviewed his scores, found that his interview had been exceptional but his practical combat time and lack of bonus points had pushed him to 72nd, and resolved that he could still catch up.
• Logistics Department teachers told Lu PingAn that admission thresholds and rewards might rise, while he considered how the changes could affect his chances at prize money.
• Lu PingAn learned Cat Cat had earned 7.5 in her interview and hoped her promised surprise would help her compete.
• Lu PingAn asked Chris whether he could take a third side class, but recalled Big Cat's warning that classes could interfere with one another before Gardener reached Rank 2.
• Lu PingAn rejected using his last side-class slot on another melee class and decided to develop new combat techniques as a Gardener.

Lu PingAn struggled to understand why his demonic plant fusions kept failing and spent Life Points experimenting in his Botanical Garden. After one final attempt succeeded, he stopped gambling with his dwindling lifespan and prepared to test his expanded arsenal.

• Lu PingAn analyzed how his Life Transaction ability gathered and bestowed plant essence, suspecting that a missing fusion agent or temporary affinity buff explained his failures.
• He found that higher-tier demonic plants were costly, difficult to control, and impossible to fuse reliably, while even familiar Tier 1 formulas now often failed.
• After earning no blessing from repeated visits to the Forest Secret Realm, Lu PingAn spent his remaining time and points expanding his plant arsenal and training his planting and grafting skills.
• Lu PingAn made one final fusion attempt and successfully created a new demonic plant, bringing his total to four Tier 2 Fused Demonic Plants.
• Having spent ninety Life Points on experiments, Lu PingAn stopped further attempts and turned to the final round of testing.

Lu PingAn gave Cat Cat a card ability that could heal her in exchange for a delayed cost, then entered the Knight Secret Realm’s examinee duels. After his first opponent forfeited, he faced the Tier 2 Professional Sun Xingwen, a strong opponent whose defeat could improve his ranking.

• Lu PingAn gave Cat Cat the card’s Deferred Payment of Life ability and advised her to save it for a critical moment.
• Cat Cat gratefully took the card and joined the examination queue, encouraged by her new chance to recover from severe injuries.
• Lu PingAn entered the Knight Secret Realm’s PVP trial, where his first opponent recognized him and immediately forfeited.
• Lu PingAn advanced to the next level, hoping to defeat several weaker examinees for points before stronger ones appeared.
• Lu PingAn encountered Sun Xingwen, the Tier 2 Professional ranked 59th, and prepared to defeat him for his standard score.

Lu PingAn faced Sun Xingwen, a highly ranked Tier 2 Painter with elemental sand abilities, in the Second Round and turned his apparent disadvantage into a victory. After defeating Sun Xingwen’s sand giant, Lu PingAn left the arena amid a field of flowers.

• Spectators predicted Lu PingAn would lose to Sun Xingwen, but Lu PingAn refused to surrender and discovered his profile called him the Axe King.
• Sun Xingwen used his painting, elemental ability, and Taboo Item to fill the arena with sand and bind Lu PingAn.
• Lu PingAn released plants and a huge amount of water, turning the sand into a growing medium and breaking free of the shackles.
• Sun Xingwen formed a giant sand armor that resisted physical attacks, but Lu PingAn used Ground Shrinking to leap above it.
• Lu PingAn activated Flowers Bloom, toppled the sand giant, and left a garden of flowers where it had fallen.

Lu PingAn defeated Sun Xingwen by combining Ground Shrinking with his Demonic Dwarven Pillar Colony, then rapidly won seventeen matches against ordinary examinees. He faced a troublesome opponent in his eighteenth match.

• Lu PingAn dropped his axe, used Ground Shrinking to slip behind Sun Xingwen, and bloomed plants from the polluted mud-sand armor to force Sun Xingwen out of the secret realm.
• He realized the Demonic Dwarven Pillar Colony had nearly killed Sun Xingwen and resolved to handle the plant carefully.
• Lu PingAn collected his axe and headed to the next floor after confirming Sir Knight was not targeting him.
• He defeated opponents with only Ground Shrinking and his axe, eventually achieving seventeen consecutive victories.
• Lu PingAn encountered a troublesome opponent in his eighteenth match.

