Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Rita Rossweisse”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xu Tianming’s spiritual power is revealed to be exceptionally strong—at least at the Spirit Sea Realm by standards from ten thousand years later. However, he has not measured it precisely because current Soul Tool technology is insufficient.
• After breaking through to Level 30, Xu Tianming decides to begin preparing to obtain his third Soul Ring.
• Upon leaving seclusion, he is greeted by Rita Rossweisse, who has been waiting to congratulate him and organize his schedule.
• Rita informs him that breakfast is ready, his classes have been arranged, and the Ordinary Alliance has invited him to an auction. She also rejects his attempt to cancel Jingliu’s swordsmanship training, explaining that training will continue unless he is incapacitated—and even then, it would be adapted rather than stopped.
• Rita reports that the first group of Cloud Knights has completed their initial training. Jingliu has approved their advancement to combat training.
• Xu Tianming orders Karna to supervise the Cloud Knights carefully. They are to begin with small Rift Realms and weaker Rift Realm Creatures rather than being rushed into dangerous large-scale battles.

Character Developments

• Xu Tianming is shown to possess extraordinary spiritual strength and has reached the Soul Elder rank. Despite his accomplishments, he remains practical and uninterested in unnecessary celebrations.
• He continues to rely heavily on Rita’s organizational abilities, though he is also somewhat overwhelmed by how thoroughly she manages every aspect of his life.
• Rita Rossweisse is established as far more than a maid. She is an elite S-rank Valkyrie skilled in combat, espionage, assassination, disguise, intelligence gathering, and administration.
• Rita has spent the past two years building an extensive intelligence network throughout Mingdu, making her one of Xu Tianming’s most valuable assets.
• Jingliu is characterized as relentlessly strict, maintaining Xu Tianming’s training schedule regardless of excuses or injury.
• Karna continues to serve as the Cloud Knights’ guardian and overseer.
• The Cloud Knights are advancing from basic training toward practical combat deployment.

Significant Themes

• Preparation and discipline: Xu Tianming’s breakthrough is treated not as a moment for celebration but as a prompt to pursue his next objective. Jingliu’s demanding training embodies the group’s emphasis on constant improvement.
• Information as power: Rita’s intelligence network allows Xu Tianming to detect threats before they emerge, complementing Karna’s role as a direct protector.
• Control and loyalty: Herta’s bloodline-transplant technology gives the Cloud Knights enhanced strength while also ensuring their loyalty to Xu Tianming through the Golden Dragon King’s bloodline.
• Calculated development: Xu Tianming demonstrates caution by allowing the Cloud Knights to gain experience gradually instead of exposing them prematurely to overwhelming Rift Realm threats.
• Order beneath apparent ease: Rita’s polished, domestic manner contrasts with her dangerous abilities, highlighting how the Fools’ organization combines everyday administration with covert operations and military preparation.

Character Interactions

• Rita respectfully congratulates Xu Tianming and manages his schedule, while Xu Tianming acknowledges how indispensable she has become.
• Xu Tianming tries to cancel swordsmanship practice, but Rita firmly conveys Jingliu’s uncompromising orders.
• Rita offers to arrange a celebration banquet, but Xu Tianming refuses, reinforcing his modest and goal-oriented attitude.
• During their discussion of the Cloud Knights, Xu Tianming gives cautious strategic instructions, and Rita records them precisely as his trusted aide.

Chapter Summary: “Perfect Maid”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xu Tianming and Rita walk to the dining hall while discussing his health and her exhausting workload.
• Xu notices that Rita sleeps only four hours a day while managing both his household and a large intelligence network. He orders her to take the afternoon off, but she refuses because afternoon tea must still be served.
• Rita persuades him that afternoon tea is essential for maintaining his health, revealing how thoroughly she controls and organizes his daily routine.
• During breakfast, Xu reflects on Rita’s dual identity: she is both a flawless maid and a highly dangerous warrior skilled in assassination, infiltration, disguise, and intelligence operations.
• Rita reports three major developments:
  1. The three-year border conflict between the Star Luo Empire and the Sun Moon Empire has ended.
  2. The Holy Spirit Cult has become quieter in Mingdu but is moving something important from underground bases.
  3. A new small Rift Realm has appeared in the Heaven Dou Empire.
• Xu decides to investigate the Rift Realm to test his strength after recently breaking through.
• Rita also informs him that Herta wants more of his blood essence for the second stage of Cloud Knights’ bloodline-transplant experiments. Xu refuses after recalling how much blood Herta took previously.
• Rita reveals that she already rejected Herta’s request on his behalf. Herta responded by comparing Rita to an “old mother,” though she offered Xu first use of a new testing device once it is developed.

Character Developments

• Xu Tianming shows increasing concern for Rita’s physical and mental well-being. Although he disguises his concern with practical excuses, he clearly values and trusts her.
• He also demonstrates growing confidence in his own strength after his breakthrough and is eager to test his abilities in the new Rift Realm.
• Rita remains outwardly polite, composed, and obedient, but she subtly asserts control over Xu’s life. Her refusal to compromise on his routines shows that her role as caretaker is deeply ingrained.
• Rita’s importance is expanded beyond that of a maid: she is one of Xu’s most trusted aides and a central figure in the Fools’ intelligence network. She has secretly protected him from political threats and assassination attempts.
• Their relationship becomes more familiar and affectionate, with Rita teasing Xu and Xu becoming increasingly comfortable relying on her.

Significant Themes

• Care disguised as duty: Both Xu and Rita express concern indirectly. Xu frames his worry about Rita as self-interest, while Rita presents her control over Xu’s schedule as professional responsibility.
• The contrast between appearance and reality: Rita appears to be a refined maid, but she is also an elite combatant, spy, and protector. Her harmless public image conceals her true influence and danger.
• Trust and dependence: Xu relies on Rita for both everyday care and protection from political enemies. Rita’s ability to act independently on his behalf demonstrates the depth of their mutual trust.
• Control through perfection: Rita’s flawless service gives her subtle authority over Xu’s daily life, suggesting that her caretaking is also a form of quiet control.
• Political and supernatural instability: The end of the imperial border conflict, the Holy Spirit Cult’s covert activity, and the appearance of another Rift Realm hint at larger threats developing in the world.

Character Interactions

• Xu tries to order Rita to rest, but she calmly resists by defending the importance of afternoon tea.
• He unsuccessfully asks her to stop calling him “Captain,” while Rita repeatedly uses the title, treating it as an unbreakable habit.
• Xu accidentally admits that he was thinking about Rita, prompting her to respond with amused elegance.
• Rita provides Xu with political intelligence and handles Herta’s dangerous request without needing his direct intervention.
• Their exchange with Herta, relayed through Rita, emphasizes Rita’s protective “motherly” role and Xu’s reluctance to be treated as an experimental subject.

Chapter Summary: Herta, Peerless Under Heaven

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xu Tianming arrives at Herta’s laboratory in Mingdu disguised as Aether, a member of the Fools. His disguise completely conceals his identity as the seventh prince of the Sun Moon Empire, including his appearance, possessions, and Soul Power aura.
• For the past two years, Xu Tianming has secretly left the palace while Rita uses a disguise Soul Tool to impersonate him and remain in Mo Mang Palace. During these missions, Xu Tianming and Karna clear Rift Realms, allowing him to accumulate enough Wish Power to summon Rita, Herta, and Columbina.
• At Herta’s laboratory entrance, one of Herta’s small mechanical puppets automatically activates a dramatic praise routine, proclaiming Herta “peerless under heaven,” beautiful, brilliant, and exceptionally talented.
• Xu Tianming jokingly criticizes the puppet’s excessive flattery, but the puppet explains that it is an automatic program and offers to switch to a “Lady Herta Is in a Bad Mood” mode.
• Herta remotely opens the laboratory entrance and exchanges sarcastic banter with Xu Tianming as he enters.
• Inside, Xu Tianming observes Herta’s enormous, spatially expanded laboratory, filled with advanced Soul Tools, Soul Bones, ores, Rift Realm crystal cores, experimental armor, and preserved biological samples.
• He asks why Herta keeps objects whose research value has already been exhausted. Herta replies that an item can remain valuable as a collectible even after she loses interest in studying it.

