Chapter Summaries

Tang San reunited with Flender and Xiao Wu after five years, then heard that the Clear Sky Sect had been wiped out. His calm response left Flender, Liu Erlong, and Xiao Wu uncertain about what he knew or felt.

• Liu Erlong helped Flender recognize Tang San when Tang San revealed his Twin Martial Souls and External Soul Bone.
• Flender and Liu Erlong told Tang San that Xiao Wu was waiting for him, and Tang San reunited with her the next morning.
• Tang San began recounting his experiences in Slaughter City and Moonlight Pavilion to Flender and Liu Erlong.
• Zhao Wuji rushed in and announced that the Clear Sky Sect had been wiped out.
• Tang San showed almost no reaction to the news, surprising Liu Erlong, Xiao Wu, and Flender.

Qian Renxue reviewed reports on the Clear Sky Sect’s destruction and realized a third faction had intervened, while Qian Daoliu and the Worshipers learned that the sect had been eliminated. The chapter left Spirit Hall weighing the danger of new, unknown enemies.

• Qian Renxue noticed the fighting had spread far beyond Mo Lin’s plan and deduced that a third faction had joined the conflict.
• Qian Renxue asked Snake Lance Douluo and Pufferfish Douluo to investigate what had really happened.
• A Soul Master reported the Clear Sky Sect’s destruction to Qian Daoliu and the Worshipers.
• Golden Crocodile Douluo argued that Spirit Hall could act more freely now that the sect was gone, but Qian Daoliu warned of two new threats.
• Golden Crocodile Douluo and the other injured Worshipers recalled their painful battles with the Dragon Sons.

News of the Clear Sky Sect’s destruction and the formation of Grace Hall spread across the continent, while Mo Lin negotiated with the Star Luo Empire over Ge Long’s head and his reward. When Xu Siwei questioned whether the head was genuine, Mo Lin threatened to demonstrate his strength.

• Spirit Hall and the Heaven Dou Empire spread accounts of the Clear Sky Sect’s crimes and the rise of Grace Hall.
• Bibi Dong trusted Mo Lin and postponed government affairs while Qian Renxue managed the Worship Hall.
• At the Star Luo border, Mo Lin asked Xu Siwei whether the Star Luo emperor had accepted his deal.
• Xu Siwei offered Mo Lin a marquis title and Gengxin City, with the rest of the bargain to follow after an investigation.
• Mo Lin gave Xu Siwei Ge Long’s preserved head, and Xu Siwei said its identity still needed confirmation.
• Mo Lin warned Xu Siwei that he could demonstrate his strength if the Star Luo Empire doubted him.

Mo Lin secured the Star Luo Empire’s agreement to exchange territory so he could take control of Gengxin City through legitimate means. He told his allies that only a few representatives would need to handle the remaining formalities, while the rest could go directly to Gengxin City.

• Xu Siwei assured Mo Lin that only a few representatives would need to visit Star Luo City before Mo Lin could assume his post in Gengxin City.
• Mo Lin withdrew his killing intent after Xu Siwei agreed to his terms.
• Mo Lin considered why he needed a legitimate claim to Gengxin City and rejected taking it by force because it could turn the people against him and invite retaliation from the Star Luo Empire.
• Mo Lin told Mo Teng that the negotiations had been a formality because the Star Luo Empire would not refuse the proposed deal.
• Yu Yuanzhen asked how the group would accommodate its thousands of Soul Masters while the formalities were completed.
• Mo Lin said the Star Luo Empire could finish the formalities quickly and asked the group to accept his choice of representatives.

Mo Lin chose Yu Yuanzhen and Mo Jia to accompany him to Star Luo City for a meeting with Dai Tianfeng, while Mo Teng went to Gengxin City to meet Lou Gao. On the way, the travelers saw the Star Luo Empire’s prosperous countryside, and Mo Lin discussed how its centralized rule compared with the Heaven Dou Empire’s decentralized system.

