Chapter Summaries

Dongfang Chen led Mofan and the others to a secluded temple, where he explained that the girl and Little Monk Mofan had seen were Vessel Spirits inside a high-level magic tool. He summoned Nine Nether Empress to handle them and left the group to return to Zhao Manyan.

• Dongfang Chen sent Ai Jiang Tu, Li Kaifeng, and Guan Yu to watch over Zhao Manyan while he led the others to search for the girl ghost Mofan had seen.
• Dongfang Chen guided the group along an overgrown path to a small temple in the Back Mountain, where they found a marked wooden fish.
• Dongfang Chen explained that the wooden fish was Baxia's Totem Vessel and that the girl and Little Monk were its Vessel Spirits.
• Dongfang Chen summoned Nine Nether Empress, who agreed to take care of the two Vessel Spirits.
• Dongfang Chen told the others to return to Zhao Manyan, expecting him to wake soon.

After the incident at Haiyan Cliff, Jiang Shaoxu and Nan Jue joined Dongfang Chen and Mu Ningxue in their room for the night. The team left for Osaka the next morning, where Dongfang Chen revealed that a huge Demon was following them beneath the sea.

• Zhao Manyan woke up with no memory of what had happened, and the team decided to leave Haiyan Cliff as soon as possible.
• Jiang Shaoxu and Nan Jue went to Dongfang Chen's room because they were uneasy after the night’s events, and Mu Ningxue let them stay.
• Nine Nether Empress told Dongfang Chen she had killed the men at the temple and kept a woman as a maidservant, warning him that the monks might cause trouble.
• Dongfang Chen and the team left for Osaka by train, and he studied Baxia's companion vessel along the way.
• Mofan spotted a black island in the sea, and Dongfang Chen identified it as the Demon that had lurked beneath their boat.

Dongfang Chen and the male team members visited Nishimori Pavilion in Osaka, where Mochizuki Meiken recognized him as an honored guest of the Mochizuki Family, a vassal of the Dongfang Family. Mochizuki Meiken welcomed the National Institute Team into the pavilion.

• Jiang Shaoxu took Mu Ningxue, Nan Jue, Mu Tingying, and Nanrong Ni shopping while Dongfang Chen led the male team members to Nishimori Pavilion.
• Mochizuki Chiharu mistook the visitors for rude Korean tourists, then softened her attitude when Dongfang Chen explained they were from Huaxia.
• Mochizuki Meiken corrected Chiharu and greeted Dongfang Chen as an honored guest of the Mochizuki Family.
• Mochizuki Meiken explained that the Mochizuki Family had become the Dongfang Family's only vassal family in Japan and distributed its pills.
• Dongfang Chen asked Dongfang Lie about the family, and Dongfang Lie confirmed that the Mochizuki Family had become their vassal the previous year.
• Mochizuki Meiken welcomed Dongfang Chen and the National Institute Team into Nishimori Pavilion.

Dongfang Chen and the Huaxia National Institute Team received a lavish welcome from Mochizuki Meiken and the Osaka National Pavilion. After a banquet argument escalated into a challenge, Dongfang Chen agreed to face the entire Osaka team alone, leaving both sides furious and ready to fight.

• Mofan and Zhao Manyan learned that Mochizuki Meiken respected Dongfang Chen because the Mochizuki Family served the Dongfang Family, and Dongfang Chen presented his team emblem at Meiken’s request.
• Mochizuki Meiken arranged a grand reception, baths, and massages for the Huaxia team before their National Pavilion challenge.
• Jiang Shaoxu teased Dongfang Chen about Mochizuki Chiharu, while Mu Ningxue sat beside him and Chiharu poured him tea.
• The Osaka National Pavilion Team traded insults with Jiang Shaoxu at the banquet, then Nobuko challenged the Huaxia team to fight.
• Dongfang Chen proposed a team battle against the whole Osaka team by himself, then accepted Nobuko’s one-on-one elimination format and promised to finish them quickly.