Character Developments

• Xu Tianming/Aether: His ability to maintain a total disguise demonstrates his caution, resourcefulness, and commitment to separating his royal identity from his activities with the Fools. His comfortable banter with Herta also reveals that he has grown accustomed to her eccentric personality.
• Herta: She is portrayed as brilliant, narcissistic, curious, and unapologetically eccentric. Her automated self-praise reflects her enormous confidence, while her laboratory and collection reveal her relentless interest in unusual phenomena and her tendency to preserve anything she considers intriguing.
• Rita and Karna: Though absent from the immediate scene, their roles are important in enabling Xu Tianming’s secret missions and the accumulation of Wish Power.
• Herta’s Puppets: The puppets function as extensions of Herta’s personality. Their mechanical precision and exaggerated praise make Herta’s influence feel omnipresent throughout the laboratory.

Significant Themes

• Hidden identity and dual lives: Xu Tianming’s transformation into Aether highlights the tension between his public royal identity and his secret affiliation with the Fools.
• Knowledge and curiosity: Herta values unusual objects not only for practical research but because they may inspire future discoveries.
• Narcissism and self-image: Herta’s puppets literally glorify her, turning her self-confidence into a recurring source of humor.
• Possession and preservation: Herta’s collection reflects the idea that usefulness is not the only measure of value; objects may be worth keeping simply because they are rare, strange, or potentially interesting later.
• The future left open: Herta refuses to worry about whether she will ever use her discarded discoveries again, trusting that future interest may arise when the time comes.

Character Interactions

• Xu Tianming interacts with Herta’s puppet through restrained amusement, teasing its praise of Herta while recognizing that the behavior is typical of her.
• He and Herta engage in light, sarcastic banter about the puppet’s programming and Herta’s habit of praising herself.
• Their conversation suggests familiarity and mutual comfort: Xu Tianming can criticize Herta openly, while Herta responds with playful dismissiveness rather than hostility.
• The exchange establishes their dynamic as one built on intellectual respect, humor, and tolerance for each other’s eccentricities.

Chapter Summary: “First Mirror”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xu Tianming visits Herta’s laboratory, where she has completed debugging the First Mirror, one of the four Mirrors of Question.
• Herta gives Xu the palm-sized, purple-framed device. The First Mirror recognizes him as Lord Aether and pledges its service.
• The First Mirror explains its three main abilities:
  • Spatial Warp: Enables long-distance teleportation.
  • Coordinate Computation: Identifies and calculates target locations.
  • Channel Construction: Creates stable spatial passages and selects suitable landing points.
• Xu realizes the device will dramatically improve his ability to personally travel between Rift Realms, allowing him to obtain Wish Power far more efficiently than relying on Karna or the Fools.
• Herta asks Xu for blood containing the essence of the Golden Dragon King. Although the extraction will temporarily weaken him, Xu agrees because her research supports projects involving bloodline transplantation, martial-soul optimization, and Soul Ring enhancement.
• Xu activates the First Mirror and establishes a spatial passage to the Heaven Dou Empire.
• He enters the portal with Karna accompanying him as his bodyguard, demonstrating his preference for caution and survival over reckless self-improvement.

Character Developments

• Xu Tianming: Shows himself to be practical, strategic, and strongly risk-averse. He values efficiency but refuses to travel alone when danger is possible. He also demonstrates trust in Herta by agreeing to provide valuable blood for her research.
• Herta: Her true form is introduced as an exceptionally intelligent, confident young woman with a distinctive witch-like appearance. She is detached from ordinary concerns, treating complex data and scientific problems with ease. Her shameless enthusiasm for research is highlighted when she immediately begs for Xu’s blood without hesitation.
• The First Mirror: Establishes its personality as formal, reliable, and highly obedient. It is designed primarily for precise execution and dependable support.
• Karna: Continues to serve as Xu’s loyal and ever-present protector, accompanying him through the newly opened spatial passage.

Significant Themes

• Science Presented as Magic: Herta’s technology produces effects resembling sorcery, such as teleportation through elaborate magical arrays, while actually relying on advanced calculations and Soul Guidance technology.
• Efficiency and Power Growth: The First Mirror allows Xu to travel instantly across the continent, greatly accelerating his ability to confront Rift Realms and gather Wish Power.
• Caution and Survival: Xu rejects the idea of deliberately placing himself in danger to grow stronger. His philosophy is that survival is the foundation of all future accomplishments.
• Research and Sacrifice: Xu’s vital blood is a valuable resource for Herta’s experiments, showing that progress and enhancement require personal contributions and sometimes physical costs.
• Intelligence and Detachment: Herta’s overwhelming intellect places her emotionally and mentally above those around her, making most problems seem mundane unless they serve her research interests.

Character Interactions

• Herta presents Xu with the First Mirror and explains its capabilities.
• Xu humorously challenges Herta to beg for his blood, but she immediately complies, revealing her complete lack of embarrassment when research is involved.
• Despite the cost, Xu agrees to provide the blood later.
• Xu and Karna then use the First Mirror together, with Xu leading the journey through the portal and Karna silently following to protect him.

Chapter Summary: Clear Sky Sect’s Little Princess

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xu Tianming and Karna arrive in the Cloudbreak Mountain Range through a spatial rift, using the First Mirror to locate a newly formed small Rift Realm.
• They discover that another group has already reached the Rift Realm: Wang Dong, the Clear Sky Sect’s nine-year-old “little princess,” accompanied by several powerful sect disciples, including Soul Sage-level experts.
• The Rift Realm has corrupted the surrounding forest with dark-purple energy, twisting the trees and embedding them with strange diamond-shaped crystals.
• Wang Dong learns that the Rift Realm Lord is likely only at the Soul King level and becomes disappointed because she had hoped for a more challenging battle.
• Despite her boredom, Wang Dong leads her group into the Rift Realm as a form of entertainment and minor training.
• Xu Tianming notices the other group’s footprints and enters the Rift Realm with Karna, intending to reach and claim the Rift Realm Lord before them.
• The chapter ends with both groups inside the attached pocket dimension, where the familiar mountain landscape has been transformed into a dark purple, crystal-filled realm.

Character Developments

• Xu Tianming is shown as efficient, observant, and lightly competitive. He trusts the First Mirror’s abilities, quickly recognizes that another party arrived first, and urges Karna to move faster.
• Karna remains quiet and composed, following Xu Tianming without drawing attention.
• Wang Dong is introduced as extraordinarily talented but spoiled and unmotivated. Despite possessing Innate Full Soul Power, Twin Martial Souls, and exceptional resources, she has only reached rank eighteen at age nine because she rarely cultivates.
• Wang Dong’s boredom stems partly from her privileged status. Her fellow disciples either fear or flatter her, preventing her from forming genuine friendships.
• Her relationship with the Clear Sky Sect’s leaders, Niu Tian and Tai Tan, is extremely close and indulgent. They protect and spoil her, though the reasons for their attachment remain unclear to her.
• Wang Dong’s decision to lead the expedition reflects both her desire for stimulation and her lack of understanding of the danger involved.

Significant Themes

• Privilege and isolation: Wang Dong has everything materially but lacks equal friendships and meaningful challenges.
• Wasted potential: Her immense talent contrasts sharply with her poor cultivation progress, emphasizing how comfort and excessive protection can undermine ambition.
• Overprotection and hidden identity: The extreme care shown by Niu Tian and Tai Tan hints at secrets surrounding Wang Dong’s unknown parents and importance to the sect.
• Competition and parallel objectives: Xu Tianming’s group and Wang Dong’s group enter the same Rift Realm, setting up a likely confrontation or contest over the Rift Realm Lord.
• Exploration of altered realms: The Rift Realm is presented as a dangerous pocket dimension whose dark energy transforms and corrupts the natural environment.

