Recaps

Ye Luochen told Meng Hongchen about his time at Shrek Academy, prompting her to tease him about the barrier between them. As the team considered a possible tournament match against Shrek, Ye Luochen weighed the risks of helping his new academy defeat his former one, and the team leader asked him to reveal Shrek’s lineup.

• Ye Luochen explained that he had grown up in the Star Luo Empire, studied at Shrek Academy, and later moved to the Sun Moon Empire for certain reasons.
• Meng Hongchen joked that Ye Luochen’s Shrek background created a thick barrier between them, and Ye Luochen called her “Barrier Sister.”
• Meng Hongchen asked whether Ye Luochen would fight Shrek in the tournament and whether the academy might consider him a traitor if they lost.
• Ye Luochen said Shrek was powerful and that it was too early to worry about the consequences of facing them.
• The team leader asked Ye Luochen to describe the lineup Shrek would use in the tournament.

Ye Luochen briefed the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy team on Shrek’s formidable lineup for the tournament and its Seven Devils. He left them with a possible advantage: Shrek’s members knew little about Soul Tools.

• Ye Luochen explained that Shrek’s reserve team was selected for potential, while its official team was expected to consist of this generation’s Shrek Seven Devils.
• Ye Luochen revealed that team leader Ma Xiaotao was a Soul Emperor with the ultimate-fire Evil Fire Phoenix martial soul.
• Ye Luochen identified Dai Yaoheng as a second Soul Emperor and described the other five Seven Devils as Soul Kings with a well-rounded lineup.
• The team leader and members grew concerned about Shrek’s strength, which rivaled their own powerful team.
• Ye Luochen said the Seven Devils rarely used Soul Tools and knew little about them, giving the Sun Moon team a chance to catch them off guard.

The Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy discussed how to counter Shrek, deciding to strengthen its defenses and rely on Soul Tools while Ma Rulong hinted he had a way to deal with Ma Xiaotao. After several days of preparation, Shrek arrived with an unexpectedly weak-looking roster, leaving Elder Ma questioning whether they were taking the tournament seriously.

• Ye Luochen warned the Sun Moon team about Shrek’s powerful Soul Emperors, prompting the accompanying teacher to seek Grade 7 trigger-activated Soul Guidance Barriers for the team.
• Ma Rulong said he had his own way to deal with Ma Xiaotao, and Ye Luochen suspected the academy had prepared a trump card for him.
• The Sun Moon team spent several days arranging lineups and tactics, while Ye Luochen trained diligently in case he was called to compete.
• Shrek arrived at the hotel, and its roster showed a Soul King teacher, several Soul Ancestors, and reserve members who were only Soul Elders.
• Elder Ma questioned why Shrek had brought such a roster, calling it a sign that they were not taking the other teams seriously.

Ye Luochen explained Shrek's reserve team and its hidden strengths to the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy, arguing that Shrek's official team was absent because of serious trouble. His teammates recognized the value of his intelligence and began planning to exploit Shrek's weakness.

• Ye Luochen told Elder Ma that Shrek's reserve team had likely been sent because the official members were unable to participate.
• Ye Luochen revealed that Bei Bei was the Tang Sect's senior disciple and warned that his close-range physical techniques could threaten even a Soul King.
• Ye Luochen warned that Xu Sanshi could swap positions with a selected target, but said the rest of the team had little to fear from him, Jiang Nannan, Xiao Xiao, or He Caitou.
• Ye Luochen explained that Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong possessed multiple Martial Soul Fusion Skills, including sealing and offensive abilities.
• The team members changed their opinion of Ye Luochen and recognized how valuable his knowledge of Shrek was.

The Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy hoped to face Shrek before its main-team members arrived, but three powerful Shrek competitors appeared. When the tournament began, the draw paired Shrek with Tianling Advanced Soul Master Academy, and Shrek sent only its seven reserve-team members to compete.

• Elder Ma warned the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy that first-round opponents would be assigned by lot and told the teams to prepare while he monitored Shrek.
• Ye Luochen identified Ma Xiaotao, Dai Yaoheng, and Ling Luochen among three newly arrived Shrek competitors, undermining the academy’s hope that Shrek’s main team was unavailable.
• No further Shrek competitors arrived before the tournament, and the three main-team members stayed out of public view.
• The Star Luo emperor opened the tournament, and the draw matched Tianling Advanced Soul Master Academy against Shrek in the first match.
• Shrek sent seven reserve-team members onto the arena while Ma Xiaotao, Dai Yaoheng, and Ling Luochen remained on the sidelines, surprising the audience and the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy.