• Mo Lin selected Yu Yuanzhen and Mo Jia as his companions to Star Luo City, explaining that their status, strength, and experience made them suitable representatives.
• Mo Lin told Mo Teng to go to Gengxin City and rely on Lou Gao to help settle the group there.
• Seven days later, Mo Lin, Yu Yuanzhen, and Mo Jia traveled by carriage toward Star Luo City.
• Yu Yuanzhen compared the thriving villages near Star Luo City with the Heaven Dou Empire and said Spirit Hall had helped prevent the continent from being unified.
• Mo Lin argued that centralized rule could bring prosperity under a capable emperor but risked decline under an incompetent one, while decentralized rule offered greater stability.

Mo Lin explained the Star Luo Empire’s brutal succession system and hinted that he believed it would be easier to overthrow than the Heaven Dou Empire. He then arrived at Star Luo City with Yu Yuanzhen and Mo Jia, where Dai Tianfeng personally welcomed Grace Hall and mistook their respectful greeting for a willingness to become his subordinates.

• Mo Lin told Yu Yuanzhen and Mo Jia that Star Luo princes fought one another to secure the empire’s strength, but said the empire would be easier to overthrow than Heaven Dou.
• Dai Tianfeng led Star Luo officials outside the city to welcome Grace Hall, hoping its support could help him unite the continent.
• Mo Lin noticed the reception and stepped out of his carriage with Yu Yuanzhen and Mo Jia, while the rest of the convoy remained behind.
• Mo Lin, Yu Yuanzhen, and Mo Jia knelt on one knee and greeted Dai Tianfeng as Your Majesty.
• Dai Tianfeng welcomed them and, pleased by their deference, assumed Grace Hall was lowering itself from an ally to a subordinate.

Mo Lin used a calculated display of deference to reassure Dai Tianfeng that Grace Hall could be trusted, then accompanied him to the Star Luo City palace. The chapter left Mo Lin listening as Dai Tianfeng asked Yu Yuanzhen whether his conduct differed from his reputation in the Heaven Dou Empire.

• Mo Lin persuaded Yu Yuanzhen and Mo Jia to kneel briefly before Dai Tianfeng to support the negotiations over Gengxin City.
• Mo Lin surveyed Dai Tianfeng's officials and noted that Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing were absent, while he planned to check on Dai Weisi later.
• Dai Tianfeng was startled by Mo Lin's youthful appearance, then invited him, Yu Yuanzhen, and Mo Jia into the royal carriage.
• Dai Tianfeng seated Mo Lin beside him in the carriage, and Mo Lin held off discussing Gengxin City until they reached the palace.
• Dai Tianfeng asked Yu Yuanzhen whether his actions differed from the reputation Yu Yuanzhen had heard in the Heaven Dou Empire.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Dai Tianfeng, the emperor of the Star Luo Empire, meets with Mo Lin, Yu Yuanzhen, and Mo Jia, the representatives of Grace Hall, in his imperial carriage.
• Dai Tianfeng expresses his desire for peace and unity, blaming the cruel imperial succession system on external enemies.
• The group arrives at the imperial palace, and Mo Lin sets up a soundproof barrier.

Character Developments

• Dai Tianfeng: Shows a more humane and introspective side, attempting to win over Grace Hall.
• Mo Lin: Remains skeptical of Dai Tianfeng's intentions and is determined to keep his allies focused on their goal.
• Yu Yuanzhen: Initially moved by Dai Tianfeng's words but later snaps back to reality due to Mo Lin's intervention.
• Mo Jia: Also affected by Dai Tianfeng's speech but ultimately remains loyal to Mo Lin.

Significant Themes

• Trust and loyalty: Mo Lin's concern about his allies' loyalty and Yu Yuanzhen's reassurance of his commitment.
• The impact of words: Dai Tianfeng's speech affects Yu Yuanzhen and Mo Jia, highlighting the power of rhetoric.
• Unity and focus: Mo Lin emphasizes the importance of staying united and focused on their goal.