Character Interactions

• Wang Dong speaks casually and imperiously to the Clear Sky Sect disciples, who respond with unquestioning respect.
• The burly young disciple respectfully explains the Rift Realm’s danger level, but Wang Dong dismisses the threat as beneath her.
• Wang Dong complains about being confined within the sect, revealing her frustration with Niu Tian and Tai Tan’s restrictions despite their indulgence.
• Xu Tianming and Karna work together efficiently, with Xu Tianming leading and Karna silently supporting him.
• The two groups do not meet directly in the chapter, but their arrival in the same Rift Realm establishes an impending rivalry.

Chapter Summary: “Wang Dong’er”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xu Tianming enters the Rift Realm, a dangerous dimension filled with dark purple skies, crystal-covered trees, and energy that gradually harms ordinary Soul Masters.
• Thanks to his unusual constitution, Xu Tianming is unaffected by the realm’s corrosive energy.
• Armed with the Golden Dragon Spear and empowered by his Golden Dragon Martial Soul and third Blood Essence Soul Ring, he effortlessly destroys numerous Rift Realm Creations, including:
  • Frost Crystal Creations
  • Flameglory Creations
  • Xunwind Creations
  • Calamity Shadows
  • Crystallized Soul Beasts
• Xu Tianming advances directly toward the Rift Realm Lord, overwhelming every enemy that attempts to stop him.
• He encounters Wang Dong’er and several Clear Sky Sect disciples after catching and crushing a golden light blade she accidentally fired in his direction.
• The Clear Sky Sect disciples distrust Xu Tianming because he is a masked stranger operating near their secluded territory. They surround him and consider capturing him for questioning.
• Xu Tianming claims to belong to an organization called the “Fools,” whose mission is to eliminate Rift Realms wherever they appear.
• Wang Dong’er introduces herself and persuades the disciples that Xu Tianming does not appear hostile. Xu Tianming gives the false name “Aether.”
• Curious about his identity, Wang Dong’er attempts to remove his mask. Xu Tianming avoids the attempt and grabs her wrist, causing her pain with his overwhelming strength.

Character Developments

• Xu Tianming: Demonstrates immense combat power, confidence, and efficiency while fighting through the Rift Realm. He remains calm and slightly sarcastic when questioned by the Clear Sky Sect. Although he recognizes Wang Dong’er’s identity, he conceals his own and adopts the alias “Aether.”
• Wang Dong’er: Is portrayed as kind-hearted, curious, outspoken, and somewhat mischievous. She worries about accidentally injuring Xu Tianming, quickly becomes interested in the mysterious outsider, and openly challenges her guards’ suspicion of him. Her attempt to uncover his identity reveals her playful boldness.
• Clear Sky Sect disciples: Act as cautious protectors of Wang Dong’er. They are suspicious of Xu Tianming’s unexplained presence and are ready to restrain him, but defer to Wang Dong’er’s judgment.

Significant Themes

• Power and superiority: Xu Tianming’s effortless destruction of powerful Rift Realm enemies emphasizes the extraordinary strength granted by his Golden Dragon Martial Soul and divine weapon.
• Mystery and hidden identities: Xu Tianming conceals his face and true name, while the unfamiliar “Fools” organization adds intrigue surrounding his background.
• Trust versus suspicion: The Clear Sky Sect immediately distrusts Xu Tianming, while Wang Dong’er relies more on instinct and personal judgment.
• Curiosity and first encounters: Wang Dong’er’s fascination with the outside world drives her quick engagement with Xu Tianming and creates a playful tension between them.
• Duty and purpose: Xu Tianming’s advance toward the Rift Realm Lord reflects the Fools’ stated mission to eliminate Rift Realms.

Character Interactions

• Xu Tianming dismisses Wang Dong’er’s concern after her stray attack, showing his confidence by shattering the light blade with one hand.
• He verbally spars with Wang Dong’er, correcting her for calling him “Hey” and teasing her claim of strength.
• Wang Dong’er challenges her disciples’ suspicion and approaches Xu Tianming directly.
• Her attempt to pull off his mask turns the encounter from cautious interrogation into a playful contest, ending with Xu Tianming restraining her wrist and revealing the vast difference in their physical strength.

Summary: “Xu Tianming’s Terrifying Strength”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wang Dong’er grabs Xu Tianming’s wrist out of curiosity, prompting the Clear Sky Sect disciples guarding her to react aggressively.
• A Soul King-level disciple attacks Xu Tianming with the Clear Sky Hammer, but Xu blocks the full-force strike one-handed while still holding Wang Dong’er.
• Xu effortlessly forces the attacker backward, astonishing the Clear Sky Sect’s leading Soul Sage and demonstrating extraordinary physical strength.
• Wang Dong’er jokingly teases Xu about his appearance and lightly punches him, only to hurt her own hand against his steel-like body. Xu releases her after realizing she meant no real harm.
• Wang Dong’er admires Xu’s Golden Dragon Spear, but her attitude changes when she learns it is a Soul Tool. Xu suspects this instinctive rejection comes from a remnant of Sea God Tang San’s divine consciousness within her.
• An Ice Crystal Giant, apparently the Rift Realm Lord, approaches along with numerous Rift Realm Creations.
• Wang Dong’er jokingly tells Xu to defeat the Rift Realm Lord. Xu takes her literally and charges into battle, causing her to panic and order the Clear Sky Sect disciples to rescue him.
• Xu confronts the giant directly and meets its powerful punch with his own. Despite the giant’s immense size and charging momentum, Xu remains unmoved and even sinks his fist into the creature’s hand.

Character Developments

• Xu Tianming: His overwhelming strength is revealed. He can repel a Soul King-level Clear Sky Hammer wielder and physically stalemate the Rift Realm Lord without relying on a visible martial soul or elaborate technique. He also displays sharp observational ability by identifying the likely influence of Tang San’s divine consciousness in Wang Dong’er.
• Wang Dong’er: Initially playful and mischievous, she quickly becomes concerned for Xu when he accepts her joke as a challenge. Her curiosity about him grows, and her fear that he may be injured reveals emerging concern and guilt.
• Clear Sky Sect disciples: They shift from immediate hostility to cautious respect and wariness after witnessing Xu’s strength. Their confidence is shaken by how easily he withstands attacks that should be devastating.
• Tang San: Though absent, his continued influence is suggested through the divine consciousness fragment supposedly affecting Wang Dong’er’s feelings toward Soul Tools.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming strength and hidden power: Xu’s physical abilities far exceed what the others expect, establishing him as an extraordinary and potentially dangerous figure.
• Misjudgment and changing perceptions: The Clear Sky Sect initially treats Xu as a threat, but his performance forces them to reconsider his identity and cultivation.
• Playfulness versus danger: Wang Dong’er’s teasing has serious consequences in a hostile environment, highlighting the contrast between her lighthearted personality and the dangers surrounding her.
• Lingering divine influence: Tang San’s residual consciousness demonstrates how past powers continue shaping events and characters in the lower realm.
• Human versus monstrous power: Xu’s ability to match the Ice Crystal Giant physically emphasizes the unusual, almost monstrous nature of his strength.

Character Interactions

• Xu Tianming and Wang Dong’er: Their interaction is marked by teasing, irritation, and growing curiosity. Xu restrains her briefly after she ambushes him but releases her once he realizes she is not hostile. Wang Dong’er continues provoking him, then becomes genuinely worried when he confronts the Rift Realm Lord.
• Xu Tianming and the Clear Sky Sect: The disciples respond defensively to Xu’s treatment of Wang Dong’er, but his effortless defeat of their attack makes them cautious rather than openly aggressive.
• Xu Tianming and the Ice Crystal Giant: Their direct fist clash serves as the chapter’s climax, visually and decisively demonstrating that Xu can contend with a massive Rift Realm Lord through raw physical power alone.
• Wang Dong’er and the Clear Sky Sect: Though she is their “young mistress,” she speaks casually and commands them to help Xu when she fears for his safety, showing both her authority and her dependence on their protection.