Shrek’s reserve team stunned the tournament audience by defeating Tianling Academy in a single attack, while the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy saw through their display and concluded Shrek was hiding weakness. Confident that Shrek was vulnerable, the Sun Moon team concealed its own strength as it prepared for a future showdown.

• Huo Yuhao simulated six hundred-thousand-year soul rings and, with Wang Dong, used their Martial Soul Fusion Skill to disable all seven Tianling Academy competitors.
• The referee declared Shrek victorious, and Shrek’s team left without watching the remaining matches.
• Ye Luochen explained to the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy that Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong were only three-ring Soul Masters and that Shrek had used simulation to disguise their strength.
• Elder Ma took Shrek’s tactics and early departure as evidence that the academy was in trouble, and his team grew confident about its chances.
• The Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy selected three main members and four reserves for its match, intending to conceal its strength until it faced Shrek.

As the round-robin tournament began, Elder Ma planned to keep the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy’s strongest members off the stage until they met Shrek. Shrek drew a one-versus-one match and sent Xu Sanshi out, whom Ye Luochen judged capable of defeating the entire opposing team.

• Elder Ma ordered Ma Rulong, Xiao Hongchen, and Meng Hongchen not to compete before facing Shrek, while leaving Ye Luochen to decide whether he would take the stage.
• Ye Luochen said he was willing to compete if doing so would not seriously burden the team.
• The round-robin tournament began with Shrek’s one-versus-one match, prompting the crowd to hope its Soul Emperor would defeat seven opponents alone.
• Xu Sanshi stepped out from Shrek’s resting area, and Ye Luochen identified him as a four-ring soul master with a Black Tortoise Shield martial soul.
• Elder Ma asked how long Xu Sanshi could last, and Ye Luochen replied that Xu Sanshi could likely defeat the opposing team by himself.

The Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy watched the tournament’s opening matches, where Xu Sanshi impressed Elder Ma with his formidable defense and combat ability. After a free day began, Meng Hongchen dragged Xiao Hongchen and Ye Luochen shopping, then pulled them into an auction house despite their exhaustion.

• Ye Luochen described Xu Sanshi’s exceptional defense and close-quarters fighting, and Elder Ma recognized him as a potential future threat to the Sun Moon Empire.
• Xu Sanshi defeated three opponents in Shrek’s opening match, while the Sun Moon team later won its two-versus-two match with two fifth-level Soul Engineers.
• The Sun Moon team watched other matches and saw that several academies had Soul King competitors, prompting Elder Ma to note that the tournament had grown more challenging.
• After the first round ended, Elder Ma gave the team a free day, and Meng Hongchen dragged Xiao Hongchen and Ye Luochen out to shop.
• At night, Meng Hongchen spotted an auction house and went inside, leaving the exhausted Xiao Hongchen and Ye Luochen to follow.

Lin Huaian entered the Red Sun Sect’s Spirit Gathering Array and, despite lacking innate spiritual apertures, opened four apertures after his system awakened and boosted his spiritual energy absorption. He left with Yang Ming’s support and learned that a new aptitude test would take place in ten days.

• Lin Huaian bribed the supervising deacon with Clear Heart Grass and learned that spiritual energy was denser in the array’s northwest area.
• Lin Huaian reached a secluded bamboo grove and struggled to draw in spiritual energy until he opened his first spiritual aperture.
• The system activated, awarded Lin Huaian the Immortal Dao Genius achievement, and increased his spiritual energy absorption speed by 200%, helping him open a second aperture.
• Lin Huaian cultivated through the array’s twelve-hour period and opened four spiritual apertures before returning to Yang Ming.
• Yang Ming gave Lin Huaian a Spirit Array Pavilion deacon’s jade token, offered to help him, and told him to prepare for an aptitude test in ten days.

Ye Luochen sensed that the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife was connected to his martial soul and urged the Hongchen siblings to buy it. After Shrek bid on the dangerous knife, Xiao Hongchen entered the bidding, leaving the auction in a contest between the two groups.

• Ye Luochen struggled to suppress his Dark Iron Blade and insisted that Meng Hongchen and Xiao Hongchen purchase the carving knife.
• The auctioneer announced that the knife was the ninety-ninth-ranked carving knife, prompting excitement among the bidders.
• A nearby voice identified it as Spirit-Devouring, and the auctioneer explained that the knife had killed countless owners.
• The hall fell silent, and the Hongchen siblings hesitated to bid despite Ye Luochen's request.
• A young bidder from the group suspected to be Shrek offered one hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins, and Xiao Hongchen countered with one hundred and fifty thousand.

