Chapter Summaries

Xu Tinglan and Jing Hongchen searched Fan Yu but found no forbidden items on him, so Xu Tinglan inspected his residence and used Judgment of Fate with Xi Yue to uncover evidence connecting Fan Yu to secret blueprints and rare metals. Xi Yue hoped the discovery would let them beat up Huo Yuhao.

• Fan Yu let Xu Tinglan inspect his storage Soul Tools, which contained no blueprints or rare metals, while secretly planning to retrieve the hidden blueprints later.
• Jing Hongchen authorized Xu Tinglan to search Fan Yu's dormitory after Xu Tinglan argued that an inspection would reveal the truth.
• Xu Tinglan brought Lan Xiu, Ye Nongfeng, and Qiu Yi to search Fan Yu's residence, then left them to continue searching.
• Xu Tinglan asked Xi Yue to use Judgment of Fate with him to find proof of Shrek's violations, and she agreed.
• Xu Tinglan and Xi Yue followed the threads of fate to Fan Yu's apartment and uncovered connections to blueprints and rare metals.
• Xi Yue asked whether their evidence could help them beat up Huo Yuhao, and Xu Tinglan grinned.

Xu Tinglan stole the hidden Soul Tool blueprints from He Caitou’s dormitory and presented them to Jing Hongchen, while Fan Yu tried to deny Shrek’s involvement. Fan Yu feared a handwriting analysis would expose Huo Yuhao as the blueprints’ creator as Jing Hongchen took them back to Sun Moon Academy.

• Xu Tinglan knocked He Caitou unconscious and found the oilcloth-wrapped Core Array blueprints hidden in his dormitory wall.
• Lan Xiu and the others searched and damaged the Shrek exchange students’ dormitory while Ye Nongfeng confronted Ye Xiaosheng.
• Xu Tinglan presented the blueprints to Jing Hongchen and accused Fan Yu of hiding Soul Tool Core Array designs.
• Fan Yu denied the accusation and called the witnesses accomplices, while Jing Hongchen proposed using a Handwriting Analysis Soul Tool.
• Jing Hongchen took Xu Tinglan and Fan Yu back to Sun Moon Academy, leaving Fan Yu worried that the analysis would identify Huo Yuhao as the blueprints’ author.

Jing Hongchen exposed Huo Yuhao’s stolen core-array blueprints and demanded compensation from Shrek, while Huo Yuhao offered a hidden-weapon mechanism in trade. Xu Tinglan challenged the offer’s authenticity, and Jing Hongchen turned cold toward Huo Yuhao as the negotiation stalled.

• Jing Hongchen used a handwriting-detection Soul Tool to prove that Huo Yuhao had copied the core-array blueprints, and Fan Yu agreed to speak privately.
• Jing Hongchen confronted Fan Yu about Shrek’s covert theft, and Fan Yu asked him to name a price for the blueprints.
• Xu Tinglan demanded one hundred-thousand-year soul bone and two eighty-thousand-year soul bones, but Fan Yu said Shrek could not pay that price.
• Huo Yuhao offered his mechanical soul-tool method in exchange for the copied blueprints and asked for a ninth-grade soul tool, then proposed trading the method directly for the blueprints.
• Xu Tinglan warned Jing Hongchen that Huo Yuhao’s Godly Zhuge Crossbow Cannon blueprint was defective, and Jing Hongchen coldly told Huo Yuhao to stop trying to sow discord.

Fan Yu negotiated with Mingde Hall over Huo Yuhao’s copied core array blueprints, while Xu Tinglan used a recording to extract further concessions and Huo Yuhao endured a brutal sparring match with Snow Empress. Shrek received the blueprints in exchange for Soul Bones, but Jing Hongchen had secretly left flaws in them, setting up trouble for Shrek’s Soul Tool Department.

