Chapter Summaries

Wang Yan gathered the reserve team to discuss how their skills had drawn attention and to plan for the round-robin tournament. After learning the match rules and assigning the two-two-three lineup, the team awaited the next day's group and opponent announcements.

• Wang Yan warned that other academies had identified Huo Yu Hao and Wang Dong as key targets after their Martial Soul Fusion Skill attracted notice.
• Qin Ze said the team could still use the Golden Road and described how his and Yue Li's fusion skill could coordinate with Huo Yu Hao and Wang Dong's, and Wang Yan told them to save those techniques for difficult matches.
• Wang Yan asked the team members to explain their soul skills, and Bei Bei, Tang Ya, Jiang Nannan, Xu San Shi, Ning Tian, Ma Xiaotao, Dai Yueheng, and Ling Luochen did so.
• Wang Yan distributed his notes on the round-robin rules, and Yu He Caitou learned that Food System Soul Masters could prepare their food in advance for teammates to use in matches.
• Wang Yan assigned Qin Ze and Di Yue Li, Bei Bei and Xu San Shi, and Huo Yu Hao, Wang Dong, and Ling Luochen to the two-two-three matches, while Wu Feng withdrew from the tournament.
• Wang Yan told the team to watch for opponents' Soul Tools and said they would learn their groups and opponents the next day.

Qin Ze persuaded Wang Yan not to let Huo Yu Hao cheat with Spirit Detection, then confidently declared that Shrek Academy would win the competition. After dismissing Xiao Hong Chen’s challenge, Qin Ze left as the tournament’s popularity and commercial impact grew.

• Qin Ze and Wang Yan discussed using Huo Yu Hao’s Spirit Detection to help Shrek Academy win, and Wang Yan admitted he had considered cheating.
• Qin Ze reassured Wang Yan that he had corrected his mistake and asked whether he still believed Shrek Academy could become champion; Wang Yan said he did.
• Qin Ze declared that victory belonged to Shrek Academy and left to find barbecue.
• Xiao Hong Chen introduced himself and vowed to defeat Shrek Academy, but Qin Ze ignored his challenge and asked where to get barbecue.
• The first elimination round ended amid huge crowds, and the Star Luo Empire raised round-robin ticket prices to manage demand and profit from the tournament.

As the round-robin stage began, Shrek Academy drew Yunluo Academy in an individual elimination match, drawing a huge crowd eager to see its reserve members’ strength. Wang Yan prepared to choose Shrek’s first contestant while prioritizing the team’s health.

• The elimination rounds left more than two hundred students injured and over a dozen dead, and the Star Luo Empire publicized their deaths as honors while offering compensation.
• On the fourth day, Emperor Xu Jiawei and all sixty-seven remaining teams gathered to watch Shrek Academy’s match.
• Shrek’s students arrived without the injured Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng, and spectators loudly cheered for Shrek.
• Bei Bei and Yunluo Academy’s captain drew an individual elimination match format for their teams.
• Bei Bei offered to fight first, but Wang Yan considered Yunluo Academy’s Soul Engineers a poor matchup for Shrek’s assault-type fighters and sought to avoid injuries.

Qin Ze volunteered to face Yunluo Academy first in the individual elimination match and revealed that his ring of light could withstand a massive barrage of soul tools. He left Ma Ying Jun defeated and exhausted, setting up Shrek Academy to continue the match.

• Qin Ze volunteered to fight first, and Wang Yan accepted after He Caitou reminded him that Qin Ze had blocked soul tool attacks before.
• Qin Ze faced Yunluo Academy's Ma Ying Jun, who asked him to go easy and then prepared his many soul tools.
• Qin Ze revealed three soul rings, including a strange purple-red one, surprising the spectators and officials.
• Ma Ying Jun fired soul tool rays and shells at Qin Ze for a full minute, but Qin Ze's ring of light blocked every attack.
• After Ma Ying Jun exhausted his Soul Power, Qin Ze held a water-blue blade to his neck and asked if he still wanted to fight; Ma Ying Jun surrendered.

Qin Ze defeated Yunluo Academy’s first contestant by enduring his attacks with a mysterious defensive ability, then faced Shang Yue in the second round. He crushed one of her Soul Tool blades and dragged her close, leaving the match unresolved.

• Qin Ze’s defense withstood Ma Ying Jun’s attacks, and the referee declared Shrek Academy the winner of the first round.
• Ma Ying Jun told Yunluo Academy’s team leader that he could not break Qin Ze’s halo, while He Caitou praised its strength.
• Shang Yue entered as Yunluo Academy’s second contestant, and the referee started the next round.
• Shang Yue charged Qin Ze with her blades, but his arm armor blocked her blade beams without a mark.
• Qin Ze caught Shang Yue’s blades, crushed the tip of one, pulled her toward him, and grabbed her by the neck.