Xiao Hongchen and the Shrek delegation fiercely outbid each other for the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife, which Huo Yuhao claimed he could cleanse of its curse. After Wang Yan invoked Shrek’s name, Xiao Hongchen refused to yield and challenged the academy to bid more than one million Gold Soul Coins.

• Xiao Hongchen repeatedly raised the price to stop the Shrek delegation from winning the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife, while Meng Hongchen urged him to continue.
• The auction house supervisor decided not to intervene because the bidders were Shrek and the grandchildren of Mingde Hall’s head.
• Wang Yan questioned whether Huo Yuhao could truly remove the knife’s curse, and Huo Yuhao remained determined to obtain it for Elder Yi’s sake.
• Wang Yan revealed that he represented Shrek Academy and asked the competing bidder to give them the item.
• Xiao Hongchen dismissed Shrek’s reputation and challenged them to prove they could not afford more than one million Gold Soul Coins.

At an auction, Wang Yan and Xiao Hongchen fought over a carving knife, with Xiao deliberately provoking Shrek and driving up the price. Xiao Hongchen’s sister Meng Hongchen joined the bidding, and Xiao’s slip confirmed the rival bidders were from the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy.

• Wang Yan suspected the bidders were from the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy and continued bidding to defend Shrek’s honor.
• Xiao Hongchen jumped the bid to two million, and Wang Yan countered with three million despite Huo Yuhao’s concern over the cost.
• Huo Yuhao considered using force after leaving the auction, but Wang Yan insisted the dispute was about Shrek’s honor.
• Meng Hongchen slapped Xiao Hongchen, took his number plate, and bid four million for the carving knife.
• Xiao Hongchen accidentally revealed Meng Hongchen’s name, prompting Wang Yan to realize that the rival bidders were from the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy.

Wang Yan stopped bidding on the cursed carving knife after Huo Yuhao said he had another way to obtain it, and Meng Hongchen won it for four million. As Xiao Hongchen, Meng Hongchen, and Ye Luochen hurried back to their hotel, they realized they had been walking for nearly two hours without finding it and suspected Shrek had made a move.

• Wang Yan worried that Shrek's elders would condemn him for spending four million on a Soul Tool carving knife and struggled to decide whether to keep bidding.
• Huo Yuhao told Wang Yan to stop bidding and said he had a way to get the knife without harming the academy's reputation.
• Wang Yan lowered his paddle, and the auctioneer sold the carving knife to Meng Hongchen for four million.
• Xiao Hongchen paid for the knife, stored it in his Soul Tool, and left the auction house with Meng Hongchen and Ye Luochen to return to the hotel.
• After nearly two hours without reaching the hotel, Xiao Hongchen stopped and suspected Shrek's people had interfered.

Huo Yuhao sent Ice Empress to seize the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife from the three Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy students after Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's illusion failed. Ice Empress's attack was stopped by the students' protective barriers, and she faced their weapons as the confrontation escalated.

• Xiao Hongchen noticed that the illusion around the three students repeated its pedestrians and surroundings, then mocked its creator's spiritual power.
• Sky Dream Ice Silkworm admitted that Huo Yuhao's body could not withstand stronger spiritual power, so Huo Yuhao agreed to let Ice Empress take control.
• Ice Empress emerged from the illusion in a secluded alley and attacked Xiao Hongchen, but his golden protective barrier blocked her icy strikes.
• Ice Empress turned toward the other two students, only to find them protected by matching barriers and aiming cannons at her.
• Worried that the cannons would draw Star Luo City's experts, Ice Empress called on Sky Dream Ice Silkworm to help.

Xiao Hongchen, Meng Hongchen, and Ye Luochen fought off Huo Yuhao’s attack with their Soul Tools, forcing Huo Yuhao’s soul spirits to retreat before his body suffered irreversible damage. Back at the hotel, Elder Ma learned that Shrek had attacked them and flew into a rage.

• Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen charged their cannons while their Soul Tool barriers withstood repeated attacks from Huo Yuhao’s illusion and Ice Empress.
• Huo Yuhao urged Sky Dream Ice Silkworm and Ice Empress to unleash more power, but the strain left him unconscious and his body badly cracked and bleeding.
• Sky Dream Ice Silkworm and Ice Empress chose to retreat rather than risk Huo Yuhao’s life, and the darkness vanished.
• Xiao Hongchen and the others returned safely to the hotel and brought Elder Ma to examine Ye Luochen.
• After Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen explained the attack, Elder Ma became enraged at Shrek.

After returning safely from an attack, Ye Luochen’s companions learned that his martial soul could devour certain Soul Tools and that the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife had triggered it again. Despite Xiao Hongchen’s concerns, Ye Luochen decided to let his martial soul draw out what it craved, while Xiao agreed to guard him and contact Jing Hongchen if anything went wrong.