Dongfang Chen faced the Osaka Guard Team in a National Pavilion sparring match, while Fujikata Nobuko planned to wear him down with successive challengers. After Dongfang Chen defeated Okamoto Takashi with one casual Space Element attack, the Osaka team hesitated to fight, and Nobuko ordered Xiang Tian into the arena.

• Okamoto Takashi entered the arena and circled Dongfang Chen at high speed while Fujikata Nobuko explained her plan to exhaust him through multiple challengers.
• The Huaxia Team laughed at Nobuko's strategy, and Mochizuki Meiken silently indicated that Dongfang Chen was far stronger than she expected.
• Okamoto Takashi attacked Dongfang Chen from behind with a sharp gale, but Dongfang Chen shattered it with a backward palm strike and blasted him out of the arena.
• Dongfang Chen asked who would fight next, and the Osaka Guard Team members held back until Nobuko ordered Xiang Tian to take the field.

Dongfang Chen defeated Xiang Tian with his Light Element Soul Seed, leaving the Osaka National Pavilion unable to stop him. Fujikata Nobuko asked Mochizuki Chiharu to disguise herself as a student, but Chiharu refused to risk her clan’s relationship with the Dongfang Family, and Osaka conceded.

• Fujikata Nobuko promised Xiang Tian a National Institute Team substitute position if he lasted three minutes against Dongfang Chen.
• Xiang Tian used his Shadow Element and Shadow Clones to hide, but Dongfang Chen exposed him with Soul Perception and knocked him off the arena with True Radiance Holy Light.
• The Huaxia team cheered as the Osaka National Pavilion fell silent, and Fujikata Nobuko feared Dongfang Chen would defeat all their students.
• Fujikata Nobuko performed a dogeza and asked Mochizuki Chiharu to pose as a student and fight Dongfang Chen.
• Mochizuki Chiharu refused to risk the Mochizuki Clan’s standing with the Dongfang Family, and Fujikata Nobuko conceded the match for Osaka.

After the Huaxia Team defeated the Osaka National Pavilion Team, Mochizuki Chiharu warned Dongfang Chen that General Takagi had leaked footage of his battles and might challenge him to learn more about his abilities. She then admitted she had another unreasonable request, leaving Dongfang Chen waiting to hear it.

• Fujikata Nobuko conceded to Dongfang Chen and handed him the Osaka National Pavilion Team's badge.
• General Takagi was ordered to obtain footage revealing Dongfang Chen's strength, and a woman in a flower-fan kimono secretly watched him.
• Baxia triggered the East Guard Pavilion's alarm after arriving at Osaka's inner harbor, and Dongfang Chen used Soul Power to tell it not to cause a commotion.
• Mochizuki Chiharu visited Dongfang Chen and warned him that General Takagi had leaked footage of his battle and might test him personally.
• Dongfang Chen thanked Mochizuki Chiharu for the warning, and she said she had one more unreasonable request.

Mochizuki Chiharu asked Dongfang Chen to help her sneak into the East Guard Pavilion to find her brother Tsuruta, and he agreed while pursuing his own plan to obtain the Ninghua Evil Pearl. After Mofan proposed investigating the pavilion, the three prepared to meet at its back mountain.

• Mochizuki Chiharu asked Dongfang Chen to help her enter the East Guard Pavilion and find Tsuruta, then offered herself to persuade him.
• Dongfang Chen agreed to help and told Mochizuki Chiharu that someone was approaching.
• Mofan entered and suggested that he and Dongfang Chen sneak to the East Guard Pavilion to investigate.
• Dongfang Chen told Mofan to prepare for the mission and said Mochizuki Chiharu would join them.
• Mochizuki Chiharu changed into fitted nightwear, then agreed to put on casual clothes after Dongfang Chen said no one else should see her figure.

Dongfang Chen, Mofan, and Mochizuki Chiharu infiltrated the East Guard Pavilion by crossing the cliff, where Dongfang Chen used Space Force to bypass its restrictions. They reached a dungeon corridor as Mochizuki Chiharu led them toward her imprisoned elder brother, who knew where the treasure was.

