Chapter Summaries

Gu Yuena set a plan in motion after Yun Jingheng left, while Yun Ming and Ya Li rushed their son back to Shrek to protect him from suspicion over his new Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring. At Tang Sect, Zang Xin learned Yun Jingheng had two such rings and ordered an investigation into whether the Sea God Pavilion had made a deal with the Soul Beast faction.

• Gu Yuena learned Yun Jingheng had left for Shrek and told Di Tian to proceed with their plan.
• Yun Ming and Ya Li hurried Yun Jingheng across the sea, warning that his new Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring could attract dangerous attention.
• Yun Jingheng told his parents that he had received the ring after completing the first trial of Yue Shen's inheritance and described the second trial's requirements and three-month limit.
• A Tang Sect informant reported to Zang Xin that Yun Jingheng had six Soul Rings, including two at the Hundred-Thousand-Year level.
• Liu Boyuan suggested Yun Jingheng's rings might involve a Godhood inheritance or an arrangement with Star Dou, and Zang Xin ordered a thorough investigation rather than accepting rumors as fact.

Yun Jingheng began the Lunar Moon God's Second Trial inside the Golden Tree, enduring the painful tempering of his body with Moonlight. Ya Li and Yun Ming watched over him as unseen observers discussed his injuries and the need not to interfere.

• Yun Ming directed Yun Jingheng to complete his Second Trial in the Golden Tree's highest room for protection.
• Yun Jingheng began the Moon Bath Body Tempering trial, drawing Moonlight into his body to temper his meridians, flesh, and bones.
• A strange Soul Power fluctuation distracted Yun Jingheng, causing Moonlight to run into an untempered branch meridian and badly injure his left arm.
• Yun Jingheng regained control of the Moonlight and continued tempering his body, while Ya Li and Yun Ming watched outside the room.
• Unseen observers debated whether to replenish Yun Jingheng's life force and decided not to interfere, despite his injured meridians.

Di Tian led a Soul Beast attack that destroyed Xu Hai City's defenses and harbor while sparing its civilians. By dawn, the beasts had withdrawn, and Di Tian declared the city fallen.

• Di Tian ordered the Soul Beasts to destroy Xu Hai City's defenses, avoid harming civilians, and kill any Soul Masters who resisted.
• Zhao the Third sounded the alarm as the beasts breached the eastern wall, while Sea Soul Beasts attacked ships and guards at the southern harbor.
• City Lord Zheng Hongji learned that the city's defenses had been destroyed, then was struck down when a Shadow Demon Wolf stormed the City Lord Manor.
• Soul Masters tried to protect the fleeing crowd at the western gate as beasts advanced through the city.
• At daybreak, Di Tian surveyed the ruined eastern district and harbor, confirmed the civilians had survived, and declared Xu Hai City fallen.

Tang Wulin and his companions learned that simultaneous beast tides had struck Xu Hai City and Skysea City, while preparing for their next Monster Academy match. Meanwhile, Gu Yuena delayed the planned surprise attack until Bear Lord drew attention elsewhere and revealed that the Spirit Pagoda in Star Luo City was the real target.

• Xie Xie told Tang Wulin and the others that beast tides had devastated the defenses of Xu Hai City and Skysea City while largely sparing civilian evacuation zones.
• Tang Wulin and Yuanen Yehui concluded that the attacks were controlled demonstrations, and Ye Xinglan said the teachers likely already knew about them.
• Ye Xinglan revealed that Xie Xie's next opponent, Fang Xun, had watched his previous match, but Tang Wulin explained that the day's contest would be a three-on-three team battle.
• Tang Wulin named himself, Xie Xie, and Xu Xiaoyan as Shrek's team, with Fang Xun on the opposing side.
• Gu Yuena told Zi Ji to wait until Bear Lord made his move before launching the attack, and identified the Spirit Pagoda beneath them as the main target.
• Gu Yuena confirmed that five tons of Soul Guidance Bombs were hidden in the building, ordered the tower's staff killed, and sent an item back to the Star Dou Great Forest with Scarlet King and Ten Thousand Monster King.