• Elder Ma asked whether the group had evidence that their attacker came from Shrek, but Xiao Hongchen said they had no concrete proof.
• Elder Ma explained that Jing Hongchen had warned him Ye Luochen’s martial soul could devour certain Soul Tools and that this had happened twice before.
• Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen confirmed Ye Luochen had felt drawn to the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife at the auction.
• Ye Luochen said the Dark Iron Blade seemed to crave something inside the carving knife, then decided to let it devour whatever it wanted.
• Xiao Hongchen reminded Ye Luochen that he had spent four million on the knife and reproached him for hiding his martial soul’s ability, but agreed to stand guard.

Ye Luochen used the Dark Iron Blade to absorb the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife’s emerald life energy while Xiao Hongchen and Elder Ma discussed who had attacked them. The chapter ended as Ye Luochen opened his eyes after absorbing the energy, with the Dark Iron Blade glowing mysteriously.

• Ye Luochen touched the Dark Iron Blade to the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife, which released emerald life energy that enveloped him and his weapon.
• Xiao Hongchen, Meng Hongchen, and Elder Ma tried unsuccessfully to draw on the life energy while watching Ye Luochen remain stable.
• Xiao Hongchen identified Huo Yuhao as a suspect because the attacker’s spiritual and ice abilities matched his Twin Martial Souls.
• Xiao Hongchen proposed judging Huo Yuhao’s condition at Shrek’s competition the next day, and Elder Ma agreed they would need to wait for evidence.
• The Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife’s energy was fully absorbed, the Dark Iron Blade began to glow, and Ye Luochen abruptly opened his eyes.

Ye Luochen emerged from the life-energy infusion with a cleansed, strengthened body and a new sensation of life within his Dark Iron Blade. He tested the pale green Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife by making a battle blade, and Xiao Hongchen discovered an inexplicable bond with it.

• Ye Luochen washed off the foul black sludge and told Xiao Hongchen that the life energy had purged impurities and injuries from his body while awakening a faint life force in his Dark Iron Blade.
• Xiao Hongchen questioned whether the improvements justified the cost, but Ye Luochen believed the lasting changes were worth it.
• Ye Luochen asked the others to inspect the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife, but Xiao Hongchen, Meng Hongchen, and Elder Ma hesitated to touch it.
• Ye Luochen picked up the knife and used it to carve metal into a simple battle blade, then tossed the blade to Xiao Hongchen.
• Xiao Hongchen caught the blade and felt an unusual sense of unity with it, despite Ye Luochen's low Soul Engineer rank and perfunctory workmanship.

Ye Luochen cleansed the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife of its curse, and Xiao Hongchen confirmed it still had the quality of a Ranked Carving Knife. The group settled ownership by giving it to Xiao Hongchen, who had paid for it and wanted it for making gloves.

• Xiao Hongchen realized the carving knife had retained a Ranked Carving Knife’s special qualities after Ye Luochen absorbed its life energy and expelled its curse.
• Xiao Hongchen tested the knife by making a pair of gloves, then Meng Hongchen slapped him for obsessing over his hands.
• Elder Ma confirmed the knife was safe and still ranked-quality after carefully inspecting it.
• Ye Luochen said Xiao Hongchen should keep the knife because he and Meng Hongchen had paid for it, while Ye Luochen had already gained its greatest value.
• Xiao Hongchen admitted he wanted the knife, and the group agreed that he would own it.

Ye Luochen puzzled over his Dark Iron Blade’s latest change and vowed to make Shrek repay the attack against him. The next morning, the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy team waited to see whether Huo Yuhao would appear in Shrek’s match, which could affect the investigation.

• Ye Luochen could not explain why the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife had resonated with his Dark Iron Blade, but decided its three beneficial mutations were enough reason to wait and see.
• Ye Luochen blamed Shrek for the attack and vowed to make the academy repay both old and new grudges.
• The Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy team arrived early to watch Shrek face Qianling Advanced Soul Master Academy in the new round-robin stage.
• Ye Luochen, the Hongchen siblings, and Elder Ma watched for Huo Yuhao, whose appearance and condition could help identify the attacker.

Shrek entered the arena with one unfamiliar, petite member in place of Huo Yuhao, prompting the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy to suspect that he was incapacitated. After the draw placed Shrek against Qianling Academy in a team battle, Ye Luochen identified the replacement as Ling Luochen and noticed signs that she was concealing serious weakness.

