Chapter Summaries

Wang Chen fought the First Elder to demonstrate his strength, using teleportation and his spear skills to force the Soul Douluo to use his Martial Soul Avatar. He then revealed his Ring Tempering Secret Art, surged to high-level Soul Sage strength, and defeated the First Elder, who declared that the Wang Family finally had hope for a new family head.

• Wang Chen opened the battle with four enhanced Soul Rings and teleported behind the First Elder to attack.
• The First Elder trapped Wang Chen with his sixth soul skill, but Wang Chen teleported again and struck with World Domination Battle Skill.
• The First Elder used his Martial Soul Avatar and fought Wang Chen through more than ten exchanges, pushing him back.
• Wang Chen rejected the First Elder's advice to wait two years, then activated Ring Tempering and surged to high-level Soul Sage strength.
• The First Elder collapsed after Wang Chen's power surged and declared that the Wang Family finally had hope for a new family head.

Wang Chen was nominated as the Wang Family’s new clan head and challenged Wang Yan to a fight to claim the position. After promising to win in three moves, Wang Chen used Ring Explosion to defeat Wang Yan, and a new Wang Family patriarch was born.

• First Elder Wang Lu and five other elders nominated Wang Chen as clan head, shocking Wang Yan and the elders who opposed him.
• Wang Chen released his Soul Emperor-level power and declared that he would become the new clan head, prompting Wang Yan to challenge him.
• Wang Chen and Wang Yan moved from the Ancestral Hall to the Wang Family’s Trial Field to fight.
• Wang Chen vowed to defeat Wang Yan in three moves, and Wang Yan promised to surrender the position if he did.
• Wang Chen detonated his Soul Rings in groups and used three spear thrusts to behead Wang Yan’s Black Dragon, shatter his Black Demon Armor, and leave him gravely wounded and unconscious.
• Wang Chen became the new Wang Family patriarch as the Black Book within his soul quietly changed.

Wang Chen defeated Wang Yan and secured the Wang Family elders’ allegiance, but kept his new position secret while he focused on cultivation. As he prepared to rest, the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Legion arrived to investigate the power released during the fight.

• Wang Chen asked the elders whether they accepted him as clan leader, and the twelve elders submitted to him after seeing him defeat Wang Yan.
• Wang Chen ordered the elders to keep his succession secret and decided Wang Yan would continue handling the Wang Family’s dealings with the Second Prince.
• Wang Chen told First Elder to take the unconscious Wang Yan for treatment and report when he woke.
• The Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Legion appeared above the Wang Family, and Wang Chen sent Third Elder to explain that the power surge came from a normal sparring match.

Wang Chen discovered that the Black Book had recovered enough to unlock Directional Deduction, which he used to improve his Meridian Opening Skill so it cultivated his body and spirit alongside his Soul Power. After considering how to refine his Ring Burst Secret Technique, he rested while Zhongli Wu met with Xu Tianran in secret.

• Wang Chen found a second Crystal Mark in the Black Book that allowed him to guide skill deductions with his intentions.
• Wang Chen used Directional Deduction and then refinement to create a Meridian Opening Skill that cultivated essence, qi, and spirit together.
• Wang Chen tested the new cultivation method and found it strengthened his physique and Spiritual Power without slowing his Soul Power growth.
• Wang Chen assessed the recovery time after using Ring Burst and decided to shorten its twelve-day cooldown through Directional Deduction.
• Xu Tianran met with Zhongli Wu in a secret chamber in his residence.

Xu Tianran tried to win the Holy Spirit Cult’s support for his plan to place a weak prince on the throne and rule through him. Zhongli Wu left to consider Xu Tianran’s offer, leaving Xu Tianran to hope this was his last chance.

• Zhongli Wu dismissed Xu Tianran after learning he had lost the Crown Prince Position, but agreed to hear him out.
• Xu Tianran proposed backing an incompetent prince so he and the Holy Spirit Cult could control the throne.
• Xu Tianran argued that the Second Prince and Third Prince would suppress the cult after taking power, while his chosen prince would owe them everything.
• Xu Tianran promised the Holy Spirit Cult half of the Sun and Moon Empire if they helped him install his chosen prince.
• Zhongli Wu said he would consider the offer for three days and disappeared, while Xu Tianran prayed for Heaven’s favor.

Xu Tianran ordered a bounty for Ju Zi after his men failed to find her, while Ju Zi planned to seek protection from a faction hostile to him. The next morning, Wang Chen failed to precisely deduce a way to shorten Ring Burst’s cooldown and confirmed that his damaged Soul Rings still needed time to recover.