After three months of seclusion, Yun Jingheng emerged at level sixty-five with a greatly strengthened physique and learned that Yun Ming had important news for him. Yun Ming revealed that the Sea God Pavilion had decided to confine him to the pavilion, and Ya Li had supported the decision.

• Elder Long noted that Yun Jingheng had gained four levels in three months and could physically contend with a level-seventy-five opponent.
• Ya Li gave Yun Jingheng medicinal soup and told him that Yun Ming was waiting in the Council Hall.
• An unknown figure on a distant mountain placed a black chess piece, causing nine lines of light to spread from a silver-white piece toward Shrek Academy.
• Yun Jingheng teased Yun Ming about cutting his allowance before Yun Ming explained that the Sea God Pavilion had discussed Yun Jingheng during his seclusion.
• Yun Ming told Yun Jingheng that he was forbidden to leave the Sea God Pavilion because of his second trial, then revealed that Ya Li had voted in favor.

Yun Jingheng learned that the Sea God Pavilion had voted to keep him within its grounds, and he angrily confronted Yun Ming before Ya Li and the others revealed the danger behind the decision. He accepted that his Soul Power was transforming toward divine power, while his third trial remained out of reach until he formed a Soul Core.

• Yun Ming told Yun Jingheng that Ya Li had voted to keep him within the Sea God Pavilion grounds, and Yun Jingheng protested the restriction.
• Yun Jingheng shouted for his mother, drawing Ya Li, Long Yeyue, Feng Wuyu, Tang Yinmeng, Lan Muzi, Cai Yue'er, Zhuo Shi, and the Pavilion Master out from their hiding place.
• Ya Li explained that Yun Jingheng was emitting an aura unlike ordinary Soul Power, and Long Yeyue said his second trial had begun transforming his Soul Power toward divine power.
• Yun Ming warned that Yun Jingheng's unusual aura could attract powerful cultivators if he left the grounds, and Cai Yue'er compared him to a walking ten-thousand-year medicinal herb.
• Yun Jingheng said he needed at least one Soul Core to view the third trial, and the group urged him to condense one first.

Yun Jingheng and Sea God Pavilion’s eight decision-makers discussed how to form a Soul Core before his third god trial’s one-year deadline ran out. They agreed to help his Yue Shen Divine Power condense one naturally at midnight, and Yun Jingheng began studying Soul Core formation.

• Yun Jingheng told the eight decision-makers that his third trial had already begun and had a one-year time limit.
• Yun Ming proposed that the eight decision-makers guide their Soul Power through Yun Jingheng’s body so his Divine Power could condense its own Soul Core.
• Yun Ming warned that a mistake could cause Yue Shen’s Divine Power to reject Yun Jingheng’s dantian, and Yun Jingheng agreed to proceed.
• Yun Ming scheduled the attempt for midnight at Sea God Lake Heart Pavilion and ordered Yun Jingheng to read Introduction to Soul Core Formation first.
• Yun Jingheng found the book’s advanced material difficult but began reading it carefully.

Yun Jingheng began condensing a Soul Core with the help of eight Sea God Pavilion decision-makers while moonlight gathered around him and the moon remained fixed overhead. After dawn failed to arrive, he seemed to reach Yue Shen, then absorbed the moonlight and opened his eyes as the Soul Core’s power surged.

• Ya Li prepared Yun Jingheng for the unprecedented Soul Core condensation by clearing his meridians with a medicinal bath.
• Yun Ming and seven other Sea God Pavilion decision-makers joined Yun Jingheng at Sea God Lake Heart Pavilion and guided eight streams of Soul Power into him.
• Yun Jingheng’s Soul Core slowly drew in Soul Power and moonlight, causing the moon to remain overhead and silver light to spread across the lake.
• When dawn failed to break, Yun Ming wondered whether Yun Jingheng was speaking with Yue Shen.
• Yun Jingheng’s Soul Core suddenly absorbed the remaining moonlight and Soul Power, and silver-white light briefly flooded his eyes.

