Chapter Summaries

King Ying and Zhou the Old Axe fought their way out of the ice dragons’ valley with a wounded nine-hundred-year-old ice dragon. After Mu Rong recovered, he killed the captive beast and began absorbing its Soul Seed Light.

• King Ying and Zhou the Old Axe were overwhelmed by the ice dragons, so King Ying used Phantom Maze while Zhou slowed them with Gravity Suppression.
• King Ying injured the nine-hundred-year-old ice dragon and seized it, then he, Zhou the Old Axe, and Mu Rong fled the valley under pursuit.
• After escaping, King Ying weakened the captive ice dragon against an ice pillar, and Mu Rong meditated to restore his soul power.
• Mu Rong killed the restrained ice dragon and began absorbing the deep yellow Soul Seed Light as King Ying and Zhou watched.

Mu Rong survived absorbing a Soul Fragment, raising his soul power to level twenty-two and gaining the Ice Crystal Wave skill. After testing it on Old Zhou, he learned it could briefly freeze even a Soul Sect and leave them weakened by cold poison.

• Mu Rong endured the Soul Fragment’s assault and raised his soul power to the twenty-second level.
• Mu Rong’s Ice Phoenix gained hard ice-blue scales, and King Ying and Old Zhou praised his record-setting second soul ring.
• Mu Rong revealed that Ice Crystal Wave could freeze enemies within a hundred meters and weaken their movement and soul power.
• Old Zhou volunteered to test the skill, and Mu Rong froze him before Old Zhou broke free using his Soul Sect power.
• Old Zhou said the skill held him for one second and could pose a serious threat to weaker opponents.

After returning to the academy, Mu Rong showed Lin and Suo Ling his powerful second spirit seed and decided they would leave for the front lines in a year. On the way to the spirit arena, Mu Rong recognized Jade Little Blade, an old enemy, and prepared to settle their grudge.

• Mu Rong demonstrated his second spirit seed by freezing Lin and Suo Ling, then told them he planned to leave the academy for the front lines in a year.
• Lin and Suo Ling agreed to join Mu Rong after a year of training and life-or-death battles.
• Mu Rong, Lin, and Suo Ling changed clothes, put on masks, and headed toward the Great Demon City's spirit arena.
• The group heard Jade Little Blade claim that weak plant-type martial spirits could transform by absorbing powerful soul rings, and Lin challenged his theory.
• Mu Rong recognized Jade Little Blade as an old enemy who had humiliated him and said he would settle the score himself.
• Lin and Suo Ling insisted that they would help Mu Rong confront Jade Little Blade despite his powerful family.

Mu Rong publicly ridiculed the Jade Little Blade’s martial-soul theory, then beat him with help from Shrek Forest and Suo Ling. Mu Erlong and Zhang Lanfeng arrived after the attackers fled, leaving Zhang to question the frightened crowd.

• Suo Ling woke from a nightmare, while Mu Rong watched the Jade Little Blade try to explain himself to the crowd.
• Mu Rong challenged the Jade Little Blade’s theory and mocked him until the crowd joined in.
• The Jade Little Blade threatened Mu Rong, who struck him; Shrek Forest and Suo Ling joined the beating, and Mu Rong kicked him in the throat.
• Mu Erlong and Zhang Lanfeng heard the Jade Little Blade’s scream and rushed back, but Mu Rong and the others escaped toward the academy.
• Mu Erlong held the dying Jade Little Blade while Zhang Lanfeng demanded that the onlookers identify his attackers.

After defeating Jade Little Blade, Mu Rong and his companions searched his Soul Eater and found valuable clan records and equipment. Mu Rong studied the Black Dragon King Clan’s martial soul research and began considering how rare herbs and dragon souls might help evolve his Ice Phoenix martial soul, though the Ice Dragon King’s thousand-year-old soul bone remained a distant ambition.

• Zhang Lanfeng carried Jade Little Blade toward the city lord’s son, while Liu Erniu knocked down a man who had been staring at her.
• Mu Rong took Jade Little Blade’s Soul Eater and found gold soul coins, clan records, a Martial Soul Hall token, and a large storage ring.
• Mu Rong gave the storage ring to Suo Ling and let her and Lin Lin divide the gold soul coins while he examined the books.
• Mu Rong read that the Black Dragon King Clan’s martial soul needed a rare soul fragment with true dragon blood to develop properly.
• Mu Rong considered using rare herbs and genuine dragon souls to evolve his Ice Phoenix martial soul, then dismissed the Ice Dragon King’s thousand-year-old soul bone as too ambitious for now.

