Chapter Summaries

Dark Hummingbird sought Spirit Pagoda identities from Qiangu Dongfeng to help the Holy Spirit Cult infiltrate the Sun Moon Federation and steal two Level 12 Fixed Soul Guidance Cannonballs. Qiangu agreed, intending to use the operation to destroy Shrek Academy and kill Yun Ming, while the chapter ended by introducing the thirty-sixth Soul Spirit Pagoda trial, Heaven and Earth Heroic Pass.

• Dark Hummingbird endured Qiangu Dongfeng's pressure and asked him to provide legal identities for the Holy Spirit Cult's operation.
• Qiangu Dongfeng revealed his plan to use the cannonballs against Shrek City, expecting Yun Ming to die protecting Shrek Academy.
• Qiangu agreed to provide single-use identities and require the operation to follow his plan, with the details to be delivered in three days.
• Dark Hummingbird accepted Qiangu's conditions and withdrew into the shadows.
• The narration introduced the Soul Spirit Pagoda's thirty-sixth trial, Heaven and Earth Heroic Pass, which Gu Yue and Leng Yaozhu believed the man could pass.

Situ Xuan encountered the forty-thousand-year Golden Lion Mastiff, whose Domination Domain overwhelmed the trial chamber as both predators sensed a worthy opponent. Though exhausted and badly wounded from earlier trials, Situ Xuan stood firm before it, and the chapter ended as he faced its pressure without retreating.

• The Golden Lion Mastiff emerged from its prison as the guardian of the thirty-sixth floor.
• Situ Xuan felt an intense instinctive desire to fight the Golden Lion Mastiff and welcomed it as a worthy opponent.
• The Golden Lion Mastiff roared and unleashed its Domination Domain, boosting its power and crushing the air with pressure.
• Gu Yue sensed the beast's terrifying strength and worried because Situ Xuan was still injured from his earlier battles.
• Situ Xuan stood his ground against the Golden Lion Mastiff's roar and domain without retreating.

Situ Xuan transformed by stacking four constitution-enhancing soul rings and fusing with Black Tiger Xuan Sha before charging the Golden Lion Mastiff head-on. Their fierce close-quarters battle began, with Situ Xuan striking the beast’s ribs after evading its bite.

• Situ Xuan used his four black soul rings to amplify his constitution and fused deeply with Black Tiger Xuan Sha.
• Gu Yue watched Situ Xuan’s transformation and sensed the overwhelming power of his combined body and martial soul.
• The Golden Lion Mastiff charged Situ Xuan with a powerful pounce, attacking with its claws and jaws.
• Situ Xuan met the Golden Lion Mastiff head-on with Eight Extremes Heaven, First Form—Violent Foot, and knocked aside its claw.
• Situ Xuan dodged the Golden Lion Mastiff’s bite and drove his left elbow into its side ribs.

Situ Xuan fought the Golden Lion Mastiff in the Soul Spirit Pagoda, first using a secret pressure-point strike to hurt it before choosing to face its renewed charge head-on. Their savage clash continued, leaving both badly injured as Situ Xuan pushed his body and techniques to their limits.

• Situ Xuan used Instant Shadow and Black Shadow Looming to strike a vulnerable node on the Golden Lion Mastiff, briefly freezing it with pain.
• The Golden Lion Mastiff suppressed the abnormality with its Domination Domain and charged again with greater speed and fury.
• Situ Xuan abandoned the pressure-point tactic and charged directly into the Golden Lion Mastiff, meeting its claw with his fist.
• Situ Xuan unleashed North Star Hundred Rending Fists while the Golden Lion Mastiff fought back with its claws and golden fur.
• The Golden Lion Mastiff tore deep gashes into Situ Xuan as his punches battered its body, and both fighters continued their bloody clash.

Situ Xuan traded devastating blows with the Golden Lion Mastiff, pushing himself through pain as his martial arts sharpened in the battle. The two badly injured fighters faced off at the peak of their strength, poised to clash again.

• Situ Xuan used Ten Thousand Qi Returning to Origin and Tiger Palm Suppresses the World to crack the Golden Lion Mastiff’s forehead and damage its shoulder, but its tail tore open his waist and abdomen.
• Situ Xuan used Burning Step to halt his flight, returned to the fight, and rapidly healed his wound as his rage strengthened him.
• Situ Xuan attacked with Blade Chaos Thunder, shredding the Golden Lion Mastiff’s golden defenses and injuring its forelimbs.
• The Golden Lion Mastiff fired a point-blank sonic cannon, and Situ Xuan blocked most of it with Darkness Overcasting Heaven and Earth.
• Situ Xuan and the Golden Lion Mastiff faced each other twenty meters apart, both badly injured and preparing for another clash.