• Fan Yu agreed to trade three eighty-thousand-year Soul Bones for the copied core array blueprints, then gave Xu Tinglan a sixty-thousand-year Soul Bone and two sparring opportunities after Xu played a recording of Huo Yuhao’s boast.
• Fan Yu told the Shrek exchange students to endure the dormitory demolition and restrictions, while Jing Hongchen and Xu Tinglan laughed about their predicament.
• Snow Empress stabbed Huo Yuhao through the chest during a sparring match, leaving him badly injured and forcing him to recover for a week.
• Fan Yu secured four ten-thousand-year Soul Bones from the Martial Soul Department and exchanged them with Jing Hongchen for the blueprints.
• Huo Yuhao confirmed that the blueprints matched his memories, while Jing Hongchen revealed that he had left flaws in the designs to mislead Shrek’s researchers.

Xu Tinglan and Meng Hongchen shared a romantic evening in Ming Capital, kissed, and then encountered a student protest against the Sun Moon Empire’s war. Suspecting a hidden force was behind the demonstrations, they went to investigate as the Ming Capital Guard moved to surround the marchers.

• Xu Tinglan and Meng Hongchen shared an umbrella and a roasted sweet potato while walking along Flower Sea Bright Street.
• Xu Tinglan kissed Meng Hongchen in a quiet alley, and she happily said he had finally figured it out.
• Xu Tinglan and Meng Hongchen saw students marching with banners opposing the war and demanding that Sun Moon withdraw its troops.
• Xu Tinglan suspected a shady force was exploiting the student protesters, and he took Meng Hongchen to investigate.
• The Ming Capital Guard arrived and began encircling the marching crowd.

Xu Tinglan intervened when a student march in Ming Capital turned violent, then used the Crown Prince Token to stop the Royal Self-Defense Guard from killing the entire crowd. He later learned that Crown Prince Xu Tianran had ordered the captured demonstrators executed, and the chapter ended with Xu Tinglan and Jing Hongchen meeting the crown prince.

• Students armed with Soul Tools killed the guard captain and injured other guards during the march, and Xu Tinglan arrived to stop the escalating violence.
• Xu Tinglan confronted the marchers as a Soul Emperor, then showed the Royal Self-Defense Guard his Crown Prince Token and urged them to target only the attackers and instigators.
• The Royal Self-Defense Guard killed the student leaders who had initiated the attack and took the remaining demonstrators away.
• Xu Tinglan learned that the demonstrators from Ming Capital Academy had all been executed on Xu Tianran's order.
• Xu Tinglan accompanied Jing Hongchen to Wenwu Palace, where Jing Hongchen greeted Xu Tianran and prepared to leave after delivering a Class 9 defensive Soul Tool.

Xu Tinglan learned that the Star Luo Empire had incited riots across the Sun Moon Empire, while Grand Duke Glory had declared independence. He chose to go to the Mingdou Mountain Range to earn military merit and a real fief, leaving Xu Tianran to prepare a purge.

• Jing Hongchen left Wenwu Palace, and Xu Tianran asked Xu Tinglan whether he could win the Hall Master's sincere support.
• Xu Tianran told Xu Tinglan that the Star Luo Empire had stirred up the riot and that he planned to carry out the Severed Wrist Plan and purge the rioters.
• Xu Tianran gave Xu Tinglan a letter reporting riots throughout the Sun Moon Empire and Grand Duke Glory's rebellion and creation of the Principality of Glory.
• Xu Tinglan decided to go to the Mingdou Mountain Range, and Xu Tianran promised to seek him the title of Count of Martial and a fief if he earned military merit.
• Xu Tinglan left Wenwu Hall, judged that Shrek's exchange students were already under surveillance, and resolved to pursue the noble title and fief.

Xu Tinglan left Sun Moon Academy for the Mingdou Mountain Range, where he intended to fight the White Tiger Legion. After a Star Luo surprise attack erupted near the Sun Moon camp, he masked his identity and headed toward the fighting, where he encountered a Star Luo officer.