Character Interactions

• Dai Tianfeng and Mo Lin: Dai Tianfeng tries to win Mo Lin over with his words, but Mo Lin remains suspicious.
• Mo Lin, Yu Yuanzhen, and Mo Jia: Mo Lin questions his uncles about their loyalty, leading to a tense moment.
• Mo Lin and Yu Yuanzhen: Mo Lin's directness and Yu Yuanzhen's initial irritation lead to a moment of tension, but they ultimately understand each other.

Mo Lin warned Mo Jia and Yu Yuanzhen that Dai Tianfeng’s appeals to the greater good could undermine their family loyalty, then urged them to appear weak during their negotiations. Meanwhile, Colossus overwhelmed Baxia beneath the sea while searching for the recovered Holy Hall Orca pod and Ming Jin.

• Mo Lin asked Mo Jia and Yu Yuanzhen whether they would kill him if they believed his actions opposed the greater good.
• Mo Lin explained how Dai Tianfeng’s words could gradually influence them and urged them to guard against putting abstract ideals above family.
• Mo Jia accepted Mo Lin’s warning, and Mo Lin advised the group to act weak during their coming deal with Dai Tianfeng.
• Colossus destroyed Baxia’s whirlpools without being injured as Baxia tried and failed to stop him.
• Colossus continued searching the coastal sea for the Holy Hall Orca pod and hoped to fight Ming Jin again.

Colossus overwhelmed Baxia after the turtle ran out of Soul Power and tried to flee. Baxia survived Colossus’s punch but was left unconscious on the seafloor, delaying Colossus’s chance to learn how the Holy Hall Orcas had returned to normal.

• Colossus assessed Baxia’s unusual ability to control Soul Power and explained how different sea soul beasts developed distinct fighting styles.
• Baxia stopped attacking and fled when he realized Colossus’s strength was genuine.
• Colossus caught Baxia and struck him, shattering his Soul Power armor and sending him crashing into the seafloor.
• Baxia’s impact triggered an undersea earthquake and volcanic eruptions that killed many nearby sea soul beasts.
• Colossus found Baxia unconscious but largely unharmed and regretted using too much force.

Mo Lin negotiated with Dai Tianfeng over Grace Hall’s fief and the secrecy surrounding its service to the Star Luo Empire. Dai Tianfeng agreed to keep the arrangement unofficial, then refused Empress Zhu’s suggestion to monitor Grace Hall so the empire could preserve the chance of gaining its support.

• Mo Lin, Yu Yuanzhen, and Mo Jia met Dai Tianfeng and Empress Zhu in the palace, where Dai Tianfeng explained that Mo Lin should remain in Star Luo City while officials were informed about Grace Hall’s fief.
• Mo Lin asked whether Dai Tianfeng would make Grace Hall’s achievements public, and Dai Tianfeng said he would keep them private to avoid provoking a war with the Heaven Dou Empire.
• Mo Lin warned that a city and title without a stated reason could draw suspicion, and Dai Tianfeng proposed presenting Grace Hall’s gains in Gengxin City as a private deal with local forces and officials.
• Mo Lin accepted the arrangement, thanked Dai Tianfeng, and left the palace.
• Empress Zhu suggested that the Zhu Clan monitor Grace Hall, but Dai Tianfeng rejected the idea because discovery could jeopardize future cooperation.

Mo Lin visited Dai Weisi in Star Luo City, gave him a body-tempering method, and ordered him to gather the empire’s military and commercial intelligence. He tested Double Full Hands against Dai Weisi’s resistance and realized the technique could be difficult to use on a prepared target.

• Dai Weisi continued living quietly in his residence, avoiding the Star Luo Empire’s succession struggle and cultivating at Soul Power level sixty-one.
• Mo Lin appeared in Dai Weisi’s room and told him to strengthen himself enough to defeat Dai Mubai in a one-on-one fight.
• Mo Lin transmitted the Chai School Body Tempering method to Dai Weisi and instructed him to collect as much military and commercial information about the Star Luo Empire as possible for a meeting one month later.
• Mo Lin told Dai Weisi to resist with all his Soul Power and spiritual power while he conducted an experiment with Double Full Hands.
• After subduing Dai Weisi over half an hour, Mo Lin concluded that a prepared target could make Double Full Hands’ memory-altering process much more difficult.