• Shrek's team entered the arena with seven members, and the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy noticed that one petite figure was missing from its expected lineup.
• Elder Ma ordered teachers to investigate Huo Yuhao's whereabouts and condition, while Ye Luochen and the Hongchen siblings suspected his absence confirmed their theory.
• The draw paired Shrek Academy with Qianling Academy in a team battle, ensuring that Shrek's full team had to compete.
• Shrek's members appeared on the giant screen, but Huo Yuhao was absent, leading Xiao Hongchen to conclude that he was suffering from backlash.
• Ye Luochen identified the unfamiliar competitor as Ling Luochen and pointed out her sickly complexion and makeup, which suggested she was hiding her weakness.

Shrek faced Qianling Academy without Huo Yuhao, whose absence removed the psychological pressure and support that had helped Shrek conceal its true strength. As Qianling Academy’s coordinated defense and spear assault clashed with Xu Sanshi’s shield, Ye Luochen predicted Shrek would lose the battle of attrition.

• Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen discussed how Huo Yuhao’s absence could expose Shrek’s earlier displays as a bluff.
• Qianling Academy formed a shield wall while its Ice Bear user controlled the field and its Fire Tiger user enhanced the captain’s Thousand-Strike Spear.
• Xu Sanshi tried to use Black Tortoise Displacement to pull the captain into an encirclement, but the expanding shield wall broke his lock.
• The captain launched his spear, and Xu Sanshi raised his Black Tortoise Shield to block the attack.
• Ye Luochen judged that Qianling Academy had stronger overall offense and defense, leaving Shrek with no clear way to break through.

Shrek Academy lost to Qianling Academy after the Thousand-Strike Spears broke through its defense and disabled all seven fighters. As spectators questioned Shrek’s true strength, Ye Luochen reasoned that its injured main roster could still return for the decisive rounds, and Xiao Hongchen vowed to defeat them.

• Qianling Academy’s coordinated shield wall held off Shrek’s attacks, and its Thousand-Strike Spears gradually disabled Xiao Xiao, Wang Dong, Jiang Nannan, and the rest of Shrek’s team.
• Xu Sanshi finally collapsed, leaving all seven Shrek members unable to fight and handing Qianling Academy a historic victory.
• Spectators argued over whether Shrek had fielded its true lineup, while Shrek’s team left the plaza with help from its teacher.
• Elder Ma and Xiao Hongchen called Shrek a paper tiger and worried that Qianling Academy had taken the chance to defeat it first.
• Ye Luochen concluded that Ling Luochen’s recovery suggested Shrek’s stronger main-roster members could still compete in later rounds, and Xiao Hongchen said he would defeat Shrek head-on.
• Elder Ma ended the discussion and told the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy team to prepare for its upcoming match and draw lots.

Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy overwhelmed its opponents with a single barrage of Soul Tools, winning the match and thrilling the spectators. Elder Ma expected the display to promote Soul Tools and draw talent toward the Sun Moon Empire, while believing the other nations could not close the technological gap.

• Elder Ma sent all seven members of Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy’s main team into the match and ordered them to use their full firepower without revealing their trump cards.
• Xiao Hongchen questioned the decision, but Elder Ma explained that Shrek’s current team was its strongest and that a decisive victory would benefit the academy and empire.
• As the opposing team prepared to attack, Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy’s seven members deployed Soul Guidance Cannon emplacements and unleashed a massive barrage.
• The referee shielded the opposing team from the explosions, and the referee later announced Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy’s victory.
• The spectators erupted in cheers for the academy’s overwhelming display of firepower.
• Elder Ma concluded that the match would publicize Soul Tools and attract talent to the Sun Moon Empire, whose technological lead he believed the other nations could not overcome.

After Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy's dominant victory and Shrek's defeat, the empires worried about Sun Moon's growing strength. At Shrek's hotel, Wang Yan confronted the team for ignoring his order to forfeit, fearing he would be blamed for the academy's disastrous tournament performance.

• The Star Luo, Heaven Dou, and Dou Ling empires' leaders left the matches troubled by Sun Moon's overwhelming display of Soul Tool power.
• Wang Yan told the injured Shrek team that he had ordered them to forfeit after Huo Yuhao returned from his failed attempt to retrieve the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife with serious injuries.
• Wang Yan explained that the remaining six reserve members and Ling Luochen had ignored his plan and suffered a crushing defeat, leaving all ten Shrek participants injured.
• Bei Bei defended the decision as necessary to protect Shrek's ten-thousand-year honor, and Xu Sanshi backed him up.
• Wang Yan recognized that the reserve members felt secure in their status while he feared the academy would blame him, rather than Xuan Zi, for Shrek's poor results.