Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “The World’s Corrective Force”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xuan Xiao attempts to save Blue-Flame, whose soul remains after her death. He admits that forcing her to undergo human transformation was a mistake and wants to compensate her.
• Blue-Flame rejects the chance to become human again. Her brief human life was filled with hardship, manipulation, sorrow, and loss, so she would rather reincarnate—or simply rest forever.
• Xuan Xiao opens a reincarnation passage purchased with Deviation Points. He allows Blue-Flame to choose whether to reincarnate as a human or Soul Beast and whether to retain her memories.
• Before entering the passage, Blue-Flame thanks Xuan Xiao for allowing her to experience being human and hopes to meet him again in another life. She then disappears into reincarnation.
• Afterward, Xuan Xiao recognizes that he has become emotionally affected by Blue-Flame’s departure, despite insisting that he is not a good person.
• He then turns his attention to a preserved soul-light containing another version of Tang San. Xuan Xiao reveals that he intercepted this Tang San’s reincarnation, erased nearly all his memories through Electrolux, and retained only the memory of Bibi Dong tearing out his heart.
• Xuan Xiao plans to place this older, traumatized “Sea God Tang San” into the body of the younger Tang San, whose Blue Silver Emperor Martial Soul has been removed. He looks forward to the confusion and conflict this will cause, especially regarding Tang San’s relationship with Yu Xiaogang.
• Meanwhile, Xiao Wu arrives at Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy. Unlike the original storyline, she has white hair, is not a work-study student, and possesses powerful backing.
• Her recommendation letter carries the personal seals of Ah Rou, Ah Yin, and Liu Erlong, who have established an advanced Soul Master Academy in Heaven Dou City. The registration teacher is terrified because offending these influential women—and their protector, Dugu Bo—could ruin the academy.

Character Developments

• Xuan Xiao: Shows unexpected guilt and compassion toward Blue-Flame. Although he frames his actions as repayment for a mistake, his emotional distress reveals that he is becoming attached to the people affected by his schemes. However, he quickly returns to his mischievous, manipulative behavior by plotting to torment two versions of Tang San.
• Blue-Flame: Demonstrates deep disillusionment with humanity. Her experiences as a transformed human have convinced her that human life is too painful, yet she still values the opportunity to have lived—and to die—as a person. She departs peacefully, grateful toward Xuan Xiao.
• Tang San: His two versions are positioned for a major identity conflict. The reincarnated Sea God version retains trauma from Bibi Dong, while the younger version has lost his Blue Silver Emperor Martial Soul.
• Xiao Wu: Enters the academy with a greatly altered background. She is no longer an isolated, impoverished work-study student but the protected daughter of influential Soul Beasts and allies.
• Ah Rou, Ah Yin, and Liu Erlong: Have become powerful figures who cooperate closely, establish an elite academy, and provide Xiao Wu with considerable protection and status.
• Dugu Bo: Now serves as the sole Super Douluo and Titled Douluo of the Heaven Dou Empire, reinforcing the importance of Xiao Wu’s backers.

Significant Themes

• The consequences of manipulation: Xuan Xiao’s strategic interference changes people’s lives in ways he cannot fully control, leading him to confront guilt and responsibility.
• The cost of humanity: Blue-Flame’s experience suggests that becoming human brings emotional depth but also suffering, betrayal, and grief.
• Reincarnation and choice: Blue-Flame is given unusual control over her next existence, including her species and memories, emphasizing freedom after a life defined by coercion.
• Morality versus self-image: Xuan Xiao insists he is not benevolent, yet his actions toward Blue-Flame reveal compassion that conflicts with his self-proclaimed villainous identity.
• Chaos as entertainment and strategy: Xuan Xiao treats the Tang San plan as both a calculated disruption and a source of amusement, highlighting his enjoyment of altering fate.
• Changed destiny: The chapter contrasts the original storyline with a rewritten world in which Xiao Wu, her family, and the surrounding political structure possess much greater power and influence.

Character Interactions

• Xuan Xiao and Blue-Flame: Their conversation moves from guilt and confusion to mutual gratitude. Blue-Flame thanks him for giving her a human experience, while Xuan Xiao grants her the freedom to choose reincarnation.
• Xuan Xiao and the Tang San soul: Though Tang San is not yet shown responding, Xuan Xiao treats him as a tool for creating conflict and intends to use him against the younger Tang San.
• Xiao Wu and the registration teacher: The teacher becomes nervous and submissive after seeing the seals of Ah Rou, Ah Yin, and Liu Erlong, immediately recognizing Xiao Wu’s powerful connections.
• Ah Rou, Ah Yin, Liu Erlong, and Dugu Bo: Their alliance has produced a major institutional power in Heaven Dou City, reshaping Xiao Wu’s social position and the balance of influence among Soul Master academies.

Chapter Summary: “Xiao Wu Comes to Her Senses”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Wu’s white hair is revealed to be a deliberate tribute to Xuan Xiao. She remembers how he saved Er Ming and helped her mother and Ah Yin live safely among humans.
• Influenced by her mother’s advice about repaying kindness, Xiao Wu chose Xuan Xiao’s white hair when she transformed.
• Xiao Wu arrives at Notting Academy after sneaking away from Heaven Dou City using stolen private seals. Although she is technically traveling independently, a Soul Emperor has been assigned to protect her.
• The academy’s admissions teacher recognizes her background and rushes to inform the headmaster.
• The headmaster welcomes Xiao Wu with extreme nervousness and flattery, arranging the best dormitory and offering special facilities. Xiao Wu insists that she be treated like an ordinary student.
• Yu Xiaogang and Tang San arrive at the academy. Tang San feels inexplicably drawn to Xiao Wu and introduces himself, but she responds coldly and refuses his handshake.
• Yu Xiaogang encourages Tang San to regard Xiao Wu as a younger sister and hints that the two should become close.
• Xiao Wu recognizes Yu Xiaogang and exposes his past involving Liu Erlong, Bibi Dong, and his attempts to manipulate Liu Erlong into using a Martial Soul Fusion Skill.
• She further reminds him that Liu Erlong’s family conflict led to Yu Yuanzhen being humiliated by the powerful green divine dragon in Heaven Dou City, leaving Yu Xiaogang visibly devastated.

Character Developments

• Xiao Wu: Demonstrates confidence, independence, sharp intelligence, and a mischievous but ruthless side. Despite her young appearance, she is fully aware of her powerful family connections and uses her knowledge to intimidate Yu Xiaogang. She also rejects preferential treatment publicly, preferring to experience academy life normally.
• Tang San: Experiences an immediate, unexplained attraction toward Xiao Wu. His attempt at a friendly introduction is awkwardly rejected, establishing an early imbalance in their relationship.
• Yu Xiaogang: Is shown to be insecure and highly concerned with appearances. His pride collapses when Xiao Wu reveals embarrassing details about his past, especially his connection to Liu Erlong and his family’s disgrace.
• The Notting Academy Headmaster and staff: Their fearful, exaggerated politeness highlights Xiao Wu’s enormous social status and the influence of her family.

Significant Themes

• Power and status: Xiao Wu’s arrival exposes how greatly powerful families influence even modest institutions such as Notting Academy.
• Independence versus protection: Xiao Wu has escaped supervision but remains heavily protected, allowing her to seek experience without facing genuine danger.
• The consequences of the past: Yu Xiaogang’s old actions continue to affect his reputation, and Xiao Wu uses those buried truths to challenge his authority.
• Appearance and identity: Xiao Wu’s white hair symbolizes her gratitude toward Xuan Xiao, while her childlike appearance contrasts sharply with her maturity, power, and knowledge.
• Humiliation and social control: Xiao Wu overturns the expected hierarchy by refusing Tang San’s friendliness and publicly stripping Yu Xiaogang of his dignity.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Wu and the academy staff: The staff treat her as an honored political figure rather than an ordinary student, while Xiao Wu remains composed and attempts to minimize the attention.
• Xiao Wu and Tang San: Tang San is immediately fascinated by her, but Xiao Wu is distant and uninterested, refusing even his offered handshake.
• Xiao Wu and Yu Xiaogang: Their exchange becomes confrontational. Yu Xiaogang tries to assert social and familial expectations, but Xiao Wu counters by exposing his romantic manipulation and family scandals, leaving him humiliated.
• Yu Xiaogang and Tang San: Yu Xiaogang attempts to guide Tang San’s relationship with Xiao Wu, apparently hoping to prevent the romantic failures he experienced in his own youth.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Wu openly humiliates Yu Xiaogang at the registration area, accusing him of having a dark past and plagiarizing his so-called “Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul.”
• She further condemns him for scheming against his cousin, Liu Erlong, and mocks his claim to greatness.
• Tang San, having just acknowledged Yu Xiaogang as his teacher, attempts to defend him, but Xiao Wu warns that following such a teacher may lead to disaster.
• Enraged, Yu Xiaogang demands to see Xiao Wu’s registration form so he can judge her abilities.
• The form lists Ah Rou, Ah Yin, and Liu Erlong as Xiao Wu’s guardians. Seeing Liu Erlong’s name reminds Yu Xiaogang of his failed plot to manipulate her into using a Martial Soul Fusion Skill for his own benefit.
• Yu Xiaogang tries to regain his dignity by registering Tang San and boasting about Tang San’s Innate Full Soul Power and Twin Martial Souls.
• His attempt fails because the teachers are unimpressed: Xiao Wu has already revealed herself to possess an astonishing Soul Power Level of fourteen at only six years old.
• Learning that someone even more talented than Tang San has already arrived, Yu Xiaogang is overwhelmed by humiliation, spits blood, and collapses.

