Chapter Summaries

Zhu Zhuqing escaped Zhu Zhuyun’s attack by claiming to have Star Luo Empire military intelligence and fleeing toward Heaven Dou soldiers, but she was wounded again and plunged into a river to avoid capture. Zhu Zhuyun later revealed to her father, Zhu Mo, that she had secretly let Zhu Zhuqing go, while worrying about the family’s brutal succession rules.

• Zhu Zhuqing called on approaching Heaven Dou Empire soldiers for help, then used Netherworld Hundred Claws to break through Zhu Zhuyun’s encirclement and reach them.
• The soldiers clashed with Zhu Zhuyun’s group, and their commander sent one soldier to escort Zhu Zhuqing toward their camp.
• Zhu Zhuyun ambushed the escort and struck Zhu Zhuqing with Netherworld Hundred Claws, leaving her badly wounded.
• Zhu Zhuqing refused to return and jumped into the river as Zhu Zhuyun tried to stop her.
• Zhu Zhuyun told Zhu Mo that she had followed his instructions to let Zhu Zhuqing escape, and Zhu Mo lamented the family’s rules.

Tang San and Xiao Wu arrived in Suotuo City to seek admission to an academy and encountered Cheng Xiao restraining an injured Zhu Family girl. The chapter ended with Tang San and Xiao Wu recognizing Cheng Xiao, who had just thrown Xiao Wu aside.

• Tang San and Xiao Wu entered Suotuo City, where Tang San explained that he was going to take an academy entrance test.
• Xiao Wu collided with an injured black-clad girl, and Tang San warned that the girl was gravely ill.
• The girl tried to flee when Cheng Xiao appeared, but Cheng Xiao caught and restrained her while accusing her of betraying him.
• The girl fainted, and Xiao Wu attacked Cheng Xiao after mistaking his restraint for bullying.
• Cheng Xiao countered Xiao Wu’s attack, and Tang San caught her with Blue Silver Binding.
• Xiao Wu recognized Cheng Xiao as Little Cheng, and Tang San recognized him as Cheng Xiao.

Cheng Xiao reunited with Xiao Wu and Tang San in Suotuo City and revealed that he had come to study at Shrek Academy as a Level Thirty Soul Grandmaster. Tang San realized they would be classmates again and was devastated that Cheng Xiao had returned to Xiao Wu’s life.

• Cheng Xiao reunited with Xiao Wu and Tang San, and Xiao Wu happily jumped onto Cheng Xiao’s back.
• Tang San hoped Cheng Xiao was only passing through, but Cheng Xiao said he had come to study at Shrek Academy.
• Cheng Xiao confirmed that he met Shrek’s admission requirements and had reached Level Thirty.
• Xiao Wu celebrated that the three of them would be classmates again, while Tang San grew upset at Cheng Xiao’s strength and closeness with her.

Zhu Zhuqing woke injured and feared Cheng Xiao, but joined Xiao Wu, Tang San, and Cheng Xiao on their way to Shrek to stay under their protection. At the Rose Hotel, they encountered Dai Mubai, whose expression stiffened when he saw Zhu Zhuqing.

• Zhu Zhuqing woke and pleaded with Cheng Xiao, insisting she had never tried to harm him, while Cheng Xiao warned her not to reveal their history to Xiao Wu.
• Xiao Wu invited Zhu Zhuqing to travel with them to Shrek, and Cheng Xiao agreed so he could keep her under watch.
• The group went to the Rose Hotel, where Xiao Wu learned that its last room had already been rented.
• Dai Mubai flirted with Xiao Wu and invited her upstairs, but she ignored him and led the group away.
• Dai Mubai noticed Zhu Zhuqing among the group, and his expression stiffened.

Zhu Zhuqing encountered Dai Mubai at the inn and discovered him flirting with other women, shattering her hopes that he had been working toward their future. Dai Mubai recognized her as his fiancée and tried to explain, but she refused to listen and walked away with Xiao Wu.

• After finding no rooms available, Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing saw Dai Mubai at the front desk with two twins.
• Dai Mubai flirted with Zhu Zhuqing, who recognized him and grew furious at seeing him enjoying himself while she had struggled for their future.
• Zhu Zhuqing told Dai Mubai they had never met, and Xiao Wu pulled her away while calling him a pervert.
• When Xiao Wu called her Zhuqing, Dai Mubai realized she was his fiancée and hurried after her.
• Tang San blocked Dai Mubai from approaching the girls, while Cheng Xiao stayed back to watch.
• Dai Mubai asked Zhu Zhuqing to hear his explanation, but she said she did not know him and led Xiao Wu away.

