Chapter Summaries

Yan joined Xu Kun's team after testing her strength against him, and they returned to the Ice Wolf Mountain Range to hunt. As Sikong Ting drew a huge swarm of Ice Demon Wolves toward them, Xu Kun suddenly collapsed in pain.

• Yan introduced herself as an Angel and asked to fight alongside Xu Kun, who tested her with a sword duel before agreeing to let her join under strict orders.
• The team headed back to the Ice Wolf Mountain Range, where Yan offered to lure monsters but Xu Kun sent Sikong Ting ahead instead.
• Zhan Rourou explained that she hoped to build ties between the human race and the Angel Race, and Xu Kun warned her to be cautious before giving her a Dark Department skill book.
• Xu Kun gave Hao Jian an SS-tier status skill book, then Sikong Ting returned with a stampede of Ice Demon Wolves and two Ice Demon Wolf Kings pursuing him.
• As Xu Kun prepared to fight, a splitting pain struck his head and he dropped to his knees.

Xu Kun lost consciousness from soul power backlash as Yan and his teammates fought off the Ice Demon Wolf packs. Yan killed one Ice Demon Wolf King with her Holy Flame Imprint, but she sensed an ambusher just as the battle seemed to turn in their favor.

• Shen-bao caught Xu Kun as he collapsed from soul power backlash, while Yan and the others moved to hold off the advancing Ice Demon Wolves.
• Yan drew nearly ten thousand wolves toward herself, while Hao Jian and Su Xiaoxiao worked together to hold back another pack and fight its Ice Demon Wolf King.
• Sikong Ting and Zhan Rourou protected Xu Kun and Shen-bao as another Ice Demon Wolf King gathered an ice cloud over them.
• Yan charged through the wolves and used Secret Art: Six-Pointed Star: Holy Flame Imprint to kill the Ice Demon Wolf King and blast away the wolves around her.
• Yan noticed an ambusher before she could react to Sikong Ting scolding her for destroying the Ice Demon Wolf King.

Xu Kun and his companions fought their way through the Ice Wolf Mountain Range, and Shen-bao helped him recover from the backlash of his soul. After three days of relentless leveling, the team reached level 5 of the twelfth tier, while Xu Kun worried about Yang Yao ahead of the Academy Tournament.

• A Polar Ice Demon Wolf lunged at Shen-bao while she treated Xu Kun, but Xu Kun woke, stopped its claw, and crushed it with Starfall Nine Heavens.
• Xu Kun led the group in fighting Ice Demon Wolves until nightfall, and the exhausted companions left the Haotian Pagoda one by one.
• After Shen-bao whispered to him, Xu Kun stayed behind with her for another hour, then used a Minor Energy Pill to continue leveling alone.
• Over the next three days, Xu Kun's six-person team hunted Ice Demon Wolves and wolf-race trial participants, and everyone reached level 5 of the twelfth tier.
• Xu Kun left the Haotian Pagoda exhausted, declined Sikong Ting's invitation, and fell asleep thinking of Yao Yao before the Academy Tournament.

Xu Kun and his friends headed to Hundred Battles Mountain for the Academy Tournament, where the terrifying Panshi Gate tested the students’ resolve. Xu Kun passed through calmly, drawing the academy leaders’ attention just as the tournament was about to begin.

• Xu Kun woke up late, joined Sikong Ting and Duan Yu, and learned that the Academy Tournament would be held at Hundred Battles Mountain.
• Sikong Ting explained the mountain’s powerful formation and the rumors of a Saint-level beast beneath Cloudy Marsh as they joined students from many places and races on the way to the venue.
• At Panshi Gate, the baleful aura from its skulls frightened many freshmen, but Xu Kun passed through without hesitation and understood the gate’s message about an unwavering heart.
• Academy leaders argued over whether sheltered students lacked the toughness humanity needed, then noticed Xu Kun’s composure and praised his temperament.
• Kong Shizhan claimed Xu Kun for the Wind Institute, and the academy announced that the tournament was about to begin.

