Chapter Summaries

Zhang Lexuan remembered how Yue Ling’s care had brought warmth and comfort into her life, even after she confessed her troubled past and feelings of confusion about Bei Bei. Yue Ling woke after Xuan Zi sealed the evil soul in his Spirit Sea, and Xuan Zi insisted that he stay and recover safely.

• Zhang Lexuan recalled how Yue Ling’s chrysanthemum tea eased the cold in her body and how his company made the pavilion a cherished place for her.
• Zhang Lexuan remembered confessing her past to Yue Ling, who returned the next day with food and treated her kindly as usual.
• Zhang Lexuan wrestled with her feelings for Yue Ling and her promise to Mu En regarding Bei Bei.
• Yue Ling woke after the evil soul in his Spirit Sea had been sealed, and Xuan Zi questioned him about it and checked whether he was injured.
• Xuan Zi told Yue Ling to stay and cultivate safely with him, and Yue Ling felt touched by his teacher’s concern.

Yue Ling recovered from the freshman assessment finals while his classmates learned about Core Disciples and prepared for the class assignment ceremony. The chapter ended with the successful freshmen gathered at Shrek Square the next morning, awaiting their assignments.

• Zhang Lexuan and Elder Xuan left Yue Ling to rest after confirming he was stable, and Yue Ling fell asleep wondering how Xiaotao and Gongyang Mo were doing.
• Wu Ya congratulated Freshman Class One on passing the assessment and explained the class assignments and restrictions on Martial Soul Department Core Disciples.
• Wu Ya told the class that Yue Ling was seriously injured and would miss lessons during his recovery, prompting surprise among the students who had fought him.
• Gongyang Mo and Ma Xiaotao missed Yue Ling, and Gongyang Mo remained alone after class while Ma Xiaotao left by herself.
• The next morning, all first-year students who had passed the assessment gathered at Shrek Square for the class assignment ceremony.

Du Weilun announced the Freshman Assessment rankings and rewards, with Yue Ling's absent team named champions and awarded a confidential bonus. He then began announcing which freshmen would become Outer Court core disciples.

• Du Weilun announced Dai Yueheng's team had taken third place and Wang Hao, He Jiajie, and Li Jingjing's team had taken second.
• Ma Xiaotao and Gongyang Mo accepted recognition on behalf of their champion team while Yue Ling remained absent because of his injuries.
• Du Weilun announced that the top three teams could each request an academy-assisted Spirit Ring suited to their needs.
• Du Weilun announced a confidential special reward for Yue Ling's team, to be given to Ma Xiaotao and Gongyang Mo after class assignments.
• Du Weilun praised the freshmen and began announcing the new Outer Court core disciples.

Du Weilun announced the Outer Court's Core Disciples, class assignments, and homeroom teachers, then told Ma Xiaotao and Gongyang Mo that Yue Ling was safe. He gave them a valuable reward for winning the freshman assessment, leaving them about to see what was inside the pouch.

• Du Weilun named the official and temporary Core Disciples, then announced the freshmen's class assignments and homeroom teachers.
• Du Weilun summoned Ma Xiaotao and Gongyang Mo to collect their rewards and assured them that Yue Ling was alright.
• Du Weilun relayed Dean Yan's request that Gongyang Mo water Yue Ling's chrysanthemums and ordered them to keep the recent incident confidential.
• Du Weilun presented Ma Xiaotao and Gongyang Mo with a low-grade Soul Tool pouch containing an exceptionally valuable academy reward.
• Ma Xiaotao untied the pouch as Gongyang Mo watched, and her heartbeat quickened at what might be inside.

Du Weilun awarded Ma Xiaotao, Yue Ling, and Gongyang Mo three carefully chosen Spirit Bones and warned them to keep the rewards secret. After Ma Xiaotao gave Gongyang Mo the storage pouch, she announced she would leave the outer courtyard to cultivate with her teacher, while Gongyang Mo vowed to enter the inner courtyard and fight alongside his friends.

• Du Weilun explained that the Ten-Thousand-Year Explosive Burning Flame Right Arm Bone was for Ma Xiaotao, the Ten-Thousand-Year Mountain-Sinking Earth Gravity Left Leg Bone was for Yue Ling, and the Ten-Thousand-Year Earth Dragon Defense Right Arm Bone was for Gongyang Mo.
• Du Weilun officially gave them the Spirit Bones and a pouch that concealed Soul Power, then warned Ma Xiaotao and Gongyang Mo to absorb the bones promptly and keep their rewards confidential.
• After leaving the teaching building, Ma Xiaotao stored her and Yue Ling's Spirit Bones and handed the concealing pouch with Gongyang Mo's Spirit Bone to him.
• Ma Xiaotao told Gongyang Mo she would stop attending outer-courtyard classes and cultivate beside her teacher, and said she would deliver Yue Ling's Spirit Bone to him later.
• Ma Xiaotao urged Gongyang Mo to cultivate and enter the inner courtyard so they could fight together again, and Gongyang Mo vowed he would do so.