Situ Xuan and the Golden Lion Mastiff exchanged final attacks that left both gravely wounded. As Gu Yue and Leng Yaozhu prepared to intervene and rescue them, Situ Xuan insisted that no one interfere with his battle, leaving the fight unresolved.

• Situ Xuan and the Golden Lion Mastiff unleashed their full strength and collided in a devastating attack.
• The blast left the Golden Lion Mastiff barely standing and Situ Xuan kneeling with life-threatening injuries.
• Gu Yue prepared to use her power to save Situ Xuan, while Leng Yaozhu ordered an emergency teleport to extract them both.
• Situ Xuan raised his head and ordered everyone not to interfere, declaring that the fight was his.
• Gu Yue halted her move and Leng Yaozhu paused her order as they watched Situ Xuan refuse to give up.

Situ Xuan awakened the Fierce Phoenix Heaven Burning Transformation and recovered from his near-fatal injuries, gaining fiery wings and golden eyes. He prepared to finish the exhausted Golden Lion Mastiff, which launched one final attack.

• Situ Xuan chanted an ancient verse, awakening the Nirvana Fierce Phoenix and healing his ruined body with sacred golden flames.
• Situ Xuan transformed, forming a flame-feathered robe, Burning Sun Fire Wings, and Dawn Golden Eyes.
• Gu Yue and Leng Yaozhu were shocked by Situ Xuan's transformation and the mysterious three golden flame lotuses above him.
• Situ Xuan recognized the Golden Lion Mastiff's defiance and resolved to end the battle while respecting its will to fight.
• The Golden Lion Mastiff used its last strength to lunge at Situ Xuan in one final attack.

Situ Xuan defeated the Golden Lion Mastiff with his Eight Extremes Heaven secret art, Crimson Lotus Phoenix Dance, transforming its remains into a crimson orb. After the battle, he collected the orb and returned to Gu Yue, while Leng Yaozhu wondered what other secrets he was hiding.

• Situ Xuan used Crimson Lotus Phoenix Dance against the lunging Golden Lion Mastiff, filling the arena with crimson phoenix streams.
• The technique awakened lava and fiery clouds, which dissolved the Golden Lion Mastiff and formed a crimson lotus from its body and Soul Power.
• The lotus contracted into a crimson orb as the arena fell silent, leaving Gu Yue stunned and Leng Yaozhu astonished by the technique.
• Situ Xuan returned to his original appearance, recovered from his injuries, and picked up the orb containing the Golden Lion Mastiff's residual fighting will and domain.
• Situ Xuan turned to Gu Yue with a tired, clear smile.

After passing the Soul Spirit Pagoda’s thirty-sixth trial, Situ Xuan ignored the offered soul spirit and the next floor to meditate. His false peak state faded, revealing catastrophic injuries and the terrible price of his temporary power, as Gu Yue realized he had delayed his wounds rather than healed them.

• Situ Xuan passed the thirty-sixth trial and declined to absorb the Golden Lion Mastiff soul spirit or enter the thirty-seventh floor.
• Situ Xuan began circulating the Cloud Heart Technique, causing the gilded disguise of the Nirvana Fierce Phoenix soul spirit to fade.
• Situ Xuan’s suppressed wounds reopened, leaving him bleeding and near collapse as he continued meditating to stabilize himself.
• Gu Yue realized Situ Xuan had converted his injuries and pain into temporary power and now faced the full backlash.
• Gu Yue understood that Situ Xuan treated battle as a struggle against his own limits and death.

Situ Xuan survived the backlash from his battle with the Golden Lion Mastiff and began to understand the deeper meaning of martial arts. He collected the Crimson Lotus Phoenix Dance light sphere and remained on the thirty-sixth floor, leaving his next step undecided as he studied his new insight.

• Gu Yue silently watched over the gravely injured Situ Xuan as he endured the backlash, while Leng Yaozhu observed from the monitoring room and reflected on his ruthless secret technique.
• Situ Xuan spat out clotted blood, opened his eyes, and slowly stood up despite his wounds.
• Situ Xuan collected the crimson light sphere containing the Golden Lion Mastiff's battle will and domain remnants, then told Gu Yue he had rested enough.
• Situ Xuan chose not to enter the light gate to the thirty-seventh floor and considered the pain and lessons from his battle.
• Situ Xuan realized that martial intent should merge with one's true self and that the body could actively draw in and harmonize the power of heaven and earth.

