Chapter Summaries

Long Zhanye challenged the Sun Moon Divine Drum after Xiao Hongchen struck seven beats, overcoming the drum’s physical, mental, and presence-based backlash. He matched Xiao Hongchen’s score of seven chimes and drew the attention of Kong Deming.

• Xiao Hongchen mocked Long Zhanye with a raised middle finger as he left the stage, and Long Zhanye silently watched him go.
• Long Zhanye stepped onto the stage despite the crowd’s doubts and used his Double Pupil to study the Sun Moon Divine Drum before striking it.
• Long Zhanye sounded the first five beats, using his Double Pupil and Head Spirit Bone to withstand the drum’s mental backlash.
• After the sixth beat revealed the drum’s growing presence, Long Zhanye sensed it stirring the killing intent within his Divine Slaughter's Domain.
• Long Zhanye used his Flawless Golden Body to withstand the seventh beat’s backlash and tied Xiao Hongchen’s score, shocking the crowd and Jing Hongchen.
• Kong Deming straightened on the rostrum and began paying attention to Long Zhanye.

Long Zhanye surpassed Xiao Hongchen by striking the trial drum eleven times, setting a new arena record despite severe injuries and losing control of Divine Slaughter's Domain. He left Xiao Hongchen speechless and declared himself the genius, while Master Kong Deming recognized the historic achievement.

• Long Zhanye struck the eighth and ninth chimes as his Killing Intent began leaking out and chilling the arena.
• Long Zhanye gathered his Killing Intent into a fist and struck the tenth chime, enduring a massive recoil that shook his body and Soul Tools.
• Despite blood seeping from his body and Divine Slaughter's Domain overwhelming his reason, Long Zhanye struck an eleventh chime before choosing to stop.
• The spectators erupted in cheers, and Master Kong Deming stood in disbelief at Long Zhanye's record-breaking eleven chimes.
• Long Zhanye gave Xiao Hongchen a thumbs-down and declared himself the genius, leaving Xiao Hongchen speechless.

Long Zhanye lost control of his killing intent, forcing Jing Hongchen to withstand his attacks until it subsided. After Long Zhanye regained clarity, Jing Hongchen suggested an underground competition as an outlet for the killing intent and told him that Master Kong Deming would meet him the next morning.

• Long Zhanye hurried toward his dormitory as his killing intent overwhelmed his reason, and Jing Hongchen followed after noticing something was wrong.
• When Jing Hongchen touched his shoulder, Long Zhanye attacked him, and Jing Hongchen caught his punch and urged him to release the killing intent.
• Long Zhanye repeatedly struck Jing Hongchen, then formed a blade of killing intent and attacked, but Jing Hongchen blocked it with a Soul Power barrier.
• Long Zhanye's killing intent subsided, and he regained clarity without remembering what had happened.
• Jing Hongchen told Long Zhanye about an underground competition in the Ming Capital's three biggest black markets where he could release his killing intent.
• Jing Hongchen told Long Zhanye that Master Kong Deming would meet him at Experimental Zone No. 7 of Mingde Hall at eight the next morning, and Long Zhanye went to rest.

After recognizing that his increasingly frequent killing intent was damaging his body, Long Zhanye went to Mingde Hall’s secret Experimental Zone No. 7 to meet Kong Deming. Kong Deming left him to study on his own, and Long Zhanye spent the day absorbed in the master’s advanced Soul Tool research records.

• Long Zhanye realized his killing intent was erupting more often, obstructing his meridians and Soul Power growth, and went to sleep to recover.
• Long Zhanye passed multiple security checks and entered Experimental Zone No. 7, where he saw rare metals, high-level Soul Tools, and nine enormous humanoid robots, including Experimental Subject No. 1.
• Ruo Lin greeted Long Zhanye and led him to Kong Deming, who told him to watch from the side and study on his own because he was busy.
• Ruo Lin introduced herself as Kong Deming’s experimental assistant and showed Long Zhanye his research records and unfinished Soul Tools.
• Long Zhanye read Kong Deming’s advanced Core Array theories throughout the day until Ruo Lin pointed out that evening had arrived.

Long Zhanye studied Soul Tool principles while Kong Deming remained absorbed in his research, then began visiting Ming Capital’s underground black market to enter its Soul Engineer competition. He learned how the tournament and its gambling worked, along with the three major underground powers, and resolved to proceed cautiously as he sought resources and a chance to release his Killing Intent.