Yue Ling relaxed in his courtyard after waking, then was surprised when Ma Xiaotao arrived for a visit. She returned the academy-assigned Spirit Bone and explained the lengthy process she had followed to reach him.

• Yue Ling woke refreshed, changed clothes, and enjoyed the quiet of his courtyard.
• Ma Xiaotao arrived at Yue Ling's gate, and he grabbed her wrist before apologizing and inviting her inside.
• Ma Xiaotao explained that she had arranged the visit through her teacher, Xuan Zi, the Sea God Island guards, and Yue Ling's consent.
• Ma Xiaotao gave Yue Ling the Ten-Thousand-Year Mountain-Weight Earth Gravity Left Leg Bone and described its potential benefits.

Yue Ling welcomed Ma Xiaotao to stay for breakfast after she delivered his Spirit Bone, then prepared a meal in Elder Xuan’s kitchen. The dishes were ready, and Ma Xiaotao waited eagerly outside to taste them.

• Yue Ling thanked Ma Xiaotao for bringing his Spirit Bone and invited her to stay for breakfast.
• Ma Xiaotao agreed, and Yue Ling went into Elder Xuan’s kitchen to cook.
• Yue Ling found the pot spotless and used soul beast meat and spirit rice to prepare bone soup, grilled lion meat, and steamed rice.
• Ma Xiaotao smelled the food from the courtyard and grew eager to eat.
• Yue Ling finished the soup, grilled meat, and a cold bamboo shoot dish.

Yue Ling cooked breakfast for Ma Xiaotao, whose delight in his food led them to discuss their studies at Shrek. Ma Xiaotao explained that her evil fire meant she needed to remain in the Inner Court, while Yue Ling was unsure whether his teacher would let him attend the Outer Court.

• Yue Ling used his Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum martial soul to carry breakfast to the courtyard table.
• Ma Xiaotao tasted Yue Ling's cooking, enjoyed it, and ate until she was full.
• Ma Xiaotao asked whether Yue Ling would study in the Shrek Outer Court, and he said it depended on his teacher.
• Ma Xiaotao said she would not attend the Outer Court because her status as the dean's direct disciple exempted her from its usual process.
• Ma Xiaotao explained that her evil fire made Outer Court cultivation difficult, so she needed to remain in the Inner Court to suppress it.

Yue Ling and Ma Xiaotao shared a warm farewell before he began absorbing the Ten Thousand Year Earth Giant Bear left leg bone. He successfully absorbed it, rose from level thirty-seven to level thirty-eight, and gained a solution to his difficulty keeping opponents from escaping.

• Ma Xiaotao thanked Yue Ling for their friendship, then challenged him to compete for the Shrek Seven Monsters' captaincy at the next tournament.
• Ma Xiaotao left to cultivate after Yue Ling invited her to visit for his cooking again.
• Yue Ling sat in the courtyard and began absorbing the Ten Thousand Year Earth Giant Bear left leg bone.
• Yue Ling endured the Spirit Bone's heat and energy as it strengthened his body and filled his dantian.
• Yue Ling completed the absorption, broke through to level thirty-eight, and decided the Spirit Bone would help him stop opponents from escaping.

After absorbing the Spirit Bone, Yue Ling reflected on the limits of his Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum Martial Soul and the years he had spent tempering it. He resolved to keep pursuing a Power Attack path while developing practical control abilities, leaving his strength dependent on patient training.

• Yue Ling finished absorbing the Spirit Bone and recognized that it could help address the limits of his long-range-focused fighting style.
• Yue Ling recalled how the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum's fragile nature made close combat difficult and explained how he had been tempering his body to cultivate Indestructible Diamond.
• Yue Ling considered sharing the cold yin power in his body with Ma Xiaotao to counteract her evil fire.
• Yue Ling concluded that his Martial Soul suited a path combining control and power attacks, with practical control skills in lower-grade Spirit Rings and destructive attacks in higher-grade ones.
• Yue Ling accepted that he had already chosen his path and vowed to turn his chrysanthemum petals into blades capable of killing enemies.

Yue Ling assessed how his new Spirit Bone and Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum could shore up his combat weaknesses, then investigated the mysterious abilities of his Lovesick Heartbreak Red. He ended uncertain how to obtain another Soul Ring for his second Martial Soul.

