Chapter Summaries

Ma Hongjun won his first Individual Competition match after his Phoenix Fire countered his opponent, while Flender arranged a potential partner for him. The chapter ended with Flender returning to dinner alone and revealing that Ma Hongjun would be busy all night with the woman he had found.

• Ma Hongjun overheard the others discussing a solution to his lifelong problem and eagerly agreed to Flender arranging a match for him.
• The Individual Competition began, and Dai Mubai was eliminated in the first round by Feng Xiaotian.
• Tang San and Huang San won their matches easily, while Ma Hongjun narrowly defeated a level-forty-one Soul Ancestor whose Martial Soul was countered by his Evil Fire.
• After the matches, Flender took Ma Hongjun aside, and Ma Hongjun excitedly followed him.
• Flender returned to the courtyard at night without Ma Hongjun and hinted that he had found him a woman to spend the night with.

Flender told the Shrek group that he had arranged for Ma Hongjun to marry Zhang Yulan, a wealthy widow and Soul Emperor in her fifties, and the students laughed at the match before reconsidering after hearing about her generous payment. The next morning, Ma Hongjun’s absence left the courtyard unusually quiet, and the others noticed how strange it felt.

• Oscar and Dai Mubai questioned Flender about the woman he had found for Ma Hongjun, while Li Yusong asked him to arrange a match for him too.
• Flender revealed that Zhang Yulan was a widow in her fifties with two married sons and grandchildren around Ma Hongjun’s age, prompting the group to laugh at the arrangement.
• Flender explained that Zhang Yulan had offered him a hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins and wanted Ma Hongjun to marry into her family, leading Dai Mubai and Oscar to reconsider the match.
• Flender said Zhang Yulan was a suitable partner in every respect besides her age and that Ma Hongjun seemed willing to marry her.
• The next morning, Tang San, Dai Mubai, Oscar, and Huang San noticed the courtyard was unusually quiet without Ma Hongjun’s morning noises.

Ma Hongjun returned to the Shrek Academy group looking smug after spending the night with Sister Yulan, then faced ridicule from Dai Mubai and Flender. In the second-round match, his unsteady legs and weakened Phoenix Flame left him struggling against a Plant Academy opponent.

• Ma Hongjun boasted to Oscar and Dai Mubai about Sister Yulan, and Dai Mubai mocked him while taunting him about being eliminated in the first round.
• Ma Hongjun fired back at Dai Mubai, and Flender stopped their argument before the draw and matches began.
• Tang San and Huang San each easily defeated their opponents and advanced to the next round.
• Ma Hongjun struggled against a Level 43 control-system Soul Ancestor from Plant Academy, stumbling and unleashing weaker Phoenix Flame than in his previous match.
• Dai Mubai laughed that Sister Yulan had drained Ma Hongjun, while Flender worried that Ma Hongjun had ignored his warning to restrain himself.

Ma Hongjun lost his Individual Competition match after his poor condition let a Plant Academy contestant bind him with vines and throw him from the arena. Flender scolded the remaining Shrek students, then agreed to search for the missing Teacher Shao Xin after Tang San and the others raised concerns.

• Dai Mubai and Oscar mocked Ma Hongjun's womanizing as his match turned against him.
• A Plant Academy contestant bound Ma Hongjun with vines and threw him from the arena, ending his Individual Competition run in the second preliminary round.
• Ma Hongjun hurried away to stay at Yulan's place, leaving Flender to scold the other students.
• Tang San asked Flender where Teacher Shao Xin had gone, and Flender accused Shao Xin of leaving Shrek Academy for a better opportunity.
• Tang San, Dai Mubai, and Oscar urged Flender to make sure Shao Xin was safe, so Flender decided to go look for him.

After returning from the Spirit Arena, Tang San and the others found Li Yusong roasting a suckling pig instead of their usual lamb. Dai Mubai suspected the lamb had come from Ma Hongjun’s used sheep, and Li Yusong fled when pressed for an explanation.

• Flender left the preparation area to search the Spirit Arena entrances for an old acquaintance, while Dai Mubai and the others relaxed.
• Tang San and the others returned to the courtyard and found Li Yusong serving roasted suckling pig.
• Oscar and Dai Mubai noticed that Li Yusong was eating unusually eagerly and claiming he had not eaten meat in a long time.
• Dai Mubai accused Li Yusong of serving them sheep that Ma Hongjun had used.
• Li Yusong stammered that the sheep had been disposed of, then hurried out of the courtyard to avoid answering.