Qin Ze defeated Shang Yue after advising her to change her heavy twin blades, then prepared to face Yun Luo Academy’s captain, Situ Yu, in a contest of strength. The match began with both fighters ready to reveal their abilities.

• Qin Ze released Shang Yue, explained the flaws in her weapon and fighting style, and let her make her final strike.
• Qin Ze dodged Shang Yue’s powerful slash and held his blade at her neck, prompting her to admit defeat.
• Shang Yue thanked Qin Ze and left with a new resolve to change her fighting style.
• Situ Yu introduced himself, challenged Qin Ze to a contest of absolute strength, and said Yunluo Academy would admit defeat if he lost.
• Qin Ze accepted Situ Yu’s challenge, and the referee started their match.

Qin Ze faced Situ Yu’s heavily armed soul-tool fortress and endured his barrage while secretly attacking with three blades. He left Situ Yu’s Concentrated Soul Tool Cannon’s blast diverted into the protective barrier, keeping himself safe.

• Situ Yu deployed a metal shell, stabilizing supports, numerous cannon barrels, and a Concentrated Soul Tool Cannon, then opened fire on Qin Ze.
• Qin Ze advanced through the barrage with his halo and secretly threw three blades that merged into a large spinning blade.
• Situ Yu unleashed his weapons in a massive attack while the blade struck his Soul Tool Shield and began to crack it.
• Situ Yu fired his charged Concentrated Soul Tool Cannon at Qin Ze, but Qin Ze’s blade drew the blast away and redirected it into the protective barrier.

Qin Ze defeated Situ Yu and secured Shrek Academy’s victory, demonstrating a powerful defense against Soul Tools. Afterward, Shrek celebrated his performance while the Sun Moon team considered the threat he posed, and Qin Ze leaned on Di Yue Li after pretending to be exhausted.

• Qin Ze used his Spinning Blades and halo to overcome Situ Yu’s Concentrated Soul Tool Cannon, leaving Situ Yu without Soul Power to continue fighting.
• Situ Yu conceded, and the referee declared Shrek Academy the winner of the individual elimination round.
• Xu Jiawei considered using the match to promote Soul Tools, while Elder Ma reassured the Sun Moon team and Xiao Hong Chen admitted Qin Ze’s abilities concerned him.
• Qin Ze returned to Shrek’s group and fell against Di Yue Li, then secretly put his arm around her waist while claiming he was drained.
• Bei Bei and Xu San Shi privately joked that Bei Bei had taught Qin Ze the trick, and Wang Yan led the group back.

After Shrek Academy left the plaza, Qin Ze advised Xu San Shi to show Jiang Nannan his sincerity by bringing her mother to Shrek City. Later, Qin Ze joined Bei Bei and the others on the hotel rooftop to watch the matches, where He Caitou discovered a Sun Moon Empire mark on one of Qin Ze’s telescopes.

• Wang Yan told the team to return to the hotel and cultivate instead of watching the other academies’ matches, while Ling Luochen said she could handle several Soul Kings.
• Qin Ze and Bei Bei discussed Qin Ze’s plan to confess to Di Yue Li during the Sea God's Affinity Blind Date.
• Qin Ze suggested that Xu San Shi bring Jiang Nannan’s mother to live in Shrek City, and Xu San Shi eagerly accepted the idea.
• Qin Ze flew to the hotel rooftop with his wings and set out sixteen telescopes he had salvaged from bandits.
• Bei Bei and the others joined Qin Ze, and He Caitou spotted a Sun Moon Empire mark on one telescope.

The Shrek reserve team watched rival Soul Kings compete and gathered on the rooftop to discuss their upcoming tournament and future growth. Ling Luochen reassured them, while Bei Bei urged the team to fight with everything they had before they parted for the night.

• Qin Ze explained that he had found the Sun Moon Empire emblem and handed out Telescopic Soul Tools, letting the team watch two Soul King contestants at Star Luo Plaza.
• Ling Luochen arrived on icy stairs and assured the team that she was not afraid of the other first-group members.
• Bei Bei called on the reserve team to reveal their hidden skills and not rely on Ling Luochen alone, and Xu San Shi vowed to fight seriously.
• Ling Luochen led the group back to the stairwell, where Qin Ze gave the Telescopic Soul Tools to everyone.
• Xu San Shi worried that their current trump cards would be remembered five years later, but Qin Ze reminded him that the team would grow stronger too.
• Bei Bei and Wang Dong told Xu San Shi that Jiang Nannan had watched him, leaving him excited.