Chapter Summary: A Girl Fell from the Sky

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Ice Crystal Giant attacks Xu Tianming with overwhelming strength, sending him flying. Several other Rift Realm Creations surround him.
• Xu Tianming reveals his true power, using his three golden Soul Rings and first Soul Skill, Might of Extremity, to unleash a massive shockwave that clears the surrounding enemies.
• Crystal archers fire at him, but his second Soul Skill, Weapon Immunity, deflects the arrows and greatly reduces physical and energy damage. His defense proves nearly impenetrable as long as he has sufficient Soul Power.
• Xu Tianming battles the Ice Crystal Giant directly. He avoids or destroys its attacks, including a massive slab of ice, and severely damages it with his Golden Dragon Spear.
• After resisting the giant’s extreme-cold beam, Xu Tianming uses a powerful spear attack that manifests as a golden divine dragon, killing the Ice Crystal Giant by piercing its heart.
• With the Rift Realm Lord dead, the entire Rift Realm begins collapsing. Wang Dong’er and the Clear Sky Sect disciples hurry toward the exits.
• Just before Xu Tianming escapes, a severely injured black-haired girl falls from a crack in the sky. Realizing she may soon transform into a Rift Realm Creation, Xu Tianming rescues her and carries her out.
• Xu Tianming successfully returns to the real world, but he emerges separately from Wang Dong’er and the Clear Sky Sect disciples.

Character Developments

• Xu Tianming demonstrates exceptional strength for someone apparently only at the Soul Elder level. His golden Soul Rings, defensive ability, combat instincts, and mastery of the Golden Dragon Spear make him capable of defeating a powerful Rift Realm Lord.
• He is shown to be confident, aggressive, and highly capable in battle, but also compassionate and decisive. Despite the danger, he chooses to save the unknown girl rather than abandon her.
• Wang Dong’er becomes deeply impressed by Xu Tianming’s strength and heroic appearance. Watching him fight inspires her to reconsider her previously casual attitude toward cultivation and makes her wish she could fight beside him.
• The mysterious black-haired girl is introduced as a critically injured figure affected by Rift Realm energy. Her identity and connection to the Rift Realm remain unknown.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and extraordinary potential: Xu Tianming’s apparent low cultivation level contrasts sharply with his overwhelming combat ability.
• Admiration and inspiration: Wang Dong’er’s reaction shows how witnessing genuine strength can motivate someone to take training more seriously.
• Heroism and compassion: Xu Tianming risks delaying his escape to save a stranger, emphasizing that strength is accompanied by responsibility.
• Survival amid instability: The collapsing Rift Realm creates constant danger and highlights the unpredictable nature of the Rift Realm system.
• Fate and mystery: The girl’s sudden fall from the sky suggests a larger connection between different Rift Realms and sets up future conflict.

Character Interactions

• Xu Tianming and Wang Dong’er fight in the same crisis, though Xu Tianming handles the main battle while Wang Dong’er watches in awe.
• Wang Dong’er warns Xu Tianming about the incoming crystal arrows, showing concern and attentiveness toward him.
• She calls for Xu Tianming to leave when the Rift Realm begins collapsing, but he separates from the group after discovering the injured girl.
• Xu Tianming has little trust or interest in dealing with the Clear Sky Sect disciples, preferring to avoid their suspicion and leave independently.
• The chapter ends with Xu Tianming carrying the mysterious girl to safety, establishing a new relationship and unresolved mystery.

Chapter Summary: “Twelve Left, Three Returned”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xu Tianming abandons the destroyed Rift Realm after obtaining the Wish Power. Carrying the unconscious black-haired girl—Zhang Lexuan—he uses the First Mirror to open a spatial passage and returns to Mingdu, with Karna following him.
• Wang Dong’er arrives too late to find him. Believing that “Aether” left without saying goodbye, she becomes angry despite having been worried about him and vows to beat him the next time they meet.
• In Mingdu, Herta examines Zhang Lexuan and discovers that her body is severely overstrained, her Spirit Sea is contaminated, and Rift Realm energy has corroded her. However, Herta believes she can save her and takes her into the laboratory for treatment.
• Xu Tianming worries about the cost of Herta’s research, since he is already supporting Hearth House, the Cloud Knights, and other expenses. The First Mirror reminds him that Herta’s advanced Soul Tools can be sold to fund the laboratory.
• Xu Tianming decides to sell Herta’s inventions through the Fools, using the organization’s public ideals—destroying Rift Realms, protecting civilians, and strengthening the Douluo Continent—to build its reputation openly rather than hiding it like the Holy Spirit Cult.
• Meanwhile, in the Star Dou Great Forest, Taotie Douluo Xuan Zi collapses in grief after the destruction of a Medium Rift Realm. He blames himself for failing to protect the students under his command.
• Twelve elite Shrek inner-courtyard disciples had entered the forest with Xuan Zi, but only three survived. Eight were killed by a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, while Zhang Lexuan was gravely injured after absorbing the beast’s Soul Ring and later fell into a spatial fissure during the Rift Realm battle.
• Xuan Zi killed the Soul Beast in anger, but his repeated failures left the surviving disciples furious and distrustful. Zhang Lexuan’s loss is especially devastating because she was Shrek’s most gifted student of her generation, an Eight-Ring Soul Douluo at only twenty-two.

Character Developments

• Xu Tianming remains pragmatic and emotionally guarded. Although he recognizes Zhang Lexuan’s condition and seeks Herta’s help, he avoids becoming too involved with Wang Dong’er because of her dangerous identity. He also begins thinking more seriously about the Fools’ public expansion and financial independence.
• Herta displays her usual arrogance and sharp wit but immediately acts to save Zhang Lexuan. Her confidence in treating the girl reinforces her status as an exceptionally capable researcher, while her expensive laboratory creates comic financial pressure for Xu Tianming.
• Wang Dong’er reveals that she genuinely cares about Xu Tianming’s disappearance. Her anger masks concern, and her vow to defeat him suggests a playful but increasingly personal relationship.
• Xuan Zi suffers a major emotional collapse. His negligence and impulsiveness have caused catastrophic losses, and he is overwhelmed by guilt after failing both to save the students and to prevent Zhang Lexuan’s disappearance.
• Zhang Lexuan is portrayed as courageous and self-sacrificing. She repeatedly protects her juniors, absorbs a dangerous Soul Ring to prevent further deaths, and continues fighting despite severe injuries.

Significant Themes

• The consequences of negligence: Xuan Zi’s irresponsibility directly contributes to the deaths of most of the students and Zhang Lexuan’s disappearance.
• Sacrifice and leadership: Zhang Lexuan’s actions demonstrate the burden carried by those who protect others, contrasting sharply with Xuan Zi’s failures.
• Power and responsibility: Xu Tianming wants the Fools to operate openly under a righteous creed, suggesting that power should be used visibly to protect society rather than concealed for selfish purposes.
• Emotional distance versus attachment: Xu Tianming tries to avoid personal entanglements, yet Wang Dong’er’s concern and Zhang Lexuan’s rescue show that relationships and responsibility continue to draw him in.
• The cost of ambition: Xu Tianming’s growing network and Herta’s research promise great power, but they also create enormous financial and practical burdens.

Character Interactions

• Xu Tianming and Wang Dong’er: Their brief separation reveals mutual concern beneath teasing hostility. Wang Dong’er is upset that he left without a word, while Xu Tianming deliberately keeps his distance because of her identity.
• Xu Tianming and Herta: Their exchange combines practical cooperation with comedic friction. Xu flatters Herta to secure Zhang Lexuan’s treatment, only to be reminded that he must continue funding her costly experiments.
• Xu Tianming and the First Mirror: The First Mirror functions as a calm, useful adviser, reminding him that Herta’s creations can solve his financial problems.
• Xuan Zi and the surviving disciples: The disciples’ grief and anger toward Xuan Zi reflect the collapse of their trust in him. Though he regrets his actions, his apologies cannot undo the deaths or Zhang Lexuan’s disappearance.
• Zhang Lexuan and the younger disciples: Her willingness to fight at the front and protect them establishes her as a true elder sister and leader, explaining why her loss affects them so deeply.