Xu Kun attended Imperial Capital Academy’s tournament opening ceremony and learned how the Hidden Dragon and Dragon-Tiger Rankings worked. As the previous freshmen’s names vanished from the Hidden Dragon Rankings, the ceremony moved on to summon the institute champions and ranked geniuses.

• Sage Dong arrived above Hundred Battles Mountain, and the gathered leaders, guests, and students bowed to him.
• Xu Kun went to Wind Coil Mountain with Sikong Ting, while Duan Yu ran off to greet Lady Wang.
• Sikong Ting explained that the Xu brothers managed the rankings and Human Race Forum, and described the resources and opportunities awarded to Hidden Dragon Rankings contestants.
• Xu Kun wondered whether the powerful figure awaiting him at Imperial Capital Academy wanted to assess his tournament performance before approaching him.
• The previous intake’s names disappeared from the Hidden Dragon Rankings, leaving it blank for the new freshmen, and Xu Shao summoned the institute champions and Dragon-Tiger Rankings geniuses.

Xu Kun learned how the Dragon-Tiger Rankings worked as their champions and listed prodigies took their seats. He became interested in challenging the rankings, and the Alchemy Institute champion appeared next.

• A staircase and thrones appeared above the Dragon-Tiger Rankings, and Gongshu Ye took the lowest seat as the Forging Institute champion and twentieth-ranked prodigy.
• Sikong Ting explained that ranking contestants were judged by combat ability and, in some cases, Forging Art or alchemy, and that many senior prodigies would soon be forced to graduate.
• Sikong Ting described the academy’s challenge rules, including eligibility through the Hidden Dragon Rankings, reaching level twenty, or paying Credit Points.
• Xu Kun expressed interest in the Dragon-Tiger Rankings and noted that he had someone on the list he needed to deal with.
• The Alchemy Institute champion emerged from Jade Mountain.

Xu Kun and Sikong Ting watched the Dragon-Tiger-ranked champions arrive and discussed the powerful families behind them. Shentu Ba threatened Xu Kun before taking his seat, and Gongsun Jing stepped forward as the fifteenth-ranked contender.

• Li Dongbi of the Li Family arrived as the Alchemy Institute champion, and Kong Shizhan explained his standing as a B-rank apothecary and Grandmaster Hongjing’s personal disciple.
• Sikong Ting told Xu Kun about the Li Family’s influence and pointed out a sleeping, drunken Wind Institute champion seated among Heavenly King-level professors.
• Kong Changyao of the Earth Institute arrived in eighteenth place, and Xu Kun mocked his ranking while Sikong Ting vowed that his brother would avenge him.
• Lin Yi of the Lin Family arrived in seventeenth place, and Xu Kun recognized him as the younger brother of Commander Lin, who had helped him in Jiangnan.
• Shentu Ba of the Shentu Family arrived in sixteenth place, taunted Xu Kun with a throat-cutting gesture, and took his seat.
• Gongsun Jing, the Wind Institute vice champion, arrived in fifteenth place.

Xu Kun learned about the Dragon-Tiger Rankings prodigies Gongsun Jing, Baili Ci, and Zhang Guanqi as they took their seats. After Xu Kun praised Zhang Guanqi as a silent gentleman, Zhang Guanqi looked directly at him and smiled.

• Xu Kun learned that Gongsun Jing was the Wind Institute's deputy champion, descended from the Xuanyuan Lord's lineage, and hoped to advance before his academy years ended.
• Baili Ci arrived on a War King-level giant eagle and took the Strength Hall representative's seat on the rankings.
• Freshmen mocked a cane-bearing young man until seniors warned them that Zhang Guanqi was a Zhang Family prodigy and the Demon Hall's pride.
• Lord Dong announced Zhang Guanqi's arrival, and Sikong Ting explained that he was deaf, blind, and mute, yet an S-tier formation grandmaster famed for chess-based formations.
• Xu Kun called Zhang Guanqi a silent gentleman, and Zhang Guanqi turned toward him, smiled faintly, and lowered his head.