Qin Ze reflected on the abilities of his Soul Bones before Wang Yan took Shrek Academy’s reserve team to an auction house and explained how Soul Tools were changing the Soul Fighting Competition. The group discussed the growing use of Soul Tools and entered the next round of matches with the era’s changing combat methods in mind.

• Qin Ze considered the abilities of Witch's Cloak, his External Soul Bones, and the Azure Dragon's Myriad Things Return to Spring.
• After the first round-robin matches ended, Wang Yan led the reserve team out into Star Luo City to relax before their next matches.
• Wang Yan brought the group to an auction house and explained that academies increasingly equipped soul masters with Soul Tools.
• Wang Yan predicted that future competitions would see every academy equip its students with different kinds of Soul Tools.
• Qin Ze compared Soul Tools to man-made Soul Bones and argued that soul masters should use them to keep up with the changing era.

Wang Yan brought the Shrek students to a Soul Tool auction to encourage them to accept Soul Tools as the future, and nearly everyone agreed except Wang Dong'er. The group entered the lavish underground auction house, where they were guided toward the auction area.

• Wang Yan explained that he would urge Shrek Academy to adapt to the rise of Soul Tools and invited the students to attend the auction.
• Bei Bei, Tang Ya, Ning Tian, He Caitou, Huo Yu Hao, Di Yue Li, Xiao Xiao, Xu San Shi, and Jiang Nannan agreed to support Soul Tools after discussing their reasons and concerns.
• Wang Dong'er refused to use Soul Tools and left for the Star Emperor Hotel, while Qin Ze reflected on her divided consciousness and the Auspicious Beast's changed fate.
• Huo Yu Hao went after Wang Dong'er, then returned and said she simply disliked Soul Tools.
• Wang Yan led the group into the underground auction house, where they received plates and followed a guide through its opulent corridor.

Wang Yan took the Shrek Academy group to the Starlight Auction House, where he bought several Soul Tools, including a Milk Bottle. The final auction item was unveiled, and Qin Ze recognized it as the treasure he wanted.

• Wang Yan used Dai Yueheng's help to bring the group into the auction and bid on Soul Tools for them, including a Rank 3 Paralysis Ray for Huo Yu Hao.
• Wang Yan bought a Rank 4 Milk Bottle for twenty-five thousand Gold Soul Coins, using the academy's money.
• Qin Ze grew eager as the auctioneer introduced the final item, while Huo Yu Hao suddenly covered his face and twitched.
• Qing Ya lifted the red cloth to reveal the final auction item as Qin Ze resolved to take it.

Qin Ze bought the cursed Spirit Devouring Engraving Knife at the auction, believing the azure dragon’s power could purge the evil remnant inside it. After collecting the knife, he left the auction house with Di Yue Li while Wang Yan gave them space.

• Qing Ya revealed that the Spirit Devouring Engraving Knife was a ranked engraving knife cursed after its previous owners suffered disaster.
• He Caitou recognized the knife, and the auction hall fell silent when Qing Ya announced its starting price.
• Qin Ze bid 150,000 Gold Soul Coins, and Di Yue Li and Wang Yan questioned his decision.
• Qin Ze assured Wang Yan that he would pay with his own money and could rely on his teacher, Mad Saber Douluo, for protection.
• No one else bid, so Qing Ya sold the knife to Qin Ze, and he collected it after the auction ended.
• Qin Ze and Wang Yan became purple-level clients, and Wang Yan left Qin Ze and Di Yue Li alone outside the auction house.

Qin Ze explained to Di Yue Li that he had bought the cursed carving knife for the Spirit Gold it contained, while Shrek Academy prepared to face Thousand Spirits Academy in the second round. The captains drew lots, and the match was set to be a team battle.

• Qin Ze told Di Yue Li that he planned to purge the carving knife of its evil soul and use its Spirit Gold to obtain Life Element.
• Wang Yan explained Thousand Spirits Academy's fighters and their Martial Soul Mimicry, then named Shrek's likely competitors for the different match formats.
• Ling Luochen told Ning Tian to amplify her if Shrek fought as a team, promising to demonstrate top-tier control.
• Bei Bei and Shen Ce drew lots, and the referee announced that Shrek Academy and Thousand Spirits Academy would compete in a team battle.

Shrek Academy faced Thousand Spirits Academy in a team battle, using a confusing display of soul rings and a coordinated charge. Xu San Shi leapt off the stage and used his fourth soul skill to send Shen Ce out of bounds, leaving both teams and the audience stunned.