2. Character Developments

• Xiao Wu: Demonstrates her sharp tongue, confidence, loyalty to her family, and strong moral judgment. She clearly distrusts Yu Xiaogang and refuses to be intimidated by his status.
• Yu Xiaogang: His arrogant façade collapses. His past selfishness and manipulation are exposed, and his attempt to use Tang San to restore his reputation backfires spectacularly.
• Tang San: Shows loyalty toward his newly accepted teacher and a strong desire to prove himself, but he is embarrassed when Xiao Wu challenges Yu Xiaogang. Her warning fuels his determination to surpass her.
• Liu Erlong: Though absent, her past relationship with Yu Xiaogang is revealed. She is portrayed as perceptive and capable of resisting his manipulation, partly because of Dugu Bo’s guidance.
• Dugu Bo and Xuan Xiao: Their influence is expanded. Dugu Bo deeply respects Xuan Xiao and treats Liu Erlong favorably because of her connection to him, hoping to gain further benefits and advancement.
• Xuan Xiao: Appears only in the closing commentary, humorously observing Yu Xiaogang’s collapse.

3. Significant Themes

• Exposure of hypocrisy: Yu Xiaogang presents himself as a great master, but Xiao Wu’s accusations reveal that his reputation may be built on borrowed knowledge and deceit.
• Talent versus reputation: Tang San’s prestigious abilities fail to impress the academy because Xiao Wu’s natural talent is even greater, showing that genuine ability matters more than titles or certificates.
• Strength and competition: Yu Xiaogang tells Tang San that strength is the only true standard and urges him to win Xiao Wu’s respect through power, establishing future rivalry.
• Consequences of manipulation: Yu Xiaogang’s earlier schemes against Liu Erlong return to haunt him when he sees her name connected to Xiao Wu.
• Family loyalty and moral integrity: Xiao Wu defends her mother and condemns dishonesty, contrasting her values with Yu Xiaogang’s self-serving behavior.
• Humiliation of the arrogant: Yu Xiaogang’s attempt to show off Tang San becomes a public embarrassment, reinforcing the chapter’s comedic reversal.

4. Character Interactions

• Xiao Wu and Yu Xiaogang: Their exchange is the chapter’s central confrontation. Xiao Wu repeatedly dismantles his dignity with blunt accusations, while Yu Xiaogang is unable to respond effectively.
• Xiao Wu and Tang San: Tang San defends Yu Xiaogang, but Xiao Wu mocks his choice of teacher and warns him about the consequences.
• Yu Xiaogang and the registration teachers: He expects admiration for Tang San’s abilities and Spirit Hall certificate, but the teachers respond indifferently and reveal that Xiao Wu’s talent is far more remarkable.
• Yu Xiaogang and Liu Erlong: Their past is revealed through Yu Xiaogang’s fearful reaction to her name, emphasizing his guilt and the consequences of his former schemes.
• Dugu Bo and Liu Erlong/Xuan Xiao: The narration explains that Dugu Bo treats Liu Erlong with unusual respect because of her relationship with Xuan Xiao and hopes she may help him gain further opportunities.

Chapter Summary: “The Little Rabbit Climbing the Pole”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After registering at Notting Academy, Xiao Wu meets Teacher Song, the capable Soul Emperor assigned to protect and accompany her.
• To prevent Xiao Wu from living in the academy’s overcrowded dormitories, Teacher Song arranges for her to stay in the teacher’s quarters.
• In the quarters, they encounter Xuan Xiao, an illusory white-haired young man whose presence immediately puts Teacher Song on guard.
• Xuan Xiao reveals that he came to investigate familiar auras and has discovered that Tang Hao and Tang San are living in Nuoding City.
• He observes that Tang Hao has amassed wealth through force and treats Tang San harshly, valuing him mainly because of his Clear Sky Hammer.
• Xuan Xiao warns Xiao Wu to stay away from Tang San, whom he considers sinister and dangerous.
• Before leaving, Xuan Xiao gives Xiao Wu a jade pendant that can teleport her and her mother directly to Heaven Dou City in an emergency.
• He also tells Xiao Wu to inform Ah Rou that he likely will not be able to appear again for another five or six years.

Character Developments

• Xiao Wu: Displays her spoiled, playful, and shamelessly clever personality. She is relieved to avoid the dormitories, quickly warms to Xuan Xiao after recognizing him, and successfully persuades him to give her a valuable protective treasure.
• Teacher Song: Establishes herself as a highly competent and vigilant protector. Although she relaxes after learning that Xuan Xiao knows Xiao Wu, she remains cautious because of her duty.
• Xuan Xiao: Is shown to be powerful, perceptive, and familiar with the larger situation surrounding Tang Hao and Tang San. Despite his teasing attitude, he genuinely cares about Xiao Wu’s safety and provides her with a means of escape.
• Tang Hao: Is portrayed as arrogant and abusive, using his overwhelming strength to live luxuriously while forcing Tang San to work and endure hardship.
• Tang San: Is characterized indirectly as neglected, exploited, and potentially dangerous, with his value in Tang Hao’s eyes tied largely to his Clear Sky Hammer.

Significant Themes

• Protection and family loyalty: Xiao Wu’s mother arranges extensive protection for her, while Xuan Xiao continues to safeguard the family despite his absence.
• Power and privilege: Tang Hao’s strength allows him to seize wealth and live above the law, while Teacher Song’s high cultivation earns her special status at the academy.
• Appearance versus reality: Xuan Xiao appears young and gentle but exerts overwhelming pressure; Tang Hao presents an ordinary life while secretly living extravagantly; Tang San appears foolish but is suspected of hiding darker qualities.
• Manipulation and exploitation: Tang Hao treats Tang San as a tool rather than a son, foreshadowing further hardship and conflict.
• Foreshadowing: Xuan Xiao’s warning about Tang San and the emergency teleportation pendant suggest that Xiao Wu may soon face danger at the academy.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Wu and Teacher Song: Their relationship begins with Teacher Song acting as a protective guardian and Xiao Wu behaving like a pampered young lady.
• Teacher Song and Xuan Xiao: Their first meeting is tense, with Teacher Song drawing her weapon and preparing to defend Xiao Wu. She only lowers her guard after Xiao Wu confirms Xuan Xiao’s identity.
• Xuan Xiao and Xiao Wu: Their exchange is teasing and familiar. Xuan Xiao calls her “little rabbit,” while Xiao Wu uses flattery and playful bargaining to obtain the jade pendant.
• Xuan Xiao and Tang Hao/Tang San: Though they do not meet directly, Xuan Xiao judges their circumstances and clearly views Tang Hao’s treatment of Tang San with contempt.

Chapter Summary: “Purple-Gold Behemoth”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xuan Xiao prepares to leave after observing events surrounding Tang San, but detects a powerful Soul Power fluctuation from a nearby forest.
• He realizes Tang Hao has broken through to Level 96, becoming a Super Douluo. Amused and eager to test him, Xuan Xiao sends his second Soul Spirit—the five-hundred-thousand-year Purple-Gold Behemoth—to attack.
• Tang Hao reflects on the benefits of Blue-Flame’s Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring, which helped him advance four levels in six years. However, he remains resentful that he could not obtain her Soul Bone because his Soul Bone slots were already full.
• Feeling confident after his breakthrough, Tang Hao considers provoking Spirit Hall, but he is suddenly ambushed by the Purple-Gold Behemoth. Its initial strike cracks his Clear Sky Hammer and sends him flying.
• Tang Hao is horrified by the Behemoth’s enormous size and overwhelming aura. Xuan Xiao orders the creature not to kill him, intending to use Tang Hao as a long-term “punching bag.”
• Tang Hao attempts to resist, but the Behemoth casually overwhelms him. It knocks him away with a light claw swipe, blocks his Martial Soul Avatar attack without injury, and then smashes him into a crater, leaving him badly wounded.

Character Developments

• Xuan Xiao: Displays his playful cruelty and overwhelming confidence. He treats Tang Hao as entertainment and deliberately avoids killing him, revealing his sadistic, domineering attitude.
• Tang Hao: Although he has advanced to Level 96 and initially feels powerful and arrogant, he quickly becomes aware of the gap between himself and a truly ancient powerhouse. His confidence turns into fear, desperation, and humiliation.
• Purple-Gold Behemoth: Introduced as Xuan Xiao’s second Soul Spirit and a five-hundred-thousand-year-old existence. Despite its young age relative to its species, it possesses overwhelming physical strength and behaves obediently but mockingly toward Tang Hao.
• Blue-Flame: Though absent from the scene, her sacrifice remains important. Tang Hao’s mixed feelings toward her reveal his selfishness: he resents her resistance but values the son she left behind.

Significant Themes

• The limits of power: Tang Hao’s promotion to Super Douluo, normally an extremely rare achievement, means little against an even stronger ancient beast.
• Arrogance and humiliation: Tang Hao’s confidence collapses almost immediately, emphasizing how pride can be shattered by superior strength.
• Exploitation and selfishness: Tang Hao views Blue-Flame primarily through the benefits of her sacrifice and the child she gave him, exposing his cold, utilitarian mindset.
• Power as entertainment: Xuan Xiao’s treatment of Tang Hao reflects the chapter’s darker humor, portraying overwhelming strength as something that can be used casually for amusement.
• Hierarchy among powerful beings: The Behemoth’s status suggests that even legendary Soul Masters and ancient creatures may still be immature compared with the highest-level existences.

Character Interactions

• Xuan Xiao and the Purple-Gold Behemoth: Their communication shows a master-and-Soul-Spirit relationship. Xuan Xiao gives it instructions through voice transmission, and the Behemoth responds obediently.
• Tang Hao and the Behemoth: Tang Hao demands answers and attempts to fight, but the Behemoth refuses to speak and responds only through casual, devastating attacks. Its indifference mocks Tang Hao’s former status and pride.
• Tang Hao and Blue-Flame’s memory: Tang Hao’s internal reflections reveal resentment over her refusal to sacrifice herself willingly, mixed with acknowledgment that she provided him with a son.
• Xuan Xiao and Tang Hao: Though they do not confront each other directly, Xuan Xiao orchestrates Tang Hao’s humiliation from a distance, treating him as a target for amusement.

