Chapter Summaries

Li Zhexian arrived as the Imperial Dou Team was entering the Soul Master Competition, accepted the team’s battle flag, and took over as captain. His appearance revived his teammates’ spirits and gave Crown Prince Xue Qinghe renewed confidence in the team.

• Yu Tianheng and the Imperial Dou Team stood disheartened after their defeat by the Spirit Hall Team, while Dai Mubai and Tang San wondered whether Jian Jiu would appear.
• Li Zhexian emerged from the passage just as the teams began entering, and his teammates greeted him with excitement.
• Yu Tianheng handed Li Zhexian the Imperial Dou War Banner, making him captain of the team for the competition.
• At the VIP platform, Salas mocked the Imperial Dou Team’s recent defeat and questioned Xue Qinghe’s confidence in them.
• Xue Qinghe saw Li Zhexian leading the Imperial Dou Team into the arena and declared that she had more confidence in them than ever.

Li Zhexian joined the Imperial Dou Team as its captain, drawing the crowd's attention as the Heaven Dou City tournament began. The opening match was set between Shrek Academy and Imperial Dou Team Two, and the Shrek Seven Devils prepared to prove themselves, with Ning Rongrong eager to show Li Zhexian her strength.

• The crowd recognized Li Zhexian as Jian Jiu when he led the Imperial Dou Team onto the field, and Xue Qinghe declared confidence in his ability.
• Ning Fengzhi praised Shrek Academy's potential, while Xue Qinghe privately judged the Shrek Seven Devils no match for Li Zhexian.
• Bishop Salas drew Shrek Team against Imperial Dou Team Two for the tournament's first match.
• Tang San ordered the Shrek Seven Devils into their trained formation and called for victory within one minute.
• Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong watched the team assembly area, and Ning Rongrong vowed to show Li Zhexian the power of her Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda.

Shrek Team overwhelmed Imperial Fighting Team Two in the opening match of the Preliminary Tournament, drawing the attention of the watching teams and dignitaries. Tang San then challenged Li Zhexian with his Purple Demon Eye, and Li Zhexian answered with Ultimate Sharpness as their first clash began.

• Dai Mubai and the Shrek Seven Devils revealed their Spirit Rings, surprising the audience with two Soul Ancestors while Li Zhexian judged their strength to be below its Original Work trajectory.
• Tang San signaled Shrek Team's attack, and Ning Rongrong boosted her teammates as Dai Mubai and Bai Chenxiang charged Imperial Fighting Team Two.
• Tang San restrained the opposing front line with Spider Web Restraint, allowing Dai Mubai, Bai Chenxiang, and Xiao Wu to quickly defeat Imperial Fighting Team Two.
• Shrek Team won in little more than a dozen seconds, impressing the audience, the VIPs, and rival teams while Yu Xiaogang took pride in his students.
• Tang San fixed his gaze on Li Zhexian and fired his Purple Demon Eye, but Li Zhexian summoned transparent air swords wreathed in Ultimate Sharpness to meet the pupil attack.

Li Zhexian’s sword shattered Tang San’s Purple Demon Eye and left him badly wounded, sparking a near-fight between Shrek Team and Li Zhexian’s allies. The officials stopped the confrontation, and Tang San departed promising to face Li Zhexian again in the arena.

• Li Zhexian’s transparent qi swords pierced Tang San’s eyes, countering his Pupil Technique and forcing him to his knees in pain.
• Xiao Wu, Dai Mubai, and Oscar rushed to Tang San, while Dai Mubai accused Jian Jiu of a despicable sneak attack.
• Xue Ye, Bishop Salas, and Xue Qinghe watched in astonishment as Ning Fengzhi judged that Li Zhexian had a roughly sixty-percent chance of winning a fair fight against Tang San.
• Dai Mubai confronted Li Zhexian, and Dugu Yan, Ye Lingling, Tianheng, and the others stepped up to defend their captain as the Wind Sword Sect tried to join the fray.
• Referees and Spirit Masters maintaining order halted the escalating conflict and escorted Shrek Team away from the arena.
• Tang San turned back to Li Zhexian, insisted neither of them had lost, and promised to meet him in the arena again.