• Long Zhanye tried to greet Kong Deming, but the old man stayed focused on the Humanoid Robots and did not respond.
• Long Zhanye continued studying Core Arrays on his own and asked Ruo Lin for guidance when he got stuck.
• Long Zhanye went to the underground arena, where Soul Engineers under thirty competed to make Class 4 Soul Tools in a three-day qualifying round.
• Long Zhanye learned that the black-market competition drew vast gambling wagers and offered Rare Metals as rewards, with three divisions and a final contest between their champions.
• Long Zhanye learned that the Xishui Alliance, Ordinary Alliance, and Aodu Chamber of Commerce controlled Ming Capital’s underground world, and decided to act cautiously while pursuing resources and an outlet for his Killing Intent.

Long Zhanye went to the Xishui Alliance’s Qingse Hotel to enter its preliminary round of the Ming Capital Soul Engineer Elite Tournament, which had already begun. He persuaded the Alliance to consider a 100,000-Gold-Soul-Coin wager on his qualification and was escorted inside, where a middle-aged man confirmed his intention to compete.

• Long Zhanye chose to approach the powerful Xishui Alliance, whose Qingse Hotel served as the venue for its tournament preliminary round.
• A guard told Long Zhanye the preliminaries had begun and late arrivals could not participate.
• Long Zhanye offered to wager 100,000 Gold Soul Coins on qualifying and urged the guard to consult his superiors.
• A middle-aged man in a white robe came out, welcomed Long Zhanye into Qingse Hotel, and asked whether he wished to enter the tournament.

Long Zhanye used the false name Po Hongchen to enter the Underground Black Market tournament and demonstrated his Soul Engineer identity by threatening an organizer with a Soul Cannon. He was escorted to the underground competition hall, where he surveyed the tournament and its wealthy spectators.

• Long Zhanye introduced himself as Po Hongchen, choosing a name that echoed Jing Hongchen’s as a declaration of his intent to challenge his legend.
• When the middle-aged organizer asked him to demonstrate that he was a Soul Engineer, Long Zhanye produced a Soul Cannon and aimed it at the man, who immediately accepted his credentials.
• Long Zhanye told the organizer to hurry, and the man led him by Soul Elevator down to the hotel’s underground world.
• The middle-aged man guided Long Zhanye through the lavish underground venue and into a vast circular tournament hall.
• Long Zhanye surveyed the hall’s suspended rooms, contestants crafting soul tools, and more than two thousand wealthy spectators gathered to watch and bet.

Long Zhanye entered the Xishui Alliance’s Soul Engineer qualifying tournament disguised as Po Hongchen and quickly crafted a Soul Tool. The chapter left the judges’ test of his creation spiraling out of control as it absorbed Soul Power and threatened the crowded Golden Hall.

• Long Zhanye learned that 264 other Soul Engineers were competing and that he had only half an hourglass left to qualify.
• Long Zhanye posed as a visiting noble, discovered the Golden Hall was an auction house, and was refused the competition’s materials after offending his guide.
• Long Zhanye began the qualifying test under a yellow-clad judge’s supervision, using his own Mithril and an Iron Essence Engraving Knife.
• Long Zhanye crafted a silver-white arm-mounted Soul Tool in five minutes using only one hand, stunning the judge.
• The yellow-clad judge activated the Soul Tool, which rapidly absorbed his Soul Power and began emitting powerful fluctuations that he could not stop.

Long Zhanye passed the Soul Engineer Qualifying Tournament after swiftly crafting a powerful Soul Tool, then killed Bai Wang for mocking and apparently tampering with his bet. He left the competition site with his qualification badge as the judge watched in alarm.

• Long Zhanye demonstrated his Simplified Energy-Gathering Soul Cannon to the yellow-clad judge, who declared him qualified and gave him badge number thirty-one.
• Long Zhanye gave the Class Four Soul Tool to the judge and learned that the competition’s elimination rounds would begin the next day.
• Bai Wang mocked Long Zhanye for supposedly withdrawing, but fell silent when Long Zhanye showed his gold qualification badge.
• Long Zhanye confronted Bai Wang over their bet and accused him of tampering with things after seeing him leave.
• Long Zhanye struck Bai Wang with a palm, killing him before the yellow-clad judge could stop the attack.

Long Zhanye killed Bai Wang after the judge cheated him, then intimidated the Xishui Alliance’s supervisor, Chen An, into accepting his terms. Chen An paid him what he was owed and Long Zhanye prepared to compete in the next round.

• Long Zhanye unleashed his Killing Intent and transformed into a Soul Cannon platform after Xishui Alliance thugs surrounded him for killing Bai Wang.
• Chen An arrived, heard how Bai Wang had provoked Long Zhanye, and ordered his men to remove Bai Wang’s corpse and restore order.
• Chen An led Long Zhanye to a private room and tried to learn where he came from.
• Long Zhanye summoned a strange gray-white light and shadow, frightening Chen An into stopping his questions.
• Long Zhanye said he had entered the tournament for pocket money and rare metals, demanded his winnings, and warned the Xishui Alliance not to provoke him.

