Chapter Summaries

Zhou Qiubai, a transmigrator with a supposedly trash martial soul, guided Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er of Skywater Academy through the Star Dou Forest in search of spirit beasts. After agreeing to escort Shui Bing'er deeper into the forest for double pay, he faced a dozen rival guards who challenged his worth.

• Zhou Qiubai reflected on his martial arts training and his determination to prove that his unremarkable-looking sword martial soul did not make him weak.
• Shui Yue'er complained about the slow journey, while Zhou Qiubai explained that reaching water-type spirit beasts in the forest's middle ring would take at least two more days.
• Shui Bing'er asked Zhou Qiubai to guide her to the middle ring after the junior students obtained their spirit rings, and he agreed when she offered double pay.
• Shui Yue'er questioned whether Zhou Qiubai deserved his high fee, but Shui Bing'er pointed out that his guidance had kept them clear of danger.
• A dozen armed guards approached the campsite, and their leader disparaged Zhou Qiubai's trash martial soul as he offered to take over the escort job.
• Zhou Qiubai stood with his sword and declared that having a trash martial soul did not make him trash.

Zhou Qiubai used his martial arts and mysterious sky-blue Soul Ring to defeat Huang Tianzong and his companions when they tried to interfere with the group’s mission. Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er discovered his Soul Ring, but Shui Bing'er told her sister to keep his secret as they prepared to leave after obtaining Shui Yue'er’s Soul Ring.

• Zhou Qiubai fought Huang Tianzong without using Soul Power and amazed him with his speed and strength.
• Huang Tianzong and his companions revealed their Martial Souls, and Zhou Qiubai manifested an unfamiliar sky-blue Soul Ring and introduced himself as a level nineteen Soul Master.
• Using his first Soul Skill, Listen to Rain, Zhou Qiubai evaded the group’s attacks, disabled Huang Tianzong, and forced the others to retreat.
• Zhou Qiubai told Shui Bing'er that he had driven away a few fools, while Shui Yue'er told her sister she had seen his sky-blue Soul Ring.
• Shui Bing'er advised Shui Yue'er not to pry into Zhou Qiubai’s secret and said they would leave after obtaining Shui Yue'er’s Soul Ring.

After helping Shui Bing'er’s students finish their Spirit Beast hunt, Zhou Qiubai met with Spirit Hall deacon Luo Sen, who confirmed Zhou could cultivate Soul Power and offered him certification and a place in Spirit Hall. Zhou declined to join and then appeared beside Huang Tianzong at a tavern, just as Huang celebrated the false report he had made about Zhou.

• Zhou Qiubai watched three Skywater Academy students defeat a Water Baboon, then agreed with Shui Bing'er to escort the students back and meet her at Star Dou Forest the next morning.
• A Spirit Hall squad stopped the group near town, and Zhou Qiubai went with deacon Luo Sen to the branch hall after sending Shui Bing'er and the students ahead.
• Luo Sen examined Zhou Qiubai’s Soul Power, promised to arrange his Soul Master certification and backdated subsidies, and invited him to join Spirit Hall.
• After Zhou Qiubai declined to join, Luo Sen dismissed the report about an azure Soul Ring as likely fabricated and ordered his subsidies approved and his case recorded.
• Huang Tianzong celebrated at the Star Forest Tavern, boasting that Spirit Hall would deal with Zhou Qiubai, until Zhou sat beside him and offered to drink.

Zhou Qiubai escorted Shui Bing'er into Star Dou Forest to hunt a Thousand-Year Spirit Beast for her. After luring several beasts away with a medicinal herb, he helped Shui Bing'er subdue a swan, then asked her to pay extra for the herbs he had sacrificed.

• Zhou Qiubai met Shui Bing'er at the forest entrance, and they traveled deeper into Star Dou Forest together.
• Zhou Qiubai led Shui Bing'er to a lake where hunting and fighting were forbidden within its center.
• Zhou Qiubai used a medicinal herb to draw the Spirit Beasts away and told Shui Bing'er to stop the swan by the lakeshore.
• Shui Bing'er struck the swan with an ice spike and drew it outside the lake's protected center.
• The swan attacked Shui Bing'er, but Zhou Qiubai returned, kicked it into a tree, and slashed its feet with sword energy.
• Zhou Qiubai told Shui Bing'er she would have to pay extra for the premium medicinal herbs he had used.

Zhou Qiubai helped Shui Bing'er kill an Ice Feather Swan, and she absorbed its Soul Ring while he cooked and shared the swan meat with her. After they returned to the city, Huang Tianzong emerged with the information Zhou Qiubai had requested.