• Xu Tianran blamed Ju Zi for his downfall and ordered a five-million-Gold-Soul-Coin bounty and a thousand-year Soul Bone for her death.
• The captain of the guards left after reporting that Ju Zi remained missing and that someone might be helping her.
• Ju Zi hid in a house she had bought in advance, decided she needed to join a faction hostile to Xu Tianran, and disguised herself before going out.
• Wang Chen used the Black Book to attempt a Directional Deduction that would shorten Ring Burst’s cooldown, but the deduction failed because his chosen direction was not precise enough.
• Wang Chen inspected his damaged Soul Rings and concluded that using Ring Burst again before they healed could shatter them.

Wang Chen refined Ring Burst so it could be used daily without preventing him from using soul skills, then visited the injured Wang Yan after becoming the Wang family patriarch. Wang Yan agreed to keep handling the family’s ties to Second Prince Xu Tianyu and to report important developments to Wang Chen, while Ju Zi noticed the Wang family’s recruitment notice.

• Wang Chen used Directional Deduction to reduce Ring Burst’s cooldown from twelve days to one and limit its damage to his Soul Rings.
• First Elder told Wang Chen’s parents that Wang Chen had become patriarch after defeating Wang Yan, and they promised to keep the news secret.
• Wang Chen met the bedridden Wang Yan, who dismissed his guard Wang Shan so they could speak privately.
• Wang Chen told Wang Yan to maintain the Wang family’s relationship with Xu Tianyu while reporting major developments and intelligence to him.
• Wang Yan agreed to obey Wang Chen’s orders, and Wang Chen told him to recover.
• Ju Zi noticed the Wang family’s recruitment notice.

Ju Zi joined the Wang Family as a contract maid to escape Xu Tianran and began watching Wang Chen, the family’s young clan leader. After settling into his new home and attending to family matters, Wang Chen met Meng Hongchen at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, where they kissed.

• Ju Zi chose to work for the Wang Family to evade Xu Tianran and observe whether the family was worth joining fully.
• The Wang Family elders presented Wang Chen with a lavish new home and five maids, and he accepted their attentions while rejecting one maid’s improper touch.
• Ju Zi cooked for the maids, glimpsed Wang Chen in his hall, and concluded that his position in the family deserved closer scrutiny.
• Meng Hongchen worried that Wang Chen had been seeing another woman, then decided he was merely busy and arranged to meet him.
• Wang Chen received Meng Hongchen’s message, prepared gifts, and went to the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, where they kissed.

Meng Hongchen grew jealous while asking Wang Chen about Ye Guyi, then asked him to attend Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy with her. Wang Chen explained he was over the admission age, but Meng Hongchen planned to use her grandfather’s authority to get him admitted.

• Meng Hongchen asked Wang Chen how Ye Guyi had been, and Wang Chen avoided revealing that he had seen her recently.
• Meng Hongchen asked whether Wang Chen was still busy, and he told her he was free after finishing his duties as head of the Wang Family.
• Wang Chen considered his goal of becoming strong enough to contend with a Ninth Level Soul Engineer, noting that his Ring Burst Secret Technique only let him briefly match one.
• Meng Hongchen asked Wang Chen to attend the opening of Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy with her so she could see him at school.
• Wang Chen said he was too old to enroll, and Meng Hongchen offered to have the Dean of Studies make a special exception.

Wang Chen refused to study at Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy or Mingde Hall, explaining that he needed cultivation rather than instruction, but agreed to register at Mingde Hall so he could visit Meng Hongchen. The next day, he entered the academy and was met by Lin Jiayi, while Jing Hongchen arranged a no-favor assessment to see how strong Wang Chen had become.

• Wang Chen told Meng Hongchen that the academy and Mingde Hall could not help him advance, and he needed to focus on cultivation.
• Wang Chen reassured Meng Hongchen with affection and agreed to visit the academy when he had time, but refused to study at Mingde Hall.
• Wang Chen arrived at Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy on its opening day and used a VIP passage card Meng Hongchen had given him.
• Lin Jiayi approached Wang Chen after receiving instructions to arrange his Mingde Hall registration and assessment.
• Jing Hongchen ordered Lin Jiayi to test Wang Chen fairly, eager to discover what level the youth had reached after three years.

Wang Chen entered Mingde Hall and passed its Soul Engineer assessment with ease, impressing its examiners and Jing Hongchen. Jing Hongchen decided to meet him and test his abilities personally.