Xu Kun watched the Dragon-Tiger Rankings geniuses arrive and learned about their backgrounds and rivalries. With several seats filled and the tenth-ranked Shangguan Yuanwei still absent, he wondered about Sima Dai's standing among the Dark and Poison Institutes.

• Chu Weiwei quietly took her seat beside Zhang Guanqi, and Sikong Ting identified her as a Light Department student from the Rare Academy.
• Dong Zaitian arrived riding an Azure Water Golden-Eyed Beast, introduced himself as the Beast Institute champion, and was scolded by his grandfather, Lord Dong, for not wearing his uniform.
• Zhai Xingzi appeared at the ninth seat as the Poison Institute champion, while Sikong Ting told Xu Kun about the absent tenth-ranked Shangguan Yuanwei and her reputation for beating men who crossed her.
• Bao Xu took the eighth seat as the Rare Academy's Soul Department champion, and Shadow emerged from black mist to claim seventh place as the Dark Institute champion.
• Sikong Ting explained that Shadow fiercely defended Sima Dai's reputation, leaving Xu Kun puzzled about Sima Dai's status as a dual specialist in dark arts and poison.

Xu Kun learned that Sima Dai viewed him as a threat to his future claim to the Martial King title. As Dragon-Tiger Rankings prodigies gathered at Hundred Battles Mountain, the drunken Li Taibai arrived and announced himself as the Wind Institute’s champion, ranked third.

• Sikong Ting explained Sima Dai’s standing and his chance to become Martial King, and Xu Kun realized Sima Dai might see him as an obstacle.
• Kuzan arrived on a bicycle across a river of ice and took his place on the sixth throne.
• Lord Dong pulled Dugu Yun and Xiang Longtu out of their midair fight and made them introduce themselves as the fifth-ranked and Thunder Institute prodigies.
• Kong Shizhan woke the drunken Wind Institute representative, who staggered up the rankings’ steps and recited a poem for the gathered prodigies.
• The drunkard summoned his sword, raised a green lotus, and introduced himself as Green Lotus Scholar Li Taibai, the third-ranked Dragon-Tiger Rankings champion of the Wind Institute.

The Dragon-Tiger Rankings prodigies assembled at Hundred Battles Mountain as Li Taibai and then the champion, Sima Dai, made dramatic entrances. When the rankings monument revealed the runner-up's name, Xu Kun froze at the sight of “Flowing Clouds.”

• Li Taibai arrived amid fireworks and cheers, while Sikong Ting explained the strength and standing of the Dragon-Tiger Rankings prodigies.
• Xu Kun noticed Duan Yu pursuing Lady Wang, who revealed that her cousin was the runner-up and her beloved; her attendants mocked Duan Yu, and he resolved to try for the rankings anyway.
• Black whirlwinds swept over Hundred Battles Mountain before gathering into Sima Dai, whose overwhelming presence stirred even the other prodigies.
• Sima Dai introduced himself, and Xu Shao activated the rankings monument, which named Sima Dai champion and displayed “Flowing Clouds” as runner-up, leaving Xu Kun frozen.

Xu Kun learned that the Academy Tournament used a one-chance gauntlet to decide the freshmen’s Hidden Dragon Rankings, with eligibility limited to students who had cleared the Haotian Pagoda’s first ten floors. The rules left Xu Kun questioning whether later challengers truly had the advantage.

• Xu Kun recognized Murong Fu as the Dragon-Tiger Rankings runner-up and saw the academy’s gathered prodigies listed on the stone stele.
• Lord Dong opened the Academy Tournament with the academy’s survival-of-the-fittest rule and sat atop a peak to watch.
• Kong Shizhan explained that freshmen would compete in gauntlet battles for places on the Hidden Dragon Rankings and monthly Credit Point rewards.
• Kong Shizhan announced that only students who had cleared the first ten floors of the Haotian Pagoda could participate, disappointing many freshmen.
• Kong Shizhan said the first student to enter Hundred Battles Mountain would claim first place and defend it against challengers, each of whom had only one attempt.
• Xu Kun frowned at the format, which appeared to favor students who waited to challenge later.