After Yun Jingheng condensed his Soul Core, the moon and sun raced across the sky in five seconds, turning night into noon and disrupting systems across the Federation. Qiangu Dongfeng blamed Shrek and sought compensation from Yun Ming, who denied responsibility and ended the call to deal with a coastal Sea Soul Beast riot.

• Yun Jingheng woke after condensing his Soul Core as the moon sank and the sun rose in less than five seconds, and Ya Li checked him and embraced him.
• Yun Jingheng tried to move with his new Soul Core, flew into Sea God Lake, and Ya Li carried him to the Council Hall after an urgent alarm sounded.
• The Federation communications officer reported that the astronomical anomaly had caused widespread panic and disrupted timekeeping and soul arrays, while Yun Jingheng joked that he might ask it to slow down next time.
• Qiangu Dongfeng reviewed the damage to Spirit Pagoda systems and called Yun Ming to demand compensation for the losses.
• Yun Ming denied that Shrek was responsible, then hung up, saying he had to investigate a Sea Soul Beast riot along the Federation coast.

With Sea God Island and the Federation disrupted, Yun Jingheng returned to his empty Outer Court house, where Gu Yue found him and offered help with his changed third God Trial. She gave him a storage ring containing Lunar Divine Gold.

• Ya Li told Yun Jingheng that the Federation was in chaos and warned him to stay at the academy before leaving to investigate a soul beast migration.
• Yun Jingheng traveled to his detached Outer Court house and found it surprisingly clean and familiar.
• Gu Yue arrived at the house and recognized that Yun Jingheng had condensed a Soul Core and passed two trials.
• Yun Jingheng discovered that his third trial required him to absorb pure moon-attribute spiritual power and transform his Soul Core into a Golden Core within one year.
• Gu Yue offered Yun Jingheng a storage ring and revealed that it contained Lunar Divine Gold.

Yun Jingheng used Gu Yue’s Lunar Divine Metal to cultivate in secret, then woke to find Ye Xinglan hiding in his room from visiting exchange students. When he returned from washing up, he discovered their friends had joined her and filled his room with slippers.

• Gu Yue left Yun Jingheng with a storage ring containing pure Lunar Divine Metal, and he sensed its moon-attributed aura.
• Yun Jingheng took the Lunar Divine Metal to his hidden basement, where his Soul Core absorbed and cycled its power through his body.
• Ye Xinglan visited Yun Jingheng and explained that she was avoiding annoying exchange students from Monster Academy.
• Yun Jingheng went to wash up, leaving Ye Xinglan in his room.
• Yun Jingheng returned to find Ye Xinglan, Xu Xiaoyan, and Gu Yue on his bed, Tang Wulin and Xie Xie lounging nearby, and Yuanen Yehui examining his telescope; everyone had brought slippers.

Yun Jingheng carved the Lunar Divine Metal Gu Yue had given him into a miniature Moon Palace and used the Lunar Path Technique from his Second Trial to refine it. The artifact entered his dantian to be nurtured by his Golden Core, and he hurried to master the technique in hopes of completing the Third Trial within a year.

• After Cai Yue'er took the others away, Yun Jingheng cleaned up their discarded slippers and went to the basement to work with the Lunar Divine Metal.
• Yun Jingheng realized he could carve the Moon Palace as a seed and let his Golden Core nurture it, then slowly fashioned the metal into a palm-sized palace.
• Unable to figure out how to refine the artifact, Yun Jingheng recalled the Lunar Path Technique scroll from his Second Trial and absorbed its knowledge.
• Yun Jingheng followed the technique to wrap the Moon Palace in spiritual power and guide it into accepting his soul imprint.
• Yun Jingheng sent the refined Moon Palace into his dantian, where it hovered above his Golden Core, then hurried upstairs to master it and pursue the Third Trial.