• Xu Tinglan told Hall Master Hongchen he would leave Sun Moon Academy to fulfill his vow, and Meng Hongchen reluctantly said goodbye as he departed.
• Huo Yuhao heard that someone had left the academy and wondered where Xu Tinglan had gone.
• Xu Tinglan reached the Mingdou Mountain Range, showed his Sun Moon Token to three soldiers, and followed Major Zhao toward the military camp.
• A Star Luo surprise attack struck the defensive line, and Major Zhao ordered a report while Xu Tinglan refused to retreat.
• Xu Tinglan put on a dark-gold bronze mask and crossed the blasted battlefield, where he saw a middle-aged Star Luo officer standing on a black boulder.

Xu Tinglan ambushed and destroyed a Star Luo Soul Master squad, killing its captain Jiang Hui and bringing the heads back to the Sun Moon camp. Li Dongwei learned that the imperial inspector had arrived and seen the squad wiped out firsthand.

• Xu Tinglan confronted a Star Luo squad and killed its two Soul Masters who advanced against him.
• Xu Tinglan swiftly killed the squad captain Jiang Hui, causing the remaining Star Luo Soul Masters to flee.
• Xu Tinglan pursued and killed the fleeing soldiers, then collected their heads and returned to the Sun Moon camp.
• Zhao Ting told Li Dongwei that the inspector had arrived and personally destroyed an elite squad led by Jiang Hui.
• Li Dongwei and Zhao Ting went to the drill ground, where they saw Jiang Hui's head atop a pile of several dozen heads.

Xu Tinglan joined Li Dongwei’s forces and, six months later, attacked the Star Luo Western Army’s Soul Master regiment during a battle on the Mingdou Plain. The White Tiger Regiment targeted him with a coordinated assault, but Xu Tinglan continued cutting into their formation.

• Xu Tinglan met General Li Dongwei and said he would not interfere with military decisions, only kill enemies.
• Xu Tinglan registered the Eye of Distant Star Judgment at the Soul Tool foundry to prevent friendly fire.
• Six months later, the Ming Army and Star Luo Western Army clashed on the Mingdou Plain, with Soul Skills and Soul Tools supporting their troops.
• Xu Tinglan put on his mask, equipped his armor and flight Soul Tool, and charged toward the Western Army’s support-type Soul Masters.
• Xu Tinglan killed Soul Masters with his greatsword and Terrorclaw as Du Leisi and the White Tiger Regiment launched a barrage of Soul Skills against him.
• Xu Tinglan broke through the White Tiger Regiment’s attacks and plunged into the heart of the Soul Master formation.

Xu Tinglan fought through the White Tiger Regiment’s Soul Masters under the protection of Chaos Descent, then overcame Du Leisi and his Soul Kings. After blasting Du Leisi back with Heavenly Moat Thoroughfare, Xu Tinglan swept through the encirclement and decapitated the general.

• Xu Tinglan used Chaos Descent to swallow the White Tiger Regiment’s attacks and cut down its Soul Masters, spreading panic through the regiment.
• Du Leisi led eighteen Soul Kings in an aerial encirclement and attacked Xu Tinglan in his Shadow Fiend Wolf form.
• Xu Tinglan fought Du Leisi while the Soul Kings bombarded him with long-range Soul Skills, most of which the black mist absorbed or weakened.
• Xu Tinglan unleashed Heavenly Moat Thoroughfare, blasting Du Leisi backward and carving a deep trench through the ground.
• Xu Tinglan used his four wings to reach Du Leisi and killed him with a sweep of the Darkgolden Terrorclaw.

Xu Tinglan routed the White Tiger Regiment on Mingdou Plain, killing Du Leisi and forcing Dai Hao's army to retreat. After ordering his soldiers to build a Jingguan from the enemy dead, Xu Tinglan left Dai Hao shaken and convinced that Demon Ghost was an Evil Soul Master.

• Xu Tinglan killed Du Leisi and pursued the retreating White Tiger Soul Kings until Xuanji Douluo blocked his path.
• Xu Tinglan used Chaos Rift to engulf nearby Soul Masters and escape Xuanji Douluo, who recognized him as a dangerous opponent.
• Dai Hao abandoned his plan to lure and kill Demon Ghost and ordered the Western Army to withdraw.
• The Ming Army used Soul Guidance Cannons and infantry to rout the Star Luo forces, while Xuanji Douluo covered their retreat.
• Xu Tinglan ordered his soldiers to build a Jingguan from the enemy dead, leaving Dai Hao convinced that Demon Ghost was an Evil Soul Master.