Chapter Summary: “Cyrene”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The academy has assumed Zhang Lexuan is dead after she was severely injured, forced to fight during the Rift Realm crisis, and then swept into a spatial rift during the battle between Xuan Zi and the Rift Realm Lord.
• Xuan Zi is devastated by her presumed death. He blames himself for Zhang Lexuan’s fate, as well as the deaths of eight elite inner-court disciples. He fears facing the Sea God’s Pavilion elders and Mu En, knowing he may have indirectly caused the loss of a future Limit Douluo and possible future master of the academy.
• Xu Tianming searches Herta’s laboratory and selects several advanced Soul Tools to auction under the Fools’ name. Herta’s inventions are so advanced that releasing them could accelerate the Sun Moon Empire’s Soul Tool technology by centuries.
• The Fools’ thirteen-story building is revealed to house a restaurant business on its lower floors and Herta’s restricted laboratory above them, with the Ordinary Alliance as a shareholder.
• Xu Tianming visits Hearth House, an orphanage operated by the Fools. After three years of support, it has become Mingdu’s largest orphanage, complete with dormitories, a cafeteria, library, martial soul awakening room, staff, and security.
• Cyrene is caring for the children, comforting a frightened girl named Eileen with food and a soothing power. She warmly welcomes Xu Tianming, playfully accuses him of forgetting her, and praises his work establishing the orphanage.

Character Developments

• Xuan Zi: His grief and guilt deepen. He recognizes the enormous consequences of Zhang Lexuan’s presumed death and believes he may have destroyed the academy’s future.
• Zhang Lexuan: Although absent, her importance is emphasized. Her achievements, talent, and potential to become a Limit Douluo or Sea God’s Pavilion master establish her as a monumental loss.
• Xu Tianming: He continues expanding the Fools’ influence through technological development, business, and social welfare. He also shows a playful, flirtatious rapport with Cyrene, though he becomes visibly flustered when she behaves intimately.
• Herta: Her genius is highlighted through the extraordinary quality of her Soul Tools. Even without access to the resources and energy of her original world, her work could revolutionize this world’s technology.
• Cyrene: She is shown as compassionate and nurturing toward the orphans, while retaining her teasing, theatrical, and affectionate personality with Xu Tianming. She openly admires his humanitarian work and displays growing closeness toward him.

Significant Themes

• Guilt and responsibility: Xuan Zi’s anguish centers on the consequences of his decisions and the burden of failing those under his protection.
• Unrecognized genius and technological progress: Herta’s inventions demonstrate the transformative power of exceptional talent, even when limited by unfamiliar materials and energy systems.
• Building a better future: The orphanage symbolizes the Fools’ constructive influence, offering abandoned children safety, education, and opportunities.
• Compassion alongside power: Cyrene’s gentle care for Eileen contrasts with the larger-scale conflicts and advanced weapons introduced elsewhere in the chapter.
• Romantic and playful intimacy: Cyrene and Xu Tianming’s banter reveals mutual comfort and attraction, with her teasing steadily testing his composure.

Character Interactions

• Xuan Zi’s presumed loss of Zhang Lexuan is framed through his imagined confrontation with the academy’s elders and Mu En, emphasizing his emotional isolation and remorse.
• Cyrene comforts Eileen with honey cake and a calming glow, demonstrating her tenderness toward the children.
• Cyrene teases Xu Tianming about neglecting her and challenges him to compare her beauty with Herta’s, creating humorous romantic tension.
• Xu Tianming praises Cyrene extravagantly to appease her, while privately becoming nervous when she leans close and accuses him of having inappropriate thoughts.

Chapter Summary: Shrek City

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xu Tianming assigns Cyrene, the third-ranked Fools Executive and a rank-ninety-nine Limit Douluo, to establish and oversee a Hearth House branch in Shrek City.
• His other summoned allies already have fixed responsibilities:
  • Karna protects Xu Tianming.
  • Rita manages his daily affairs.
  • Jingliu trains the Cloud Knights and leads them into the Rift Realm.
  • Herta conducts Soul Tool research in Mingdu.
• Because the Fools organization lacks personnel, Xu Tianming decides that future Executives do not all need to be Limit Douluos. From the fourth-ranked Executive onward, he plans to summon individuals at the Titled Douluo level, allowing him to build the organization more quickly.
• Xu Tianming uses the First Mirror to open a spatial passage and travels with Cyrene to Shrek City.
• The chapter introduces Shrek City as a major commercial center located near the borders of three empires and beside the Star Dou Great Forest. It is a neutral, self-governing city controlled by Shrek Academy.
• Xu Tianming and Cyrene arrive at the southern gate. The eastern gate is reserved for Shrek Academy and leads only into the academy grounds.

Character Developments

• Xu Tianming demonstrates his growing ambition to expand the Fools organization across the continent. He is practical, strategic, and willing to lower the required power level of future recruits in order to establish the organization more efficiently.
• Cyrene is shown as capable, confident, and highly playful. Despite her flirtatious teasing, she takes her new assignment seriously and is eager to explore the wider world.
• Xu Tianming displays strong trust in Cyrene’s judgment and abilities, considering her the ideal person to manage the Shrek City branch.
• Their relationship becomes more familiar and affectionate. Cyrene enjoys teasing Xu Tianming, while he pretends to be annoyed but consistently gives in to her behavior.

Significant Themes

• Expansion and organization: Xu Tianming is transforming the Fools from a small group into a continent-wide network, with branches and Executives stationed in major cities.
• Change versus tradition: Shrek City represents stability, history, and adherence to old traditions, while Mingdu symbolizes technological progress and constant change.
• Power and neutrality: Shrek City’s independence is maintained not by diplomacy alone but by Shrek Academy’s immense strength and reputation.
• Technological advancement: Xu Tianming observes that traditional city walls will eventually become obsolete because of flying Soul Tools, Soul Guidance Cannons, and powerful Soul Masters.
• Constancy and romance: Cyrene humorously connects the philosophical discussion of permanence and change to her own unchanged charm and her hope for new romantic experiences.

Character Interactions

• Cyrene repeatedly invades Xu Tianming’s personal space and flirts with him, calling him “partner.”
• Xu Tianming responds with exasperation, tapping her forehead and criticizing her lack of personal boundaries, but he ultimately indulges her because he cannot bear her feigned hurt.
• Their playful exchange reveals mutual comfort and trust, balancing Xu Tianming’s seriousness with Cyrene’s lighthearted personality.
• As they approach Shrek City, they discuss the contrast between its old-fashioned architecture and Mingdu’s modern development, leading to a brief philosophical conversation about tradition and change.

Chapter Summary: “The Underestimated Shrek City”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xu Tianming and Cyrene arrive at Shrek City, a major commercial center with a permanent population of roughly two million.
• Because Shrek is hostile toward the Sun Moon Empire, Xu Tianming disguises himself as “Aether,” wearing black clothing and a mask rather than revealing his identity as a prince of the empire.
• The pair pass through the city gates without difficulty. The guards are accustomed to unusual travelers and do not consider their appearances suspicious.
• Xu Tianming is surprised by Shrek City’s prosperity and modernization. Despite its ancient architectural style, it features:
  • Well-maintained roads and organized city planning
  • Soul Tool-powered trams
  • Bicycle lanes and accelerated bicycles
  • Automated Soul Tool lamps
  • A wide variety of restaurants, shops, and cafés
• The city’s security, commercial reputation, and orderly administration are attributed to the Shrek City Guard and the influence of the Shrek Supervisory Group.
• Xu Tianming realizes that his assumptions about Shrek City being backward were based on hearsay and its old-fashioned appearance.
• Instead of immediately handling their business, Xu Tianming suggests that he and Cyrene explore the city first, treating the visit as an opportunity to spend time together.

Character Developments

• Xu Tianming: Demonstrates caution by concealing his identity and acknowledging Shrek’s hostility toward the Sun Moon Empire. He also becomes more self-aware, admitting that he unfairly judged Shrek City based on appearances. His decision to delay official business and sightsee reveals a more relaxed and romantic side.
• Cyrene: Shows curiosity and enthusiasm as she explores the unfamiliar city. Her playful teasing and delight at Xu Tianming’s romantic remark highlight her affectionate, lively personality and growing comfort in their relationship.