• Wang Yan sent Shrek's seven contestants into the arena, where Ma Rulong and Elder Ma recognized Ling Luochen and studied her as a potential threat.
• The teams took their positions, and Shrek's contestants summoned their martial souls while puffing cigars; Huo Yu Hao displayed two black soul rings instead of his usual simulated set.
• Thousand Spirits Academy formed a reinforced Spirit Shield wall as An Leng Ye made the floor slick and Fei Yu Yan strengthened Shen Ce.
• Ling Luochen ordered Shrek to act, and Qin Ze's curved Spinning Blade flew around the shield wall toward the Ice Fire Dual Control before Shen Ce knocked it aside with his spear.
• With Ning Tian's support, Xu San Shi jumped off the stage and used his fourth soul skill to make Shen Ce appear on the ground below it, eliminating him.

Shrek Academy defeated Thousand Spirits Academy through Qin Ze’s tactics and Ling Luochen’s powerful ice attack, then prepared for its next difficult match while Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng remained injured. Wang Yan warned the team about their upcoming opponent’s exceptional captain and committed to planning their strategy.

• Xu San Shi used his fourth soul skill to confuse Thousand Spirits Academy, allowing Ling Luochen to freeze its remaining six members with her ice ring.
• The referee declared Shrek Academy the winner, and the team celebrated before leaving the arena.
• At Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, Elder Ma and the students discussed Shrek’s tactics and Ling Luochen’s dangerous soul skill.
• Wang Yan told Shrek’s team that their next opponent had three Soul Kings and a famously gifted captain, while Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng needed more time to recover.
• Qin Ze, Bei Bei, and Ling Luochen urged Wang Yan to proceed with the match preparations, and he agreed to go all in.

Wang Yan analyzed Zheng Tian Academy’s roster and planned Shrek’s possible match lineups, assigning Qin Ze and Di Yue Li to the opening round of a two-two-three match. Later, Qin Ze prepared to use his Azure Dragon Power on the cursed Spirit Devouring Engraving Knife while Xiao Kuangdao stood guard.

• Wang Yan explained Zheng Tian Academy’s fighters and assessed the risks of team, individual, and two-two-three matches.
• Wang Yan assigned Qin Ze and Di Yue Li to the first two-person match, Ling Luochen and Huo Yu Hao to the second, and Bei Bei, Xu San Shi, and Jiang Nannan to the final round.
• Wang Yan handed out Zheng Tian Academy’s roster analysis charts, then dismissed the group to rest before their next match.
• Qin Ze took out the sealed Spirit Devouring Engraving Knife and asked whether his Azure Dragon Power could expel its evil soul and curse.
• Xiao Kuangdao examined the knife and agreed to stand guard while Qin Ze attempted to purify it.

Qin Ze purified the Spirit Devouring Engraving Knife with the Azure Dragon’s power, cleansing its evil aura and absorbing its Spirit Gold. He left the room strengthened, while the Spirit Gold remained mysteriously beside the Azure Dragon in his spiritual space.

• Qin Ze gripped the Spirit Devouring Engraving Knife, and its sinister aura entered his Sea of Consciousness as Xiao Kuangdao shielded the room.
• The Azure Dragon swallowed the evil aura and released purifying power that cleansed the engraving knife’s remnant soul.
• The Azure Dragon melted the purified Spirit Gold and carried it through Qin Ze’s body, raising his Soul Power to rank thirty-six and strengthening his physique.
• Qin Ze noticed the Azure Dragon had kept the Spirit Gold instead of absorbing its energy, and he told Xiao Kuangdao what Spirit Gold was.
• Xiao Kuangdao left to meet Old Poison, and Qin Ze went to wash the filth from his body.

Wang Yan prepared Shrek Academy for its third-round match against Zheng Tian Academy, while Qin Ze explained the faint fragrance on him to Di Yue Li. The chapter ended with Xu Jiawei puzzling over Shrek’s unusually young lineup.

• Wang Yan told Qin Ze and Di Yue Li they could use their Martial Soul Fusion Skill if the match became dangerous.
• Di Yue Li smelled a faint fragrance on Qin Ze and questioned whether he had visited a disreputable place; Qin Ze explained it came from absorbing Spirit Gold.
• Bei Bei told Qin Ze that Di Yue Li was jealous and offered him advice about getting along with girls.
• Shrek Academy and Zheng Tian Academy arrived at Star Luo Plaza as the crowd and rival teams anticipated their match.
• Xu Jiawei examined Shrek’s roster and was surprised that eight of its fifteen listed members were under thirteen.