Dai Mubai and the others realized Li Yusong had fed them filthy food, while Shao Xin’s profitable day ended with Flender chasing him through Heaven Dou City. Shao Xin was finally cornered in an alley, where he accused Flender of pursuing him for his savings.

• Li Yusong fled the courtyard, confirming Dai Mubai and the others’ suspicions and making Tang San, Oscar, and Huang San violently nauseous.
• Shao Xin deposited his Sugar Bean earnings at Continental General Bank and dreamed of buying a courtyard in Heaven Dou City.
• Flender spotted Shao Xin outside the bank, and Shao Xin fled to keep him from taking his money.
• Flender chased Shao Xin through busy streets without using Spirit Skills, and Shao Xin eventually ran out of stamina in a back alley.
• Flender claimed he had been worried about Shao Xin and said Shrek Academy had missed him, but Shao Xin accused him of wanting his savings.

Flender tried to persuade Shao Xin to invest in Shrek Academy, but Shao Xin demanded his unpaid dividends and learned that Flender had invested the sponsorship money in the Purple Pearl Group. Flender insisted the investment was legitimate because the Empire backed the shipping conglomerate.

• Flender argued that Shao Xin should invest in Shrek Academy’s future and promised generous returns.
• Shao Xin demanded dividends from the Academy’s recent advertising and sponsorship income.
• Flender said the money was gone because he had invested it, claiming his investment had already earned nearly fifty percent.
• Shao Xin worried that Flender had been scammed and warned him about losing the capital.
• Flender declared that he had invested in the Purple Pearl Group, which he claimed was supported by the Empire and approved by the Imperial Maritime Bureau.

Flender persuaded Shao Xin to invest his entire fortune in the supposedly Empire-backed Purple Pearl Group, then brought the money to Captain Lu. The chapter ended with Flender presenting Shao Xin’s savings card as additional investment in the scheme.

• Flender showed Shao Xin a document bearing the Tight Pearl Group and Empire maritime department seals, convincing him the investment was legitimate.
• Shao Xin agreed to invest all his savings and handed Flender a card containing one and a half million Gold Soul Coins.
• Flender promised Shao Xin large returns and left, while Shao Xin eagerly anticipated his profits.
• Flender met Captain Lu at an upscale tavern and offered Shao Xin’s savings card as new investment in the Purple Pearl Group.

Flender accepted Captain Lu’s investment certificate and eagerly promised to add more money, convinced the voyage would bring enormous returns. The next morning, he left Tang San and Huang San without a teacher at their matches while taking Dai Mubai and Oscar away on an undisclosed academy task.

• Captain Lu gave Flender a certificate for his investment and promised that the upcoming fleet voyage could yield three to five times the money invested.
• Flender told Captain Lu he would return in three days with a larger investment and planned to persuade Shao Xin to raise more money by selling Sugar Beans.
• Flender told Tang San and Huang San he would miss their individual points matches because of urgent academy business, and advised them to seek Shao Xin if they needed help.
• Flender ordered Dai Mubai and Oscar to accompany him on an important task, then left the courtyard with them.

Flender took Dai Mubai and Oscar to the Continental General Bank and praised their talent and tournament success to secure a loan against their future prospects. The bank manager reviewed their documents, while Dai Mubai and Oscar realized Flender intended to borrow as much as possible in their names.

• Tang San complained to Huang San that Flender had left the team without a teacher, then they headed to the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena.
• Flender brought Dai Mubai and Oscar to the Continental General Bank, where they suspected he might be giving them bonuses.
• Flender praised Dai Mubai and Oscar to the bank manager, describing their talents, achievements, and potential future earnings.
• Dai Mubai and Oscar realized Flender planned to use their prospects as collateral for a loan, and Dai Mubai tried to interrupt him.
• The bank manager checked Dai Mubai and Oscar's identification, academy certificates, and tournament records.

Flender persuaded Dai Mubai and Oscar to take out enormous loans and invest the funds in his supposedly lucrative Purple Pearl Group scheme. After the two left the bank burdened by debt, Flender summoned a battered Li Yusong back inside and threatened him.