• Mochizuki Chiharu used vines to guide Mofan up a gap in the cliff's magical restrictions.
• Dongfang Chen promised Mofan a treasure, persuading him to climb the cliff.
• Dongfang Chen used Space Force to fly Mochizuki Chiharu to the mountaintop, and they kissed along the way.
• Mofan reached the top covered in dirt and complained that Dongfang Chen had not helped him climb.
• Dongfang Chen told Mofan that Mochizuki Chiharu's elder brother knew the treasure's location, and Mofan agreed to help find him.
• Mochizuki Chiharu guided Dongfang Chen and Mofan through the East Guard Pavilion until they reached a dungeon corridor.

Mofan, Dongfang Chen, and Mochizuki Chiharu followed Tsuruta’s directions to the Ninghua Evil Pearl beneath East Guard Pavilion. Dongfang Chen purged its evil influence from Mochizuki Chiharu and destroyed the Evil Soul inside the pearl, leaving her safe and asleep in his arms.

• Mochizuki Chiharu told Mofan and Dongfang Chen that General Takagi had imprisoned her older brother, Tsuruta, after he discovered the Ninghua Pearl.
• Mochizuki Chiharu led Mofan and Dongfang Chen through the wards beneath East Guard Pavilion to the pearl’s hidden alcove.
• The Ninghua Pearl corrupted Mochizuki Chiharu, and she attacked Dongfang Chen with Ghost Wood Hand when he tried to take it.
• Dongfang Chen crushed the Ghost Wood Hand with Space Gravity and used Yin Fire to purge the corruption from Mochizuki Chiharu.
• Dongfang Chen took the pearl, incinerated the Evil Soul inside it, and held Mochizuki Chiharu as she fell asleep.

Dongfang Chen returned the Ninghua Evil Pearl to Mofan after removing its sinister nature, then helped Mochizuki Chiharu recover and learned that General Takagi planned to test him. Takagi intercepted them on the Back Mountain and demanded the pearl, but Dongfang Chen countered his attack with his Earth Element Soul Seed, Star-Carrying Grit Dust.

• Dongfang Chen gave Mofan the purified Ninghua Evil Pearl and led him and the recovering Mochizuki Chiharu out of the East Guard Pavilion.
• Mochizuki Chiharu apologized to Dongfang Chen and said she wanted to ask her father about the pearl and her eldest brother, whom its sinister influence may have affected.
• Mochizuki Chiharu warned Dongfang Chen and Mofan that General Takagi would do anything to test Dongfang Chen for the Japan National Institute Team.
• General Takagi appeared on his Sky Ridge Beast, realized they had met Tsuruta, and demanded they hand over the Ninghua Pearl.
• General Takagi attacked the group with Rock Demon Eye—Earth Dragon Thorn, but Dongfang Chen used his own Rock Demon Eye and Star-Carrying Grit Dust to suppress Takagi's earth spikes.

Dongfang Chen defeated General Takagi with Fusion Magic and killed him after he begged for mercy. After the battle, Dongfang Chen explained Fusion Magic to Mofan.

• General Takagi tried to overpower Dongfang Chen with Archmage Magic while Mochizuki Chiharu and Mofan attacked the Sky Ridge Beast.
• Dongfang Chen unleashed Void Charge, swallowing General Takagi’s Rock Dragon and badly injuring both General Takagi and the Sky Ridge Beast.
• General Takagi begged Dongfang Chen to spare his life, but Dongfang Chen froze him with Bone Spirit Cold Flame.
• Dongfang Chen assessed his strength against an ordinary Archmage and explained to Mofan how Fusion Magic worked.

Dongfang Chen and Mofan showed Mochizuki Meiken the purified Ninghua Evil Pearl, and Meiken explained its connection to the First Generation Red Demon. After Mochizuki Chiharu insisted on accompanying Dongfang Chen to Tokyo, she spent the night with him, and he helped her put on her kimono the next morning.