Significant Themes

• Appearances versus reality: Shrek City looks ancient and traditional but possesses surprisingly advanced infrastructure and technology.
• The danger of preconceived judgments: Xu Tianming learns that relying on reputation or first impressions can lead to inaccurate conclusions.
• Cultural and technological contrast: Shrek City is less technologically advanced than Mingdu but offers a warmer, slower-paced, and more comfortable urban life.
• Companionship over duty: Xu Tianming temporarily sets aside his mission to enjoy the city with Cyrene, emphasizing the value of shared experiences and personal relationships.

Character Interactions

• Cyrene challenges Xu Tianming’s assumptions and playfully tells him not to judge so quickly in the future.
• Xu Tianming accepts her criticism and promises to be more careful in forming opinions.
• When Cyrene asks whether they should immediately handle their business, Xu Tianming surprises her by suggesting they explore the city first.
• He flirts by praising her beauty, earning “bonus points” in Cyrene’s playful affection-based scoring system and making her visibly happy.

Summary

Xu Tianming and Cyrene stroll through Shrek City, with Cyrene enthusiastically exploring local attractions. She admires a craftsman making sugar paintings and colorful kites, while Xu Tianming patiently accompanies her and explains local customs. Their relaxed outing highlights Cyene’s curiosity and Xu Tianming’s considerate, dependable nature.
They are drawn by the smell of fried food to a popular shop called Shrek Fried Chicken, whose connection to Shrek Academy suggests it is run by academy personnel. While waiting in line, they notice a beautiful, gentle young woman with rabbit-ear hair ornaments efficiently serving customers. Cyrene comments on her kindness, while Xu Tianming remains more reserved.
The pair then meet two Shrek Academy students ahead of them: the handsome, good-natured Bei Bei and the lively, outspoken Tang Ya. Bei Bei explains that he was delayed because he helped an elderly woman carry her belongings, revealing his compassion and willingness to help others. Tang Ya teases him affectionately for being overly charitable, though she admits she would have done the same.
Bei Bei notices Xu Tianming and politely greets him. Tang Ya immediately focuses on Cyrene, openly praising her beauty and introducing herself. Cyrene responds warmly, calling Tang Ya “little sister,” and the two quickly become absorbed in friendly conversation about Cyrene’s unusual hair and name. Their outgoing personalities make them bond almost instantly.
As Tang Ya and Cyrene chat enthusiastically, Bei Bei and Xu Tianming exchange amused, sympathetic looks. Their silent understanding establishes a humorous connection between them as the more reserved companions of two exceptionally sociable women.

Key Themes and Character Development

• Companionship and patience: Xu Tianming willingly lets Cyrene explore at her own pace, emphasizing his caring and dependable personality.
• Kindness and selflessness: Bei Bei’s decision to help an elderly woman reinforces his gentle, noble character.
• Sociability and instant friendship: Tang Ya and Cyrene quickly overcome their unfamiliarity, showing their warmth and openness.
• Humor through contrast: The energetic interaction between Tang Ya and Cyrene contrasts with the restrained, amused reactions of Xu Tianming and Bei Bei.
• First connections: The meeting introduces a potential friendship between the two pairs and establishes the personalities of Bei Bei and Tang Ya.

Chapter Summary: “Jiang Nannan”

Key plot points and events

• Xu Tianming, using the identity “Aether,” and Cyrene meet Bei Bei and Tang Ya while waiting in line at Jiang Nannan’s fried-chicken shop.
• Bei Bei identifies them as outsiders based on their accents and learns that they come from the Star Luo Empire.
• Tang Ya proudly introduces Bei Bei as Shrek Academy’s top freshman and one of the “Freshman Twin Stars,” though Bei Bei dismisses the title.
• Tang Ya explains that she is the Tang Sect’s master and that Bei Bei is its chief disciple. She also reveals that only the two of them remain in the once-famous Tang Sect.
• Xu Tianming says he belongs to the Fools, an organization dedicated to clearing dangerous Rift Realms and protecting civilians rather than attending an academy. He identifies himself as a subordinate of Columbina, the Fools’ Third Harbinger.
• Bei Bei recognizes the Fools’ reputation and recalls that the organization includes powerful figures such as the Titled Douluo known as the First Harbinger, “Lord Swordhead.”
• Bei Bei and Tang Ya order food from their friend Jiang Nannan and remind her to take Shrek’s entrance examination before registration closes.
• Jiang Nannan reveals that her mother’s terminal illness has worsened. The Xuanming Sect has offered a Black Tortoise Divine Pill capable of saving her, but accepting it would require Jiang Nannan to pay a severe and troubling price.
• The chapter ends with Bei Bei and Tang Ya sympathizing with Jiang Nannan, while the enormous cost and rarity of the medicine make her situation appear nearly hopeless.

Character developments

• Xu Tianming/Aether: Maintains his false identity and carefully disguised accent. He presents himself as a modest member of the Fools while subtly revealing their strength and influence.
• Cyrene: Shows familiarity with Douluo Continent’s history and takes interest in Bei Bei’s reputation. She also silently reacts when Xu Tianming exaggerates or casually discusses the Fools.
• Bei Bei: Appears humble about his achievements, compassionate toward his friends, and protective of Tang Ya’s emotions. He is knowledgeable about continental affairs and quickly recognizes the importance of the Fools.
• Tang Ya: Remains energetic, proud, and teasing, especially when praising Bei Bei. However, her pride in the Tang Sect is mixed with sadness because the sect has been reduced to only herself and Bei Bei.
• Jiang Nannan: Is revealed to be under intense financial and emotional pressure. Although she remains composed and determined to enter Shrek, her mother’s worsening illness and the Xuanming Sect’s morally difficult offer leave her deeply conflicted.

Significant themes

• Decline and survival: Both the Tang Sect and Jiang Nannan’s family are struggling to survive after losing power or financial stability.
• The cost of hope: The Black Tortoise Divine Pill represents salvation, but obtaining it may demand a price Jiang Nannan cannot willingly accept.
• Power and reputation: The Fools’ willingness to clear Rift Realms, combined with their powerful Harbingers, has made them an organization that major factions cannot ignore.
• Friendship and support: Tang Ya and Bei Bei try to encourage Jiang Nannan and protect one another emotionally, even though they cannot immediately solve her problems.
• Hidden identities and unfamiliar forces: Xu Tianming’s concealed origin and the mysterious Fools introduce an element of secrecy and foreshadow their growing importance.

Character interactions

• Bei Bei and Tang Ya display a playful, familiar relationship, with Tang Ya teasing him and Bei Bei quickly surrendering whenever she calls him “Teacher Xiaoya.”
• Cyrene joins their conversation and helps redirect attention when Tang Ya becomes saddened by the Tang Sect’s decline.
• Bei Bei questions Xu Tianming about his origins and abilities, establishing mutual curiosity and cautious recognition between them.
• Tang Ya envies the Fools’ protection by a Titled Douluo, contrasting their strength with the Tang Sect’s vulnerability.
• Tang Ya warmly reunites with Jiang Nannan, but the friendly exchange turns serious when Jiang reveals her mother’s worsening condition. Bei Bei quietly shares her concern, reinforcing the group’s emotional bond.

Chapter Summary: Jiang Nannan’s Decision

Key Plot Points and Events

• The group discusses the Black Tortoise Divine Pill, a rare medicine worth a million Gold Soul Coins, as a possible treatment for Jiang Nannan’s seriously ill mother.
• Xu Tianming offers an alternative: Lord Genius, the Fools’ Second Harbinger and a Titled Douluo, may be able to treat her mother.
• However, this assistance comes with a condition: Jiang Nannan must join the Fools, a powerful organization devoted to clearing Rift Realms and protecting civilians.
• Tang Ya explains the organization and its purpose to Jiang Nannan. Xu Tianming outlines the requirements: a recommendation, courage to fight in Rift Realms, willingness to protect others, and absolute loyalty.
• Jiang Nannan accepts the offer after comparing it with the Xuanming Sect’s demand that she undergo a bloodline ritual and sacrifice her chastity to their young master.
• She takes leave from her job at the fried chicken shop to bring the group to her mother. Her employer compassionately approves the leave while continuing to pay her wages.
• The chapter ends by emphasizing Jiang Nannan’s natural beauty and dignified appearance despite her poverty and worn clothing.