After the Preliminary Tournament ended, Li Zhexian prepared to leave for Spirit City, but Tang Hao confronted him in a secluded alley. Dugu Bo and Yu Yuanzhen appeared to protect Li Zhexian as the confrontation began.

• Tang San shut down Yu Xiaogang’s concern after Jian Jiu’s strike damaged his Purple Demon Eye, while the Shrek Seven Devils left the arena in a tense mood.
• Li Zhexian and Feng Buyu drank with Yu Tianheng and the others, joking about confronting Shrek privately.
• Over the next twenty-seven days, Shrek advanced alongside the Skywater, Divine Wind, Blazing Fire, and Lightning Teams, while Imperial Dou Team One secured a direct place in the finals.
• After the tournament, Li Zhexian accepted a Sugar Figure from an old man and secretly left a Gold Soul Coin in the man’s grandson’s basket.
• Tang Hao blocked Li Zhexian in a secluded alley and accused him of destroying the Strength Clan and humiliating his son.
• Dugu Bo and Yu Yuanzhen appeared beside Li Zhexian as he faced Tang Hao.

Li Zhexian survived Tang Hao’s attack with Dugu Bo and Yu Yuanzhen protecting him, then prepared to travel to Spirit City. Meanwhile, Xiao Wu worried about Tang San’s feud with Jian Jiu and her own reasons for avoiding Spirit City, while Ning Rongrong arrived at Li Zhexian’s courtyard and was mistaken for Zhu Zhuqing.

• Tang Hao pressured Li Zhexian in an alley, but Yu Yuanzhen broke his attack, and Tang Hao left without killing him.
• Li Zhexian thanked Dugu Bo and Yu Yuanzhen for their protection and continued preparing to face Spirit Hall’s Golden Generation in Spirit City.
• Xiao Wu asked Tang San to stop opposing Jian Jiu, but Tang San refused because Jian Jiu had destroyed his Purple Demon Eye and humiliated him.
• Xiao Wu asked not to go to Spirit City, but Tang San dismissed her request, and Zhu Zhuqing comforted her and promised to remain her sister.
• Ning Rongrong visited Li Zhexian’s courtyard, and he looked past her to ask where Zhu Qing was.

Ning Rongrong visited Li Zhexian to apologize, but he rejected any chance of renewing their relationship and sent her away. Afterward, Zhu Zhuqing left the calmer Xiao Wu at home and set out alone.

• Ning Rongrong arrived at Li Zhexian's courtyard without Zhu Zhuqing, and Li Zhexian told her to speak at the gate rather than inviting her in.
• Ning Rongrong followed Li Zhexian into the courtyard, where he ignored her, protected his plums from her, and let her bite into a sour one.
• Ning Rongrong tried to apologize for her choice two years earlier, but Li Zhexian said she had no need to apologize and that they should have nothing more to do with each other.
• Ning Rongrong ran out with reddened eyes, while Li Zhexian locked the gate and headed to Shanxiangfang to meet his friends for wine.
• After Xiao Wu calmed down, Zhu Zhuqing told her to stay home and prepared to go out alone.

Zhu Zhuqing went to Shanxiangfang to meet Li Zhexian, while Dai Mubai told Tang San where they could find him and Shrek's group set out to meet him. Li Zhexian was warmly welcomed by diners and friends at Shanxiangfang, just as Tang San's group arrived.

• Zhu Zhuqing left for Shanxiangfang, and Dai Mubai told Tang San that she would meet Jian Jiu there alone.
• Ning Rongrong returned to the inn upset, rejected Oscar's attempts to comfort her, then joined Tang San's group on their way to Shanxiangfang.
• Xiao Wu questioned Tang San about going to meet Jian Jiu, and Dai Mubai insisted they had a right to visit the restaurant.
• The shop assistant welcomed Li Zhexian to Shanxiangfang, where diners greeted him as Lord Jian Jiu and urged him upstairs.
• Huo Wu, Dugu Yan, Ye Lingling, and the others welcomed Li Zhexian in a private room and plied him with wine.
• Tang San, Dai Mubai, Oscar, Bai Chenxiang, Ning Rongrong, and Xiao Wu arrived at Shanxiangfang.