After warning Zhu Zhuqing to keep his identity secret, Cheng Xiao turned down her request for help against her family's deadly succession struggle because she offered nothing in return. Dai Mubai then caught Zhu Zhuqing leaving Cheng Xiao's room, setting up another confrontation.

• Cheng Xiao and his companions checked into a different hotel, where Xiao Wu talked with him late into the night while Tang San stayed nearby.
• Alone in his room, Cheng Xiao examined the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud and considered trying to activate it with Soul Power.
• Zhu Zhuqing came to Cheng Xiao's room, and he warned her not to reveal anything about him.
• Zhu Zhuqing asked Cheng Xiao to help her oppose Zhu Zhuyun, but he told her to consider what she could offer in exchange and sent her away.
• Dai Mubai arrived at Zhu Zhuqing's door and saw her leaving Cheng Xiao's room.

Dai Mubai caught Zhu Zhuqing leaving Cheng Xiao’s room and attacked them in a jealous rage. Cheng Xiao protected Zhu Zhuqing and fought back, ending with a Tai Chi strike that shattered Dai Mubai’s protective aura and wounded him.

• Dai Mubai saw Zhu Zhuqing leave Cheng Xiao’s room, unleashed his Martial Soul, and charged at her.
• Cheng Xiao used Hand of the Dominator to pull Zhu Zhuqing out of Dai Mubai’s attack and into his arms.
• Dai Mubai fired his White Tiger Blazing Light Wave, but Cheng Xiao’s Shadow Concealment Prison withstood the blast.
• Cheng Xiao bound Dai Mubai with Touch of Soul Binding, but Dai Mubai activated White Tiger Vajra Transformation and shrugged off Cheng Xiao’s punch.
• Cheng Xiao struck Dai Mubai with a Tai Chi palm, breaking his protective aura and making him spit blood.

Cheng Xiao defeated Dai Mubai after he attacked Zhu Zhuqing, and Zhu Zhuqing warned Dai Mubai that exposing their situation could ruin his own standing. Dai Mubai left the hotel after paying for the damage, while his resentment and hopes of winning the future contest remained.

• Cheng Xiao struck Dai Mubai through his defensive Soul Skill and sent him crashing into the corridor wall.
• Dai Mubai accused Zhu Zhuqing and Cheng Xiao of being together and threatened to report them to their families.
• Zhu Zhuqing challenged Dai Mubai's ability to win the future contest alone, making him reconsider his threats.
• Xiao Wu and Tang San arrived, and Dai Mubai decided to leave rather than continue fighting.
• Cheng Xiao demanded that Dai Mubai pay for the hotel damage, so Dai Mubai tossed out a purple card and fled.

Cheng Xiao and his companions arrived at Shrek Academy, where his thousand-year second soul ring impressed the examiner and earned him admission. Seeing that Tang San was already a Soul Elder, Cheng Xiao feared the changed timeline might prevent Tang San from gaining the Eight Spider Lances.

• Cheng Xiao, Xiao Wu, Tang San, and Zhu Zhuqing reached Shrek Academy and found it shabby despite the academy's imposing name and rules.
• Dai Mubai escorted Ning Rongrong inside, while Zhu Zhuqing watched him with disappointment and looked to Cheng Xiao instead.
• The examiner confirmed the four met the age requirement, and they released their martial souls for inspection.
• The examiner was astonished by Cheng Xiao's thousand-year second soul ring and immediately declared that he had passed.
• Cheng Xiao noticed Tang San already had three soul rings and worried that the changed timeline could keep him from obtaining the Eight Spider Lances.

Cheng Xiao bought Oscar’s recovery sausages for Zhu Zhuqing, helping her injuries and fever improve before the group reached Shrek Academy’s final trial. Zhao Wuji announced that the five prospective students had to withstand his attacks together for the time it took an incense stick to burn.

• Cheng Xiao reconsidered how to find the Man Faced Demon Spider and decided to follow Tang San or search for clues from the Dragon Duke and Snake Matron’s encounter with it.
• Xiao Wu met Oscar at his sausage stall and learned that the hairy vendor was a fourteen-year-old Shrek student.
• Cheng Xiao bought two Great Recovery Sausages and insisted that Zhu Zhuqing eat them, allowing her to recover much of her strength and clarity.
• The group found Dai Mubai with a girl and met Zhao Wuji, who said he would personally conduct their final test.
• Zhao Wuji told the five prospective students to attack him together and said they would pass if even one of them endured his attacks for the time it took an incense stick to burn.

Ning Rongrong reunited with Cheng Xiao before the group planned how to withstand Zhao Wuji for one incense stick. Zhao Wuji broke through their opening restraints and targeted Cheng Xiao, leaving him beneath Zhao Wuji’s descending attack.