• The Ice Feather Swan attacked Zhou Qiubai, who wounded it before Shui Bing'er trapped it with her Ice Ring Armor.
• Zhou Qiubai handed Shui Bing'er a small knife, and she killed the swan; he then guarded her as she absorbed its Soul Ring.
• Zhou Qiubai cooked the swan, and Shui Bing'er joined him for a meal before they camped near the forest's edge for the night.
• The next morning, Shui Yue'er welcomed Shui Bing'er back and worried that Zhou Qiubai might have harmed her.
• Shui Bing'er thanked Zhou Qiubai and left with Shui Yue'er, after which Zhou Qiubai called Huang Tianzong out of the bushes.
• Huang Tianzong told Zhou Qiubai that he had found the information Zhou had requested.

Zhou Qiubai followed Huang Tianzong into the Star Dou Forest to investigate a strange bamboo-like fragrance near Ghost Cry Ravine, but discovered the Black Wind Mercenary Group had prepared an ambush. Zhou Qiubai swiftly disabled one attacker, while the one-eyed leader launched a counterattack.

• Huang Tianzong told Zhou Qiubai that a strange fragrance near Ghost Cry Ravine had driven two Black Wind Mercenary Group scouts mad and offered to guide him there for a share of any gains.
• Zhou Qiubai paid Huang Tianzong a deposit, and the two headed into the forest toward Ghost Cry Ravine.
• Zhou Qiubai used his First Soul Skill, Listen to Rain, to detect six men lying in wait around them.
• The one-eyed leader accused Huang Tianzong of leaking the secret and ordered the group to attack Zhou Qiubai and Huang Tianzong.
• Zhou Qiubai evaded a short-sword attack, numbingly struck the wielder's wrist, and kicked him down before the one-eyed leader charged at him with a Ghost Head Broadsword.

Zhou Qiubai forced the Black Wind Mercenary Group to let him descend into Ghost Cry Ravine, where he discovered a hidden grove of Spirit Bamboo and a Bamboo King nearing Awakening Intelligence. He entered the grove to claim a soul ring and faced a sudden attack from the bamboo’s razor-sharp leaves.

• Zhou Qiubai defeated the one-eyed mercenary with a restrained palm strike and made the squad stand aside.
• Zhou Qiubai tested the ravine’s depth, then carried Huang Tianzong down the cliff safely.
• Zhou Qiubai discovered a hidden grove of translucent Spirit Bamboo and identified its larger, swaying stalk as the Bamboo King.
• Zhou Qiubai found scattered human remains around the grove and told Huang Tianzong to leave or wait behind.
• Zhou Qiubai entered the grove and deflected the Spirit Bamboo’s flying leaves with his sheathed sword and a surge of force.

Zhou Qiubai defeated the Millennium Bamboo King by severing the energy cycle connecting the Spirit Bamboos, then killed it and obtained its Bamboo Heart and purple Soul Ring. With his second Soul Ring secured, he reached level 20.

• Zhou Qiubai fought through the Spirit Bamboo leaves and wounded the Millennium Bamboo King with a sword slash.
• Zhou Qiubai sensed the energy network beneath the grove and charged toward its weakest point as the leaves attacked him.
• Zhou Qiubai thrust his sword into the underground node and poured in his Soul Power and Bloodline Power, breaking the grove's energy cycle.
• Zhou Qiubai killed the weakened Millennium Bamboo King and collected its Bamboo Heart and rising purple Soul Ring.
• Zhou Qiubai claimed his second Soul Ring and reached level 20.

After defeating the Millennium Bamboo King, Zhou Qiubai prepared to absorb its thousand-year Soul Ring as his second ring and challenged Huang Tianzong’s faith in conventional Soul Ring limits. As Zhou Qiubai began absorbing the ring, Huang Tianzong wondered how he had advanced so quickly, unaware that Zhou Qiubai trained constantly through every activity.

• Zhou Qiubai defeated the Millennium Bamboo King, and Huang Tianzong emerged from hiding to see its purple thousand-year Soul Ring.
• Huang Tianzong questioned Zhou Qiubai about absorbing a thousand-year ring as his second Soul Ring, but Zhou Qiubai rejected fixed Soul Ring rules and Yu Xiaogang’s theories as someone else’s path.
• Zhou Qiubai sat down beside the Soul Ring to absorb it while Huang Tianzong wondered how he had risen from rank nineteen to rank twenty without appearing to meditate.
• Zhou Qiubai’s thoughts explained that he trained constantly through walking, fighting, talking, and even sleeping, until training became an instinctive habit.

Zhou Qiubai absorbed the thousand-year Spirit Bamboo Soul Ring, compressed his Soul Power after reaching level twenty-two, and discovered that his Iron Sword Martial Soul had evolved into the White Clothes Sword. Huang Tianzong watched in astonishment, and the chapter ended with Zhou Qiubai's first Soul Ring turning yellow.

