Chapter Summaries

As court factions competed for support amid the emperor’s worsening illness, Chen Li and Chen Ming arrived at Jing Hongchen’s residence while Jing was occupied with a prince. They waited in a secluded workshop, where Chen Li recognized equipment from Mingde Hall, until Jing Hongchen came to greet them.

• A prince visited Jing Hongchen to seek ties with his faction, while the Sun Moon Empire’s princes struggled for power as the emperor’s illness worsened.
• Chen Li avoided interrupting Jing Hongchen’s political obligations and had a servant announce his arrival.
• A Soul Douluo steward led Chen Li and Chen Ming to a private workshop in Hongchen Mansion.
• Chen Li recognized the workbenches as equipment Mingde Hall had once refused to sell him, now apparently used for the household’s junior Soul Masters.
• After about half an hour, Jing Hongchen entered the room to meet Chen Li and Chen Ming.

Chen Ming met Jing Hongchen to formally become his disciple, and Jing Hongchen accepted him after testing his Soul Master and Soul Engineer knowledge. Jing Hongchen gave him Hongchen's Guard, a Level 8 Soul Tool that could automatically protect him, though its passive trigger could activate too late to save its wearer.

• Chen Ming and Chen Li greeted Jing Hongchen, whose acceptance of Chen Ming had already been arranged through private exchanges of money and a Dragon Marrow Crystal.
• Jing Hongchen tested Chen Ming's Soul Master foundation and Soul Engineer knowledge, then expressed his willingness to take him as a disciple.
• Jing Hongchen explained that he could teach Chen Ming about Soul Tools but not combat, and gave him the Level 8 Soul Tool Hongchen's Guard.
• Chen Ming fitted Hongchen's Guard to his chest, where it conformed to his body and began absorbing his leaking Soul Power while monitoring his heartbeat.

Jing Hongchen hosted Chen Ming and Chen Li before introducing his grandchildren, Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen, who burst into the sitting room during a prank. Xiao Hongchen accidentally unleashed a foul-smelling Sanpao Worm, and Chen Li rescued the others from the stink before reviving the boy.

• Jing Hongchen showed Chen Ming and Chen Li Hongchen's Guard and invited them to a private family banquet.
• Jing Hongchen left to prepare the banquet while Chen Ming and Chen Li waited in a sitting room.
• Meng Hongchen chased Xiao Hongchen into the room, then embarrassedly greeted Chen Ming and Chen Li as seniors.
• Xiao Hongchen accidentally released a Sanpao Worm that covered everyone in a terrible stench.
• Chen Li carried Chen Ming and Meng Hongchen into the courtyard and blew the stench away, while Xiao Hongchen followed and fainted.
• Chen Li revived Xiao Hongchen, who thanked him awkwardly for saving his life.

Chen Li and Chen Ming visited Hongchen Mansion, where Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen’s prank left the courtyard in a foul-smelling mess. Jing Hongchen took Chen Ming to the training ground and arranged a spar between him and Xiao Hongchen, revealing that they were both six years old.

• Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen tried to explain their prank as Jing Hongchen arrived to find the servants dropping a ruined table of food.
• Jing Hongchen used a Soul Tool to purify the smell, then led the guests toward the training ground while the siblings feared punishment.
• Jing Hongchen asked Chen Ming to demonstrate his strength and told Xiao Hongchen to spar with him.
• Xiao Hongchen was stunned to learn that Chen Ming was six and a month and a half younger, then Jing Hongchen sent him onto the arena.
• Chen Ming jumped onto the arena using only his physical strength and landed in front of Xiao Hongchen.

Chen Ming and Xiao Hongchen faced off in a sparring match, each revealing that they were Level 15 Battle Soul Masters. The chapter left Xiao Hongchen firing Soul Tool Rays at Chen Ming, who charged through them without slowing down.

• Xiao Hongchen became uneasy after seeing Chen Ming’s strength and stature, but renewed his resolve to win.
• Xiao Hongchen and Chen Ming introduced themselves and summoned their Martial Souls.
• Xiao Hongchen used his First Soul Skill, Metal Control, and fired two Soul Guide Ray Guns at Chen Ming.
• Chen Ming endured the beams, which barely affected him, and charged straight at Xiao Hongchen.

Xiao Hongchen tried to defeat Chen Ming with Soul Tools and a trick that turned the arena floor into ice, after his ordinary attacks failed to hurt him. The chapter ended with Xiao Hongchen swinging a metal staff at Chen Ming’s knee.