After celebrating the Ming Army’s victory, Xu Tinglan reflected with the generals on the empire’s shortage of recruits and its struggle against Star Luo. Outside the command tent, he met Zhang Peng of the Holy Spirit Cult, who mistook him for an Evil Soul Master and warned him not to absorb battlefield wraiths.

• Li Dongwei and the generals praised Xu Tinglan’s victory and discussed Star Luo’s powerful recruitment of soldiers from its slave population.
• Xu Tinglan and the officers blamed the Ming Army’s manpower shortage on its past emperors’ policies and hoped the new emperor’s reforms would bring more recruits.
• Xu Tinglan left the command tent and challenged an old man who had been watching him.
• Zhang Peng assumed Xu Tinglan had built the hill of heads under the Cult Leader’s orders, then said he was not an Evil Soul Master himself.
• Zhang Peng warned Xu Tinglan not to secretly absorb the wraiths of the Mingdou Battlefield before walking away.

Xu Tinglan infiltrated the White Tiger Main Camp to assassinate Dai Hao and launched a surprise attack when Dai Hao emerged from a side tent. The chapter ended as Xu Tinglan's sword struck toward Dai Hao, who transformed into a White Tiger but found several Soul Skills sealed.

• Xu Tinglan decided to attack Dai Hao after learning that the Holy Spirit Cult collected battlefield Wraiths.
• Xu Tinglan scouted the White Tiger Main Camp and waited until Dai Hao appeared outside a side tent.
• Xu Tinglan infiltrated the Star Luo camp disguised as an ordinary soldier and silently killed its sentries.
• Xu Tinglan used a spatial rift to appear behind Dai Hao and brought down his Demon-Slaying and Monster-Cutting Sword.
• Dai Hao called for Uncle Xuanji, activated his Martial Soul Avatar, and transformed into a White Tiger while several Soul Skills remained unusable.

Xu Tinglan ambushed Dai Hao at the White Tiger Main Camp, severed his right arm, and escaped after Xuanji Douluo intervened. He returned to the Sun Moon Main Camp, left a taunting farewell letter, and headed back to Ming Capital.

• Dai Hao blocked Xu Tinglan’s opening attacks with the White Tiger Tower and a Level 7 Invincible Barrier, but Judgment of Fate delayed the barrier long enough for Heavenly Evil Rending Execution to sever his right arm.
• Xuanji Douluo attacked Xu Tinglan, but Moon God Radiance blocked the Xuanji Umbrella and later shifted Xu Tinglan twenty kilometers away.
• Xuanji Douluo rescued Dai Hao, who suspected Xu Tinglan was related to the Demon Ghost who had fought him three years earlier.
• Xu Tinglan concluded that Dai Hao would now stay close to Xuanji Douluo and vowed to kill them both after he grew stronger.
• Xu Tinglan left a letter boasting about taking Dai Hao’s arm, then departed for Ming Capital, expecting Dai Hao’s injury to damage the Western Army’s morale.

Xu Tinglan captured a Golden-Maned Flame Lion and returned to Sun Moon Academy, then prepared songs and a history-education proposal for Xu Tianran. Xu Tianran welcomed him at Wenwu Palace and offered him a choice of enfeoffed lands.

• Xu Tinglan found a Golden-Maned Flame Lion in the Jingyang Mountain Range, subdued it, and rode it back to Sun Moon Academy.
• Xu Tinglan brought the Flame Lion into his private courtyard and arranged for it to be fed.
• Xu Tinglan recalled and wrote down three songs, planning to propose history education and military songs to Xu Tianran.
• Xu Tinglan went to the imperial palace and met Xu Tianran at Wenwu Palace.
• Xu Tianran said he had prepared several enfeoffed lands for Xu Tinglan to choose from.