After receiving official control of Gengxin City and the surrounding territory, Mo Lin left Star Luo City and inspected his new domain. He reached Gengxin City and went to the Blacksmith Association to check on the artifact-crafting technique he had given Lou Gao.

• After seven days in Star Luo City, Mo Lin received confirmation of Ge Long's death and the loss of more than a hundred thousand Heaven Dou Empire soldiers, then accepted Dai Tianfeng's decree granting Grace Hall control of Gengxin City and nearby lands.
• Dai Tianfeng sent Mo Lin, Mo Jia, and Yu Yuanzhen toward Gengxin City in a guarded carriage, which arrived near the city after five days.
• Mo Lin got out within the territory, told the guard captain he would continue on foot, and flew away with Mo Jia and Yu Yuanzhen.
• Mo Lin surveyed the land around Gengxin City and found little had changed since his childhood, with plains and a mine still providing few stable resources beyond minerals.
• Mo Lin flew into Gengxin City and headed to the Blacksmith Association to follow up on the improved artifact-crafting technique he had previously given Lou Gao.

Mo Lin visited the Blacksmith Association headquarters and met with Lou Gao, who showed him the results of years spent teaching artifact refinement. The chapter left Mo Lin examining Lou Gao's collection of completed barrier pillars.

• Mo Lin toured the Blacksmith Association with Mo Jia and Yu Yuanzhen and noticed that many blacksmiths were practicing artifact refinement.
• Si Long recognized Mo Lin, and Si Yu opened the mechanism-operated gate to the association's fifth floor.
• Si Long led Mo Lin and his companions to Lou Gao's forging room, where Lou Gao eagerly welcomed Mo Lin.
• Mo Lin sent Mo Jia and Yu Yuanzhen to Grace Hall with Si Long before entering Lou Gao's room.
• Lou Gao showed Mo Lin a box containing more than twenty completed barrier pillars.

Mo Lin examined Lou Gao’s magical artifacts and recognized the potential of their ability to store Soul Power. After Lou Gao demonstrated Hermit's Wall, Mo Lin prompted him to reconsider how the artifact’s simpler versions could be used, and Lou Gao realized they could serve as shields.

• Mo Lin inspected Lou Gao’s artifacts and praised his skill at refining them.
• Lou Gao demonstrated Hermit's Wall, a barrier that stored Soul Power and adjusted to nearby terrain.
• Lou Gao explained the barrier’s size, durability, and operating time, while Mo Lin judged that the artifacts still fell short of military needs.
• Lou Gao said the other Hermit's Walls had varying capabilities, including an early version that only served as a shield.
• Mo Lin asked what was wrong with using it as a shield, and Lou Gao realized he could develop the artifact for defensive equipment.

Mo Lin learned that Lou Gao had risen to Soul Douluo after experimenting with artifact refinement and combining his magical forging hammer with his martial soul. Lou Gao began explaining how he discovered the breakthrough, but had not yet described the full results of his experiments.

• Mo Lin proposed using lightweight soul-power barriers for soldiers, prompting Lou Gao to eagerly brainstorm designs and specialized effects.
• Mo Lin noticed Lou Gao's magical forging hammer and asked whether Lou Gao needed it, but Lou Gao instead asked if Mo Lin had noticed any changes in him.
• Mo Lin sensed Lou Gao's Soul Power Level and discovered that he had become a Soul Douluo.
• Lou Gao summoned his martial soul through the forging hammer, which transformed and displayed eight soul rings, including an eighth ring nearing a hundred-thousand-year level.
• Mo Lin urgently asked Lou Gao to explain the phenomenon, and Lou Gao recounted mastering artifact refinement before experimenting with a hammer designed to work with his tool martial soul.