Mu Rong studied an evolution route that would transform his Ice Phoenix Serpent martial soul into an Ice Dragon, using Spirit Grass and Dragon Ant Blood. He also planned a balanced set of future Soul Fragments, then snapped out of his thoughts when Demon Blade called to him.

• Mu Rong recalled a true dragon-bloodline evolution path and identified the Ice Dragon King's hundred-year-old dragon marrow as the best option for Spirit Grass.
• Mu Rong mapped out the Ice Phoenix Serpent's evolution through Eight-Cornered Ice Grass, Purple Gold Spirit Mushroom, Dragon Ant Blood, and Earth Dragon Golden Grass.
• Mu Rong concluded that the martial soul could become an Ice Dragon by combining ultimate ice power with a true dragon bloodline.
• Mu Rong planned his future Soul Fragments to balance control, offense, and defense, with a true dragon-type fragment for his third ring.
• Mu Rong decided to keep his ninth Soul Fragment hidden and stop dwelling on the risks.
• Demon Blade called, "Boss? Boss?"

Jade Little Blade awoke in Suotuo City and realized his injuries had left him humiliated and furious, while Mu Rong finished reading the stolen Spirit Hall records and studied their theories on martial-spirit fusion and spirit-power cultivation.

• Jade Little Blade woke with Mu Erlong at his bedside, and Zhang Lanfeng arrived, hiding his jealousy as he watched them together.
• When Jade Little Blade was helped upright, the pain brought back memories of the masked youths’ attack and what they had done to him.
• Jade Little Blade ordered Mu Erlong and Zhang Lanfeng out, then vowed to make the attacker whose eyes he remembered pay.
• Outside, Mu Erlong wept and vowed revenge, while Zhang Lanfeng comforted her with a secretive smile.
• Mu Rong finished reading the records Zhang Lanfeng had borrowed from Jade Little Blade and examined the Spirit Hall’s theories on martial-spirit fusion and spirit-power cultivation.

Mu Rong studied a strange cultivation method and shared it with Suo Ling and Zhang Lanfeng before heading with them toward the Great Soul Arena. The city’s residents reacted fearfully to the trio, and Mu Rong had Zhang Lanfeng stop a passerby to find out why.

• Mu Rong explained how the strange cultivation method improved soul power and gave Suo Ling and Zhang Lanfeng the book to copy and study.
• While Mu Rong was unaware, Zhang Lanfeng and Mu Erlong searched the city for Jade Little Blade, beating many boys who matched his description as Jade Little Blade hid in an inn.
• After a night of cultivation, Mu Rong felt his soul power had grown purer and stronger, then set out with Suo Ling and Zhang Lanfeng for the Great Soul Arena.
• People on the streets avoided the trio and hurried to hide their goods and children, making Mu Rong suspect something had happened during his seclusion.
• Mu Rong told Zhang Lanfeng to ask a passerby why everyone was looking at them strangely, and Zhang Lanfeng demanded an explanation from a boy in the street.

Mu Rong learned that Zhang Lanfeng and Mu Erlong had been searching Suotuo City for the blue-eyed young man who had beaten the Jade Little Blade. When Zhang Lanfeng and Mu Erlong confronted him, Mu Erlong attacked after spotting his blue eyes, and the clash began.

• A young man told Mu Rong that the Soul Sect’s allies had searched Suotuo City for half a month, looking for the blue-eyed person who had beaten the Jade Little Blade.
• Soul Eater sent black aura toward the forest, while Lin and Suo Ling welcomed the prospect of fighting alongside their backer.
• Mu Rong told Lin and Suo Ling to guard the Jade Little Blade and wait for his signal, then Zhang Lanfeng and Mu Erlong appeared behind him.
• Lin approached Mu Erlong and tried to introduce himself, but she struck him and sent him crashing into a stone wall.
• Mu Erlong recognized Mu Rong’s deep-blue eyes and accused him of helping beat up the Jade Little Blade, then charged at him with a powerful punch.
• Mu Rong raised his arm and unleashed his soul power to block Mu Erlong’s attack.

Mu Rong fought Mu Erlong after she attacked him and his companions, using his Ice Phoenix and Frozen Dark Domain to evade her stronger fire-based attacks. The fight continued in the frozen darkness as Mu Rong attempted a surprise strike, but Mu Erlong countered and burned the Ice Phoenix's tail.

• Zhang Lanfeng struck Mu Rong aside, then kicked Suo Ling into the forest, where she collided with Mu Erlong.
• Mu Erlong summoned her Fire Dragon Martial Soul and attacked Mu Rong with her second soul skill, Fire Dragon Breath.
• Mu Rong revealed his Ice Phoenix Martial Soul and used Frozen Dark Domain to weaken the flames and dodge Mu Erlong's attack.
• Mu Rong used the darkness to maneuver the Ice Phoenix behind Mu Erlong and strike at her lower back.
• Mu Erlong sensed the attack and struck the Ice Phoenix's tail with her flaming claw, burning its scales.