Tang San and the Shrek Team waited at Shanxiangfang to confront Li Zhexian, who arrived drunk and rejected their invitation. When Dai Mubai threatened to expel Zhu Zhuqing, Li Zhexian pierced Dai Mubai’s hand to the table with a chopstick.

• Tang San, Dai Mubai, and the others entered Shanxiangfang, where diners kept their distance because of their feud with Li Zhexian.
• The Shrek Team waited downstairs for Li Zhexian while Ning Rongrong struggled with her feelings about him.
• Li Zhexian left his drinking party and appeared on the staircase, visibly drunk and stained with wine and fruit juice.
• Tang San invited Li Zhexian to drink, but Li Zhexian refused and warned them not to cause trouble.
• Dai Mubai threatened to kick Zhu Zhuqing out of Shrek if Li Zhexian refused to cooperate.
• Li Zhexian seized Dai Mubai’s wrist and pinned his hand to the table with a bamboo chopstick.

Li Zhexian brutally defeated Dai Mubai at Shanxiangfang and warned him not to move, leaving Tang San to challenge him with his group. Bai Chenxiang attacked at Tang San’s order, but a blazing meteor suddenly crashed down in front of Li Zhexian.

• Li Zhexian pierced Dai Mubai’s hands with a bamboo chopstick and sword qi, then threw him down and stomped his head into the floor.
• Li Zhexian warned Dai Mubai that he would kill him if he moved, and Dai Mubai remained kneeling beneath him.
• Tang San and the others watched Li Zhexian’s display, while Tang San privately grew wary of his strength.
• Tang San accused Li Zhexian of attacking too viciously and threatened to overwhelm him with numbers.
• At Tang San’s direction, Bai Chenxiang used her speed-boosting Spirit Skills to rush Li Zhexian from several angles.
• A blazing meteor crashed down before Li Zhexian as Bai Chenxiang closed in.

Huo Wu and nearly twenty of Li Zhexian’s allies intervened when Tang San’s group tried to gang up on him, and the fight ended after Yu Xiaogang, Flender, Liu Erlong, and Huangdou Academy’s Education Committee Members stopped it. Two days later, Li Zhexian saw Feng Buyu off and received a message from the Wind Sword Sect Master announcing his advancement to Title Douluo.

• Huo Wu called for help, and the Imperial Dou Team and other tournament geniuses arrived to stand behind Li Zhexian.
• Feng Buyu and the others attacked Tang San’s group until Yu Xiaogang, Flender, Liu Erlong, and Huangdou Academy’s Education Committee Members intervened.
• Tang San and Dai Mubai apologized, and Li Zhexian challenged them to meet him in the arena.
• Two days later, Li Zhexian and his friends saw Feng Buyu and the Wind Sword Sect members off as they left on an urgent sect order.
• Feng Buyu tossed Li Zhexian a bamboo tube containing the Wind Sword Sect Master’s message that he had advanced to Title Douluo, and Li Zhexian sent his congratulations.

The Heaven Dou teams set out for Spirit City, where Imperial Dou hoped to avenge its defeat by Spirit Hall’s Golden Generation. Li Zhexian traveled with Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, who resolved to protect him from an anticipated attack; the chapter ended as the Golden Generation knelt before the Pope.

• The five Heaven Dou teams departed for Spirit City under Royal Knights’ escort, and Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan recalled their humiliation at the hands of Spirit Hall’s Golden Generation.
• Li Zhexian left the Imperial Dou carriage and joined Xue Qinghe, while Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling speculated about their closeness.
• Tang San and Dai Mubai focused on defeating Li Zhexian, as Shrek’s group traveled amid Yu Xiaogang’s unexplained absence and Zhu Zhuqing and Xiao Wu’s separation from the carriage.
• Xue Qinghe told Li Zhexian that Qian Renxue wanted to meet him if she returned for the finals, and Li Zhexian readily agreed before falling asleep beside her.
• Xue Qinghe anticipated a deadly plot against Li Zhexian during the journey and vowed to protect him; in Spirit City, the Golden Generation knelt before the Pope.