• Yue Ling considered how the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum could develop into a powerful long-range weapon and planned to gain a close-combat Soul Skill from his fourth Soul Ring.
• Yue Ling examined the Earth Shatter skill from his Ten Thousand Year left leg Spirit Bone, which granted gravity suppression and a major movement-speed boost.
• Yue Ling summoned the Lovesick Heartbreak Red and realized its power had likely amplified the grief of people around him during the academy points tournament.
• Yue Ling suspected his second Martial Soul had protected him during the remnant soul's possession, but he could not explain how it had acted independently.
• Yue Ling wondered whether he could obtain another Soul Ring for the Lovesick Heartbreak Red only through special circumstances, and feared the Martial Soul might be useless.

Yue Ling resolved to cultivate after reflecting on the danger posed by the Evil Soul Master's Remnant Soul, while the trapped Remnant Soul plotted to wait for a chance to escape. At Shrek, Mu En persuaded Xuan Zi to let Yue Ling grow through life at the Outer Court and explained that Yue Ling might eventually eradicate the Remnant Soul.

• Yue Ling decided not to risk another confrontation with the Remnant Soul and began cultivating toward rank forty before his second year.
• The Remnant Soul repeatedly failed to break the golden seal in Yue Ling's Spirit Sea, then chose to wait for him to reveal a weakness.
• Mu En told Xuan Zi that Yue Ling needed to attend the Shrek Outer Court and face hardship to strengthen his mind and suppress the Remnant Soul.
• Xuan Zi agreed to send Yue Ling to the Outer Court after he absorbed the Spirit Bone, reached rank forty, and obtained his fourth Spirit Ring.
• Mu En explained that Yue Ling may have absorbed some of the Evil Soul Master's source Soul Power and Spirit Ring foundation, creating a struggle that could end with either one devouring the other.

Yue Ling learned that Mu En wanted him to return to the Shrek Outer Court after reaching Soul Ancestor, where new bonds would help him resist the Remnant Soul. After Xuan Zi left, Yue Ling went to the pavilion he had built with Zhang Lexuan and found her there.

• Xuan Zi interrupted Yue Ling’s cultivation and told him Mu En had ordered him to return to the Shrek Outer Court after breaking through to Soul Ancestor.
• Xuan Zi explained that Yue Ling’s hatred and volatile emotions strengthened the Remnant Soul, while study and friendships could help him build the strength to face it.
• Yue Ling agreed to cultivate for three months, reach Soul Ancestor, and ask Xuan Zi to accompany him to obtain his fourth Spirit Ring.
• Xuan Zi departed without telling Yue Ling about their speculation concerning a second martial soul.
• Yue Ling left the courtyard for a walk and recalled how he and Zhang Lexuan had built and tended the mountainside pavilion.
• Yue Ling arrived at the pavilion and saw Zhang Lexuan sitting inside, sipping tea and admiring the flowers.

Yue Ling met Zhang Lexuan in the pavilion, where she questioned him about his closeness with Ma Xiaotao. He suppressed his feelings for Zhang Lexuan because he believed she was destined to marry Bei Bei, while Zhang Lexuan ended their meeting by withdrawing into cold distance.

• Zhang Lexuan invited Yue Ling to the pavilion and served him chrysanthemum tea, hoping to see his reaction.
• Yue Ling remembered his growing admiration for Zhang Lexuan, then pushed it aside because of his debt to Mu En and Zhang Lexuan's promised marriage to Bei Bei.
• Zhang Lexuan asked Yue Ling who the red-haired girl visiting Xuan Zi's courtyard was, and he explained that Ma Xiaotao was his friend and competition teammate.
• Zhang Lexuan fell silent as jealousy and awkwardness rose between them, while Yue Ling avoided her gaze.
• Zhang Lexuan decided she had no right to question Yue Ling's friendships and turned cold and distant toward him.

After Yue Ling left Zhang Lexuan, both tried to bury their feelings in silence and cultivation. Half a month later, Bei Bei delivered Yue Ling’s unwanted cake to Zhang Lexuan, unaware of the sorrow she had been carrying.

• Yue Ling left the pavilion, and Zhang Lexuan realized her tears had fallen into her tea as she watched him go.
• Yue Ling returned to his courtyard, lamented that he and Zhang Lexuan could no longer be friends, and devoted himself to cultivation for half a month.
• Yue Ling bought two large cakes in Shrek City, then shared one with Bei Bei, who was unable to finish the other.
• Yue Ling told Bei Bei not to give the remaining cake to Zhang Lexuan, but Bei Bei carried it to her pavilion anyway.
• Zhang Lexuan calmly accepted the cake from Bei Bei as she sat alone gazing at the moon.