• Xiao Hongchen raced around the arena and fired at Chen Ming, but Chen Ming blocked or endured his attacks without being hurt.
• Chen Ming activated his Dragon Pattern Boots and used their boost to catch up with Xiao Hongchen, then swung a powerful punch.
• Xiao Hongchen threw a Flashbang, blinding Chen Ming and himself, then scattered costly liquid across the arena and froze it with an ice-type Soul Tool.
• Xiao Hongchen used his awkward stance to stay low and swung a metal staff at Chen Ming’s knee.

Chen Ming defeated Xiao Hongchen in their sparring match with his overwhelming defense and strength, leaving Xiao unconscious but with only minor injuries. As Jing Hongchen led the group away, Meng Hongchen introduced herself and asked Chen Ming about his abilities, learning that he had a special Martial Soul and Heavenly Godly Strength.

• Xiao Hongchen struck Chen Ming's knee with his metal staff, but the attack rebounded and Chen Ming sent the staff crashing into the ground beside him.
• Xiao Hongchen punched Chen Ming's chest, injured his wrist, and asked to make peace, but Chen Ming knocked him unconscious with a punch to the abdomen.
• Chen Li caught Xiao Hongchen, and Jing Hongchen judged his injuries minor while approving of the beating.
• Jing Hongchen led Chen Ming, Meng Hongchen, and Chen Li away from the arena, while Meng Hongchen marveled at Chen Ming's unharmed body.
• Meng Hongchen introduced herself and asked how Chen Ming had endured Xiao Hongchen's Soul Tool attack, and Chen Ming credited his special Martial Soul and Heavenly Godly Strength.

After Xiao Hongchen recovered from his spar with Chen Ming, Chen Li questioned his habitual pill use and unstable Soul Power. Jing Hongchen explained Xiao’s Divine Beast Martial Soul and careless cultivation, then asked Chen Li to let Xiao train with Chen Ming in the Dragon Elephant Sect’s body-forging methods.

• Jing Hongchen brought Xiao Hongchen to recover, and Xiao reached for pills to replenish his Soul Power before Chen Li stopped him.
• Chen Li warned Jing Hongchen that Xiao’s frequent pill use seemed to have left his Soul Power unstable.
• Jing Hongchen explained that Xiao had awakened a Three-legged Golden Toad Martial Soul with true Innate Full Soul Power and could absorb Soul Power from metals.
• Jing Hongchen admitted that Xiao secretly absorbed rare metals to grow stronger and neglected training to stabilize his Soul Power.
• Jing Hongchen asked Chen Li to let Xiao train alongside Chen Ming using the Dragon Elephant Sect’s body-tempering methods, and Xiao eagerly accepted the prospect.

After Xiao Hongchen’s defeat, Jing Hongchen punished him with a brutal night of whipping and made him train alongside Chen Ming in the winter cold. Xiao Hongchen reached a new limit and resolved to surpass Chen Ming, but soon collapsed while Chen Ming kept training.

• Jing Hongchen learned about Xiao Hongchen’s dirty tricks at the banquet and his failed spar with Chen Ming, then blamed himself for spoiling his grandson.
• Jing Hongchen whipped Xiao Hongchen and sent him to train in the freezing courtyard with Chen Ming, while Jing Hongchen and a Healing Soul Master watched.
• Xiao Hongchen struggled to keep up with Chen Ming, questioning whether he really was the Sun Moon Empire’s greatest genius.
• Xiao Hongchen pushed past his limit, felt his body and Soul Power grow stronger, and vowed to surpass Chen Ming.
• Xiao Hongchen collapsed from exhaustion and received treatment, while Chen Ming maintained his pace and continued training.

After two days of brutal training, Xiao Hongchen became more composed, and Meng Hongchen arranged a break so she could avoid being trained herself. While Xiao showed Meng and Chen Ming around Mingdu, a powerful-looking prince approached them and was recognized by Meng.

• Xiao Hongchen endured two days of intense physical training and began refining himself more calmly.
• Jing Hongchen considered putting Meng Hongchen through similar training, but she persuaded him to give her and the others a holiday instead.
• Meng Hongchen secretly planned to distract Xiao so he would lose his enthusiasm for training and draw their grandfather's attention away from her.
• Xiao Hongchen took Meng Hongchen and Chen Ming around Mingdu and introduced its landmarks and restaurants.
• A richly dressed dark-skinned man approached as vendors and women fled the street, and Meng Hongchen recognized him as the prince who had visited Jing Hongchen.

Fourth Prince Xu Tianba stopped Chen Ming, Xiao Hongchen, and Meng Hongchen in the street and invited them to dine, but Chen Ming refused. Xu Tianba reconsidered Chen Ming after noticing his physique and appearance, leaving his intentions unclear.