• Dai Mubai and Oscar signed loan contracts after Flender reassured them that his investment plan would bring huge profits.
• A bank account manager issued them a crystal card containing their approved loan funds and warned them about repayment and enforcement.
• Flender told Dai Mubai and Oscar to keep the loan and investment secret from Tang San and Huang San, and they left the bank uneasy.
• Li Yusong emerged from hiding, and Flender ordered him back into the bank while warning him not to repeat his offense.

Flender raised more money for Captain Lu’s Pearl Group investment and was told the fleet would leave within days, while Huang San learned that his round-of-sixteen opponent was Ning Rongrong. Her Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda and suspected Soul Ancestor status left him stunned and questioning how she had entered the Individual Competition.

• Flender borrowed money from Li Yusong and Shao Xin and delivered the funds to Captain Lu in exchange for more Pearl Group equity certificates.
• Captain Lu told Flender that the fleet’s departure might be moved up and communications could be cut off, and Flender eagerly promised to wait for the promised returns.
• Over the next three days, Flender considered borrowing from Tang San and Huang San but backed down because he feared Tang San’s powerful uncle.
• The Heaven Dou Competition Zone’s Individual Competition preliminaries ended, and sixteen Soul Masters qualified for the ranking matches before the trip to Spirit City.
• Flender told Huang San that his round-of-sixteen opponent was a Support System Soul Master, Ning Rongrong.
• Huang San saw that Ning Rongrong possessed the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda and was suspected to be a Soul Ancestor, then asked Flender how she had entered the competition.

Tang San was eliminated by Feng Xiaotian in an instant, leaving him shaken by the strength of Dao Seeking Academy. Huang San then faced Ning Rongrong, whose unexpected appearance and striking beauty deepened his suspicions about her replacement spot.

• Flender explained that Ning Rongrong had replaced a withdrawn contestant and warned Huang San not to hurt the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect’s young princess.
• Tang San learned that Flender had gathered no intelligence on Feng Xiaotian because the information was too expensive.
• Feng Xiaotian defeated Tang San in less than a second by tossing him out of the arena before he could use a Spirit Skill.
• Tang San wondered whether he was weak or Feng Xiaotian was overwhelmingly strong, and became curious about Dao Seeking Academy.
• Flender accepted Tang San’s loss and looked forward to using Huang San’s top-eight performance for recruitment.
• Huang San took the stage against Ning Rongrong and was surprised by her refined appearance.

Ning Rongrong defeated Huang San almost instantly by forming a nine-colored sword from her Soul Power and striking with astonishing speed. Huang San left the arena shaken, suspecting her abilities came from Dao Seeking Academy and wondering what Great Emperor Shenwu Zhao Linchuan intended.

• Ning Rongrong condensed nine-colored Soul Power into a sword and attacked Huang San with swift, precise footwork.
• Huang San hesitated in shock, and Ning Rongrong stopped her sword at his throat, ending the match.
• Ning Rongrong teased Huang San before the referee declared her the winner, drawing cheers from the spectators.
• Huang San replayed the fight and concluded Ning Rongrong's abilities likely came from Dao Seeking Academy.
• Huang San grew curious about Dao Seeking Academy and Great Emperor Shenwu Zhao Linchuan's motives.

Feng Xiaotian and Huo Wu’s devastating semifinal battle left both fighters gravely injured, allowing Ning Rongrong to claim the Heaven Dou Competition Zone individual championship. The Shrek Academy group then arrived in Spirit City, where its grandeur impressed them and Flender joked about moving the academy there.

• Feng Xiaotian and Huo Wu fought a fierce semifinal, and Huo Wu used Ring Fusion to unleash Huo Wu Blazing Sun after her Chenyan Greatsword shattered.
• A protective Dragon Flame and a red figure intervened to save Feng Xiaotian and Huo Wu, who both withdrew from the remaining matches with severe injuries.
• Ning Rongrong advanced to the final without fighting and became the Heaven Dou Competition Zone Individual Ranking Tournament champion.
• The qualified teams and contestants boarded a special train to Spirit City after the individual competition ended.
• The Shrek Academy group admired Spirit City, and Flender proposed moving the academy there before Dai Mubai, Tang San, and Ma Hongjun teased him.

Tang San and the Shrek group traveled to Dao Seeking Academy to test themselves on its famous Ask Dao Ladder. They reached Ask Dao Mountain and were awed by its scale and the legend of Zhao Linchuan moving it, then stood at the daunting steps before the trial.