After stabilizing his cultivation, Yue Ling broke through to level forty and became a Soul Ancestor. Xuan Zi took him to the Star Dou Great Forest to find a suitable fourth Spirit Ring, and they began the journey by the forest’s northwestern entrance.

• Yue Ling spent a month and a half stabilizing his Soul Power and advancing to the peak of level thirty-nine.
• Yue Ling broke through the level-forty bottleneck and celebrated becoming a twelve-year-old Soul Ancestor.
• Xuan Zi agreed to take Yue Ling to the Star Dou Great Forest and flew with him to Shrek City's eastern gate.
• Xuan Zi led Yue Ling through the gate, explained the forest's rules and zones, and told him they would rent a carriage.

Yue Ling traveled with Xuan Zi to the Star Dou Great Forest to seek a ten-thousand-year soul beast for his fourth Spirit Ring. Xuan Zi left him to explore the outskirts alone, quietly following from the trees as Yue Ling cautiously practiced survival skills.

• Yue Ling told Xuan Zi he intended to absorb a ten-thousand-year Spirit Ring, and Xuan Zi warned him about the spiritual danger but agreed to interrupt the absorption if it failed.
• Yue Ling and Xuan Zi rode a carriage from Shrek City to the Star Dou Great Forest Outskirts.
• Xuan Zi told Yue Ling he would not accompany or rescue him except in lethal danger, then vanished and left him alone.
• Yue Ling cautiously entered the forest, sensing nearby creatures and studying animal tracks and signs of the terrain.
• Xuan Zi watched Yue Ling from the trees, approved of his careful approach, and followed him while eating a chicken leg.

Yue Ling fought off spirit beasts while making his way through the Star Dou Great Forest Outskirts toward the Mixed Zone. On the third day, he met Ye Wuqing, Yu Mengdi, and Tang Xiaolei, who were seeking Ye Wuqing’s third Spirit Ring.

• Yue Ling sensed a Ghost Leopard’s ambush, blocked its attacks with Heavenly Chrysanthemum Body Protection and Indestructible Diamond, then lured it into range and killed it with a punch.
• Yue Ling continued toward the Mixed Zone, surviving attacks from Netherworld Wolves, a Wind Baboon, and a Mandala Snake, and tested his Spirit Bone skill, Earth Shatter, on the snake.
• As night fell, Yue Ling noticed several people approaching while he gathered wood for a fire.
• Ye Wuqing introduced himself as a level-thirty, two-ring Power Attack Type Tool Spirit Master and said he had come with Yu Mengdi and Tang Xiaolei to obtain his third Spirit Ring.

Yue Ling revealed that he was a twelve-year-old level forty Soul Ancestor, startling the Zhengtian Academy students he met in Star Dou Forest. After refusing Ye Wuqing’s invitation to join the academy, Yue Ling faced a recruitment offer from one of its teachers.

• Yue Ling introduced himself as a level forty Tool Soul Elder who was almost thirteen, shocking Yu Mengdi, Ye Wuqing, and Tang Xiaolei.
• Yue Ling claimed he had entered Star Dou Forest alone, and Ye Wuqing stopped Tang Xiaolei from confronting him.
• Ye Wuqing invited Yue Ling to join Zhengtian Academy, but Yue Ling refused.
• Two Zhengtian Academy teachers returned to camp after failing to find a suitable thousand-year soul beast in the eastern outskirts.
• A teacher learned Yue Ling came from the Star Luo Empire and offered to take him as a disciple and support him at Zhengtian Academy.

When a Zhengtian Academy teacher tried to recruit Yue Ling and then threatened him for refusing, Xuan Zi intervened and drove the group away with his Super Douluo pressure. The chapter left Yue Ling calmly roasting meat as Ye Wuqing and the others fled, realizing he had been protected all along.

• Yue Ling rejected the Zhengtian Academy teacher’s offer, declaring his ambitions and asking what the Soul Saint could teach him.
• The teacher decided to seize Yue Ling, while Ye Wuqing grew suspicious but accepted that his teacher might act.
• As the teacher prepared to attack Yue Ling, Xuan Zi appeared and suppressed the two Zhengtian Academy teachers with his Super Douluo aura.
• Xuan Zi warned the teachers to leave, and they fled with Ye Wuqing, Tang Xiaolei, and Yu Mengdi.
• Ye Wuqing and the others realized Yue Ling had had a powerful protector nearby as Yue Ling continued roasting meat.