• Mochizuki Meiken scolded Mochizuki Chiharu for taking Dongfang Chen into the East Guard Pavilion, but Dongfang Chen defended her.
• Mochizuki Meiken explained how the Ninghua Evil Pearl could have created a new Red Demon and told them about Iqiu, the First Generation Red Demon.
• Mochizuki Meiken confirmed that Dongfang Chen had removed the pearl's evil energy, leaving Soul Sculpting Power that Mofan kept.
• Mochizuki Chiharu persuaded Mochizuki Meiken to let her travel to Tokyo with Dongfang Chen, then reminded Dongfang Chen of her promise to him.
• Dongfang Chen spent the night with Mochizuki Chiharu and took an hour to help her put on her kimono the next morning.

Dongfang Chen led the National Institute Team toward Tokyo after calming Mu Ningxue’s jealousy over Mochizuki Chiharu. The team bypassed sightseeing and headed straight for Sea War City to train for valuable High Level Mage resources.

• Mu Ningxue recognized Dongfang Chen’s scent on Mochizuki Chiharu and grew jealous, but Dongfang Chen soothed her with a promise to spend time alone with her after training.
• Dongfang Chen used forged Japanese identity documents to get the team onto a high-speed train to Tokyo.
• Jiang Shaoxu suggested sightseeing, but Ai Jiang Tu insisted they go to Sea War City, where the team’s training results would affect National Institute resource allocations.
• Dongfang Chen offered to sell Zhao Manyan his share of National Institute resources, and Mu Ningxue reflected on how much Chen had helped her.
• After arriving in Tokyo, the team went directly to Sea War City, a coastal fortress where Mages trained and hunted Sea Monsters.

The National Institute Team arrived in Sea War City and encountered two Commander Level Blue Valley Fierce Beasts. Dongfang Chen revealed he had been ordered not to help them fight, leaving the team to face the monsters themselves.

• Nan Jue led the team toward the address where their instructors had told them to report.
• A Sea Monster hurled a massive pillar toward the team, and Ai Jiang Tu used Space Magic to lower it safely to the ground.
• An announcement reported two Commander Level Blue Valley Fierce Beasts in the area, and Dongfang Chen told the team he would not step in so they could train.
• Ai Jiang Tu argued that they should protect the civilians, while Jiang Yu hesitated and Mu Tingying challenged him to prove himself.
• Mu Ningxue separated the beasts with Ice Locks, and Mofan charged into battle with Zhao Manyan and the rest of the team following.

Dongfang Chen and Mochizuki Chiharu watched the Huaxia team battle two Blue Valley Fierce Beasts during training. Mu Ningxue and Mofan helped repel one while Ai Jiang Tu’s group drove off the other, and Dongfang Chen planned to take Snowxue to Jinlin City to cultivate Dou Qi so she could better withstand the Ice Crystal Bow’s backlash.

• Dongfang Chen told Mochizuki Chiharu that the Huaxia team had three other publicly known High-Tier Mages, and he teased her about Japan’s chances in the Academy Competition.
• The team split into two groups to face the Blue Valley Fierce Beasts, but poor coordination and an argument between Mofan and Guan Yu put Mu Ningxue and Mofan’s group at a disadvantage.
• Mu Tingying charged ahead and tried to freeze a Blue Valley Fierce Beast, but it shattered her ice and attacked her, forcing her to retreat behind Mu Ningxue.
• Mu Ningxue briefly trapped the beast with her stronger ice magic, allowing Mofan to hit it with Heavenly Flame Funeral and drive it toward the ocean.
• Ai Jiang Tu’s group also repelled its beast, though Ai Jiang Tu was injured and then healed by Nanrong Ni.
• Dongfang Chen praised the team’s performance and decided Snowxue should cultivate Dou Qi in Jinlin City after the Japanese training to help resist the Ice Crystal Bow’s backlash.