Mo Lin learned that Lou Gao’s artifact-forging method had produced a soul ring and developed a theory about how soul rings widened a soul master’s capacity. He called for controlled experiments and broader recruitment, then urged Si Yu to focus on his craft as they arrived at Grace Hall’s residence.

• Lou Gao explained that refining his heartblood into a forging hammer had caused a soul ring to form and fuse with his martial soul when he reached level eighty.
• Mo Lin theorized that soul rings and other sources of compatible soul power widened a soul master’s capacity, and decided the artifact method needed controlled testing.
• Lou Gao said he had kept the discovery secret, and Mo Lin asked him to test it with trustworthy people and recruit talent to turn the Blacksmith Association into an Artifact Refiner Association.
• Si Long and Si Yu thanked Mo Lin for working with the Blacksmith Association, and Si Yu agreed to guide him to Grace Hall’s residence.
• Mo Lin questioned Si Yu about his training, urged him and his brothers to devote themselves to their craft, and said Grace Hall would handle the association’s security.

Mo Lin urged Si Yu to stop guarding Lou Gao’s door and return to forging, arguing that skilled blacksmiths could help revitalize Gengxin City. Si Yu accepted his reasoning and decided to persuade his brothers to resume their studies, while Mo Lin hoped to build support for bringing the Blacksmith Association under Grace Hall.

• Mo Lin told Si Yu that he and his brothers were wasting their blacksmithing talent by serving as guards instead of developing their skills.
• Si Yu challenged Mo Lin, saying the brothers had stayed to repay Lou Gao and the Blacksmith Association.
• Mo Lin argued that Gengxin City needed more Divine Craftsmen and that Lou Gao would be proud if his students surpassed him.
• Si Yu reconsidered his choices and decided to persuade his brothers to return to forging.
• Mo Lin reflected that winning over Lou Gao’s disciples would ease the Blacksmith Association’s future integration into Grace Hall and might reveal talented artifact refiners.

Mo Lin returned to Gengxin City and found that the residents of Soul Beast Island had settled in well. He met Dugu Bo, who had come looking for his granddaughter and Yu Tianheng, and began treating his injuries while apologizing for Grace Hall’s actions.

• Mo Lin learned how Soul Beast Island’s residents had rebuilt their district and integrated into life in Gengxin City.
• Mo Lin used the Qimen to locate his grandfather and Grace Hall’s other leaders, who were discussing what to do about an uninvited guest.
• Mo Lin appeared suddenly in the meeting and told Mo Teng and Mo Wen that he knew the guest and would speak to him himself.
• Mo Lin found Dugu Bo locked in a dark room after Mo Teng had injured and detained him.
• Dugu Bo demanded to know where his granddaughter was and called for Yu Tianheng, while Mo Lin treated his injuries and apologized.
• Mo Lin told Dugu Bo he could not decide the other matters because the couple loved each other and he did not want to interfere.

Mo Lin treated Dugu Bo’s injuries and explained that he wanted him to join Grace Hall for his reputation and influence, not his combat strength. Dugu Bo remained wary of Mo Lin’s claims about Spirit Hall and was left facing a recruitment offer he had little reason to trust.

• Mo Lin finished treating Dugu Bo while Dugu Bo vented his anger, then helped him sit down so they could talk calmly.
• Dugu Bo reflected on Mo Lin’s mysterious power and high standing in Spirit Hall, then concluded that Spirit Hall had orchestrated the Clear Sky Sect’s destruction.
• Mo Lin denied that Spirit Hall had planned the destruction, saying he had handled it himself and only used Spirit Hall to spread the news.
• Mo Lin told Dugu Bo that Grace Hall and Spirit Hall would eventually belong to him or his wife, and said he wanted Dugu Bo to join his growing faction.
• Mo Lin admitted he did not need Dugu Bo’s strength, but wanted his reputation and influence to help attract soul masters to Grace Hall.