• Tang San proposed that the group visit Dao Seeking Academy's Ask Dao Ladder, and Flender agreed to take them the next morning.
• The Shrek group set out from their lodgings and joined other academy teams traveling to Dao Seeking Academy.
• The group reached Ask Dao Mountain and stared in awe at its towering peak and golden-lit jade steps.
• Tang San and Flender recalled the legend that Great Emperor Shenwu had moved the mountain from far away, while Huang San wondered about Zhao Linchuan's power and origins.
• Oscar worried that the climb would exhaust him, and Ma Hongjun joked that he would carry him before Oscar teased him about his own condition.

Tang San, Huang San, and the Shrek students climbed the Ask Dao Ladder, where the results revealed their limits and Feng Xiaotian's exceptional potential. Tang San struggled to accept that Feng Xiaotian had climbed a hundred steps higher, while Ma Hongjun asked Flender to visit Yulan in Spirit City.

• Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun challenged each other to climb higher on the Ask Dao Ladder, wagering that the loser would serve the winner for a day.
• Tang San, Huang San, Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and Oscar began the trial, facing mounting pressure and illusions as they climbed.
• Oscar stopped at step three hundred, Ma Hongjun reached step four hundred, and Dai Mubai gave up at step four hundred and ninety-nine.
• Tang San climbed to step six hundred and fifteen, while Huang San reached step six hundred and ten, prompting Flender to predict they could become Titled Douluo.
• Tang San learned that Feng Xiaotian had reached step seven hundred and fifteen, and he questioned why his Twin Martial Souls had not given him a higher result.
• After returning to the mountain's foot exhausted, Ma Hongjun told Flender that Yulan was staying at a nearby inn and asked to visit her.

Ma Hongjun rushed off to see Sister Yulan while Flender sent the exhausted Shrek Team members to rest and went to meet the Zhang Sang and Zhang Miao brothers. At Pope's Palace, Qian Renxue warned Zhao Linchuan that Asura God was making moves, then Zhao Linchuan whisked her away after suggesting they have another child.

• Flender warned Ma Hongjun to restrain himself before the Team Competition, and Ma Hongjun hurried off to find Sister Yulan.
• Flender told Tang San and the others to rest and went to the Soul Tool Train station to meet Zhang Sang and Zhang Miao.
• Qian Renxue found Zhao Linchuan reviewing memorials and teased him for doing government work himself.
• Qian Renxue reported unusual movements by Asura God, and Zhao Linchuan ordered her to keep them under surveillance.
• Zhao Linchuan asked Qian Renxue about giving Ling'er and Yingxue a sibling, then took her away from the study.

On the morning of the tournament finals, Shrek Academy learned that Ma Hongjun had died and followed an inn attendant to see his body. The teachers were allowed into his room, while Tang San worried about how the loss would affect the team competition.

• Flender waited with the Shrek Academy group for Ma Hongjun, who had failed to assemble for the opening ceremony.
• An inn attendant arrived and told them that Ma Hongjun had died, then asked them to come identify him.
• Flender led the group to Qing Feng Inn as Tang San worried about the tournament and Huang San mourned Ma Hongjun.
• Spirit City guards admitted Flender, Shao Xin, and Li Yusong to Ma Hongjun's room but stopped the students outside.
• Flender, Shao Xin, and Li Yusong found Ma Hongjun dead on the bed amid scattered women's clothing and signs of debauchery.

After Ma Hongjun died in an accidental hotel-room incident, Flender handled the investigation while Shrek Academy’s demoralized team forfeited its first tournament match. Qian Renxue’s appearance in place of the emperor stirred rumors about his condition, and Zhang Yulan left the Inspection Department pregnant with Ma Hongjun’s child.

• The Inspection Department ruled that Ma Hongjun had died suddenly from excessive indulgence, and Flender agreed to provide a statement and handle the follow-up.
• Flender sent Shao Xin and Li Yusong with the students to the opening ceremony while he went to the Inspection Department.
• Qian Renxue delivered the emperor’s address, prompting attendees to speculate about Zhao Linchuan’s absence and rumored seclusion.
• Tang San, Dai Mubai, Oscar, and the Zhang Brothers all chose to forfeit Shrek Academy’s first match against Golden Peak Academy.
• The Inspection Department confirmed that Zhang Yulan was pregnant with Ma Hongjun’s child and released her, leaving Flender unable to confront her.