Character Developments

• Jiang Nannan displays strong resolve, practical judgment, and deep devotion to her mother. Although wary of Xu Tianming’s offer, she chooses the danger of joining the Fools over surrendering her body to the Xuanming Sect.
• Her decision reveals both her courage and desperation, while also establishing her as a talented young soul master: she possesses Innate Full Soul Power, the Soft Bone Rabbit martial soul, and is already a level-29 Battle Soul Grandmaster at age eleven.
• Xu Tianming is shown as calculating but helpful. He recognizes Jiang Nannan’s talent and simple background, seeing her as a promising future combatant and a low-risk recruit for the Fools.
• Cyrene supports Xu Tianming’s recruitment effort and presents a more approachable image, gaining more of Jiang Nannan’s trust than Xu’s masked persona.
• Tang Ya reacts warmly and optimistically to the possibility of saving Jiang Nannan’s mother, but she also worries that Nannan is making an irreversible decision too quickly.
• Bei Bei becomes aware of the Fools’ extraordinary power after learning that the organization has at least two Titled Douluo.

Significant Themes

• Sacrifice versus dignity: Jiang Nannan must choose between risking her life in battle or surrendering her sexual autonomy to the Xuanming Sect. Her decision affirms that preserving dignity can be worth facing mortal danger.
• Desperation and opportunity: The Fools’ offer gives Jiang Nannan a chance that poverty and her mother’s illness had previously denied her.
• Trust and hidden motives: Jiang Nannan understands that powerful people rarely offer aid without expecting something in return, making her cautious even while accepting the deal.
• Power and influence: The revelation that the Fools possess multiple Titled Douluo establishes the organization as a major force and hints at its broader significance.
• Talent shaped by hardship: Despite her difficult circumstances and responsibility for her mother, Jiang Nannan has reached an impressive cultivation level through talent and determination.

Character Interactions

• Xu Tianming and Cyrene jointly persuade Jiang Nannan to join the Fools, with Xu presenting the terms and Cyrene reinforcing the offer.
• Tang Ya acts as both emotional support and a source of caution, explaining the Fools while questioning whether Nannan should commit her future so quickly.
• Jiang Nannan’s guarded response contrasts with Tang Ya’s immediate enthusiasm, highlighting her maturity and experience with exploitation.
• Her interaction with her employer underscores her hardworking nature and the quiet support she receives from ordinary people.
• The chapter concludes with Jiang Nannan leaving her job and preparing to place her mother’s fate—and her own future—in the hands of the Fools.

Chapter Summary: Shrek Commoner District

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xu Tianming, Cyrene, Jiang Nannan, Bei Bei, and Tang Ya travel to Jiang Nannan’s home so the Fools can attempt to cure her sick mother.
• Bei Bei and Tang Ya join them out of curiosity about the Fools and genuine concern for Jiang Nannan.
• The group passes from Shrek City’s prosperous central streets into the poorer Commoner District, where modern conveniences and well-maintained buildings give way to damaged roads and shabby homes.
• Jiang Nannan leads them through narrow alleys to her family’s small, poorly built but carefully maintained house.
• Her mother is revealed to be severely ill, weak, pale, and prematurely aged by years of sickness and hardship.
• The narration explains Jiang Nannan’s poverty: despite being a Soul Grandmaster, she has no institutional subsidies and must work while caring for her mother. Her circumstances foreshadow why she may eventually accept the Xuanming Sect’s exploitative terms.
• Before Jiang Nannan can properly introduce the visitors, Cyrene examines her mother and uses a gentle pink healing light. The treatment immediately stops the coughing, eases the woman’s chest pain, improves her breathing, and restores some color to her face.

Character Developments

• Jiang Nannan is portrayed as responsible, hardworking, and deeply devoted to her mother. Her familiarity with the Commoner District and her careful treatment of her mother emphasize the burdens she carries despite her young age.
• Xu Tianming shows understanding and sympathy toward Jiang Nannan’s situation. He recognizes that her future willingness to sacrifice herself would stem from desperation rather than personal choice.
• Cyrene demonstrates both compassion and powerful healing abilities. Her calm response to the mother’s condition and immediate intervention establish her as caring and capable.
• Bei Bei acts cautiously but supportively, wanting to verify the Fools’ abilities while remaining considerate of Jiang Nannan.
• Tang Ya is openly affectionate and encouraging, reinforcing her friendship with Jiang Nannan by accompanying and comforting her without hesitation.
• Jiang Nannan’s mother is introduced as loving but physically devastated by illness and years of hardship.

Significant Themes

• Poverty and social inequality: Shrek City lacks nobles but still contains sharp divisions between wealthy and poor districts.
• The burdens of responsibility: Jiang Nannan’s youth and strength do not protect her from poverty, as she must work and provide medical care for her mother.
• Desperation and sacrifice: The chapter contextualizes the extreme choices Jiang Nannan may later make, suggesting that exploitation can arise when people have no alternatives.
• Compassion and friendship: Tang Ya, Bei Bei, Xu Tianming, and Cyrene all respond to Jiang Nannan’s hardship with varying forms of support.
• Healing and hope: Cyrene’s successful treatment offers the first immediate sign that Jiang Nannan’s mother may have a chance to recover.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Nannan respectfully asks Xu Tianming and Cyrene to accompany her, while Bei Bei and Tang Ya request permission to come as well.
• Tang Ya warmly links arms with Jiang Nannan and reminds her that they are friends.
• Jiang Nannan tenderly cares for her mother, helping her sit up and reassuring her despite concealing her own worry.
• Cyrene bypasses formal introductions to immediately treat the mother, and her healing produces a dramatic improvement in the woman’s condition.

Chapter Summary: “Herta Arrives”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Cyrene examines Jiang Nannan’s mother and uses her powerful Soul Power to suppress the woman’s illness temporarily. She warns that this is not a cure and that the woman needs proper treatment and recuperation.
• Jiang Nannan introduces Cyrene, Xu Tianming, Bei Bei, and Tang Ya as friends who have come to help. Bei Bei and Tang Ya’s familiarity with the family, along with their connection to Shrek Academy, helps reassure Jiang Nannan’s mother.
• Jiang Nannan’s mother expresses gratitude but insists that her long-term illness is incurable and that her daughter should not continue sacrificing her future for her sake.
• Jiang Nannan firmly rejects her mother’s resignation, promising that she will find a way to save her. Their emotional exchange highlights the depth of their bond and Jiang Nannan’s determination.
• Tang Ya is moved by the mother-daughter relationship because it reminds her of her own mother, while Bei Bei becomes solemn and sympathetic.
• Xu Tianming assures the family that the Fools possess extraordinary medical resources. He reveals that he has summoned Herta, the Fools’ second-ranked Executive Officer, whom he trusts to cure the illness.
• A purple magic circle appears in the room, startling Bei Bei and Tang Ya. Xu Tianming explains that Herta has arrived.
• Herta materializes through the circle. She appears as a small, doll-like girl with ash-brown hair, purple eyes, and distinctive black-and-purple clothing, creating a striking contrast between her childish appearance and her immense reputation and abilities.

Character Developments

• Jiang Nannan shows fierce devotion to her mother and refuses to accept that her illness is incurable. Her resolve reveals both her emotional strength and the personal sacrifices she has made, including delaying her own cultivation and education.
• Jiang Nannan’s mother is portrayed as loving but resigned. She feels guilty for burdening her daughter and believes she has little time left, yet Jiang Nannan’s hope briefly rekindles her own.
• Cyrene demonstrates her immense power and compassion by relieving the woman’s symptoms, while also honestly acknowledging the limits of her healing abilities.
• Xu Tianming acts as a confident organizer and source of hope. His certainty about Herta’s capabilities helps restore the family’s belief that recovery is possible.
• Tang Ya reveals her emotional sensitivity when the family’s situation reminds her of her own mother.
• Bei Bei responds with quiet empathy, losing his usual gentle smile as he recognizes the seriousness of the situation.
• Herta is introduced dramatically as a highly capable “genius,” despite her young, doll-like appearance.