After unleashing the prototype of Crimson Lotus Phoenix Dance, Situ Xuan decided to leave the Soul Spirit Pagoda and recover while consolidating his new martial insight. Mu Ye watched the aftermath from the monitoring room and reflected on how little he could still teach his disciple before a woman greeted him.

• Situ Xuan realized Crimson Lotus Phoenix Dance fused his martial understanding, will, and Nirvana Fierce Phoenix soul spirit, and decided he needed time to develop it.
• Situ Xuan told Gu Yue they would stop fighting and return, and she agreed while staying close enough to help him.
• Situ Xuan and Gu Yue teleported to the Soul Spirit Pagoda's safe area, where staff came forward after seeing his injuries.
• Mu Ye appeared in the monitoring room and examined the traces left by Situ Xuan's battle with the Golden Lion Mastiff.
• Mu Ye reflected that Situ Xuan had already surpassed what he could teach him, and a woman greeted the Body Sect Master.

Mu Ye met Leng Yaozhu in the Spirit Pagoda monitoring room and introduced himself as the Body Sect Master and Situ Xuan’s master. Their brief handshake revealed unusual strength and flame auras in both of them, leaving each wary of the other’s hidden depths.

• Leng Yaozhu turned from the window and greeted Mu Ye in the monitoring room.
• Mu Ye introduced himself as the current Body Sect Master and Situ Xuan’s master.
• Leng Yaozhu reassessed Mu Ye, sensing that his physical cultivation and life force differed from rumors about him.
• Leng Yaozhu praised Mu Ye and Situ Xuan’s performance before shaking Mu Ye’s hand.
• Mu Ye sensed Leng Yaozhu’s concealed destructive flame, while Leng Yaozhu felt Mu Ye’s deep vitality and a faintly kindred flame aura.

Mu Ye met with Leng Yaozhu at the Spirit Pagoda and apologized in advance for Situ Xuan’s supposed troublemaking. Situ Xuan returned badly wounded from the trials with Gu Yue beside him, and Mu Ye’s eyes lit up at the sight of them.

• Mu Ye praised Situ Xuan’s talent while taking responsibility for his disciple’s behavior and apologizing to Leng Yaozhu.
• Leng Yaozhu welcomed Mu Ye, reassured him that Situ Xuan’s challenge was an honor to the Spirit Pagoda, and invited him to sit and drink tea.
• Mu Ye said he had come to pick up Situ Xuan and asked whether the young man had damaged the tower.
• Situ Xuan and Gu Yue entered the monitoring room together, with Situ Xuan walking steadily despite severe wounds.
• Mu Ye’s eyes lit up when he saw Situ Xuan and Gu Yue standing side by side.

Mu Ye admired Situ Xuan’s strength and began imagining a romance between him and Gu Yue, but Situ Xuan had summoned him to the Spirit Pagoda as a precaution after drawing attention during the tower challenge. The chapter left Mu Ye established as a powerful protector who could help Situ Xuan navigate the Spirit Pagoda’s dangers.

• Mu Ye saw Situ Xuan and Gu Yue standing together and began plotting to bring them closer, thinking they would make a good match.
• Situ Xuan approached Mu Ye and asked how long he had been waiting, and Mu Ye said he had only just arrived.
• Situ Xuan had secretly contacted Mu Ye to pick him up after his conspicuous performance in the Soul Spirit Pagoda, hoping to deter possible enemies by showing that the Body Sect backed him.
• Situ Xuan’s success had helped Mu Ye break through to rank ninety-five and strengthen his Body Martial Soul, while Mu Ye’s mastery of mechas made him a formidable protector.
• Mu Ye’s Four-Word Battle Armor, God-Rank Mecha, and combat skill made him one of the strongest people beneath the Limit Douluo realm.

Situ Xuan left the Spirit Pagoda with Mu Ye after thanking Leng Yaozhu and Gu Yue, while Leng Yaozhu reflected on Gu Yue’s burdens and teased her about her connection with Situ Xuan. Gu Yue denied they were friends, but her blush and flustered response caught her teacher’s attention.

• Situ Xuan declined Leng Yaozhu’s offer of treatment and said he would return with Mu Ye to recover using his sect’s methods.
• Situ Xuan thanked Gu Yue before leaving the monitoring room with Mu Ye, and Gu Yue watched them go.
• Leng Yaozhu asked Gu Yue what she thought of Situ Xuan, and Gu Yue called him dangerous but steady on his path.
• Leng Yaozhu asked Gu Yue to compare her own path with Situ Xuan’s, and Gu Yue said they were different.
• Leng Yaozhu teased Gu Yue that she and Situ Xuan looked well together, and Gu Yue blushed while insisting they were only acquaintances.