Chapter Summary: “What Already Exists Need Not Exist Again”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Tang Hao is brutally defeated by the newly appeared Purple-Gold Behemoth. Despite being a Level 96 Super Douluo and wielding the Clear Sky Hammer, he cannot withstand even one casual strike.
• The Behemoth mocks him as “Haozi Douluo” before knocking him into the ground again and departing.
• Humiliated and enraged, Tang Hao returns to his cave and vows to one day kill the Behemoth. He reflects on other beings he cannot challenge, especially Xuan Xiao, whose overwhelming power still haunts him.
• Unable to retaliate against stronger opponents, Tang Hao decides to focus on someone he can control: his son, Tang San. He plans to nurture Tang San’s Twin Martial Souls and use him as a weapon.
• Xuan Xiao watches Tang Hao through a surveillance screen and realizes that Tang Hao’s plans are likely to fail. He anticipates that Yu Xiaogang will mishandle Tang San’s Blue-Flame Hyena Martial Soul by selecting Soul Rings that create an unfavorable combination of Earth and Poison attributes.
• Xuan Xiao hints that he possesses an item capable of altering Tang San’s future and takes pleasure in imagining Tang San’s shock when he discovers that his abilities have been ruined.
• The following morning, Yu Xiaogang and Tang San leave Notting Academy for the empire’s Soul Hunting Forest, where Tang San will hunt for his first Soul Ring.
• Yu Xiaogang explains that the forest is a state-managed area containing specially raised Soul Beasts with controlled varieties and guaranteed age ranges.

Character Developments

• Tang Hao: His confidence is shattered by the Behemoth’s effortless victory. His humiliation turns into hatred, but instead of confronting truly powerful enemies, he redirects his ambitions toward manipulating Tang San. This reveals his increasingly ruthless and exploitative nature.
• Tang San: He is nervous but obedient as he prepares to obtain his first Soul Ring. His curiosity about Soul Beasts and the hunting forest shows his eagerness to learn, while his trust in Yu Xiaogang leaves him vulnerable to the teacher’s flawed theories.
• Yu Xiaogang: He becomes enthusiastic after researching the Blue-Flame Hyena Martial Soul. His confidence in his own expertise makes him believe he can transform an ordinary Martial Soul into one equal to the Clear Sky Hammer, despite the possibility that his theories are incomplete or misguided.
• Xuan Xiao: He remains detached and amused, observing events from behind the scenes. He understands the weaknesses of both Tang Hao and Yu Xiaogang and appears to be actively preparing to sabotage Tang San’s development.

Significant Themes

• Humiliation and wounded pride: Tang Hao’s defeat exposes the limits of his strength and causes him to respond with resentment rather than self-reflection.
• Manipulation and exploitation: Tang Hao views Tang San less as a son than as a tool, while Xuan Xiao treats Tang San’s fate as part of a larger experiment or scheme.
• The danger of incomplete knowledge: Yu Xiaogang’s theoretical confidence may lead him to make harmful choices regarding Tang San’s Soul Rings.
• Power and hidden hierarchies: The Behemoth and Xuan Xiao demonstrate that even powerful figures such as Tang Hao may be insignificant before beings of a higher level.
• Destiny being rewritten: The chapter suggests that Tang San’s expected path to becoming the Sea God may be deliberately altered.

Important Character Interactions

• The Purple-Gold Behemoth directly humiliates Tang Hao by dismissing his title and overwhelming him physically.
• Tang Hao’s thoughts reveal his hostile relationship with stronger figures such as Xuan Xiao and his willingness to use Tang San for personal goals.
• Xuan Xiao observes and mocks Tang Hao while planning to interfere with Tang San’s growth.
• Yu Xiaogang encourages Tang San before their journey, while Tang San respectfully addresses him as “Teacher” and relies on his guidance.
• Their carriage journey marks the beginning of Tang San’s first Soul Ring hunt and the next stage of the conflict surrounding his development.

Chapter Summary: “When the Story Began”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yu Xiaogang and Tang San travel by carriage toward Soul Hunting Forest so Tang San can obtain his first Soul Ring.
• Yu Xiaogang explains that the forest is divided into zones according to the age and strength of its Soul Beasts. The outer areas mainly contain beasts between ten and one hundred years old.
• He plans for Tang San to obtain:
  • An earth-element Soul Beast’s ring to improve his defense.
  • A poison-element Soul Beast’s ring to increase his offensive abilities.
• Xuan Xiao secretly monitors their journey through a surveillance screen. Amused by the slow carriage, he takes a nap and later teleports from the inn to the forest entrance.
• At the forest gates, Yu Xiaogang explains the permit system. Entry requires Spirit Hall recognition and the guarantee of at least three nobles.
• Yu Xiaogang presents a third-rank Spirit Hall permit marked with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon insignia. The soldiers inspect it and allow him and Tang San to enter.
• Inside the forest, Tang San experiences its dark, dangerous atmosphere, sensing damp earth, blood, plants, and the roars of Soul Beasts. The chapter ends as their hunt is about to begin.

Character Developments

• Tang San remains attentive, disciplined, and eager to learn. His admiration for Yu Xiaogang grows as he accepts his teacher’s explanations about Soul Rings, Martial Souls, and cultivation.
• Yu Xiaogang presents himself as a knowledgeable and authoritative teacher. He emphasizes that a Soul Master’s potential depends on the combination of Soul Rings, personal cultivation, and the quality of the Martial Soul—not simply whether it is a Beast or Tool Martial Soul. However, his explanations also reveal a tendency toward self-importance and exaggeration.
• Xuan Xiao acts as an amused observer and manipulator from the sidelines. He is pleased that Tang San is following what he considers the correct path, though he mocks the slow journey and Yu Xiaogang’s boastful behavior.

Significant Themes

• The importance of cultivation and strategy: Strength depends not only on a Martial Soul but also on Soul Power, training, and carefully selected Soul Rings.
• Knowledge versus reputation: Yu Xiaogang’s theories sound authoritative, but Xuan Xiao’s perspective suggests that some of his claims may be inflated or unreliable.
• Political and institutional power: Spirit Hall controls access to Soul Hunting Forest through permits, while noble guarantees and powerful clans influence the system.
• The hierarchy of strength: The six insignias represent legendary Titled Douluo and powerful clans, establishing the immense gap between ordinary Soul Masters and the strongest figures in the world.
• The threshold of danger: Tang San’s entrance into the forest marks a transition from theoretical instruction to real combat and survival.

Character Interactions

• Yu Xiaogang teaches Tang San about Soul Beasts, Soul Rings, permits, Martial Souls, Spirit Hall, and powerful clans.
• Tang San repeatedly asks questions and responds with sincere admiration, reinforcing their teacher-student bond.
• Yu Xiaogang cautions Tang San to avoid discussing politically sensitive matters in public, showing his awareness of Spirit Hall’s influence.
• Xuan Xiao does not interact with them directly but observes and comments on their actions, particularly Yu Xiaogang’s pride and Tang San’s growing dependence on his teacher.

Chapter Summary: Evil Fire Phoenix

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yu Xiaogang warns Tang San to remain close while they search the Soul Hunting Forest for a suitable Soul Ring.
• He summons his mutated Beast Martial Soul, Luo Sanpao, after considerable effort. The Martial Soul resembles an ugly, wrinkled pig and can use only three attacks.
• Yu Xiaogang explains that Luo Sanpao’s mutation developed negatively, leaving him with only half a level of innate Soul Power and preventing him from advancing beyond level 29. Because of this limitation, he devoted himself to studying Martial Souls theoretically.
• Luo Sanpao guides Yu Xiaogang and Tang San through the forest. They encounter several weak Soul Beasts, including a ten-year Spotted Cat and a ten-year Solitary Bamboo, neither of which is suitable for Tang San.
• A pack of ten-year Nether Wolves attacks. Feeling confident after seeing their low cultivation, Yu Xiaogang orders Luo Sanpao to use its “thunderous fart” attack, which kills several wolves with a foul, yellow gas.
• From the shadows, Xuan Xiao releases a ten-year Evil Fire Phoenix that he has been keeping in his Soul Beast Space. He orders it to attack Yu Xiaogang and Tang San, hoping Tang San might absorb its Soul Ring and perhaps obtain a Soul Bone.
• Xuan Xiao discovers that the Evil Fire Phoenix possesses intelligence, though he forcibly suppresses it through his command.
• The Phoenix attacks while Yu Xiaogang is preparing to demonstrate Soul Ring absorption. Yu Xiaogang realizes that its Phoenix bloodline and flames could potentially improve Tang San’s Hyena Martial Soul and even trigger an evolution.
• Luo Sanpao’s hypnotic fart attack fails because the Phoenix’s flames burn away the poisonous gas. The Phoenix then launches a powerful pillar of fire, forcing Yu Xiaogang and Tang San to dodge.
• The chapter ends with the Phoenix targeting them directly. Yu Xiaogang panics and is thrown aside, leaving Tang San in immediate danger.

Character Developments

• Yu Xiaogang: His physical weakness, low Soul Power, and dependence on Luo Sanpao are emphasized. Although he is knowledgeable about Martial Souls, his lack of practical strength becomes obvious when faced with the Phoenix. His confidence quickly collapses into fear.
• Tang San: He remains respectful and sympathetic toward Yu Xiaogang, apologizing after touching on his teacher’s painful past. He is initially inexperienced and naïve about the Soul Master world but begins reacting more decisively when the Phoenix attacks.
• Xuan Xiao: He continues observing events from concealment and treats the situation as an experiment or spectacle. His plan is deliberately manipulative: he releases the Phoenix specifically to force Tang San into an encounter that may produce a valuable Soul Ring or Soul Bone.
• Luo Sanpao: The Martial Soul’s bizarre and humiliating abilities are showcased, especially its explosive and hypnotic farts. Despite Yu Xiaogang’s reliance on it, its techniques are ineffective against the Phoenix.
• Evil Fire Phoenix: It is revealed to possess unexpected intelligence and powerful flames despite being only a ten-year Soul Beast. Its Phoenix bloodline gives it a natural advantage over Luo Sanpao’s filthy gas-based attacks.