Bibi Dong refused to tell Yu Xiaogang how she had resolved the conflict between her Twin Martial Souls and threatened him and Tang San. As Li Zhexian and the academies traveled toward Spirit City with Xue Qinghe, Spirit Hall ambushed them in a mountain pass, leaving Xue Qinghe rushing to Li Zhexian.

• Bibi Dong ordered Xie Yue, Yan, and Hu Liena to secure Spirit Hall’s victory in the Soul Master Competition, and Hu Liena vowed to cripple Li Zhexian if they met.
• Yu Xiaogang asked Bibi Dong how she had resolved the flaw of Twin Martial Souls, but she refused and threatened him and Tang San.
• Bibi Dong learned that Xue Qinghe had grown close to Li Zhexian and raged that Li Zhexian would never get even a fraction of her happiness.
• During the journey, Li Zhexian and the others rode alongside the Royal Knights, and he used invisible sword qi to send Feng Xiaotian’s horse galloping out of control.
• As the group entered a mountain pass, Spirit Hall forces led by two Title Douluo appeared and ambushed them.
• Xue Qinghe charged through the panicking crowd toward Li Zhexian.

Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo led Spirit Hall forces to ambush the Heaven Dou delegation and demanded Li Zhexian, but the Crown Prince, academy teachers, and Li Zhexian's friends stood in their way. As the two Title Douluo prepared to attack, two black-robed figures struck first and hurled them into the mountainside.

• Xue Qinghe, Zhu Zhuqing, and Xiao Wu moved to protect Li Zhexian as the Royal Knights and accompanying teachers formed a defensive line.
• Bai Baoshan asked the two figures on the hill to identify themselves, and they declared that they wanted only Li Zhexian.
• Dai Mubai and Tang San silently welcomed Li Zhexian's peril, while Huo Wu, Huo Wushuang, Feng Xiaotian, and Yu Tianxin urged their teachers to help him.
• Bai Baoshan and teachers from the academies stepped forward to plead for Li Zhexian, and Dugu Yan, Ye Lingling, Yu Tianheng, and others gathered beside him.
• Xue Qinghe vowed that the attackers would not touch Li Zhexian, but Chrysanthemum Douluo declared that neither gods nor ghosts could stop them.
• Two black-robed figures ambushed Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo, smashing both into the mountainside and mocking their claim.

Two mysterious black-robed experts rescued Li Zhexian from Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo, then vanished after patting him hard enough to numb his shoulder. The convoy reached Spirit City, where Li Zhexian asked Xue Qinghe to tell Qian Renxue that he missed her.

• Two black-robed Title Douluo overwhelmed Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo, forcing them to flee and scattering the Spirit Masters.
• Yu Yuanzhen told Dugu Bo that he sensed three more Title Douluo nearby and ranked Dugu Bo near the bottom among those present.
• The two black-robed experts appeared before Li Zhexian, praised him, patted his shoulder numb, and disappeared.
• The convoy grew more cautious, while its members—except for Shrek Academy—became friendlier with Li Zhexian's group.
• Li Zhexian asked Xue Qinghe to tell Qian Renxue that he missed her when they reached Spirit City.
• Several days later, the convoy arrived at the borders of Spirit City.

The Heaven Dou Empire teams arrived in Spirit City, where Li Zhexian and Xue Qinghe saw the holy city and its rankings for the finals. As the competition began, Li Zhexian resolved to repay Spirit Hall for its past attacks, while the Imperial Dou Team faced the pressure of its first match.

• Li Zhexian and the other Heaven Dou Empire team members entered Spirit City and saw the Papal Palace, where the final battles would take place.
• Before the finals, Dugu Yan, Ye Lingling, Yu Tianheng, and the other competitors cultivated, while Li Zhexian and Xue Qinghe explored the city.
• Li Zhexian and Xue Qinghe saw Spirit City's team support rankings, with Martial Soul Hall first, Shrek second, Imperial Dou third, and Star Luo fourth.
• After hearing Spirit City Spirit Masters criticize Jian Jiu and the Imperial Dou Team, Li Zhexian told Xue Qinghe that he intended to make Spirit Hall pay for its past actions.
• At dawn, the teams gathered at the finals venue, where Yufeng, Yu Tianheng, Dugu Yan, and the others appeared nervous before the Imperial Dou Team's first match.