Yun Jingheng advanced his Lunar Path Technique and improved through sparring with his classmates and Wu Zhangkong. After Yun Jingheng demonstrated his growing strength, Wu Zhangkong declared him ready to train with Teacher, and Yun Jingheng looked ahead to the Third Trial.

• Yun Jingheng sparred with Tang Wulin and the others, while Gu Yue proved able to fight him evenly when he held back his two hundred-thousand-year soul rings.
• Yun Jingheng absorbed the Lunar Divine Metal Gu Yue had given him, strengthening his Golden Core and completing the first revolution of the Moon Palace.
• Yun Jingheng used the Lunar Path Technique's Silk-Twining Force to turn aside Wu Zhangkong's sword and force him to step back.
• Yun Jingheng later broke through Wu Zhangkong's Soul Power shield with a full string of Silk-Twining Force combinations.
• Wu Zhangkong said Yun Jingheng had passed and that Teacher would train with him from then on.
• Yun Jingheng estimated that he might finish the Third Trial in less than a year and vowed to pluck hairs from Zhuo Shi's beard.

Three months later, Yun Jingheng brought Yun Ming dinner and learned that work at the Soul Tool Research Institute and Tang Sect had kept his father busy. Their teasing conversation ended with Yun Jingheng revealing that he expected to complete his Third Trial within days.

• Yun Jingheng delivered his mother's dinner to Yun Ming at Sea God Pavilion and watched him eat.
• Yun Ming explained that problems at the Soul Tool Research Institute and new Tang Sect proposals had kept him busy.
• Yun Jingheng teased Yun Ming about his old tea and hidden Peach Blossom Brew, bargaining for the tea in exchange for keeping the wine secret.
• Yun Jingheng said he expected to complete his Third Trial within the next few days, and Yun Ming offered his support.

Yun Jingheng completed the third trial of the Nine Trials of the Lunar Moon God, perfected his Golden Core and Moon Palace, and fused with a million-year Moon Laurel head Soul Bone. He gained powerful new abilities, then fell asleep as Yun Ming checked on him.

• Before dawn, Yun Jingheng's Golden Core solidified and his Moon Palace completed its transformation as he broke through the fourth section of the Lunar Path Technique.
• The third trial was declared complete, and the system began fusing a million-year Moon Laurel head Soul Bone with Yun Jingheng.
• Yun Jingheng endured the Soul Bone taking root in his sea of consciousness and dantian, where its tree connected with his Golden Core and Moon Palace.
• Yun Jingheng tested his denser, gold-and-silver Soul Power and discovered four Soul Bone skills, including regeneration, illusion, memory-destroying petals, and a guaranteed powerful attack.
• Yun Jingheng went back to sleep after telling Yun Ming that the breakthrough had worked.

The Sea God Pavilion elders discussed candidates for the Shrek Seven Devils roster until Yun Jingheng revealed how thoroughly he could conceal his presence. He was released from confinement, but his newly revealed Fourth Trial required him to equip all his Soul Bones and promised to raise his first four soul rings to one hundred thousand years.

• Yun Ming and the Sea God Pavilion elders debated the Shrek Seven Devils roster, agreeing that Yun Jingheng was a likely member while finding few other suitable candidates.
• Yun Jingheng revealed that he had been secretly making tea in the room for about ten minutes without anyone noticing.
• Long Yeyue and Yun Ming discovered that even their spiritual perception could barely detect Yun Jingheng's presence.
• Yun Ming said Yun Jingheng no longer needed confinement but told him to stabilize his foundation while awaiting the Fourth Trial.
• Yun Jingheng explained that he had to fully equip all his Soul Bones before starting the Fourth Trial and that its reward was raising his first four soul rings to one hundred thousand years.

Yun Jingheng learned he needed three more high-quality Soul Bones to unlock his Fourth Trial, and Yun Ming and the Sea God Pavilion elders considered seeking them from powerful sources. Yun Jingheng visited Gu Yue, who revealed she had several good Soul Bones and demanded that he beg her.