Significant Themes

• Theory versus practical strength: Yu Xiaogang’s extensive knowledge cannot compensate for his low cultivation and poor combat ability.
• Humor and humiliation: Luo Sanpao’s appearance, summoning difficulty, and fart-based attacks create a deliberately comic contrast with the danger of the forest.
• Manipulation and experimentation: Xuan Xiao secretly engineers the encounter, using both the Phoenix and Tang San as parts of an experiment.
• Potential versus cultivation age: The ten-year Phoenix appears far more dangerous than ordinary Soul Beasts of the same age because of its bloodline.
• Teacher-student dependence: Tang San trusts Yu Xiaogang, but the battle reveals how vulnerable both are when Yu Xiaogang cannot protect him.

Character Interactions

• Yu Xiaogang instructs Tang San and tries to educate him about mutated Martial Souls and suitable Soul Beasts.
• Tang San responds respectfully, showing concern for Yu Xiaogang’s painful history and following his teacher’s guidance.
• Yu Xiaogang commands Luo Sanpao during the wolf encounter and the Phoenix battle, demonstrating their dependence on one another.
• Xuan Xiao observes all three from hiding, mocks Yu Xiaogang’s weakness, and remotely directs the Evil Fire Phoenix to attack.
• During the final confrontation, Yu Xiaogang attempts to shield Tang San but is quickly overwhelmed, leaving their teacher-student relationship under severe physical threat.

Chapter Summary: “Naked Run?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xuan Xiao orders the Evil Fire Phoenix to stop tormenting Yu Xiaogang and voluntarily sacrifice itself to Tang San.
• The phoenix swoops down on Tang San, but instead of attacking, it affectionately touches and rubs against him before beginning its Sacrifice.
• The phoenix dissolves into red light and enters Tang San, causing his Blue-Flame Hyena Martial Soul to evolve. Its gray fur becomes scarlet, flames surround its claws, and its physical power increases dramatically.
• Tang San receives a White Ten-Year Soul Ring, though its aura is unusually fierce. He tests his enhanced strength by destroying a large tree with a single flaming punch.
• After the Sacrifice, Xuan Xiao knocks both Tang San and Yu Xiaogang unconscious with a brick.
• He places the soul of the future Sea God Tang San into the present Tang San’s mind, protecting the latter’s Consciousness Sea with a barrier to prevent possession or loss of control.
• Xuan Xiao discovers that Tang San possesses a Ten-Year Trunk Soul Bone. He moves the unconscious pair to a safer area near the entrance of the hunting ground.
• As “payment” for saving them, Xuan Xiao has the Soul Beasts strip away their clothes and takes Yu Xiaogang’s Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges storage treasure.
• Six years later—or at least with a future reunion implied—Xuan Xiao leaves through a Spatial Gate.
• Tang San and Yu Xiaogang awaken at dusk, injured, naked, and missing their belongings. Their situation attracts a crowd, leaving them humiliated and forced to wait until nightfall before escaping.

Character Developments

• Tang San: Receives a major power increase through the Evil Fire Phoenix’s Sacrifice. His Martial Soul evolves from the Blue-Flame Hyena into a far more powerful flame-based form, and he gains the soul of his future self, potentially granting him extraordinary knowledge and abilities.
• Yu Xiaogang: Experiences shock and disbelief at witnessing a voluntary Soul Beast Sacrifice and Martial Soul Evolution. His confidence and scholarly assumptions are shaken, and he ends the chapter humiliated and helpless after being robbed and exposed.
• Xuan Xiao: Demonstrates careful manipulation and long-term planning. He secretly orchestrates Tang San’s transformation, safeguards the future soul’s integration, and treats the entire event as an investment from which he intends to profit.
• Evil Fire Phoenix: Changes from a threatening predator into a gentle, sacrificial protector. Its bond with Tang San appears instinctive and maternal.

Significant Themes

• Power gained through sacrifice: The phoenix’s voluntary death transforms Tang San and symbolizes the extraordinary power that can come from trust and self-sacrifice.
• Destiny and altered fate: By placing Sea God Tang San’s soul into his younger self, Xuan Xiao interferes directly with the original timeline and creates the possibility of a radically different future.
• Manipulation and hidden agendas: Xuan Xiao helps Tang San while secretly pursuing his own objectives, presenting generosity as a calculated transaction.
• Humiliation versus empowerment: Tang San gains tremendous strength but immediately suffers public embarrassment, while Yu Xiaogang’s intellectual authority is undercut by the absurdity of their situation.
• The limits of established knowledge: Yu Xiaogang’s theoretical understanding cannot explain the phoenix’s behavior or Tang San’s unprecedented Martial Soul Evolution.

Character Interactions

• Xuan Xiao communicates with the Evil Fire Phoenix and commands it to sacrifice itself to Tang San.
• The phoenix interacts tenderly with Tang San, touching his shoulders and cheek before transferring its power into him.
• Yu Xiaogang initially tries to protect Tang San, then watches in astonishment as the phoenix transforms him.
• Yu Xiaogang encourages Tang San to test his evolved Martial Soul and reacts with overwhelming excitement to the result.
• Xuan Xiao secretly manipulates both men, knocks them unconscious, robs them, and relocates them for their safety.
• Upon waking, Tang San and Yu Xiaogang share confusion, fear, and embarrassment as they discover their missing clothes and possessions. Their distress worsens when outsiders find them and mock them.

Chapter Summary: Suotuo City

Key Plot Points and Events

• At the beginning of 2643, Xuan Xiao arrives in Suotuo City and purchases a prime two-story storefront from a nervous shopkeeper, paying with a chest of gold bricks and allowing the seller to keep the excess.
• He immediately clears out the old furnishings and dust using wind-based power, then demolishes the entire building because he dislikes the outdated wooden structure and secondhand furniture.
• Xuan Xiao buys ten Bionic Puppets from the System Shop and orders them to rebuild the property. They work with extraordinary speed, completing the foundations, underground storage areas, structure, and interior decoration in only a few hours. Xuan Xiao plans the property as a modern establishment with a shop, living quarters, and two underground storage levels.
• Once construction is complete, he fills the shop’s shelves with low-grade Soul Tools from the System Space. These are mostly practical or defensive items, including an Invincible Shield, all limited to around Level Three.
• A wandering scholar enters and immediately recognizes the items as ancient Soul Tools, technology that has been lost in the current era. Xuan Xiao claims they are family heirlooms and sells the man a Level One Defensive Shield for 500 Gold Soul Coins.
• Exhausted after his recent cultivation and travels, Xuan Xiao prepares to rest. Before coming to Suotuo City, he had cultivated to Level Seventy, fused with his third Soul Spirit, and formed his third Soul Ring and Soul Core. He had also spent time with the Snow Empress, Ice Empress, and Xiao Xiao.

Character Development

• Xuan Xiao displays his wealth, power, and detachment. He casually spends large sums, uses supernatural wind power for mundane cleaning, and treats the rapid construction of a new shop as routine.
• He shows a preference for modern, comfortable, technologically advanced living rather than traditional buildings and furniture.
• Despite his laziness and indifference toward public attention, Xuan Xiao demonstrates strong commercial instincts by selling otherwise inexpensive mass-produced Soul Tools at a large profit.
• His recent advancement to Level Seventy and creation of a third Soul Core mark a significant increase in his cultivation and abilities.

Significant Themes

• Modernity versus tradition: Xuan Xiao’s advanced technology and Bionic Puppets contrast sharply with Suotuo City’s primitive construction methods and the lost Soul Tool technology.
• Power and wealth: His effortless use of gold, supernatural abilities, and advanced resources establishes him as someone far beyond ordinary merchants and Soul Masters.
• Rebirth of lost technology: The Soul Tools provoke excitement because they represent ancient craftsmanship that has disappeared from the modern world.
• Leisure and personal freedom: Xuan Xiao is not motivated solely by conquest or cultivation; he wants a private shop, a comfortable home, and time to enjoy simple activities such as gardening and fishing.
• Efficiency and convenience: The Bionic Puppets and System Shop allow him to bypass normal labor and construction limitations.

Character Interactions

• Xuan Xiao and the shopkeeper: The shopkeeper is intimidated by Xuan Xiao’s presence and eagerly completes the sale, fleeing with the gold after receiving the deed and keys.
• Xuan Xiao and the tea stall owner: The owner is fascinated by the impossibly fast construction and repeatedly questions Xuan Xiao about his workers and building plans. Xuan Xiao responds briefly and dismissively.
• Xuan Xiao and the Bionic Puppets: He gives them a direct order to demolish and rebuild the property, and they obey in perfect coordination.
• Xuan Xiao and the wandering scholar: The scholar is thrilled to discover genuine ancient Soul Tools, while Xuan Xiao remains uninterested, treating the interaction as a simple sale and exaggerating the item’s price for profit.

Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Xuan Xiao wakes late in the afternoon feeling exhausted and disoriented, then refreshes himself with a cold shower before going downstairs.
• Although his shop has already attracted customers, he leaves its operation to the Simulated and Bionic Puppets.
• During breakfast, an injured Bionic Puppet crashes through the kitchen wall. Xuan Xiao recognizes the attack as the work of the Evil Fire Phoenix.
• He discovers that Ma Hongjun has pursued a frightened young girl into the shop and attacked an employee after trying to drag her away.
• Xuan Xiao confronts Ma Hongjun, who boasts about being from Shrek Academy and threatens to destroy the shop.
• When Ma Hongjun attacks with his Phoenix Fire Line, Xuan Xiao summons the Hell Three-Headed Hound through a portal. The creature easily blocks the flames.
• Xuan Xiao reveals four Soul Rings, intimidating Ma Hongjun into agreeing to pay for the damage and apologize.
• Ma Hongjun attempts a sneak attack after the hound disappears, but Xuan Xiao knocks him unconscious with one slap, sending him through the shop and into a wall outside.
• Xuan Xiao allows the young girl to leave safely, then orders the Bionic Puppets to repair the heavily damaged shop.

2. Character Developments

• Xuan Xiao: Initially appears indifferent and lazy, focusing mainly on collecting money and eating breakfast. However, he quickly becomes protective when his shop and an innocent girl are threatened. His overwhelming strength, confidence, and dry attitude are revealed when he defeats Ma Hongjun effortlessly.
• Ma Hongjun: Is portrayed as arrogant, aggressive, and predatory. He relies on his association with Shrek Academy and his teacher’s reputation to intimidate others, but becomes cowardly when confronted by someone significantly stronger. His attempted retaliation after submitting shows that he remains spiteful and dishonorable.
• The young girl: Begins terrified and helpless after being harassed, but is freed by Xuan Xiao and gratefully escapes.
• The Hell Three-Headed Hound: Demonstrates immense defensive power and loyalty to Xuan Xiao. Its greedy desire for a reward adds a humorous touch to its frightening appearance.
• The Bionic Puppets: Function as obedient employees, protecting the shop as best they can and immediately repairing it after the conflict.

3. Significant Themes

• Power and social hierarchy: The setting is dominated by the rule of strength, with ordinary people and even Soul Masters lacking protection from abuse. Xuan Xiao’s intervention challenges this violent social order.
• Justice versus indifference: Most bystanders refuse to help the girl, reflecting the cruelty and normalized exploitation of society. Xuan Xiao, despite his normally detached attitude, chooses to intervene.
• Arrogance and consequences: Ma Hongjun’s belief that his academy and teacher make him untouchable collapses when he encounters someone stronger.
• Hidden strength: Xuan Xiao deliberately appears to be an ordinary shopkeeper, concealing his true cultivation until he is forced to act.
• Comedy amid conflict: Xuan Xiao’s laziness, Ma Hongjun’s panic, the hound’s appetite, and Xuan Xiao’s frustration over property damage create humor alongside the violent confrontation.

4. Character Interactions

• The Bionic Puppets explain the incident to Xuan Xiao and follow his orders throughout the aftermath.
• Xuan Xiao and Ma Hongjun exchange insults, with Ma Hongjun relying on threats and status while Xuan Xiao responds with dismissive calm.
• Xuan Xiao summons the Hell Three-Headed Hound to defend himself and later rewards it with a large piece of meat.
• Xuan Xiao protects the young girl without demanding anything from her and sends her away once the danger has passed.
• The public’s reaction shifts from indifference toward the girl to fear and respect for Xuan Xiao after witnessing his power.

Chapter Summary: “Reporting Someone”

Key Plot Points and Events

• At Shrek Academy, Tang San, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing prepare for Zhao Wuji’s assessment. Xiao Wu is absent, having returned to Heaven Dou City.
• Ma Hongjun returns badly beaten and reports encountering a mysterious young Soul Master around Dai Mubai’s age.
• The stranger possesses an extraordinary Soul Ring configuration: one yellow, one purple, and later revealed to have two black Soul Rings as well.
• Yu Xiaogang is shocked because this contradicts his theories about the maximum age of Soul Rings, especially the possibility of a thousand-year second Soul Ring.
• Ma Hongjun reveals that the stranger’s Martial Soul appears to be a gold coin that can transform into a doorway, summoning a three-headed hound.
• Yu Xiaogang identifies the stranger as a likely summoning-type Soul Master and becomes eager to capture him for “research,” hoping to discover the secret behind his Over-Limit Soul Rings.
• Zhao Wuji and the others agree to track the stranger down, framing the expedition as both revenge for Ma Hongjun and an opportunity to obtain valuable knowledge.

Character Developments

• Ma Hongjun is shown as frightened and humbled after being decisively defeated. He initially insults Yu Xiaogang but quickly apologizes after learning of Yu Xiaogang’s connection to Flender.
• Yu Xiaogang reacts with intense jealousy and frustration toward evidence that disproves his Martial Soul theories. His desire for recognition motivates him to capture and study the mysterious Soul Master.
• Tang San becomes increasingly ruthless. He nearly attacks Ma Hongjun for disrespecting Yu Xiaogang, but the Sea God’s voice stops him, reminding him that Ma Hongjun will be important to his future rise to godhood.
• Ning Rongrong recognizes the significance of the stranger’s Soul Ring configuration because of her family’s records concerning the legendary Xuan Xiao and his servant. Her fear suggests she knows the stranger may be connected to powerful mainland figures.
• Zhu Zhuqing openly questions the morality of capturing the stranger. Her view of Dai Mubai worsens when he prioritizes Shrek’s pride and the Over-Limit Soul Ring secret over justice.
• Dai Mubai displays hostility toward Zhu Zhuqing and strongly supports retaliating against anyone who harms a Shrek member.
• Zhao Wuji adopts Shrek’s collective-protection mentality and agrees to confront the stranger.
• Xuan Xiao is introduced through historical accounts as a legendary prodigy who defeated the Spirit Hall’s Saintess and possessed Over-Limit Soul Rings.

Significant Themes

• Conflict between established theory and reality: The stranger’s Soul Rings challenge Yu Xiaogang’s supposedly authoritative theories.
• Power and exceptional talent: Over-Limit Soul Rings and unusual Martial Soul abilities establish the stranger as an unprecedented figure.
• Institutional arrogance and hypocrisy: Shrek portrays its pursuit as defending one of its own, but Yu Xiaogang’s real motive is personal ambition and experimentation.
• Moral decline and ruthlessness: Tang San’s instinct to kill over an insult and the group’s willingness to capture someone for study reveal their increasingly harsh attitudes.
• Loyalty versus justice: Zhu Zhuqing questions whether loyalty to Shrek justifies revenge, while the others treat membership in the academy as a license for retaliation.
• Manipulation and destiny: Tang San’s future-oriented guidance from the Sea God influences his choices, showing how his actions are shaped by his anticipated path to godhood.

Important Character Interactions

• Zhao Wuji and Dai Mubai comfort and question Ma Hongjun after his defeat.
• Ma Hongjun clashes with Yu Xiaogang before apologizing after Zhao Wuji explains Yu’s identity.
• Tang San nearly retaliates against Ma Hongjun but is restrained by the Sea God’s intervention.
• Yu Xiaogang questions Ma Hongjun about the mysterious Soul Master and becomes fixated on uncovering his secrets.
• Ning Rongrong provides historical information about Xuan Xiao and the green-gold divine dragon, intensifying everyone’s concern.
• Zhu Zhuqing challenges the group’s plan, while Dai Mubai dismisses her objections and pressures her with the promise of gaining Over-Limit Soul Ring knowledge.
• The chapter ends with Shrek setting out to find the mysterious Soul Master, while Tang San privately suspects that the situation is more complicated than it appears.

Chapter Summary: At Their Door

Key Plot Points and Events

• Inside his shop, Xuan Xiao creates a Soul Tool tent from Darkgold Nebula metal. His precise carving activates the formation engraved into it.
• The Shrek group arrives in Suotuo City after Ma Hongjun identifies Xuan Xiao’s shop as the place where the earlier conflict occurred.
• They are stunned by the shop’s highly advanced, immaculate architecture, including white walls, transparent glazed glass, and unfamiliar materials far beyond the craftsmanship of their era.
• Inside, they find Xuan Xiao calmly crafting a Soul Tool. He dismisses their presence and warns them not to touch anything unless they intend to buy it.
• Zhao Wuji confronts Xuan Xiao over injuring Ma Hongjun. Xuan Xiao counters that Ma Hongjun caused trouble, harassed women, and damaged his property, claiming he had actually shown restraint.
• Yu Xiaogang attempts to use Shrek’s reputation and Ma Hongjun’s connection to Flender to pressure Xuan Xiao, but Xuan Xiao remains completely unimpressed.
• After mentioning Xuan Xiao’s abnormal Soul Ring configuration—one yellow, one purple, and two black—Yu Xiaogang demands that Xuan Xiao reveal how he achieved it in exchange for settling the matter.
• Xuan Xiao insults Yu Xiaogang for believing he has the right to make such a demand. Zhao Wuji then threatens him with force.
• Accepting the challenge, Xuan Xiao produces an ancient gold coin and prepares to fight.
• Inside Tang San’s mind, Sea God Tang San warns that Xuan Xiao is dangerous. He cannot sense divine energy from Xuan Xiao, yet the youth radiates an unsettling, unfathomable presence despite appearing to be only a Soul Ancestor.

Character Developments

• Xuan Xiao demonstrates exceptional Soul Tool craftsmanship, precision, and confidence. He is calm under pressure, refuses to be intimidated by Shrek’s status, and strongly values his shop and personal boundaries.
• Zhao Wuji acts protectively toward the Shrek students, but his anger and pride quickly push the confrontation toward violence.
• Yu Xiaogang reveals his arrogance and opportunism by trying to obtain Xuan Xiao’s unusual cultivation method rather than genuinely resolving the dispute.
• Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing are visibly impressed and confused by the shop’s advanced design and materials, emphasizing how alien Xuan Xiao’s technology is to their world.
• Tang San becomes increasingly wary. His knowledge of the future clashes with the existence of Xuan Xiao and the shop, suggesting that reality has diverged from the history he remembers.
• Sea God Tang San recognizes that Xuan Xiao does not possess a god’s aura but still senses that he is far from ordinary.