Li Zhexian and Imperial Dou Team watched the first round of the finals before facing Spirit Hall’s Hu Liena, Yan, and Xie Yue. After betting on Imperial Dou Team, they drew Martial Soul Hall Team Two for their opening match, leaving Hu Liena wary of Li Zhexian.

• Bai Baoshan explained the tournament format, and the first round ended with Lightning Team losing while Divine Wind, Blazing Fire, and Shrek Team won.
• Li Zhexian stopped Yu Tianheng and the others from confronting Yan, then promised Yan he would take his hand; Dugu Yan identified Hu Liena, Yan, and Xie Yue.
• Li Zhexian saw Imperial Dou Team ranked seventh and bet his borrowed gold coins on them, with his teammates and the members of Divine Wind and Blazing Fire joining him.
• Bai Baoshan drew Martial Soul Hall Team Two as Imperial Dou Team’s opponent for the second round, and Li Zhexian welcomed the matchup.
• Yu Xiaogang and Tang San judged the draw perilous, while Hu Liena warned Yan and Xie Yue not to underestimate Li Zhexian.

Li Zhexian let Imperial Dou Team battle Martial Soul Hall Team Two until they were overwhelmed, then defeated all seven opponents with a single sword strike. He left the arena facing Tang San, Dai Mubai, and the Golden Generation, openly inviting any enemy to challenge him.

• Li Zhexian led Imperial Dou Team onto the stage while Martial Soul Hall Team Two formed an all-wolf lineup and its captain taunted him.
• Yu Tianheng, Dugu Yan, Yufeng, and the Stone Brothers fought Team Two, but Yu Tianheng was injured and Ye Lingling healed the team.
• Li Zhexian used a gentle breeze to pull his six teammates out of danger and stopped the captain’s claw with an invisible barrier of sword phantoms.
• Li Zhexian summoned the Azure Lotus Sword and used Three Swords of Splendor and the first form of Azure Lotus Sword Song to knock all seven members of Team Two off the arena.
• Li Zhexian kept his sword raised and stared toward Tang San, Dai Mubai, and the Golden Generation as the arena fell silent.

Li Zhexian defeated Martial Soul Hall Team Two with one sword and intimidated both Shrek and Spirit Hall’s Golden Generation. Afterward, Zhu Zhuqing told Ning Rongrong how she had met and come to admire him, leaving Ning Rongrong shaken but still clinging to something against her chest as Shrek prepared to compete.

• Li Zhexian swept away Martial Soul Hall Team Two with one sword, then wounded Dai Mubai when he attacked the sword qi aimed at him.
• Tang San pulled Dai Mubai away, while Hu Liena led Yan and Xie Yue from Li Zhexian’s gaze; Heaven Dou City’s Spirit Masters cheered and Spirit City’s audience protested.
• Li Zhexian checked on his teammates and celebrated the Imperial Dou Team’s victory before exchanging a covert smile and thumbs-up with Zhu Zhuqing.
• Zhu Zhuqing recounted to Ning Rongrong how she met Li Zhexian and praised his free-spirited nature, saying she wished she had met him sooner and might still have a place in his heart.
• Zhu Zhuqing and Xiao Wu left for Shrek’s match, while Ning Rongrong stood alone, then clutched something against her chest and showed renewed stubbornness.

Imperial Dou Team reached the top three, and Li Zhexian broke through to Rank 40 Soul Power. He asked Xue Qinghe to arrange for Qian Renxue to help him hunt a Spirit Ring before the final contest.

• Imperial Dou Team, Martial Soul Hall Team, and Shrek Team won their matches and advanced to the top three of the competition.
• Li Zhexian celebrated his winnings with his friends, while Shui Bing'er gave him half her bet and asked him to defeat Martial Soul Hall Team and humiliate Hu Liena in return.
• After the celebration, Li Zhexian cultivated with his Clear Spring Wine Gourd and broke through to Rank 40 Soul Power.
• Xue Qinghe visited Li Zhexian late at night and asked whether he wanted her to stop paying for his wine; he reassured her that he had only been happy about his winnings.
• Li Zhexian asked Xue Qinghe to find Qian Renxue the next day and have her help him hunt a Spirit Ring.