• Xiao Hongchen identified the approaching man as Fourth Prince Xu Tianba, while Chen Ming and their guards grew wary of him.
• Xu Tianba’s powerful attendant forced Jing Hongchen’s cousin to step back, and Xu Tianba approached the group.
• Xu Tianba greeted Xiao Hongchen, Meng Hongchen, and Chen Ming, and Meng Hongchen hid behind Chen Ming as he blocked the prince’s advances.
• Chen Ming declined Xu Tianba’s invitation, citing an errand at the Auction House.
• Xu Tianba recalled that Jing Hongchen had rejected his offer to marry Meng Hongchen and that he had arranged to encounter the siblings outside their home.
• Xu Tianba studied Chen Ming’s muscular build, bronze skin, and bald head, and his expression softened.

Chen Ming rejected Xu Tianba’s advances and struck him when he tried to stop them, then invoked his ties to the Dragon Elephant Sect and Mingde Hall to warn Xu Tianba’s uncle against retaliating. Xu Tianba’s uncle knocked him unconscious rather than risk provoking those powerful factions.

• Xu Tianba tried to befriend Chen Ming and offered to buy his goods at twice the market price, but Chen Ming refused and attempted to leave with Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen.
• When Xu Tianba reached out to stop them, Chen Ming used Martial Soul Possession and punched him into a stall.
• Chen Ming identified himself as the Dragon Elephant Sect’s Young Sect Master and named his connections to Chen Li, Jing Hongchen, Xiao Hongchen, and Meng Hongchen as he challenged Xu Tianba’s group.
• Xu Tianba’s uncle silenced the injured prince by slapping him unconscious, unwilling to risk a conflict with the Dragon Elephant Sect and Mingde Hall.

Chen Li and Jing Hongchen arrived as the Fourth Prince confronted the Hongchen family, exposing Qian Hongchen’s betrayal and overwhelming the prince’s party. Jing Hongchen ordered Qian Hongchen to answer for his actions later while Chen Li held the Fourth Prince’s uncle captive.

• Chen Li and Jing Hongchen appeared, forcing the Fourth Prince to reveal his Sun Martial Soul and Level 85 cultivation.
• Jing Hongchen realized his cousin Qian Hongchen had deliberately held back despite being a stronger Level 88 Soul Douluo.
• Qian Hongchen recalled arranging for Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen to take Chen Ming out and secretly informing the Fourth Prince.
• Jing Hongchen warned Qian Hongchen that he would deal with him after they returned, while keeping him from fleeing.
• Chen Li crushed the Fourth Prince’s uncle’s Sun Martial Soul and held him captive as the man pleaded that everything was a misunderstanding.

Chen Li used his pressure to torment the Fourth Prince while calling attention to the prince’s apparent kidnapping, forcing the City Defense Army to respond. When its captain, Kong Jie, arrived, Chen Li confronted him about the death of A Zhen and explained why he had never blamed Kong Jie for surviving her sacrifice.

• Chen Li kept the Fourth Prince on the verge of collapse, easing and increasing his aura pressure as the prince struggled to adapt.
• Chen Li called out that a prince had kidnapped a noble’s descendant, prompting the City Defense Army to arrive and divide its forces between securing the scene and reporting to the palace.
• The captain, Kong Jie, recognized Chen Li, who recalled their family connection and their decades apart since A Zhen’s death.
• Chen Li told Kong Jie that A Zhen had died saving him on the battlefield and that Kong Jie had been neither a traitor nor the target of any scheme.
• Chen Li revealed that A Zhen’s father had tried to trade his life for Kong Jie’s, and that Chen Li had allowed Kong Jie to live because A Zhen would have chosen the same.
• Kong Jie remained silent as memories of A Zhen, her burial, and his later political marriage returned to him.

After Chen Ming recounted how Xu Tianba had harassed and threatened him, Kong Jie recognized the seriousness of the conflict and reflected on the Fourth Prince’s notorious past. The chapter left Xu Tianba exposed as a protected and dangerous prince whose earlier crimes had been covered up as accidents.

• Kong Jie asked Chen Ming to explain how his conflict with Xu Tianba had begun.
• Chen Ming described the day’s events in detail, including Xu Tianba’s lustful attention toward him.
• Kong Jie considered the imperial succession, noting that Xu Tianran was widely regarded as the likely future Crown Prince while Xu Tianba remained the emperor’s favored Fourth Prince.
• Kong Jie recalled Xu Tianba’s racist abuse, violence against commoners, and destruction of families whose members attracted his attention.
• Kong Jie remembered that Xu Tianba had abducted and abused Soul Masters and other men, while people who exposed or opposed him later died in supposed accidents.

Kong Jie arrested the Fourth Prince, Xu Tianba, after Chen Li surrendered the man he had been carrying. When Xu Tianba recovered enough to threaten Chen Li and his allies, Kong Jie quietly used his interrogation techniques to make him suffer while preserving his appearance.