Significant Themes

• Technological and cultural disparity: Xuan Xiao’s shop and Soul Tools represent a level of advancement that surpasses the established world’s architecture and craftsmanship.
• Pride versus true strength: Shrek attempts to rely on reputation and authority, while Xuan Xiao responds with indifference, implying that power and capability matter more than status.
• Unpredictable changes to fate: Tang San’s memories no longer fully match reality, suggesting that Xuan Xiao’s presence has disrupted the original timeline.
• Hidden power and mystery: Xuan Xiao appears to be an ordinary Soul Ancestor, but his skills, equipment, and aura suggest a much deeper identity or strength.
• Boundaries and consequences: Xuan Xiao insists that Ma Hongjun’s actions justified his response and that Shrek’s attempt to confront him is itself unreasonable.

Character Interactions

• Xuan Xiao and Zhao Wuji: Their exchange quickly becomes hostile, with Zhao demanding justice and Xuan Xiao turning the accusation back on Shrek.
• Xuan Xiao and Yu Xiaogang: Xuan Xiao openly mocks Yu Xiaogang’s attempt to use Shrek’s reputation and refuses to surrender his cultivation secrets.
• Xuan Xiao and the Shrek students: His dismissive attitude contrasts with their awe at the shop and reinforces the gap between them.
• Tang San and Sea God Tang San: Their internal relationship becomes tense and uncertain as Sea God Tang San identifies Xuan Xiao as an anomaly that does not fit the future they remember.
• Xuan Xiao and the entire Shrek group: The encounter ends with both sides prepared for a fight, while the group remains unaware of the full extent of Xuan Xiao’s abilities.

Chapter Summary: “Shake His Upper Dantian”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Dai Mubai suggests using Xuan Xiao as the entrance examination for Tang San, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing. If the newcomers fail, Zhao Wuji can capture Xuan Xiao afterward.
• Before the plan can proceed, Xuan Xiao overhears the group mocking him and angrily kicks Dai Mubai and Zhao Wuji out of the shop.
• A crowd of curious neighbors gathers, remembering Xuan Xiao’s previous victory over Ma Hongjun and eagerly watching the confrontation.
• Zhao Wuji declares that the entrance assessment is for Tang San and the other two candidates to defeat Xuan Xiao.
• Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun attack Xuan Xiao with their strongest opening techniques: White Tiger Fierce Light Wave and Phoenix Fire Line.
• Xuan Xiao blocks both attacks with one hand and emerges from the smoke unharmed, revealing golden armor formed from his second Martial Soul, Summoning Money.
• Dai Mubai activates White Tiger Vajra Transformation and attacks alongside Ma Hongjun. Xuan Xiao effortlessly withstands Dai Mubai’s claws, throws him aside, dodges Ma Hongjun’s flames, and defeats both men with single slaps.
• Ma Hongjun is sent spinning into a crater and knocked unconscious, while Dai Mubai is slammed into the ground and forcibly released from Martial Soul Possession.
• The spectators are stunned, and both Yu Xiaogang and Zhao Wuji realize that Xuan Xiao is far more powerful than they initially assumed.

Character Developments

• Xuan Xiao: Demonstrates his short temper when deliberately ignored and mocked, but also reveals overwhelming combat ability and impressive defensive power. His golden armor exposes the existence of an unusual second Martial Soul technique that even Tang San and Yu Xiaogang cannot identify.
• Dai Mubai: Shows arrogance and vindictiveness, immediately turning the entrance assessment into an opportunity for revenge. His confidence collapses after Xuan Xiao defeats him effortlessly.
• Ma Hongjun: Joins Dai Mubai out of anger and overconfidence. Despite combining his flames with Dai Mubai’s attack, he is quickly knocked unconscious.
• Zhao Wuji: Initially treats Xuan Xiao dismissively and supports using him as an assessment target, but becomes serious after witnessing Xuan Xiao’s strength.
• Yu Xiaogang: Attempts to belittle Xuan Xiao’s ability but is left shocked when his assumptions are proven completely wrong.
• Tang San: Carefully observes Xuan Xiao’s armor and recognizes that it resembles neither a Martial Soul nor Soul Bone Armor. His curiosity grows because even the Sea God Tang San within him cannot explain it.
• Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing: Remain largely passive observers; Ning Rongrong is unconcerned and treats the situation casually, while Zhu Zhuqing maintains her detached attitude.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and underestimation: Xuan Xiao deliberately appears ordinary, causing the Shrek group to misjudge him badly.
• Arrogance and consequences: Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and the adults’ contempt leads them to provoke someone vastly stronger.
• Power versus authority: Although Zhao Wuji and Yu Xiaogang attempt to control the situation through Shrek’s authority, Xuan Xiao overturns their plan through sheer ability.
• Mystery and exceptional talent: Xuan Xiao’s golden armor introduces an unexplained power that challenges the established understanding of Martial Souls, Soul Bones, and cultivation.
• Public spectacle: The neighbors’ enthusiastic reactions turn the battle into a humiliating display of Shrek’s supposed elites being effortlessly defeated.

Character Interactions

• Dai Mubai privately proposes the assessment scheme to Zhao Wuji, who praises his cunning.
• Xuan Xiao responds to their plotting by physically ejecting both Dai Mubai and Zhao Wuji from the shop.
• Zhao Wuji orders Tang San, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing to defeat Xuan Xiao, effectively making him their examination opponent.
• Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun cooperate in a coordinated attack, but Xuan Xiao counters them individually with ease.
• Tang San questions Yu Xiaogang about Xuan Xiao’s armor, but neither Yu Xiaogang nor the Sea God version of Tang San can identify it.
• The chapter ends with Zhao Wuji and Yu Xiaogang recognizing that Xuan Xiao must be taken seriously.

Chapter Summary: “A Slap Descends”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yu Xiaogang orders Tang San, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing to help after Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun are defeated by Xuan Xiao.
• Ning Rongrong refuses to fight, explaining that she is an auxiliary Soul Master and does not want to provoke or oppose someone as talented as Xuan Xiao. Zhu Zhuqing also declines, pointing out that she is only a level-twenty-seven Soul Grandmaster facing a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor.
• Tang San activates his Hyena Martial Soul Possession, revealing that he has already reached level thirty-two. He attacks Xuan Xiao with poisoned claws and Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track.
• Xuan Xiao effortlessly stops Tang San with a single slap to his middle dantian. The blow causes severe internal pain, dispels his Martial Soul Possession, and leaves him curled on the ground.
• Furious at Tang San’s defeat and the girls’ refusal to help, Yu Xiaogang berates Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing. Their logical responses leave him unable to answer.
• Zhao Wuji considers recruiting Xuan Xiao to Shrek, recognizing that such a powerful genius would make the academy’s leader, Flender, extremely pleased.
• Before Zhao Wuji can speak, Xuan Xiao attacks him, repeatedly punching and kicking him in the face, chest, abdomen, and chin. Zhao Wuji suffers heavy injuries, loses several teeth, and becomes enraged.
• Zhao Wuji finally activates his seventh Soul Ring and unleashes his Mighty Vajra Bear Martial Soul Avatar, expanding into a gigantic, heavily muscled form.
• Rather than being intimidated, Xuan Xiao appears excited that the battle has finally become more interesting.

Character Developments

• Xuan Xiao: Demonstrates overwhelming speed, precision, physical strength, and combat confidence. He defeats Tang San instantly and overwhelms Zhao Wuji in close combat without initially using a visible Soul Skill.
• Tang San: Reveals an accelerated cultivation level of thirty-two and a new Hyena Martial Soul with poison-based abilities. Despite his improved power and clever movement technique, he is completely outmatched and humiliated by Xuan Xiao.
• Ning Rongrong: Shows political awareness and self-preservation. She remembers her father’s advice to avoid making enemies of Spirit Hall’s young geniuses and refuses to sacrifice herself in a pointless fight.
• Zhu Zhuqing: Becomes more independent and pragmatic. Dai Mubai’s earlier behavior has destroyed her willingness to support him, and she openly rejects Yu Xiaogang’s expectation that she fight an opponent far beyond her level.
• Yu Xiaogang: Is exposed as emotionally driven and unable to control the situation. His anger at the girls contrasts with their rational assessment of the danger.
• Zhao Wuji: Initially recognizes Xuan Xiao’s value and considers recruiting him, but after being attacked and badly beaten, he abandons restraint and escalates the confrontation by using his Martial Soul Avatar.

Significant Themes

• Power and hierarchy: Xuan Xiao’s effortless defeat of Tang San and brutal domination of Zhao Wuji establish a clear gap between his strength and that of the Shrek group.
• Pragmatism versus blind loyalty: Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing refuse to obey orders simply because someone is a fellow student. They prioritize survival and rational judgment over group loyalty.
• Political calculation: Ning Rongrong’s response reflects the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect’s strategy of befriending powerful talents rather than creating unnecessary enemies.
• Pride and humiliation: Tang San’s defeat damages his confidence, while Zhao Wuji’s injuries and wounded pride push him into using a far more powerful form.
• The danger of judging by appearances: Xuan Xiao initially appears to be merely another challenger, but his physical ability proves far beyond what the Shrek members expect.

Character Interactions

• Yu Xiaogang and Tang San: Yu Xiaogang commands Tang San to attack, but is forced to watch his disciple be defeated almost instantly.
• Yu Xiaogang and the girls: He accuses Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing of abandoning their fellow students, but both defend themselves with practical arguments he cannot refute.
• Tang San and Xuan Xiao: Tang San launches a poisoned, high-speed attack, only for Xuan Xiao to neutralize him with one devastating slap.
• Zhao Wuji and Xuan Xiao: Their encounter escalates from a possible recruitment opportunity into a savage hand-to-hand fight. Xuan Xiao repeatedly outmaneuvers and injures Zhao Wuji, prompting Zhao Wuji to reveal his full combat form.
• Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing: Both independently refuse to fight, but their reasons differ: Ning Rongrong is guided by political caution, while Zhu Zhuqing is motivated by realistic power assessment and her disillusionment with Dai Mubai.