• Ning Rongrong greeted Cheng Xiao and teased him about Dugu Yan and Lingling, prompting questions and jealousy from the others.
• Cheng Xiao and the others introduced their Martial Souls and soul skills, then formed a plan with Ning Rongrong supporting them from the rear.
• Zhao Wuji possessed his Mighty Vajra Bear Martial Soul and charged at Ning Rongrong, but Cheng Xiao and Tang San restrained him as Ning Rongrong boosted Cheng Xiao’s strength.
• Zhao Wuji shattered the restraints with his first soul skill, but Cheng Xiao used Hand of the Dominator to pull him sideways.
• Zhao Wuji increased gravity, escaped Cheng Xiao’s pull, and used Targeting Trace to leap above him and bring both fists down.

Cheng Xiao and the others fought Zhao Wuji, but Tang San’s distraction left the group badly hurt. As Zhao Wuji moved to finish Tang San and Xiao Wu, Cheng Xiao shattered his golden protective aura, opening a chance to counterattack.

• Cheng Xiao met Zhao Wuji’s attack with his Left Palm Bone, and Zhao Wuji realized the claws came from a Soul Bone.
• Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing attacked Zhao Wuji together, but his Immovable Wisdom King Body blocked them and injured Xiao Wu.
• Cheng Xiao caught Xiao Wu, while Tang San rushed to her and left himself exposed to Zhao Wuji’s ground-shattering attack.
• Tang San protected Xiao Wu and Cheng Xiao from the worst of the shockwave, but Zhu Zhuqing fainted and Tang San spat blood.
• Tang San unleashed his poisoned spiderweb, and Cheng Xiao used Ning Rongrong’s speed boost to strike Zhao Wuji’s golden aura and shatter it.

Cheng Xiao fought Zhao Wuji using his unusual Soul Skills, breaking through Zhao Wuji’s defenses and resisting Tang San’s poisonous vines. He left Zhao Wuji with crystal-covered joints that obstructed his Soul Power, then declared that Zhao Wuji was about to lose.

• Cheng Xiao shattered Zhao Wuji’s Protective Aura with Tai Chi, but Zhao Wuji used Gravity Squeeze to pull him close and restrain his left wrist.
• Tang San bound Cheng Xiao and Zhao Wuji with poisonous Blue Silver Grass, but the vines withered after draining Cheng Xiao’s blood, and Cheng Xiao remained unharmed.
• Cheng Xiao protected himself with Shadow Concealment Prison, then blinded Zhao Wuji when the shattered sphere’s fragments splashed back onto him.
• Cheng Xiao used Stand Up to make Zhao Wuji sense an oncoming swarm of soul beasts, causing him to retreat and activate Immovable Wisdom King Body.
• Cheng Xiao struck Zhao Wuji’s joints, leaving them covered in spreading crystal that obstructed his movement and Soul Power.
• Cheng Xiao retreated a great distance and told Zhao Wuji that he was going to lose.

Cheng Xiao outmaneuvered Zhao Wuji in the Shrek entrance test and revealed his External Soul Bone and Self-Created Soul Skill. Flender welcomed Cheng Xiao and the other candidates as Shrek students, then praised Cheng Xiao’s potential with Zhao Wuji.

• Cheng Xiao explained that Zhao Wuji’s crystallized joints and Tang San’s poison would let him stall until the incense burned out, while warning Zhao Wuji that damaged joints could shatter.
• Cheng Xiao identified his skill as an External Soul Bone from a Crystal Bear and explained that his shadow could imitate Soul Beast auras.
• Flender arrived, declared the candidates had passed, and told Dai Mubai to arrange their dormitories and have Oscar help them recover.
• Dai Mubai led the new students to the dormitories after arranging for Oscar to make sausages for them.
• Flender brought Zhao Wuji to his office, where they agreed Cheng Xiao was an exceptional talent who could help Shrek make a name for itself.

Yu Xiaogang arrived at Shrek Academy and learned that Cheng Xiao, the boy whose Soul Ring theory had ruined his reputation, had enrolled there. He decided to try to take Cheng Xiao as his disciple and saw the opportunity as a chance to restore his name.

• Flender decided to personally teach Cheng Xiao and help him become a Titled Douluo.
• Yu Xiaogang arrived at Shrek after resigning from Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy and asked Flender about Tang San's test results.
• Zhao Wuji and Flender told Yu Xiaogang that Cheng Xiao had performed better than Tang San and possessed a Thousand-Year second Soul Ring.
• Yu Xiaogang recognized Cheng Xiao as the boy whose theory had made him a laughingstock and nearly collapsed from shock.
• Yu Xiaogang resolved to meet Cheng Xiao the next day and try to make him his disciple so he could restore his reputation.