• Kong Jie told Chen Li that Mingdu’s rules required him to surrender his Soul Power and submit to restraint, and Chen Li complied.
• Soul Engineers shackled the man Chen Li had carried and used devices to suppress his Soul Power.
• Kong Jie helped the trembling Xu Tianba to his feet and infused him with Soul Power to restore his awareness.
• Xu Tianba cursed Chen Li, the Mingde Hall, the Hongchen Family, and the Dragon Elephant Sect, and ordered his slaves to attack.
• Kong Jie became angry when Xu Tianba mangled his family crest and secretly inflicted intense pain on him with a specialized technique.
• Kong Jie’s history as the feared interrogator Black Moon and his rise to command Mingdu’s City Defense Army were revealed.

Kong Jie reflected on his debt to Chen Li and agreed to report the matter to the Emperor for judgment. The chapter then showed the ailing Emperor Xu Pingye, whose body remained strong but whose mind was deteriorating under an incurable curse.

• Kong Jie remembered how Chen Li had saved him and how he had repaid that kindness by taking Chen Li's childhood sweetheart, whose death he blamed on his own recklessness.
• Kong Jie wiped his face, bowed to Chen Li and Jing Hongchen, and said he would report the matter to His Majesty for a fair judgment.
• Chen Li and Jing Hongchen dispelled their Martial Soul Possession and waited for the matter to unfold.
• Healing Soul Masters treated Xu Pingye, but their abilities brought little improvement to his fragile mental state.
• Xu Pingye dismissed the healers and reflected that the curse afflicting him could not be cured, only slowed.

Emperor Xu Pingye regretted his alliance with the Evil Soul Masters but resolved to endure until the Sun Moon Empire’s Soul Tool research was complete. He then summoned the parties involved in Xu Tianba’s clash with Chen Ming and heard Kong Ping’s account, which left the emperor to judge the dispute.

• Xu Pingye reflected on how the curse had damaged his mind and regretted trusting the Evil Soul Masters, but remained determined to hold on until his empire’s Soul Tool research was complete.
• Xu Baoguo reported that the Fourth Prince had clashed with Chen Ming and members of the Hongchen family, and Xu Pingye called the involved parties to the palace.
• Xu Pingye convened a hearing with Chen Ming’s group, Xu Tianba, and the City Defense Army officers, while Xu Tianran watched from beside the emperor.
• Kong Ping recounted that Xu Tianba had threatened to destroy the Dragon Elephant Sect and the Hongchen Family, then mentioned that being cursed at had destabilized his Soul Power and may have caused Xu Tianba pain.

Xu Pingye confronted Xu Tianba and his companions over the street incident, while the Fourth Prince’s outburst and the Emperor’s anger exposed the political tensions around the Imperial Family. Xu Pingye ordered Xu Tianran to escort the three young guests out, and Xu Tianba mistakenly thought the command was for him.

• Xu Pingye unleashed his Titled Douluo pressure after learning why the two sides had nearly fought, and Xu Tianba lost control and cursed at Kong Ping and the others.
• A Titled Douluo eunuch sealed Xu Tianba’s movements and calmed him, while Chen Li recognized the man’s techniques and suspected his origins.
• The oversized nigga knelt before Xu Pingye and described the street conflict as a misunderstanding, downplaying Xu Tianba’s role.
• Xu Pingye nearly attacked the oversized nigga but restrained himself after the eunuch sent him a warning.
• Xu Pingye told Xu Tianran to take Xiao Hongchen, Meng Hongchen, and the next generation’s Dragon Elephant Duke outside, and Xu Tianran obeyed as Xu Tianba misunderstood the order.

Xu Tianran led Chen Ming, Xiao Hongchen, and Meng Hongchen away from the Emperor’s palace chambers, while the Emperor’s armed guards watched and considered the political implications. As he tried to understand why Jing Hongchen had accepted Chen Ming as a disciple, Xu Tianran suspected either a favor or exceptional talent.

• Xu Tianran emerged from the palace with Chen Ming, Xiao Hongchen, and Meng Hongchen, telling the guards that the Emperor had ordered them taken somewhere secluded.
• The armed guards checked the four for Soul Power fluctuations and the scent of blood, then let them leave without escorting them.
• Xu Tianran brought the three to a pavilion in a secluded palace garden and invited them to sit; Chen Ming sat down with Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen.
• Xu Tianran reflected that the Hongchen Family and Dragon Elephant Sect had little political connection and wondered why Jing Hongchen had accepted Chen Ming as a disciple.
• Xu Tianran ruled out payment as the reason and considered that Jing Hongchen might owe Chen Ming a favor or recognize his talent.