Chapter Summary: “Golden Armored Earth Dragon”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• After Xuan Xiao refuses to reveal his method for absorbing Soul Rings beyond the normal limit, Zhao Wuji abandons any intention of recruiting him and attacks him with lethal force.
• Zhao Wuji’s bear-claw strike creates a massive crater, but Xuan Xiao disappears before being hit, apparently using spatial power.
• Xuan Xiao reappears unharmed and summons a ten-thousand-year Golden Earth Dragon King through a portal created from the Summoning Money.
• The dragon is in a berserk state and immediately attacks Zhao Wuji. Despite Zhao Wuji’s level seventy-six Soul Sage cultivation and Martial Soul Avatar, he is quickly overwhelmed.
• The Golden Earth Dragon King knocks Zhao Wuji through a building, crushes him beneath its claws, breaks through his Soul Power defense, and knocks him unconscious.
• The dragon’s roar spreads across Suotuo City, shocking everyone who witnesses the battle.
• Ning Rongrong suggests that she and Zhu Zhuqing flee, but Zhu Zhuqing points out that they were not involved in the fight and had not yet enrolled in the academy.
• Xuan Xiao allows the two girls to stand aside, then turns his attention to Yu Xiaogang, Tang San, and the others, declaring that he will now settle his personal grudge with them.

2. Character Developments

• Xuan Xiao reveals that he is far more powerful and dangerous than the others expected. His apparent spatial ability and command of the Golden Earth Dragon King establish him as a dominant threat.
• Zhao Wuji shifts from an arrogant examiner and potential recruiter to an enraged killer, but is decisively defeated and left unconscious.
• Yu Xiaogang and Tang San initially celebrate what they believe is Xuan Xiao’s defeat, but their confidence collapses when he survives and summons the dragon.
• Ning Rongrong shows her fear and self-preserving nature by hiding behind Zhu Zhuqing and attempting to distance herself from the conflict.
• Zhu Zhuqing remains comparatively calm and practical. She refuses to accept responsibility for the fight and directly negotiates her and Ning Rongrong’s neutrality.
• Sea God Tang San, residing within Tang San’s mind, recognizes that Xuan Xiao is still alive and suspects that space-related power was involved.

3. Significant Themes

• Overwhelming power and reversal of expectations: The characters assume Xuan Xiao has been killed, only for him to return stronger and completely reverse the situation.
• Pride and consequences: Zhao Wuji’s anger and decision to kill rather than recruit Xuan Xiao lead directly to his brutal defeat.
• Fear beneath confidence: The spectators, Yu Xiaogang, Tang San, and even Zhao Wuji realize that Xuan Xiao is more frightening than they had anticipated.
• Self-preservation and neutrality: Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing attempt to avoid being drawn into a conflict that does not directly involve them.
• Revenge and personal grudges: Xuan Xiao’s actions are driven not merely by victory but by his intention to punish those who wronged or opposed him.

4. Character Interactions

• Zhao Wuji attacks Xuan Xiao after rejecting the possibility of recruiting him.
• Xuan Xiao counters Zhao Wuji by summoning the Golden Earth Dragon King, effectively creating a deadly opponent specifically for him.
• Ning Rongrong clings to Zhu Zhuqing for protection, while Zhu Zhuqing responds with dry disbelief and points out that she is incapable of defeating the dragon or the combatants.
• After Zhao Wuji is defeated, Ning Rongrong tries to separate herself from Yu Xiaogang and Tang San, and Zhu Zhuqing supports her argument by emphasizing that they had not taken part in the entrance-test battle.
• Xuan Xiao accepts their explanation but then confronts Yu Xiaogang and the others, preparing to settle his score.

Chapter Summary: “Tang Hao Appears”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yu Xiaogang attempts to justify trying to learn Xuan Xiao’s method for absorbing Soul Rings, claiming it would benefit all Soul Masters.
• Xuan Xiao mocks Yu Xiaogang’s reputation and theoretical research, challenging him to explain how his “Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul” account for Xuan Xiao’s abnormal Soul Ring configuration.
• Unable to answer, Yu Xiaogang is publicly humiliated and knocked into the ground by Xuan Xiao.
• Tang San attacks Xuan Xiao from the shadows with three Dragon Beard Needles, expecting them to cause serious injury.
• The attack fails when the Golden Earth Dragon King blocks the needles with its scales. Tang San is frightened when the dragon turns its attention toward him.
• Xuan Xiao criticizes Tang San’s reliance on sneak attacks and implies that Tang San resembles both his teacher and his father.
• Xuan Xiao calls out Tang Hao, revealing that he has known Tang San’s father was secretly observing events.
• Tang Hao emerges from hiding and reveals his identity by summoning the Clear Sky Hammer and displaying nine Soul Rings, including a terrifying Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring.
• Tang Hao’s pressure overwhelms the surrounding civilians and weakens even the Golden Earth Dragon King. Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing recognize the danger of the red Soul Ring.
• Tang Hao orders Xuan Xiao to kneel, surrender the Soul Ring absorption method, and swear loyalty to Tang San, threatening to spare his life only if he complies.
• Rather than submit, Xuan Xiao mocks Tang Hao’s appearance, conduct, and disgrace within the Clear Sky Sect. He references Tang Hao’s alleged betrayal of his sworn brother, his involvement with a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, and the consequences that forced the Clear Sky Sect to turn against him.
• Enraged by these accusations and public humiliation, Tang Hao tells Xuan Xiao to stop talking.

Character Developments

• Xuan Xiao remains confident and irreverent even when confronted by Tang Hao’s overwhelming cultivation. He demonstrates sharp knowledge of Yu Xiaogang’s limitations and Tang Hao’s controversial past, using ridicule rather than fear to control the confrontation.
• Yu Xiaogang is exposed as insecure and unable to substantiate his claims of being the continent’s greatest theoretical expert. His pride collapses when he realizes his theories cannot explain Xuan Xiao’s abilities.
• Tang San shows loyalty to Yu Xiaogang and reacts instinctively to protect him. However, his attempted ambush fails, revealing the limits of his hidden weapons against powerful opponents. Xuan Xiao also begins connecting Tang San’s behavior to Tang Hao’s influence.
• Tang Hao is revealed as a powerful but deeply defensive protector of his son. His overwhelming strength contrasts with his emotional vulnerability: Xuan Xiao’s remarks about his past immediately provoke his anger.
• Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing, along with the surrounding civilians, recognize the seriousness of Tang Hao’s appearance and are forced to confront the presence of a Titled Douluo-level expert.

Significant Themes

• Theory versus practical power: Yu Xiaogang’s celebrated theories are shown to be inadequate when faced with Xuan Xiao’s unprecedented Soul Ring method.
• Pride and humiliation: Both Yu Xiaogang and Tang Hao suffer public humiliation, but they respond differently—Yu Xiaogang is silenced by failure, while Tang Hao lashes out violently.
• Power and intimidation: Tang Hao’s cultivation suppresses the entire area, establishing the enormous gap between ordinary Soul Masters and a Titled Douluo with a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring.
• Hidden identities and surveillance: Xuan Xiao’s disguise and Tang Hao’s secret observation emphasize the importance of concealed motives and unseen protection.
• Moral hypocrisy: Xuan Xiao accuses Tang Hao of condemning others while refusing to face his own betrayals and controversial actions.
• Inherited behavior: The comparison between Tang San’s ambush tactics and Tang Hao’s conduct suggests that values and methods are passed from parent to child.

Important Character Interactions

• Xuan Xiao and Yu Xiaogang: Xuan Xiao interrogates and ridicules Yu Xiaogang’s theories before physically defeating him.
• Tang San and Xuan Xiao: Tang San attempts a surprise attack to defend Yu Xiaogang, but Xuan Xiao’s dragon companion blocks it. Xuan Xiao then criticizes Tang San’s methods.
• Xuan Xiao and Tang Hao: Their confrontation shifts from a dispute over the Soul Ring method to a personal battle of insults and accusations. Tang Hao relies on strength and threats, while Xuan Xiao counters with fearlessness and knowledge of Tang Hao’s past.
• Tang San and Tang Hao: Tang San’s protective actions reveal their father-son connection, while Tang Hao’s demand that Xuan Xiao become Tang San’s “loyal dog” shows his determination to secure his son’s advantage.
• The onlookers and Tang Hao: Tang Hao’s released pressure physically overwhelms the crowd, demonstrating the terrifying social and destructive impact of his presence.

Chapter Summary: “Tang Hao Battles the Lion Mastiff Again”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xuan Xiao accepts Tang Hao’s challenge and decides to fight indirectly by summoning a powerful beast.
• He uses a Gold Coin to open a massive portal and summons a Golden-haired Lion Mastiff.
• Tang Hao immediately recognizes the creature as the same species that humiliated and defeated his grandfather, a Level Ninety-Nine Peerless Douluo, more than twenty years earlier.
• Although this Lion Mastiff is much smaller than the one Tang Hao remembers, he decides to kill it and release his long-held resentment.
• Xuan Xiao dismisses the nearby Golden Earth Dragon King and orders the Lion Mastiff to attack.
• The Lion Mastiff activates its innate Domination Domain, greatly increasing its abilities and driving it into a berserk state.
• Tang Hao and the beast engage in a fierce physical battle. Their collision shakes the surrounding air and produces sparks and thunderous impacts.
• Xuan Xiao remains completely relaxed, watching from a rocking chair while eating sunflower seeds and drinking tea.
• Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing investigate the creature’s identity through Xuan Xiao’s Soul Beast Encyclopedia.
• They learn that the Golden-haired Lion Mastiff is a territorial “mad dog” capable of fighting opponents far above its apparent cultivation level.
• After more than a dozen exchanges, Tang Hao realizes the beast is becoming stronger as the battle continues and that he cannot afford a prolonged fight.
• The chapter ends with Tang Hao activating his seventh Soul Ring and preparing to unleash a stronger technique.