Gu Yue blushed as Leng Yaozhu teased her about her concern for Situ Xuan, then playfully ruffled her hair and left. Alone afterward, Gu Yue watched the sunset as her complicated thoughts returned, bringing two figures clearly to mind.

• Leng Yaozhu questioned Gu Yue about why she had invited Situ Xuan to challenge the Soul Spirit Pagoda and stayed beside him when he was injured.
• Gu Yue struggled to explain her concern and grew embarrassed when Leng Yaozhu pointed out how unusually quiet she had been around Situ Xuan.
• Leng Yaozhu ruffled Gu Yue's hair, teased her for looking adorable when shy, and slipped out of the monitoring room.
• Gu Yue fixed her hair and reflected on how Leng Yaozhu's teasing helped ease the weight of her responsibilities.
• Gu Yue watched the sunset as her suppressed thoughts resurfaced, and two figures appeared clearly in her mind.

Gu Yue wrestled with her feelings for Tang Wulin and her response to Situ Xuan, seeing them as representatives of two opposing paths. She remained at a crossroads between emotional closeness and the cold pursuit of strength and duty.

• Gu Yue recalled how Tang Wulin's shared bloodline, trust, and years together had softened her defenses and drawn her toward him.
• Gu Yue condemned her affection for Tang Wulin as a possible weakness and questioned whether her bet with Na'er was a way to conceal her hopes.
• Gu Yue considered how Situ Xuan's extreme self-discipline and challenges had forced her to question whether she was avoiding her own path to power.
• Gu Yue reflected on Situ Xuan's strength and felt her own ambition stirred by his relentless pursuit of the summit.
• Gu Yue weighed the uncertain path with Tang Wulin against the lonely path represented by Situ Xuan, ending without choosing between them.

Situ Xuan recovered from his tower challenge while Mu Ye and Zhen Hua watched over him and traded remarks. Mu Ye prepared his new dish, Nine Heavens of Ice and Fire, and called them to dinner.

• Situ Xuan meditated in a quiet room, healing his injuries through his powerful circulation of blood and vital energy.
• Mu Ye praised Situ Xuan's extraordinary physical strength, and Situ Xuan told him to stop staring and go cook.
• Zhen Hua agreed with Situ Xuan and urged Mu Ye not to disturb him while he healed.
• Mu Ye left to prepare Nine Heavens of Ice and Fire using an Ice Sea Dragon Cod and rare ingredients.
• Situ Xuan's wounds healed as a tempting aroma drifted into the quiet room, and Mu Ye called him and Zhen Hua to dinner.

Situ Xuan recovered over a restorative meal with Mu Ye and Zhen Hua, who praised his victory over Shrek’s Outer Court. The celebration turned serious when Zhen Hua decided to tell Situ Xuan something important, despite Mu Ye’s attempt to stop him.

• Situ Xuan left the quiet room with Zhen Hua after recovering enough to move around.
• Mu Ye served Situ Xuan and Zhen Hua a restorative feast, and Situ Xuan felt the meal accelerate his recovery.
• Mu Ye asked whether Situ Xuan had defeated Shrek’s Outer Court, and Situ Xuan calmly confirmed it.
• Mu Ye praised Situ Xuan’s victory, while Zhen Hua expressed admiration and envy at Mu Ye’s good fortune in taking him as a disciple.
• Zhen Hua turned solemn and prepared to tell Situ Xuan something, while Mu Ye tried to silently stop him.

Zhen Hua told Situ Xuan that he had learned the Body Sect’s medicinal bath formula and Cloud Force method from Mu Ye, and explained how they had treated the injuries threatening his forging career. He left the conversation grateful for the methods and eager to describe their effects.

• Zhen Hua pushed aside Mu Ye’s attempt to stop him and admitted to Situ Xuan that he had learned the medicinal bath formula and Cloud Force.
• Mu Ye tried to defend sharing the methods, but Zhen Hua insisted that rules mattered regardless of their friendship.
• Zhen Hua explained that his duties in the Federation and the Blacksmith’s Association prevented him from openly joining the Body Sect.
• Zhen Hua described how years of forging had left him with fire poison, spiritual exhaustion, and severe injuries throughout his body.
• Zhen Hua credited Mu Ye with giving him the methods, which had begun to draw out the fire poison, ease his hidden injuries, and strengthen his body.