Mu Rong used his Ice Crystal Wave to freeze Mu Erlong long enough to escape, but King Ying stopped her from pursuing him. Mu Rong and the others then blamed Mu Erlong and Zhang Lanfeng for the fight, leaving King Ying to judge their conflicting accounts.

• Mu Erlong struck Mu Rong, leaving him badly injured and unconscious before he recovered enough to crawl.
• As Mu Erlong prepared to stomp on Mu Rong, his Ice Crystal Wave froze her in place, and he fled.
• Mu Erlong broke free and tried to chase Mu Rong, but King Ying suppressed her with his soul power.
• Zhang Lanfeng called the fight a misunderstanding, while King Ying challenged his claim that the beating had been mere play.
• Mu Rong and the others told King Ying that Mu Erlong and her companions had attacked them without cause.

After King Ying forced Zhang Lanfeng and the three men to pay compensation, Mu Rong and his companions recovered from their injuries and vowed revenge. Mu Rong decided they would enroll in the Imperial Academy and join the border guards to grow stronger through life-or-death combat.

• Zhang Lanfeng apologized to San Shi Ling Chen on the three men’s behalf and handed over a sack of gold soul coins to King Ying.
• Mu Rong, Lin, and Suo Ling returned to their lodgings badly injured, while Mu Rong silently tended to his wounds.
• Lin and Suo Ling raged against Mu Erlong and the masked man, and Mu Rong promised to avenge every blow.
• Mu Rong told Lin and Suo Ling that the academy matter was settled and proposed they enroll in the Imperial Academy and join the border guards.
• Lin’s fear and confusion gave way to fervor as he accepted Mu Rong’s resolve to seek strength on the battlefield.

Mu Rong, Zhang Lin, and Suo Ling returned to Ju Yuan City after recovering from their injuries, only to learn that the city lord’s manor and nearby villages had been massacred. With Zhang Lin unconscious and Suo Ling grieving his lost home, Mu Rong set out to investigate Soul-Rending Village and Lonely Wolf Village, warning Suo Ling not to seek revenge alone.

• Mu Rong, Zhang Lin, and Suo Ling left the academy and traveled for over a month until their injuries healed.
• At Ju Yuan City, Mu Rong noticed heavier security and told Zhang Lin to investigate what had happened in the city.
• A teahouse waiter told them that Lord Cang Changhe’s household, Soul-Rending Village, and Lonely Wolf Village had been slaughtered.
• Zhang Lin collapsed after hearing the news, while Suo Ling grieved for his family and Mu Rong mourned Old Uncle Ke.
• Mu Rong suspected Mu Erlong or Jade Deputy and left to investigate the two villages, telling Suo Ling to stay safe and wait for him.

Mu Rong returned to Linglong Village and found its people, including Old Monk, slaughtered, then discovered Lone Wolf Village had suffered the same fate. A masked Soul Venerable attacked him, and Mu Rong fought back despite the overwhelming gap in strength.

• Mu Rong rushed to Linglong Village and found every villager dead, including Old Monk, who lay over a child in the village head's courtyard.
• Mu Rong went to Lone Wolf Village and found it just as devastated, then swore revenge as grief and fury turned part of his hair white.
• A masked man in black attacked Mu Rong from behind and revealed that he had been acting on orders from Jade Little Blade, Mu Erlong, and Zhang Lanfeng.
• The attacker displayed three Soul Rings and identified himself as a thirty-first-grade Soul Venerable, far stronger than Mu Rong.
• Mu Rong summoned his ice spirit serpent and used Frostbite Venom to slow the man in black's Phantom Shadow assault.

Mu Rong killed a black-clad Martial Soul Hall assassin and discovered a token that led him to suspect Bi Bi was behind Suotuo City’s chaos and Jade Little Blade’s abduction. Badly wounded, he reached Su Ling and urged her to flee with him to the Martial Soul Hall, where he believed the Pope could protect them.

• Mu Rong counterattacked Zhang Lanfeng’s black-clad figure and fought him in a reckless, bloody battle.
• Mu Rong froze the assassin with Ice Crystal Wave and killed him by piercing his heart.
• Mu Rong found a Martial Soul Hall token on the corpse and concluded that Bi Bi was likely behind the events in Suotuo City.
• Fearing more pursuers, Mu Rong staggered to the inn in Ju Yuan City and collapsed in Su Ling’s room.
• Mu Rong warned Su Ling that the Martial Soul Hall was after them, and she told him to wake the old butler so they could seek the Pope’s protection.