Character Developments

• Xuan Xiao: Displays extreme confidence and laziness, relying entirely on his summoned beast rather than fighting personally. His casual attitude toward Tang Hao further emphasizes his self-assurance and contempt for the opponent.
• Tang Hao: Initially arrogant about his status as a Titled Douluo, he becomes increasingly serious and alarmed by the Lion Mastiff’s strength. His old hatred toward the beast’s species resurfaces, pushing him to fight decisively.
• Ning Rongrong: Shows curiosity and caution toward Xuan Xiao’s abilities. Her disbelief grows as she witnesses him treating a battle against Tang Hao like casual entertainment.
• Zhu Zhuqing: Remains observant and focused, correctly identifying the beast’s ring as a possible Domain and carefully studying the battle.
• Golden-haired Lion Mastiff: Acts as a nearly unstoppable combat servant. Its Domain removes its remaining restraint, while its defensive strength, aggression, and escalating power make it a serious threat even to Tang Hao.

Significant Themes

• Power versus arrogance: Tang Hao’s confidence in his rank is challenged by a summoned beast whose strength exceeds conventional expectations.
• The advantage of preparation and specialization: Xuan Xiao’s summoning ability allows him to avoid direct combat while his powerful companion handles the battle.
• Trauma and vengeance: Tang Hao’s memories of his grandfather’s defeat turn the encounter into a personal attempt to avenge the past.
• Hidden strength and appearances: The Lion Mastiff appears much smaller than the legendary beast Tang Hao remembers, yet it still possesses extraordinary power.
• Battlefield composure: Xuan Xiao’s leisurely behavior contrasts sharply with Tang Hao’s increasingly desperate struggle, highlighting their different attitudes toward the fight.

Character Interactions

• Xuan Xiao and Tang Hao exchange insults before the battle, with Tang Hao dismissing Xuan Xiao as an inferior Soul Ancestor.
• Xuan Xiao counters by claiming that his summoned beast can stand against Tang Hao in his place.
• Xuan Xiao gives the Lion Mastiff a direct command to attack and later casually dismisses the Golden Earth Dragon King.
• Ning Rongrong questions Xuan Xiao about the beast, but he responds by throwing her an encyclopedia instead of explaining.
• Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing study the encyclopedia together and discover the Lion Mastiff’s terrifying abilities.
• Tang Hao and the Lion Mastiff engage in an escalating close-range battle, ending with Tang Hao preparing to use his seventh Soul Ring.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Tang Hao activates his Clear Sky Avatar and strikes the Golden-haired Lion Mastiff with his enormous Clear Sky Hammer.
• Desperate to win, he detonates his seventh and eighth Soul Rings, greatly increasing his strength but suffering severe backlash.
• The Golden-haired Lion Mastiff becomes even more aggressive, attacking Tang Hao head-on. Their battle reaches a stalemate: Tang Hao cannot break its defenses, while the beast cannot overcome his hammer-generated protection.
• Xuan Xiao decides to intervene. He uses another Summoning Money to summon a Thunderous Hell Prison Vine.
• Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing identify the vine as an exceptionally rare and dangerous lightning-type Soul Beast. Its reputation comes from its violent nature, powerful heavenly lightning, and tendency to self-destruct rather than be captured.
• Xuan Xiao casually remarks that the vine could destroy all of Suotuo City, alarming the two girls.
• Tang Hao recognizes the Thunderous Hell Prison Vine and realizes the danger too late. He tries to retreat from the lion mastiff, but the vine summons a massive bolt of heavenly lightning.
• Tang Hao attempts to block the lightning with his metal-like Clear Sky Hammer, only to be electrocuted and blasted to the ground, smoking and incapacitated.

2. Character Developments

• Tang Hao is shown abandoning restraint and using highly dangerous tactics, including detonating two Soul Rings. His pride and refusal to retreat drive him to fight despite the physical backlash.
• The Golden-haired Lion Mastiff is characterized as fearless, stubborn, and increasingly ferocious when injured. It embodies the principle of advancing without retreating.
• Xuan Xiao demonstrates overwhelming confidence and a reckless, almost playful disregard for collateral damage. Rather than allowing the stalemate to continue, he introduces an even more dangerous force into the battle.
• Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing grow increasingly frightened and incredulous as they learn how dangerous Xuan Xiao’s summoned creatures are.
• Tang Hao’s normally formidable judgment falters under pressure, particularly when he tries to use his hammer to block lightning.

3. Significant Themes

• Desperation and pride: Tang Hao risks his body and Soul Rings because he refuses to be defeated or humiliated.
• Unyielding nature: Both Tang Hao and the Golden-haired Lion Mastiff refuse to yield, creating a battle where neither side can secure victory.
• Power versus danger: The Thunderous Hell Prison Vine is powerful precisely because it is unstable and willing to destroy itself and its enemies.
• Recklessness and collateral damage: Xuan Xiao treats the possible destruction of an entire city as insignificant, highlighting his frightening indifference.
• Nature defying limits: The vine’s inability to reach one hundred thousand years, combined with its violent self-destruction, reflects the chapter’s title—“Ten Thousand Calamities, Rejected by Heaven, Unclaimed by Earth.”

4. Character Interactions

• Tang Hao and the Golden-haired Lion Mastiff engage in a brutal, evenly matched battle, each unable to overcome the other.
• Xuan Xiao indirectly assists the lion mastiff by summoning the Thunderous Hell Prison Vine, changing the balance of the fight.
• Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing discuss the vine’s terrifying history and react with shock to Xuan Xiao’s disregard for Suotuo City’s safety.
• Tang Hao recognizes the vine’s threat and attempts to escape, but Xuan Xiao’s intervention leaves him exposed.
• Xuan Xiao mocks Tang Hao after the lightning strike, criticizing his decision to block electricity with a metal hammer.

Chapter Summary: “Only Cultivate Nature, Not Life”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xuan Xiao defeats Tang Hao with a devastating attack, leaving him badly burned and helpless before the Golden-haired Lion Mastiff.
• When Xuan Xiao threatens to let the beast eat Tang Hao, Tang Hao surrenders a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Bone: the Blue-Flame right arm bone.
• After reclaiming the soul bone, Xuan Xiao reveals to Tang San that he is also a transmigrator by reciting a modified Taoist cultivation maxim: “Only cultivate nature, not life…”
• Tang San immediately understands the implication. The Sea God Tang San inside his consciousness urges him to kill Xuan Xiao, but Tang San recognizes that neither he nor Tang Hao is strong enough to fight him and chooses to endure.
• Tang Hao survives but is severely injured and remains confused about Xuan Xiao’s identity and power.
• Xuan Xiao’s soul beasts—the Golden-haired Lion Mastiff and Thunderous Hell Prison Vine—disappear after guarding the shop.
• Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing enter Xuan Xiao’s soul tool shop. They encounter simulated puppets and begin examining the shop’s inventions, including a compact sphere that unfolds into a full-sized bed.

Character Developments

• Xuan Xiao: Demonstrates overwhelming strength, psychological control, and knowledge of Tang San’s hidden identity. Despite his power, he is consciously trying to restrain his temper and avoid repeating the destructive mistakes of his past. He opens the shop partly to cultivate patience, spiritual discipline, and emotional balance through soul-tool crafting.
• Tang Hao: His confidence collapses under Xuan Xiao’s threat. His desperation to survive forces him to surrender the soul bone, revealing that even a Titled Douluo can be completely overpowered.
• Tang San: Learns that Xuan Xiao is another transmigrator, making him a dangerous threat to Tang San’s plans. Although furious and eager for revenge, Tang San suppresses his anger and decides to bide his time.
• Sea God Tang San: Reacts violently to the revelation and urges Tang San to eliminate Xuan Xiao before their secret is exposed.
• Ning Rongrong: Is deeply frightened by Xuan Xiao’s power and initially decides the shop should be avoided, but her curiosity about its soul tools quickly draws her inside.
• Zhu Zhuqing: Remains calm and practical. Unlike Ning Rongrong, she is willing to enter the shop because they have not provoked Xuan Xiao and are merely visiting as customers.

Significant Themes

• Power and submission: Xuan Xiao’s victory over Tang Hao establishes a stark power imbalance and forces Tang Hao to sacrifice a priceless possession to live.
• Hidden identities and mutual recognition: The revelation that both Xuan Xiao and Tang San are transmigrators creates a dangerous, unspoken conflict between them.
• Patience versus impulsiveness: Tang San must suppress his desire for revenge, while Xuan Xiao deliberately works to control his own arrogance and temper.
• Cultivation of body and mind: The Taoist maxim emphasizes that true cultivation requires both physical refinement and the cultivation of one’s nature, will, and spirit.
• Redemption and restraint: Xuan Xiao’s shop represents an effort to slow down, refine himself, and avoid harming innocents as he did in the past.
• Innovation and ordinary life: The soul tool shop introduces practical inventions, such as a compact expanding bed, contrasting with the terrifying battle outside.

Character Interactions

• Xuan Xiao intimidates Tang Hao through the Golden-haired Lion Mastiff, forcing him to hand over the soul bone.
• Xuan Xiao indirectly communicates his transmigrator identity to Tang San, creating a silent but intense confrontation.
• Tang San helps his injured father while concealing his thoughts and anger.
• Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing react differently to the battle: Ning Rongrong is frightened and cautious, while Zhu Zhuqing remains composed and curious.
• Inside the shop, the simulated puppet calmly assists the girls, explaining the soul tools and demonstrating the expanding bed.