• Jing Hongchen reflected that he had permitted Meng Hongchen and Wang Chen to meet, though he still wanted Wang Chen to prove himself.
• Lin Jiayi escorted Wang Chen through Mingde Hall's inspections and explained its rules before bringing him to the assessment.
• Wang Chen engraved five flawless Fifth Level Core Arrays in under half an hour, astonishing the Seventh-Level Soul Engineer examiners.
• Wang Chen crafted a Fifth Level Soul Tool and knocked out a Fifth Level Soul Engineer, passing the assessment and becoming a member of Mingde Hall.
• Jing Hongchen watched Wang Chen's performance, recognized his exceptional strength and talent, and decided to test him personally.

Jing Hongchen admired Wang Chen’s Soul Engineering talent and decided he would help protect the Wang Family if needed, while Wang Chen continued hiding his true strength. Meng Hongchen and Xiao Hongchen arrived to watch Wang Chen’s assessment, and Jing Hongchen ordered them to meet him and make up their missed classes.

• Jing Hongchen judged Wang Chen’s displayed skill exceptional and resolved to support the Wang Family if the royal succession struggle threatened it.
• Meng Hongchen persuaded Xiao Hongchen to skip class with her and see whether Wang Chen passed Mingde Hall’s assessment, stirring Xiao Hongchen’s competitive spirit.
• Jing Hongchen encountered Meng Hongchen and Xiao Hongchen at Mingde Hall and scolded them for skipping class.
• Xiao Hongchen tried to blame Meng Hongchen and leave, but Jing Hongchen pulled him back and told both siblings to meet Wang Chen and make up their missed lessons.

Wang Chen officially joined Mingde Hall but explained that he planned to focus on cultivating his Soul Power rather than doing soul-tool research. When Xiao Hongchen challenged him, Wang Chen defeated him with one punch, leaving Xiao Hongchen stunned.

• Lin Jiayi welcomed Wang Chen as an official Mingde Hall member and explained the benefits and opportunities available to him.
• Wang Chen told Lin Jiayi that his weak Soul Power limited his soul-tool advancement and that cultivation was his current priority.
• Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen arrived, learned that Wang Chen had passed the assessment, and Xiao challenged him to a spar.
• Lin Jiayi tried to dissuade Xiao Hongchen, but Xiao offered Wang Chen time to recover and Wang Chen insisted they fight immediately.
• Meng Hongchen started the match, and Wang Chen's fist shadow knocked Xiao Hongchen down, leaving him to wonder whether he was still the Sun and Moon Empire's strongest genius.

Wang Chen defeated Xiao Hongchen with one punch, then helped restore his confidence as Meng Hongchen praised him. Ji Juechen arrived and challenged Wang Chen, who accepted after discovering the sword expert’s unusual union of martial soul and weapon.

• Wang Chen defeated Xiao Hongchen in one punch, shattering his confidence, while Meng Hongchen admired Wang Chen and Lin Jiayi judged the defeat unsurprising.
• Wang Chen pulled Xiao Hongchen up and reassured him, prompting Xiao Hongchen to recover his pride and vow to challenge him again after reaching Soul King.
• Ji Juechen entered the Assessment Hall and asked Wang Chen to fight, despite Lin Jiayi, Xiao Hongchen, and Meng Hongchen warning him against the challenge.
• Wang Chen noticed Ji Juechen had fused his sword martial soul with his Extraterrestrial Meteorite Iron sword and became interested in recording the ability in the Black Book.
• Wang Chen accepted Ji Juechen’s challenge.

Wang Chen fought Ji Juechen in the Assessment Hall and used World Domination to overpower the sword-wielding Soul Emperor. After recording Ji Juechen’s abilities, Wang Chen defeated him with a close-range attack, leaving Ji Juechen injured on the ground.

• Ji Juechen drew the Meteorite Iron Longsword, activated his six Soul Rings, and unleashed his Sword Intent against Wang Chen.
• Wang Chen recorded Ji Juechen’s abilities in the Black Book and blocked his first strike with a spear empowered by World Domination, shattering Ji Juechen’s Sword Intent and forcing him back.
• Ji Juechen eagerly attacked again, but Wang Chen pinned his sword beneath the spear and closed in before he could recover it.
• Wang Chen struck Ji Juechen with an Iron Mountain Lean, sending him flying, disarming him, and leaving him unable to rise.

Wang Chen defeated Ji Juechen at Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, earning Ji Juechen’s respect and a promise of another duel. After Jing Hongchen learned of Wang Chen’s strength, he arranged to meet him and invited him to call him Grandpa.