Xu Tinglan chose Cang City as his fief and persuaded Xu Tianran to grant him the nearby Soul Beast Mountain Range, while proposing a history-and-music campaign to strengthen the empire. A week later, he renamed Cang City Wu City and arranged for Nine Treasures Ning Mochen to select its administrators.

• Xu Tianran reviewed Xu Tinglan’s military merits, including the killing of Du Leisi and Dai Hao’s lost arm, then presented him with a map of cultivated fiefs.
• Xu Tinglan chose Cang City for its Awakening Soul Stones and proximity to the Soul Beast Mountain Range, and Xu Tianran granted him the mountain range as well.
• Xu Tinglan proposed using history and vocal music to inspire loyalty, and Xu Tianran approved the plan and ordered the described drums and chime bells to be made.
• Meng Hongchen visited Xu Tinglan at the academy, teased him while he rested, and the two kissed and embraced.
• One week later, Xu Tinglan renamed Cang City Wu City and had Nine Treasures Ning Mochen select people to manage it.

Kong Deming arranged Xu Tinglan’s coming-of-age and investiture ceremonies, staging a vast performance of “Ask the Moon” for ninety thousand youths. As the song and the Sun and Moon’s light converged, Xu Tinglan reached the realm of Unity of Heaven and Man.

• Kong Deming summoned Xu Tinglan to hear Kong Que play “Ask the Moon” and announced that his coming-of-age and investiture ceremonies would be held together.
• Xu Tinglan arrived at Mingle Palace for a ceremony featuring ninety thousand youths and musical Soul Masters performing “Ask the Moon.”
• Xu Tianran watched the performance with envy and fear, while Huo Yuhao sensed its immense killing intent.
• Xu Tinglan explained to Kong Que how children’s war songs could inspire people to fight for the next generation.
• Xu Tinglan donned his Crimson Gold Battle Armor, rose into the sky beneath the Sun and Moon, and entered the realm of Unity of Heaven and Man.

Xi Yue and the Snow Empress helped Xu Tinglan unite Ultimate Light and fire with Ultimate Ice and Snow, awakening him through a year-long deep meditation. After returning to the academy, he learned Huo Yuhao was still there and went to Jing Hongchen, concerned about the plan to kill him and warning that his Soul Tool blueprints might be tied to the ancient Sea God.

• Xi Yue and the Snow Empress guided their opposing energies into Xu Tinglan as the War Song of ninety thousand people connected him with heaven and earth.
• More than a year later, Xu Tinglan emerged from the Silver Moon Barrier, discovered his body had changed, and flew back to the academy.
• Meng Hongchen told Xu Tinglan that a year and two months had passed and that Huo Yuhao, using the alias Mu Qing, was still at the academy.
• Xu Tinglan went to Jing Hongchen and learned that the exchange students' term would end in one or two months and that Jing Hongchen was tempted by Huo Yuhao's Soul Tool blueprints.
• Xu Tinglan warned Jing Hongchen that the blueprints might be connected to the Sea God from ten thousand years ago, making Jing Hongchen more curious about deciphering them.

Xu Tinglan asked Xi Yue to help him find an aging Golden Hawksbill in the Star Dou Forest, and she brought him to Bi Ji. Along the way, Electrolux taught him the Soul Spirit Contract, and the chapter left Xu Tinglan expecting Bi Ji to help secure his seventh Soul Ring.

• Jiang Nannan opened Meng Hongchen's door, recognized her, and left without speaking.
• Xu Tinglan convinced Jing Hongchen that they could study their enemies' technology by taking it from them in battle, then asked Xi Yue to guide him to the aging Golden Hawksbill.
• Xi Yue agreed and took Xu Tinglan into the Star Dou Forest, concealing herself from Di Tian and heading to find Bi Ji.
• Electrolux taught Xu Tinglan the Soul Spirit Contract, which Xu Tinglan hoped to adapt into a method for creating Soul Tool Spirits.
• Bi Ji met Xu Tinglan and Xi Yue, teased them about their relationship, and said they should discuss business.