Long Zhanye intimidated Chen An into managing the tournament betting and converting his share into rare metals, while secretly testing Chen An after sensing the Xishui Alliance’s connection to the Holy Spirit Cult. As the tournament’s second round began, its rules and expanded betting options were announced.

• Long Zhanye told Chen An to keep his men quiet, handle the betting pools, and convert Long Zhanye’s share into rare metals.
• Long Zhanye promised Chen An benefits if he prepared a list of rare metals and stakes for each round, while threatening him to keep the arrangement secret.
• After leaving, Long Zhanye revealed to himself that he had sensed an Evil Soul Master aura in the Xishui Alliance and had used Chaos energy to make Chen An believe he was connected to the Holy Spirit Cult.
• The tournament’s three competition zones announced the contestants advancing to the second round, where soul engineers would anonymously craft offensive Soul Tools above Class 4 within five double-hours.
• The second-round rules stated that Class 5 Soul Tools advanced automatically, while Class 4 creations would be test-fired and the five weakest eliminated, along with anyone who failed to finish.
• The organizers offered gamblers varied bets, including wagers on the first finisher’s time, the top ten, the champion, eliminations, and upsets.

Long Zhanye studied the remaining competitors before the second official round began, then used his Mental Power to observe two skilled Soul Engineers. Their unusual Engraving Knives revealed that both might be using Ranked Engraving Knives, leaving Long Zhanye intrigued as the competition continued.

• Long Zhanye reviewed Chen An's documents on the remaining Soul Engineers and memorized the competitors Chen An had flagged.
• Chen An announced the second round's rules, limiting contestants to the organizers' materials and requiring each finished soul tool to be weighed.
• When the match began, Long Zhanye selected Mithril and spread his Mental Power across the stage to watch Numbers Ninety-Six and Ninety-Eight.
• Long Zhanye saw Number Ninety-Six carve with a jade-like red Engraving Knife and Number Ninety-Eight use a dragon-decorated cyan knife that infused metal with wind energy.
• Long Zhanye recognized that the two unusual tools might be Ranked Engraving Knives.

Long Zhanye learned about the prestigious Ranked Engraving Knives while competing in the Soul Engineer contest, then heard that the next round would pit contestants against each other in deadly matches. He arrived at Qingse Hotel as betting opened and asked who would inherit a contestant’s belongings if they died.

• Long Zhanye recognized the two Ranked Engraving Knives held by other contestants and regretted that he lacked a decent engraving knife of his own.
• Long Zhanye submitted a Class 5 small Soul Cannon, qualified to advance, and joined the forty-eight remaining contestants.
• Chen An told Long Zhanye that the next round would feature one-on-one matches and that higher-ranked Soul Engineers would judge them.
• Chen An explained that contestants would have four hours to craft a Soul Tool, then could concede or fight using only that tool, with death permitted.
• Long Zhanye asked Chen An who would receive a contestant’s possessions if they died.

Long Zhanye bribed Chen An to arrange a match against mysterious Soul Engineer Number Ninety-Eight, then entered the arena as the next round was about to begin. The contestants learned they had two hours to craft Soul Tools and defeat their opponents.

• Long Zhanye announced he would bet three hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins on himself just before the match.
• Long Zhanye offered Chen An valuable Soul Tools to arrange a match against Number Ninety-Eight, and Chen An agreed to find a way.
• Long Zhanye arrived at the Golden Hall and noticed a suspended platform designed for direct Soul Engineer battles.
• Long Zhanye found himself facing Number Ninety-Eight, whose dark cyan Engraving Knife and calm demeanor drew his attention.
• The chief referee announced a two-hour limit and ordered the Soul Engineers to craft Soul Tools to defeat their opponents.

Long Zhanye faced Gao Dalou in a Soul Tool crafting competition and secretly built a level-six weapon while letting his opponent believe he was only a fourth-rank Soul Engineer. As the crafting period ended, both contestants had completed their Soul Tools, setting up the coming confrontation.

• Gao Dalou introduced himself to Long Zhanye before the competition began, and the two prepared to craft Soul Tools for valuable Rare Metal rewards.
• When the soundproof barrier rose, Gao Dalou chose Star Silver Steel and began carving it with a powerful Ranked Engraving Knife; Long Zhanye studied his technique and resolved to obtain the knife.
• Long Zhanye selected Flame Sun Iron, then engraved five fourth-rank Core Arrays while Gao Dalou mistakenly assumed he was making a fourth-rank Soul Tool.
• Long Zhanye secretly arranged the five Core Arrays to create the core of a level-six Soul Tool and assembled an ordinary-looking Soul Cannon.
• As time nearly ran out, Gao Dalou finished crafting and stood with a satisfied smile.