Lu PingAn defeated Yuan Tianzheng, the Sword King, by revealing the hidden roots beneath his coat and overwhelming him with their brutal attacks. As he headed to the next floor hoping to face more strong opponents, the spectators began calling him the Tentacle King.

• Lu PingAn discarded his axe and prepared to fight Yuan Tianzheng, who had injured him with his dual swords and Ground Shrinking.
• Lu PingAn struck Yuan Tianzheng with a concealed root, then used more root lashes to break through his wind shield and overwhelm him.
• Yuan Tianzheng tried to attack with Storm Blade, but Lu PingAn's roots blocked the wind blades with only a small piece severed.
• Lu PingAn activated “Tyranny,” and the roots battered Yuan Tianzheng until he turned into light and left the secret realm.
• Lu PingAn headed for the next floor while spectators dubbed him the Tentacle King, unaware of the nickname spreading outside.

Lu PingAn used a combat style inspired by Hua Xueyi to win a long series of gauntlet matches, but his opponents increasingly adapted to his attacks and wore him down. He left to rest after meeting the injured Lei Shui Yun, who soon lost her next match and joined him outside the secret realm.

• Hua Xueyi recognized her own combat style in Lu PingAn’s attacks and realized he had gained the fighting experience she had separated off.
• Lu PingAn combined Hua Xueyi’s spacing and weapon techniques with his spatial exits, winning thirty-two consecutive matches before his opponents began adapting.
• As his stamina dwindled and his opponents came prepared, Lu PingAn decided to stop fighting rather than risk injury or exhaustion.
• Lu PingAn met the badly injured Lei Shui Yun, learned she was on her second life, and left the tournament to rest and arrange lunch with her.
• Lei Shui Yun gained a second wind from Lu PingAn’s winning streak, but she quickly lost to a top-ranked opponent and emerged embarrassed as Lu PingAn watched.

Lu PingAn studied the remaining contenders and sought Hua Xueyi’s advice before entering the secret realm again for the next round. He left with targeted intelligence on strong opponents and a debt of gratitude to her.

• Lu PingAn and Lei Shui Yun ate together, and she explained that the rules prohibited her from receiving supernatural treatment from him.
• Lu PingAn watched a recording of Li DaoAn’s defeat and dismissed the explosive opponent who had eliminated him.
• Lu PingAn sought useful recordings and battle assessments from Hua Xueyi instead of buying a broad package of intelligence.
• Hua Xueyi pointed out flaws in Lu PingAn’s fighting style and shared information about contenders who could threaten him.
• After an hour and a half of preparation, Lu PingAn entered the secret realm again and hoped to avoid an opponent like the one Lei Shui Yun had faced.

Lu PingAn endured increasingly difficult battles in the Knight Secret Realm as the rookies improved and his hands accumulated injuries. After All Weapon Proficiency neared a major breakthrough, he faced a third-rank opponent and decided to fight despite expecting to lose.

• Lu PingAn kept winning with rapid, punishing attacks while the examinees grew more experienced and difficult to defeat.
• Other examinees began fleeing from Lu PingAn, whose reputation and intelligence booklet entry warned of his speed, strength, and endurance.
• Lu PingAn’s All Weapon Proficiency advanced close to level 7 through repeated battles and Sir Knight’s support, and he felt stronger after breaking through level 6.
• Big Cat explained that the Knight’s trials valued evolution over fairness and that Lu PingAn’s breakthrough would not make him a target.
• Lu PingAn encountered a third-rank opponent and chose to fight, even though he expected to lose.

Lu PingAn fought Wang Hai, an eighteen-year-old Tier 3, and used his tentacles, mines, and cactus defenses to injure him despite being badly outmatched in close combat. Their duel ended when Lu PingAn gained a skill level and was teleported away, leaving both fighters expecting a more difficult rematch.