• Yun Jingheng told the Sea God Pavilion elders that he needed three more Soul Bones before he could learn the details of his Fourth Trial.
• Yun Ming said he would seek high-quality Soul Bones, mentioning Di Tian as a possible source, while Long Yeyue and Cai Yue'er offered to ask the War God Hall and Tang Sect.
• Yun Ming pointed out that Ye Xinglan, Tang Wulin, and the others had been cultivating inside the Golden Tree for nearly two months, but Yun Jingheng chose not to visit them.
• Yun Jingheng went to Gu Yue's house and asked whether the Star Dou Great Forest had spare high-quality Soul Bones.
• Gu Yue said she had several good Soul Bones and told Yun Jingheng to beg her, so he eagerly offered to massage her shoulders and pound her legs.

Yun Jingheng and Gu Yue negotiated over a Soul Bone and discussed Zi Ji forming a contract with him as his seventh soul ring. After Yun Jingheng left, Gu Yue revealed that she feared he would stop her if Zi Ji refused, while Zi Ji agreed and reported that preparations for the Ten Thousand Beast Platform were still underway.

• Yun Jingheng massaged Gu Yue’s shoulders, and she asked him to bring her the item shown on a sheet of paper the next day.
• Gu Yue agreed to tell Di Tian about the Soul Bone and asked Yun Jingheng to get his father to approach Di Tian.
• Gu Yue recommended that Yun Jingheng form a contract with Zi Ji for his seventh soul ring, explaining that it would let Zi Ji continue to grow rather than stagnate as a Soul Beast.
• Yun Jingheng accepted that the arrangement could benefit Zi Ji, and Gu Yue said she trusted him to treat Zi Ji well.
• After Yun Jingheng left, Gu Yue admitted that she was sorry and feared he would stop her if Zi Ji did not form the contract; Zi Ji said she was willing and reported that the Ten Thousand Beast Platform preparations were ongoing.

Yun Ming met Di Tian at the Lake of Life to discuss the pact they made eight years earlier. Yun Ming accepted Di Tian’s condition that Zi Ji could offer a Soul Spirit Contract to Yun Jingheng, leaving the final choice to Jing Heng.

• Di Tian asked Yun Ming to honor their old agreement by allowing Zi Ji to offer Yun Jingheng a Soul Spirit Contract for his seventh soul ring.
• Di Tian explained that Zi Ji and the Star Dou Great Forest’s ferocious beasts supported the proposal because Yun Jingheng’s divine potential could benefit the soul beast clan.
• Yun Ming discovered a Blood Pact hidden in the two Soul Bones Di Tian had given him, binding him to a debt.
• Yun Ming agreed not to interfere with Zi Ji’s matter but insisted Jing Heng make the final decision after speaking with her directly.
• Di Tian identified the Soul Bones as the Dark Dragon King Left Leg Bone and Light Dragon King Right Leg Bone, suited to Moon.

Yun Ming returned to Shrek with two god-level Soul Bones and told the elders about his Blood Pact with Di Tian and the proposed Soul Spirit Contract between Zi Ji and Jing Heng. The elders decided Jing Heng would fuse with his Soul Bone at Sea God Pavilion the next morning before they addressed Zi Ji’s approach.

• Feng Wuyu, Cai Yue'er, Zhuo Shi, Ya Li, and Long Yeyue gathered around Yun Ming at Sea God Pavilion to ask what had happened with Di Tian.
• Yun Ming showed them the Dark Dragon King and Light Dragon King leg bones and explained his agreement with Di Tian, including the Blood Pact and Zi Ji’s proposed contract with Jing Heng.
• Yun Ming told the elders that Jing Heng would decide for himself whether to accept Zi Ji as a soul spirit, while Long Yeyue and Zhuo Shi warned that Di Tian was betting on Jing Heng’s devotion to his father.
• Yun Ming said he believed Di Tian would not force Zi Ji if she changed her mind, and the elders agreed that Jing Heng’s safety depended on Zi Ji’s willingness.
• Long Yeyue arranged for Jing Heng to come to Sea God Pavilion the next morning and fuse with his Soul Bone under the elders’ protection.