• Zhou Qiubai absorbed the Spirit Bamboo's Soul Ring and experienced its memories of surviving and growing in Ghost Cry Ravine.
• Zhou Qiubai's Soul Power rose to level twenty-two before he compressed it back to level twenty-one.
• Zhou Qiubai summoned his evolved Martial Soul, a flexible jade-white sword marked with the characters White Clothes.
• Huang Tianzong asked whether Zhou Qiubai's Martial Soul had evolved, and Zhou Qiubai said even a useless Martial Soul could evolve.
• Zhou Qiubai saw that his first Soul Ring had changed from sky-blue to yellow.

After defeating the Millennium Bamboo King, Zhou Qiubai gave Huang Tianzong its Bamboo Heart and set off toward a city to find work. Meanwhile, a powerful presence beneath the Lake of Life sensed a fleeting unfamiliar fluctuation but dismissed it and returned to slumber.

• Zhou Qiubai wrapped the White Clothes Sword around his waist and gave Huang Tianzong the Millennium Bamboo King's Bamboo Heart as payment for his help.
• Zhou Qiubai collected the Bamboo King's sap, warned Huang Tianzong to guard the Bamboo Heart, and left Ghost Cry Ravine with him at dawn.
• Zhou Qiubai and Huang Tianzong parted ways at the cliff top, and Zhou Qiubai headed southwest toward a city.
• A presence beneath the Lake of Life sensed a faint unfamiliar fluctuation, judged it unimportant, and went back to sleep.
• Zhou Qiubai decided to seek work in Suotuo City through guiding, escorting, hunting Spirit Beasts, or fighting at the Great Soul Arena.

Zhou Qiubai sold Spirit Beast materials in Soul Hunting Town and learned that his Bamboo King Sap could fetch far more in a major city. He prepared for a journey to Suotuo City, where he planned to sell the sap and test his martial arts at the Great Soul Arena after training.

• Zhou Qiubai sold an Ice Feather Swan hide and Spirit Beast bones to the old shopkeeper, then learned the Bamboo King Sap was too valuable for the small shop to buy.
• The old man estimated the Millennium Bamboo King essence fluid could sell for at least eight hundred Gold Soul Coins and warned Zhou Qiubai that a stronger diluted bottle was worth at least three thousand and could attract danger.
• The old man advised Zhou Qiubai to be cautious in the big city, where Spirit Hall, sects, and nobles held influence.
• Zhou Qiubai bought medicinal bath ingredients for thirty Gold Soul Coins and purchased a black scabbard for his White Clothes Sword.
• Zhou Qiubai planned to travel to Suotuo City, sell the sap, and visit the Great Soul Arena after training and familiarizing himself with his sword.

Zhou Qiubai entered Suotuo City, sold Spirit Beast hides, and consigned Bamboo King sap for auction before visiting the Spirit Hall to claim his subsidy. The chapter ended as he revealed his White Clothes Sword and two Soul Rings for rank verification.

• Zhou Qiubai paid the city guards one Soul Copper Coin and entered Suotuo City.
• Zhou Qiubai sold twelve ice-attributed Spirit Beast hides to the Seven Treasure Goods Firm for ninety-six Gold Soul Coins.
• Zhou Qiubai consigned a bottle of Bamboo King sap to the Suotuo Auction House, where it would be auctioned the next evening.
• Zhou Qiubai went to the Spirit Hall to certify his rank and collect his subsidy.
• Zhou Qiubai told the clerk he was a sixteen-year-old level-twenty-one Soul Grandmaster, then revealed the White Clothes Sword and one yellow and one purple Soul Ring.

Zhou Qiubai received Spirit Hall certification for his extraordinary Soul Ring and declined an offer to study at its headquarters. After buying herbs for his plans, he learned that Shrek Academy had begun admissions and grew interested.

• Zhou Qiubai displayed his yellow and purple Soul Rings for Deacon Russell, who confirmed that his second ring was a thousand years old.
• Deacon Russell offered to recommend Zhou Qiubai to Spirit Hall Academy, but Zhou Qiubai declined and received his Soul Master certificate and an application form.
• Deacon Russell told the staff to report Zhou Qiubai to Spirit City and make things convenient for him while he remained in Suotuo City.
• Zhou Qiubai collected his stipend, then bought medicinal herbs at the city's largest apothecary for seventy Gold Soul Coins.
• The old apothecary told Zhou Qiubai that Shrek Academy had started admissions, prompting Zhou Qiubai to ask about the school.

Zhou Qiubai sold spiritual liquid at auction, secured money and a room at Clear Bamboo Inn, and began preparing a medicinal bath. The next morning, he set out to visit Suotuo City's Great Soul Arena despite the shopkeeper's warning about its dangers.