• Lu PingAn accepted Wang Hai's challenge and narrowly evaded the Tier 3's opening punch before unleashing his tentacles.
• Wang Hai blocked Lu PingAn's attacks and struck him down, but Lu PingAn's cactus spikes damaged Wang Hai's fist and helped him stand again.
• Lu PingAn exploded spiked mines, piercing Wang Hai with more than a dozen spikes and forcing him to prepare to get serious.
• Lu PingAn gained a level in All Weapon Proficiency and left the arena before he and Wang Hai could continue their duel.
• Wang Hai also left to treat his wounds and remembered Lu PingAn as a dangerous opponent.

After leaving the secret realm, Lu PingAn let Cat Cat tend to his injuries while he reviewed his choices for the final round. He chose the Bio-Weapon Tactics path, awakening Life Resonance, and prepared to return to the competition with his living weapon.

• Lu PingAn emerged from the secret realm, and Cat Cat scolded him for risking his score and using hidden techniques against a Tier 3.
• Lu PingAn had Cat Cat bring him food, drinks, information, and medical care while he rested before the final round.
• Lu PingAn received the Rust Knight's Infinite Martial Training blessing again and gained enough Exotic Weapon experience to choose a combat-style branch.
• Lu PingAn chose My Style Bio-Weapon Tactics, which awakened the Life Resonance trait through his gardener abilities.
• Lu PingAn tested Life Resonance with a tentacle from his sleeve and grew confident about facing his next opponent.

After reaching Black Iron Low Rank in all his basic attributes, Lu PingAn chose the Ten Thousand Spirits evolution and gained a Black Iron Body that strengthened his Life-type abilities and affinity with demonic creatures and plants. The evolution also cursed him to be unable to have offspring by normal means, but he shrugged it off and demonstrated his newfound strength by defeating a powerful opponent in thirty-seven seconds.

• Lu PingAn's All Weapon Proficiency reached Level 7, and his reflexes rose to Black Iron Low Rank, completing the requirements for evolution.
• Lu PingAn deciphered four possible evolution titles and, after Chris warned him to choose Ten Thousand Spirits, selected it.
• Lu PingAn completed his evolution, gaining a Ten Thousand Spirits Black Iron Body that improved his Life-type abilities and affinity with demonic creatures and plants.
• Lu PingAn discovered that the evolution carried a curse preventing him from having offspring by normal means, but he dismissed the concern and joked with Chris about alternatives.
• Lu PingAn entered his final round and defeated a Tier 2 powerhouse ranked forty-first in thirty-seven seconds, stunning the spectators with his increased speed and combat ability.

Lu PingAn continued his winning streak in the examinee battles after Life Resonance made Xiao An’s tentacles more precise and agile. As the trial neared its end, he faced a formidable late entrant and hoped to earn enough points by defeating stronger opponents.

• Lu PingAn used Life Resonance to soothe and direct Xiao An, whose mutations had made it larger and faster but weakened its toxicity.
• Lu PingAn defeated an opponent who used Shrink the Earth to launch a close-range ambush, only for his fist to strike the spikes of Lu PingAn’s Cactus Armor.
• Spectators debated Lu PingAn’s strength as he kept winning, while he considered how to cultivate more intelligent demonic plants and noted the approaching deadline.
• Lu PingAn estimated that he was around twentieth or thirtieth place and kept his final Fused Demonic Plant in reserve, hoping to earn a Standard Score by beating a third-ranker.
• A powerful late entrant challenged Lu PingAn, who complained to Sir Knight and the system that the difficult fight offered too few points.

Huang ZhuXing challenged Lu PingAn with fire chess pieces, but Lu PingAn easily defeated his summons and resisted his flames. After assessing the odds, Huang ZhuXing forfeited the fight, leaving Lu PingAn hoping Sir Knight would match them again.

• Huang ZhuXing summoned two Flame Knights and used a fire curse against Lu PingAn, expecting his flames to counter the gardener.
• Lu PingAn walked through the flames and destroyed both Flame Knights with his battle axe.
• Huang ZhuXing summoned a Tier 2 Bishop, but Lu PingAn's Spike Mine destroyed it in an explosion of cursed spikes.
• Huang ZhuXing assessed Lu PingAn's many combat advantages and decided that retreating was his best option.
• Huang ZhuXing cursed Lu PingAn and left the battle, while Lu PingAn asked Sir Knight to arrange another match between them.