Kong Shizhan explained the Academy Tournament’s Hidden Dragon Rankings, including how rankings could change, how freshmen could challenge ranked students, and the costs of paid challenges. Xu Jing then officially began the placement matches, but no one volunteered to take the stage first.

• Kong Shizhan said the academy would allow a student who proved invincible among their peers to dominate the rankings beyond the usual top hundred, as Li Taibai had once done.
• Kong Shizhan explained that tournament rankings could shift and that only students who made the Hidden Dragon Rankings during the event could seek guidance from Dragon-Tiger Rankings prodigies.
• Kong Shizhan told the freshmen they would receive three free monthly challenges against students no more than ten ranks above them, with further challenges costing increasing amounts of Credit Points.
• Kong Shizhan revealed that Dugu Yun had spent 2,550 Credit Points challenging Xiang Longtu eleven times and narrowly lost every time.
• Xu Jing announced that the Academy Tournament placement matches had begun, but the students hesitated to take the stage.

Xu Kun and Sikong Ting watched as the Academy Tournament began on Hundred Battles Mountain, where students fought for places on the Hidden Dragon Rankings. After the mountain’s protective formation was activated, Shen Tu Bao won his first match but was eventually defeated, and more freshmen stepped forward to challenge one another.

• Kong Shizhan stopped Xu Kun from entering the tournament and made him accept 200 Credit Points to behave, while Xu Kun and Sikong Ting agreed to save their strength and promote Kun Gate.
• Shen Tu Zheng sent Shen Tu Bao to Hundred Battles Mountain as the first defender, and Xu Jing inscribed his details below Princess Yaoyao, whose SSS-tier talent kept her in first place.
• Xu Kun asked how the tournament would prevent deaths, so Lord Dong and the institute heads activated a formation that prevented fighters from dying and contained battle damage.
• Shen Tu Bao defeated Run Tu by breaking his shield and kicking him from the mountain, prompting Kong Shizhan to warn that damaged equipment could not be restored.
• Shen Tu Bao won three matches before an Earth Institute boxer defeated him, moving Shen Tu Bao to third and the boxer to second on the Hidden Dragon Rankings.
• More freshmen entered Hundred Battles Mountain and began challenging one another.

Xu Kun recognized that the Academy Tournament’s ruthless challenge format awakened students’ fighting spirit and drew attention to promising fighters. After Nangong Guang’s ten-win streak ended, an Emperor Realm expert offered to take him as a student, revealing another purpose of the tournament.

• Xu Kun watched Nangong Guang of Kun Gate defeat eight challengers and identified him as a promising A-rank talent.
• Nangong Guang defeated an Ice Institute student, then overcame Shangguan Can after Shangguan’s energy ran out, earning ten consecutive victories.
• Xu Kun arranged for Dongfang Fan to challenge the exhausted Nangong Guang, and Dongfang defeated him with a Water Arrow Technique.
• Dongfang Fan told Nangong Guang that Xu Kun had arranged the match and that Kun Gate would have a place for him.
• An expert hidden behind Lord Dong’s peak offered to take Nangong Guang as a student after the Academy Tournament.

After the freshmen were urged to fight without holding back, the battles on Hundred Battles Mountain intensified, and Baili Qi set a record with one hundred consecutive victories. As Baili Qi’s strength began to fade, Kayn of the Dark Institute stepped onto the mountain to end his streak.

• Kong Shizhan told the Wind Institute freshmen that the tournament grew harsher over time and urged them to fight boldly.
• Dongfang Fan defeated three challengers before surrendering to a fourth, and the stream of battles on Hundred Battles Mountain grew increasingly fierce.
• Baili Qi defeated the Wind Institute swordsman who had won nine matches in a row, then began building his own winning streak with precise archery.
• Baili Qi defeated a succession of B-tier, A-tier, and S-tier challengers, reaching one hundred consecutive victories.
• As Baili Qi grew exhausted, Kayn of the Dark Institute arrived with a scythe and declared that he would end Baili Qi’s streak.