After escaping the destruction of Suotuo City, Mu Rong, the Demon Blade, and Su Lingchan vowed to take revenge and set out for war. Three days later, they reached a Spirit Hall border garrison and enlisted as spirit masters, where they collected their equipment.

• Mu Rong explained that Dai Mubai had set the tragedy in motion, and the three fled Suotuo City during the night.
• The Demon Blade tried to rush back for revenge, but Su Lingchan stopped him and reminded him that he would only get himself killed.
• After a grief-filled night, Mu Rong urged them to go to war, and the Demon Blade and Su Lingchan swore to avenge their losses.
• The injured trio traveled along mountain paths for three days to evade pursuit and reached a guarded border town in the Tian Dou Empire.
• Mu Rong and his companions joined the army as spirit masters, entered the Spirit Hall barracks, and collected armor and spears.

Mu Rong, Suo Ling, and Cai Bo joined the Heaven Dou Empire’s soldiers and learned that battlefield survival demanded discipline, strength, and resilience. At training, a formidable old man unleashed crushing pressure on the assembled Soul Masters, leaving Mu Rong struggling to stand and waiting for someone to appear.

• Mu Rong explained that battlefield armor protected soldiers’ lives, and Suo Ling and Cai Bo resolved to train hard.
• The group entered a huge training ground, where Ge Long addressed the soldiers and organized them into units.
• Mu Rong, Suo Ling, and Cai Bo were assigned to Ge Long’s left wing under squad leader Kakia, who promised not to abandon his brothers.
• An old man whom Mu Rong recognized as Cai Bo demonstrated the Demon Blade’s might by imposing overwhelming pressure on nearly a hundred Soul Masters.
• Suo Ling and the others struggled under the pressure as Mu Rong fought to straighten up and demanded to know where someone was.

Mu Rong and the other soul masters endured a full day of training under Lord Tou Tuo’s overwhelming pressure, then learned that the Heaven Dou Empire had mobilized five legions for war. Mu Rong sought advice from Tang San that night, but both men faced their first battle with uncertainty as Mu Rong worried about surviving the coming conflict.

• Lord Tou Tuo subjected nearly a hundred soul masters, including Mu Rong and Tang San, to crushing pressure for an entire day.
• Tang San told the exhausted men that Lord Tou Tuo was a seventy-ninth-rank Soul Sage and urged them to value their training.
• Tang San revealed that the Heaven Dou Empire had mobilized five legions, and he hoped his brothers would survive the war.
• Mu Rong found Tang San outside at night and asked what to expect on the battlefield.
• Tang San admitted that he was nervous about his first war, while Mu Rong tried to reassure him and then returned to bed, still fearing the casualties ahead.

Mu Rong and the Demon Blades joined the Heaven Dou Empire’s army in its first battle against the Star Luo Empire. After cavalry broke the formation, Mu Rong’s poisonous web let his team fight back, but their numbers and dwindling strength left them in danger.

• Ge Long led the Heaven Dou force across the border to confront the Star Luo Empire’s vanguard.
• Mu Rong told the nervous Suo Ling to strike decisively, then his team took position beside an archery unit as the armies clashed.
• Star Luo cavalry tore open the Heaven Dou formation, and Cardinal gathered Mu Rong, Suo Ling, and their teammates into a defensive circle.
• Mu Rong used his Icebound Poisonous Web to slow nearby enemies, allowing Cardinal and the others to kill several Star Luo soldiers.
• The poisonous mist weakened as Mu Rong’s soul power ran low, and enemy attacks killed soldiers and wounded Suo Ling.

Mu Rong used his Ice Wave soul skill to save his squad during their first battle, then proposed leading the next charge after recovering from his wounds. At another camp, Marshal Yuan received a report of heavy Heaven Dou Empire casualties.

• A Star Luo Soul Venerable attacked Mu Rong while he suppressed poison, but Mu Rong froze the nearby fighters with Ice Wave and killed the attacker with his poisoned Demon Blade.
• The Star Luo forces retreated, leaving five survivors from Ka Qi's squad; Mu Rong collapsed from exhaustion and discovered a shoulder wound.
• A healing-type Soul Master treated Mu Rong at camp, where Ka Qi and the other survivors thanked him for saving them.
• Mu Rong proposed taking the lead in the next battle so he could freeze enemies and create openings for his squad, and Ka Qi agreed.
• At another camp, officers reported 8,723 casualties in the Third Army and 631 casualties in the Soul Master corps to Marshal Yuan, who acknowledged the steep cost.