• Meng Hongchen celebrated Wang Chen’s victory over Ji Juechen, while Xiao Hongchen and Lin Jiayi were stunned by the strength he displayed.
• Ji Juechen accepted his defeat, promised to help Wang Chen once, and asked to challenge him again after perfecting his Sword Intent; Wang Chen gave him a healing pill and a Wang Family guest token.
• Jing Ziyan found the injured Ji Juechen, who told her that Wang Chen had defeated him without seriously hurting him.
• Lin Jiayi reported Wang Chen’s victory to Jing Hongchen, who decided it was time to meet his grandson-in-law.
• Wang Chen spent the morning with Meng Hongchen and Xiao Hongchen, then met Jing Hongchen in the afternoon, where Jing Hongchen asked him to call him Grandpa.

Jing Hongchen warmly welcomed Wang Chen, offered him money and protection for the Wang Family, and secured Wang Chen’s agreement to become engaged to Meng Hongchen when she turned sixteen. After returning to the Wang Family, Wang Chen began studying Ji Juechen’s Soul Infusion into Sword cultivation method.

• Jing Hongchen praised Wang Chen’s talent and accepted his plan to leave Mingde Hall and focus on soul power cultivation.
• Jing Hongchen gave Wang Chen ten million Gold Soul Coins and promised to protect the Wang Family if the Second Prince lost the struggle for the throne.
• Jing Hongchen proposed that Wang Chen and Meng Hongchen become engaged when she turned sixteen, and Wang Chen agreed.
• Meng Hongchen spent time with Wang Chen, kissed him goodbye, and watched him leave for the Wang Family.
• Wang Chen returned to the Wang Family and began studying Ji Juechen’s Soul Infusion into Sword through the Black Book.

Wang Chen used the Black Book to master his Martial Soul, discover its Source Power, and create the Spirit Domain, giving him the strength to challenge top experts. Meanwhile, Xu Tianran met Zhongli Wu to secure the Holy Spirit Cult’s support, but Zhongli Wu insisted that Xu Tianran obey the cult.

• Wang Chen refined Ji Juechen’s Soul Infusion into Sword into the Martial Soul Control Secret Technique and used it to control his Martial Soul and Soul Rings without possession.
• Wang Chen used the Black Book to discover how to mobilize his Artifact Spirit Martial Soul’s Source Power and named the resulting power Spirit Origin.
• Wang Chen created the Spirit Battle Skill and briefly unleashed the Spirit Domain, knocking out soul masters below Soul King and startling the nearby Wang Family elders.
• Wang Chen realized his Spirit Origin could command inanimate objects within the Spirit Domain and give him the power to defend himself and his family.
• Xu Tianran waited anxiously for the Holy Spirit Cult’s decision, and Zhongli Wu arrived to negotiate their cooperation.
• Zhongli Wu told Xu Tianran that the Holy Spirit Cult would cooperate only if he listened to them.

Xu Tianran negotiated with Zhongli Wu to secure the Holy Spirit Cult’s support in restoring his power by placing the indulgent Ninth Prince Xu Tianxuan on the throne. After they agreed to work together and inspected Xu Tianxuan, Xu Tianran proposed weakening the strongest rival, Second Prince Xu Tianyu.

• Xu Tianran swallowed Zhongli Wu’s insult and argued that his knowledge of the empire made him essential to their plans.
• Xu Tianran persuaded Zhongli Wu to form a partnership, with the Holy Spirit Cult providing strength and Xu Tianran directing the political strategy.
• Xu Tianran gave Zhongli Wu information about Xu Tianxuan, and they secretly visited the Ninth Prince’s residence to confirm his decadent habits.
• Zhongli Wu agreed to station Holy Spirit Cult experts near Xu Tianxuan to protect and monitor him, and Xu Tianran accepted.
• Xu Tianran identified Second Prince Xu Tianyu as their most urgent target and proposed weakening his influence.

Xu Tianran and Zhongli Wu planned to weaken Xu Tianyu by targeting the Wang and Song Families, while Shangguan Wei'er addressed growing conflict with the Xishui Alliance. At Zhao Yurou’s home, Ye Guyi wept as the crippled elder warned her that the Ordinary Alliance might exploit her talent.

• Xu Tianran confirmed his suspicion that Xu Tianyu had arranged the assassination and joined Zhongli Wu in planning revenge against him.
• Xu Tianran and Zhongli Wu decided to undermine Xu Tianyu by eliminating his supporters, the Wang Family and the Song Family.
• Shangguan Wei'er convened the Ordinary Alliance elders, promised retaliation for Zhao Yurou’s injury, and warned them about the vanished Elder Song Yu’s forged identity.
• Shangguan Wei'er went to visit Zhao Yurou after the meeting.
• Ye Guyi cried beside the crippled Zhao Yurou, who urged her to rely on herself and warned that the alliance might use her exceptional talent.