Long Zhanye and Gao Dalou’s unusual Class 4 Soul Cannons were sent to a duel after the judges could not determine which was superior. The match began with both men facing off across the Combat Zone, and Long Zhanye aimed his cannon at Gao Dalou.

• Gao Dalou presented a Class 4 Shock Cannon with an explosive effect, while Long Zhanye submitted a silver-white cannon whose Core Array puzzled the judges.
• Long Zhanye described his cannon as a Class 4 high-explosive Soul Cannon, concealing that it was actually Class 6 so Gao Dalou would agree to a duel.
• The judges ruled that both weapons were offensive Class 4 Soul Cannons and ordered a confrontation, forbidding the fighters from using soul skills or other soul tools.
• The staff escorted Long Zhanye and Gao Dalou to opposite ends of the suspended Combat Zone as the crowd cheered and the judges discussed their potential.
• Long Zhanye called himself Po Hongchen and taunted Gao Dalou, who said he wanted to learn about the cannon and talk afterward.
• The chief judge started the match, and Long Zhanye raised his silver-white Soul Cannon toward Gao Dalou.

Long Zhanye defeated Gao Dalou in the Soul Tool match, surviving a direct hit from his Shock Shell while his own High-Explosive Shell left Gao Dalou gravely injured. After the judges declared Long Zhanye the winner, he realized the strange Engraving Knife might have caused the deathlike sensation he felt when the blast struck him.

• Gao Dalou fired a tracking Shock Shell at Long Zhanye, who sent his High-Explosive Shell skimming across the platform toward Gao Dalou.
• Long Zhanye stood unharmed after the Shock Shell exploded against him, thanks to his defensive Soul Tools.
• Gao Dalou fired again to intercept Long Zhanye's shell, but the resulting explosion blasted him into the barrier and left him motionless.
• The head judge declared Number Thirty-Six, Po Hongchen, the winner.
• Long Zhanye felt his heart and breathing stop briefly, then suspected the Engraving Knife had an ability that affected souls or controlled life and death.

After killing Gao Dalou in the arena, Long Zhanye took his Dark Green Dragon Engraving Knife and learned of its rare abilities. On his way to Mingde Hall, he discovered that Number 96 was following him, and Number 96 demanded the knife.

• Long Zhanye picked up Gao Dalou’s Dark Green Dragon Engraving Knife and Storage Soul Tool, then left the Combat Zone with them.
• At the Golden Hall, Chen An concealed Long Zhanye’s identity from the chief referee, who reacted with fear after hearing Chen An’s whispered explanation.
• Chen An told Long Zhanye that the Dark Green Dragon Engraving Knife ranked fifty-ninth, carried dark and wind attributes, and increased the success rate of Class Seven Soul Tools.
• Long Zhanye headed toward Mingde Hall at night and noticed someone following him.
• Long Zhanye confronted the follower and recognized him as Number 96, who demanded that he surrender the engraving knife.

Long Zhanye defeated Number 96, who tried to steal the Dark Green Dragon Engraving Knife, and killed him. He took Number 96’s Storage Soul Tool and second Ranked Engraving Knife before disappearing into the night.

• Number 96 demanded that Long Zhanye hand over the Dark Green Dragon Engraving Knife, revealing that he wanted its higher rank than his own.
• Number 96 revealed his five Soul Rings and attacked Long Zhanye with a Class 6 charged Soul Tool High-Explosive Shell.
• Long Zhanye used his Double Pupil to track Number 96 and struck him at close range with an eighth-grade Soul Tool, the Weakening Ray.
• Long Zhanye approached the gravely wounded Number 96 and cut his throat with the Dark Green Dragon Engraving Knife.
• Long Zhanye took Number 96’s Storage Soul Tool and dark-red Ranked Engraving Knife, then vanished into the night.

Long Zhanye prepared for the final, where the champion would win a Level 9 Soul Tool, and opened the Storage Soul Tools taken from his arena kills. Among a fortune in Rare Metals, he found a black stone that resisted both his Double Pupil and Mental Power, leaving its nature unknown.

• Long Zhanye anticipated the final and resolved to win its Level 9 Soul Tool reward.
• Long Zhanye noticed his Killing Intent had begun to weaken after repeated arena fights and kills.
• Long Zhanye opened the eleven Storage Soul Tools he had taken from opponents he killed.
• Long Zhanye found seventy-two kilograms of Rare Metals worth more than ten million Gold Soul Coins among the spoils.
• Long Zhanye discovered a heavy black stone among the Rare Metals, but his Double Pupil and Mental Power could not reveal anything about it.