Kayn used the Giant Scythe Rhaast to crush Baili Qi and overwhelm hundreds of freshmen at Hundred Battles Mountain, reaching 999 consecutive victories. As Kayn taunted the crowd for another challenger, a familiar freshman stepped onto the arena, leaving Sikong Ting doubtful he could win.

• Kayn swiftly defeated Baili Qi, breaking his record of 150 consecutive wins with the Giant Scythe Rhaast, which Thor identified as his clan’s missing SSS-grade Supreme Artifact.
• Baili Ci came to support Baili Qi, relayed their teacher’s warning that few freshmen could match Kayn, and left with his younger brother while glaring coldly at Kayn.
• Kayn challenged the waiting freshmen and defeated them with a single scythe swing each, completing 800 consecutive wins and taking eighty-ninth place on the Hidden Dragon Rankings.
• Kayn defeated an S-tier greatsword wielder after wearing down his weapon, then continued his streak despite the crowd’s outrage.
• After Kayn defeated his 999th opponent, a freshman stepped onto the arena, and Sikong Ting recognized him as “the simp” and wondered whether he could win.

Duan Yu challenged Kayn at Hundred Battles Mountain, first embarrassing himself before revealing his SS-tier Light Department talent and eerie evasive skills. He wounded Kayn in their first clash, but his next attack failed, leaving Kayn furious and the fight unresolved.

• Duan Yu sprinted into Hundred Battles Mountain, crashed through a boulder, then challenged Kayn and dodged his scythe strikes with an unusual movement technique.
• Duan Yu announced that he was a Tier 12, Level 2 Light Department student from the Rare Academy with SS-tier talent, shocking the spectators and Lady Wang.
• Xu Kun explained that Duan Yu had the North Sea Divine Art, which doubled his experience gain and helped him level rapidly.
• Kayn dismissed attribute suppression and attacked Duan Yu, but Duan Yu evaded his scythe and pierced his shoulder with a beam of light.
• Duan Yu tried to attack again, but his finger technique failed, and Kayn threatened to chop him into pieces.

Duan Yu battled Kayn on Hundred Battles Mountain, using the Six Meridian Divine Sword and Lingbo Microstep to turn the fight around despite Kayn’s deadly shadow techniques. After Duan Yu survived Kayn’s ultimate attack with a life-saving jade pendant, Kayn sacrificed his blood to awaken Rhaast, and Duan Yu answered with his final Guanchong Sword.

• Kayn chased Duan Yu across the mountain peaks, but Duan Yu blasted him back with Shaoshang Sword and later drove off his shadows with Zhongchong Sword.
• Kayn used Rhasa's Shadow to pierce Duan Yu, but a life-saving jade pendant protected Duan Yu from the attack.
• Duan Yu renewed the fight for Lady Wang and used ranged sword strikes with his pinkies to keep Kayn at a distance and weaken his shadow aura.
• Kayn refused to surrender and sacrificed his blood to awaken Rhaast, while Duan Yu warned him against falling into the demonic path.
• Duan Yu unleashed Guanchong Sword and pressed its gathered light against Kayn's chest.

Duan Yu defeated Kayn by using the North Sea Divine Art to sever Rhaast’s connection and drain Kayn’s experience, but a Saint-level powerhouse took the unconscious Kayn away. As the Academy Tournament continued, an unfamiliar challenger descended to face the injured Duan Yu, prompting Xu Kun to recognize him as Ke'er.

• Duan Yu used the North Sea Divine Art to stop Kayn from awakening Rhaast, absorbed some of Kayn’s experience, and caused Kayn to lose five levels.
• Xu Jing declared Duan Yu the winner, ending Kayn’s near-complete thousand-man streak.
• A Saint-level powerhouse accompanied by a Demi-Saint tiger seized the unconscious Kayn and took him toward the depths of Black Mountain.
• Thor told Xu Kun that Rhaast was unlikely to be a replica and pointed out that Kayn and Shadow shared an aura resembling Zed’s.
• After Lord Dong announced the tournament would continue, a white-robed man descended to challenge the wounded Duan Yu, and Xu Kun recognized him as Ke'er.