Lu PingAn defeated Huang ZhuXing and drew growing attention from students and professors, who wondered about his strength and potential. Near the end of the trial, he encountered Wang Hai again, and both prepared to fight without holding back.

• Lu PingAn defeated Huang ZhuXing with a teleportation ambush and tentacle whipping, then realized his strength had improved substantially.
• With twenty-seven examinees remaining, students and professors discussed Lu PingAn's Tier 1 status, combat ability, and unusual talent for space and magical plants.
• Director Qian described Lu PingAn's innate ability as extremely strong while keeping his personal information confidential.
• The professors judged that Lu PingAn's next encounter with a Tier 3 would shape their evaluations of his potential and future treatment.
• With less than twenty minutes left, Lu PingAn met Wang Hai again, and both prepared to fight without holding back.

Lu PingAn fought Wang Hai by unleashing a Black Forest of Demonic Plants, using their irregular attacks to test his theory about Wang Hai’s Self-Curse. After confirming that Wang Hai’s speed came at the cost of fragility and slower reactions, Lu PingAn prepared a dangerous move designed to exploit that weakness.

• Lu PingAn scattered seeds and used Plant Acceleration to turn the room into a Black Forest, where the Twisted Poisonous Tendrils attacked everyone.
• Lu PingAn awakened Xiao An, whose presence sent the tendrils into a frenzy while Wang Hai avoided closing in on him.
• Lu PingAn recalled how he and Big Cat had analyzed Wang Hai’s unnatural speed and suspected he followed the Awakened path.
• Lu PingAn concluded that Wang Hai’s Self-Curse made him fast and light but unusually fragile, and that his reactions were slower than a Runner’s.
• Lu PingAn used the chaotic plant attacks to test his theory and prepared a dangerous move specifically for Wang Hai.

Lu PingAn used his new Dragon Tornado technique, tendrils, and mines to fight Wang Hai, forcing him to release his transformation and become an increasingly dangerous four-armed demon. After Wang Hai landed a sudden blow, both fighters were battered, and Lu PingAn rose first as Wang Hai struggled to restrain his transformation.

• Lu PingAn activated Dragon Tornado, spinning Xiao An’s tendrils into a controlled web that broke Wang Hai’s arm and drove him into a corner.
• Wang Hai released his shackles and transformed into an ogre, then charged Lu PingAn with a powerful leap.
• Lu PingAn evaded Wang Hai by moving around the room with his tendrils and taunted him to accelerate the transformation’s time limit.
• Lu PingAn scattered mines among the tendrils, but Wang Hai used a golden defensive ability to withstand the attacks before growing two extra arms and putting on his silver gauntlets.
• Wang Hai suddenly struck Lu PingAn, but the counterattacking tendrils and mines battered Wang Hai as well.
• Lu PingAn rose first while Wang Hai fought to restrain his transformation, and Lu PingAn challenged him to see who would reach their limit first.

Lu PingAn fought the half-transformed Wang Hai by kiting him with magical plants, traps, and taunts, while Big Cat warned that he could be killed before the Secret Realm registered his defeat. Lu PingAn outmaneuvered Wang Hai with a concealed weapon-swapping trick, forcing Wang Hai to withdraw, then hurried through the next door to continue fighting before time ran out.

• Big Cat warned Lu PingAn that Wang Hai’s growing strength and Lu PingAn’s lack of a sense of defeat made the fight dangerously costly.
• Lu PingAn probed Wang Hai’s abilities and baited him into using Wisdom King Spirit Suppression, then escaped the follow-up attack with Ground Shrinking.
• Wang Hai fully transformed into a six-armed Asura and smashed through Lu PingAn’s magical plants and barriers, driving him into a corner.
• Lu PingAn used All Weapons at Will to exchange Xiao An’s position with a battle axe, then used a hidden baton and tentacles to escape Wang Hai’s charge.
• Wang Hai withdrew after realizing Lu PingAn had outmaneuvered him and promised to fight again on open terrain while in better condition.
• Lu PingAn celebrated Wang Hai’s frustration, noticed less than three minutes remained, and ran through the next door to find another opponent.