Cheng Xiao met Ma Hongjun and Shrek’s teachers before Yu Xiaogang took charge of the students’ training. After criticizing Cheng Xiao’s theory, Yu Xiaogang asked him to become his disciple, but Cheng Xiao refused and left to cultivate.

• Cheng Xiao met Ma Hongjun and considered how he might evolve his Martial Soul without the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower.
• Flender introduced Yu Xiaogang and Shrek’s other teachers, then left Yu Xiaogang to oversee the eight students’ training.
• Yu Xiaogang told the students to cooperate with his training and ordered them to gather at dawn the next day.
• Yu Xiaogang kept Cheng Xiao behind and criticized flaws in his theory.
• Yu Xiaogang asked Cheng Xiao to become his disciple, but Cheng Xiao refused and left to cultivate.

Cheng Xiao rejected Yu Xiaogang’s offer to become his teacher, provoking Yu Xiaogang into a furious outburst and a plan for retaliation. The next day, Yu Xiaogang singled Cheng Xiao out during training, and Cheng Xiao recognized that the punishment was deliberate.

• Cheng Xiao firmly refused Yu Xiaogang’s repeated request to take him as a disciple, citing his level and prospects.
• Yu Xiaogang returned to his office, smashed its contents, and vowed to help Cheng Xiao become a Titled Douluo after all.
• Yu Xiaogang ordered the students to carry weighted baskets and run between the academy and Suotuo City ten times before lunch without using Soul Power.
• Yu Xiaogang gave Cheng Xiao a much heavier basket than the others and added five laps when Cheng Xiao complained.

Yu Xiaogang forced the students to complete grueling weighted runs, while Cheng Xiao endured the punishment and later used a fragmentary text about immortal herbs to draw Tang San into revealing what he knew. The chapter ended with Cheng Xiao asking Tang San to help restore the ancient text.

• Tang San set off first with a bamboo basket of stones, and the others followed Yu Xiaogang's order to run between Shrek Academy and Suotuo City.
• Tang San carried much of Xiao Wu's load, while Dai Mubai and Oscar helped Ning Rongrong; Zhu Zhuqing refused help and continued alone.
• The exhausted students returned to Shrek Academy by dinner, but Cheng Xiao remained composed and read a fragmentary volume.
• Tang San recognized the volume's illustrations as immortal herbs, then explained their effects and how one might cure Ma Hongjun's evil fire.
• Cheng Xiao asked Tang San, who knew about immortal herbs, to help restore the fragmentary ancient text.

Cheng Xiao tried to trade the Nine-Rank Purple Ganoderma for Tang San’s knowledge of immortal herbs, then used Yu Xiaogang’s stalled cultivation to pressure Tang San into accepting. The chapter ended with Yu Xiaogang realizing Cheng Xiao would refuse him and regretting that he had increased Cheng Xiao’s training.

• Cheng Xiao offered Tang San the Nine-Rank Purple Ganoderma in exchange for completing the incomplete manuscript, but Tang San hesitated to reveal the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record.
• Tang San identified the herb’s benefits, and Cheng Xiao pointed out that it could help Ma Hongjun, Dai Mubai, and Zhu Zhuqing.
• Cheng Xiao suggested Tang San could give the herb to Yu Xiaogang, putting Tang San under pressure to agree.
• Yu Xiaogang arrived, and Cheng Xiao told him the herb might help him break through level thirty.
• Yu Xiaogang wanted to ask Cheng Xiao for the herb, but he saw Cheng Xiao’s mocking gaze and realized he would be refused.
• Yu Xiaogang regretted assigning Cheng Xiao extra training out of anger.

Cheng Xiao secured Tang San’s help in restoring an ancient herb manuscript by promising him the Nine-Rank Purple Ganoderma, leaving Yu Xiaogang to hide his disappointment. Before the restoration was complete, Oscar reached level thirty, and the group set out for the Star Dou Great Forest to find him a soul beast.

• Yu Xiaogang considered ways to obtain Cheng Xiao’s herb but left without asking Tang San for help, unwilling to compromise his pride.
• Cheng Xiao offered Tang San the Nine-Rank Purple Ganoderma in exchange for restoring the ancient text, and Tang San accepted the deal.
• Tang San began restoring the manuscript a little at a time, while Cheng Xiao waited for the work to progress.
• Oscar broke through to level thirty, so Zhao Wuji led the students toward the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt a soul beast for him.
• The group reached a town near the forest after a day of travel and stayed at an inn for the night.