• Zhou Qiubai learned that Shrek's strict recruitment had drawn young Soul Masters to the area and decided to prepare for Tang San's arrival.
• At the Suotuo Auction House, Zhou Qiubai's spiritual liquid sold for six hundred Gold Soul Coins.
• Zhou Qiubai chose to visit the Great Soul Arena after finding an inn and preparing his medicinal bath.
• Zhou Qiubai bargained for a monthly room at Clear Bamboo Inn and began his medicinal bath.
• The next morning, Zhou Qiubai asked the shopkeeper for directions to the Great Soul Arena and decided to go despite the danger.

Zhou Qiubai registered at the Great Soul Arena as the White-Clothed Guest and signed up for a one-on-one wager match. After Wang Meng warned him that newcomers could be targeted by corrupt matchmaking, Zhou Qiubai was called to fight.

• Zhou Qiubai paid ten Gold Soul Coins to register with his Sword Martial Soul and chose the codename White-Clothed Guest.
• Zhou Qiubai entered a one-on-one wager match and waited in the rest area.
• Liu San mocked Zhou Qiubai, and Wang Meng warned him that Liu San used his connections to target newcomers with rigged matchups.
• Wang Meng told Zhou Qiubai that his flexible sword was rare and difficult to wield.
• A Great Soul Arena official called number 438, and Zhou Qiubai stood up to answer.

Zhou Qiubai defeated Liu San in the Branch Soul Fighting Arena and began building a winning record. After five straight victories, he had earned fame for his unusual swordsmanship.

• Zhou Qiubai entered the arena to face Liu San, whose Blazing Fire Stick attack he deflected with the White Clothes Sword.
• Zhou Qiubai blocked Liu San’s Fire Rain Splash with an invisible force, then disarmed him and dislocated his wrist.
• The referee declared Zhou Qiubai the winner, and he collected ten gold coins as spectators praised his swordsmanship.
• Zhou Qiubai returned to the arena over the next few days and defeated opponents including a defense-type Soul Master and a fast Wind Wolf Soul Master.
• Zhou Qiubai finished the account with five consecutive victories.

Zhou Qiubai defeated Wang Meng for his sixth consecutive Soul Fighting Arena victory, then learned his next match had been delayed as his swordsmanship drew attention. Meanwhile, Tang San and Xiao Wu arrived in Suotuo City and planned to enroll at Shrek Academy.

• Wang Meng warned Zhou Qiubai that the arena would likely arrange a ruthless opponent after his winning streak, then fought him in the Branch Soul Arena.
• Zhou Qiubai used his swordsmanship to counter Wang Meng's strength and stopped his blade at Wang Meng's throat, winning his sixth consecutive match.
• The Soul Fighting Arena postponed Zhou Qiubai's next match, while word of his victories increased business for the blacksmith shop making flexible swords.
• Tang San and Xiao Wu entered Suotuo City and decided to find lodging before enrolling at Shrek Academy the next day.

Zhou Qiubai accepted the Great Soul Arena’s challenge to fight the Bronze Soul Fighter Wind Shadow, a Soul Elder with a Gale Falcon Martial Soul. The exhibition match began with both fighters facing off in the Main Soul Arena.

• Zhao Yan offered Zhou Qiubai an accelerated points challenge against a Soul Elder, with bonus rewards if he won.
• Zhou Qiubai agreed to face an undisclosed agility-attack Soul Elder whose Martial Soul was the Gale Falcon.
• Wang Meng learned of the challenge and warned Zhou Qiubai that the arena was trying to end his winning streak.
• The next afternoon, Zhou Qiubai entered the crowded Main Soul Arena for his match against Wind Shadow.
• Wind Shadow revealed three Soul Rings and his azure-winged Gale Falcon Martial Soul as the referee prepared to start the fight.

Zhou Qiubai fought Wind Shadow in an exhibition match, using precise swordwork to counter the faster Gale Falcon Soul Master. He left his sword poised just short of Wind Shadow’s chest, ending the bout without striking him.

• Wind Shadow introduced himself as a level-thirty-four agility-attack Soul Master with the Gale Falcon Martial Soul, while Zhou Qiubai revealed he was level twenty-three and wielded a sword without releasing his Soul Rings.
• Wind Shadow attacked at high speed, but Zhou Qiubai predicted his movements and deflected his strikes before landing a precise hit on his wrist.
• Wind Shadow activated his Wind Wings Soul Skill and attacked from the air, forcing Zhou Qiubai to defend through a relentless series of exchanges.
• Zhou Qiubai feinted with his sword, wrapped it around Wind Shadow’s wrist, and disrupted his wind blade.
• Wind Shadow unleashed his Wild Wind Dance Soul Skill, but Zhou Qiubai’s vibrating sword deflected the wind blades, and he stopped his final thrust just short of Wind Shadow’s chest.