The National Institute Team settled into Block Twenty of Donghai City and began hunting Sea Monsters to earn advancement resources. Mu Tingying’s rivalry with Mu Ningxue worsened, and she planned to use a secret about Mu Ningxue to get her removed from the team.

• Dongfang Chen intimidated receptionist Lai Hengbao and had the National Institute Team assigned to Block Twenty, with orders to advance to a Four-star District Team.
• The team began hunting Sea Monsters together while Dongfang Chen held back unless a member faced mortal danger.
• Nanrong Ni struggled to keep up, Guan Yu failed to coordinate with Mofan and Zhao Manyan, Zu Jiming avoided danger, and Mu Tingying repeatedly disrupted the team by competing with Mu Ningxue.
• After Dongfang Chen reprimanded her, Mu Tingying complained to Nanrong Ni and asked whether a secret about Mu Ningxue from Ancient City was true.
• Mu Tingying decided to reveal Mu Ningxue’s alleged “stain” to the instructors in hopes they would revoke Mu Ningxue’s status as an official member.

Nanrong Ni secretly arranged for Mu Tingying to learn Mu Ningxue’s connection to the Black Church, hoping to use Mu Tingying’s planned report as proof of loyalty to Dongfang Chen. Mu Tingying saw through Nanrong Ni’s manipulation and decided to expose her scheme, leaving both women outside Dongfang Chen’s room at the same time.

• Nanrong Ni told Mu Tingying that Mu Ningxue’s uncle was the Black Church’s Great Steward Hu Jin, expecting Mu Tingying to report Mu Ningxue to the instructors.
• Nanrong Ni planned to warn Dongfang Chen about Mu Tingying’s intention and use the warning to bring the Nanrong Family under the Dongfang Family.
• After Nanrong Ni left, Mu Tingying admitted she had recognized the manipulation and decided to tell Dongfang Chen what Nanrong Ni was planning.
• Nanrong Ni started toward Dongfang Chen’s room but turned back to bathe first, hoping to make a good impression on him.
• Mu Tingying arrived at Dongfang Chen’s room, and Nanrong Ni appeared moments later; the two women stared at each other and asked what the other was doing there.

Mu Tingying and Nanrong Ni visited Dongfang Chen to discuss Mu He’s identity as a Black Church member and ended up exposing their schemes against each other. Dongfang Chen ordered them to become substitutes after the Sea War City training, but Nanrong Ni stayed behind and tried to use a honey trap on him.

• Mu Tingying and Nanrong Ni argued over who had revealed that Mu He was Great Steward Hu Jin and who had planned to use the information against Mu Ningxue.
• Dongfang Chen questioned them, and Mu Tingying said no one else on the National Institute Team knew about Mu He’s identity.
• Nanrong Ni and Mu Tingying knelt and pleaded with Dongfang Chen, who ordered them to apply for substitute positions after the Sea War City training.
• Dongfang Chen told the two women to leave, but Mu Tingying stayed kneeling to watch Nanrong Ni.
• Nanrong Ni agreed to Dongfang Chen’s suggestion that she stay and sleep with him, then offered herself to him as a honey trap.

Dongfang Chen accepted Nanrong Ni and Mu Tingying’s advances, and the two women competed for his attention while continuing their training. As the training ended, both confirmed they would step down from the National Institute Team’s regular roster and become substitutes.

• Nanrong Ni offered to become a substitute and seduced Dongfang Chen, prompting Mu Tingying to kiss him too rather than leave.
• Nanrong Ni and Mu Tingying competed for Dongfang Chen’s attention through the night, then woke in his room before heading to their demon-hunting mission.
• In the days before training ended, the National Institute Team members sought resources to reach the High-rank Realm, increasingly relying on Star River Pills for breakthroughs.
• On the final day, Feng Li praised the team’s performance while Dongfang Chen had refrained from intervening, then asked Mu Tingying and Nanrong Ni whether they would become substitutes.
• Mu Tingying and Nanrong Ni confirmed to Feng Li that they wanted to leave the regular roster.