Significant Themes

• Family devotion and sacrifice: Jiang Nannan has devoted her life to supporting her mother, even at the expense of her own opportunities.
• Hope against despair: The mother has accepted her fate, but Jiang Nannan and the Fools refuse to surrender, offering the possibility of a cure.
• Limits of power and the need for expertise: Cyrene can suppress the illness but not eliminate it, establishing why Herta’s specialized knowledge is necessary.
• Trust and friendship: Jiang Nannan’s friends rally around her family, while Xu Tianming’s promises and the Fools’ resources create a new source of hope.
• Emotional parallels: Tang Ya’s reaction connects the family’s suffering to her own past, broadening the chapter’s focus from one family’s pain to shared experiences of loss and love.

Character Interactions

• Cyrene reassures Jiang Nannan by temporarily easing her mother’s pain, though she remains honest about the treatment’s limitations.
• Jiang Nannan and her mother share an emotional confrontation: the mother urges her daughter not to sacrifice herself, while Jiang Nannan insists on saving her.
• Bei Bei and Tang Ya help establish trust with the mother through their prior relationship and Shrek Academy status.
• Xu Tianming gives the family a confident promise of recovery and announces Herta’s arrival.
• The chapter ends with Bei Bei, Tang Ya, and Jiang Nannan watching in astonishment as Herta enters through a magical teleportation circle.

Chapter Summary: “Complete Recovery”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Xu Tianming summons Herta to treat Jiang Nannan’s seriously ill mother, while preserving his secret identity and allowing Herta to publicly present herself as the one performing the favor.
• Herta diagnoses Jiang Nannan’s mother as terminally ill, predicting she will not survive another year.
• Jiang Nannan panics and kneels, begging Herta to save her mother and offering any price.
• Herta reveals that Xu Tianming has already paid the cost of her intervention, directing Jiang Nannan’s gratitude toward him.
• Herta administers a rare Pure Life Potion, a product of her research that vastly replenishes vitality and elevates a person’s life essence.
• Jiang Nannan’s mother is healed almost instantly. Her strength, complexion, breathing, and hair all return to a youthful state, allowing her to stand after years of being bedridden.
• Jiang Nannan embraces her mother in tears, while Tang Ya and Bei Bei are astonished by the potion’s miraculous effect and enormous implied value.
• Bei Bei suspects Xu Tianming may have fallen in love with Jiang Nannan because of the extraordinary resources he has spent on her, though the actual reason is Xu’s strategic goal of gaining a future Titled Douluo’s loyalty.
• After completing the treatment, Herta leaves her puppet behind and disconnects. The puppet’s eyes become empty and it stands motionless.

2. Character Developments

• Xu Tianming demonstrates his calculating generosity and long-term planning. He treats the potion and Herta’s intervention as a worthwhile investment intended to secure Jiang Nannan’s complete devotion.
• Herta remains arrogant, detached, and impatient with what she considers trivial matters, but she cooperates with Xu Tianming and deliberately helps him strengthen his position with Jiang Nannan.
• Jiang Nannan shifts from fear and desperation to overwhelming relief and gratitude. Her mother’s recovery deepens her emotional dependence on Xu Tianming.
• Jiang Nannan’s mother goes from a dying, bedridden state to complete health and renewed youth, experiencing the miracle with disbelief and joy.
• Bei Bei becomes suspicious of Xu Tianming’s motives, interpreting his actions as possible romantic interest in Jiang Nannan.
• Tang Ya is visibly shocked by the potion’s power, emphasizing how extraordinary and valuable the cure is.

3. Significant Themes

• Power and wealth as instruments of influence: Xu Tianming uses rare resources and high-level connections to create loyalty and secure future benefits.
• Gratitude and emotional dependence: By saving Jiang Nannan’s mother, Xu places Jiang Nannan in a position where her gratitude may develop into unwavering devotion.
• The contrast between appearance and reality: Herta’s puppet appears small and harmless, yet channels immense authority and miraculous power. Xu Tianming likewise hides his true identity and motives behind a carefully constructed performance.
• Life, healing, and transformation: The Pure Life Potion does more than cure illness; it restores vitality and effectively renews the mother’s life level and appearance.
• Strategic relationships: The chapter presents kindness not simply as compassion, but also as a calculated investment in powerful future allies.

4. Character Interactions

• Herta and Xu Tianming cooperate in front of the others: he plays the respectful petitioner, while she publicly confirms that he has paid the price for her help.
• Jiang Nannan’s desperate pleading to Herta reveals the depth of her love for her mother and her willingness to sacrifice her dignity.
• Herta redirects Jiang Nannan’s gratitude toward Xu Tianming, intentionally strengthening the bond between them.
• Jiang Nannan and her mother share an emotional reunion after the cure, with Jiang embracing her in tears.
• Tang Ya and Bei Bei react with shock to the potion’s effects; Bei Bei particularly studies the relationship between Xu Tianming and Jiang Nannan and forms an incorrect romantic interpretation of his motives.
• Herta’s final disconnection leaves the puppet as an eerie, lifeless object, marking the end of her direct involvement.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Herta leaves, Bei Bei and Tang Ya discover that the “little girl” who confronted them was actually a remotely controlled puppet avatar of the powerful Titled Douluo.
• Xu Tianming officially welcomes Jiang Nannan into the Fools after Herta saves her mother from illness.
• Jiang Nannan agrees to remain in Shrek City rather than leave with Xu Tianming. She will help with the Fools’ planned orphanage and report to Columbina, the Third Harbinger.
• Although members of the Fools could technically also attend Shrek Academy, Xu Tianming decides Jiang Nannan will not enroll there. He believes Shrek’s system focuses on selecting already talented students, eliminating the weak, and fostering excessive competition rather than genuinely educating everyone.
• Tang Ya worries that Jiang Nannan is too young to become involved with the dangerous Fools. Xu Tianming reassures her that Nannan will not immediately be sent into the Rift Realm and will instead receive structured training.
• He reveals that Jiang Nannan may receive one-on-one instruction from a Harbinger, potentially giving her opportunities superior to those available to most Shrek students.
• Tang Ya and Bei Bei leave to prepare for the upcoming freshman assessments. Tang Ya spends time comforting and speaking with Jiang Nannan before departing.
• Xu Tianming gives Jiang Nannan a Communication Soul Tool and instructs her to remain at home until he and Cyrene contact her.
• Xu Tianming and Cyrene then leave to search for a suitable base for Hearth House in Shrek City.

Character Developments

• Jiang Nannan formally joins the Fools out of gratitude for the organization saving her mother. She shows strong loyalty and accepts the consequences, including giving up the chance to attend Shrek Academy.
• Jiang Nannan’s mother fully recovers and understands that her daughter joined the Fools to save her. Though she regrets Nannan may lose the chance to attend Shrek, she respects her daughter’s decision and remains grateful.
• Xu Tianming demonstrates both strategic planning and personal responsibility. He recruits Nannan but also commits to protecting and training her rather than exposing her immediately to danger.
• Tang Ya acts protectively toward Nannan, questioning whether a young girl should join such a dangerous organization.
• Bei Bei and Tang Ya gain a clearer understanding of the Fools’ influence after learning that Nannan can receive personal guidance from a Titled Douluo.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty and gratitude: Jiang Nannan’s decision is driven by the life-saving aid given to her mother, creating a lasting bond between her and the Fools.
• Alternative education and cultivation: The chapter contrasts Shrek Academy’s competitive, elite-focused system with the Fools’ promise of individualized development.
• Protection versus ambition: Xu Tianming insists that joining the Fools does not mean immediately risking one’s life, emphasizing gradual training and support.
• Institutional criticism: Shrek Academy is portrayed as an institution that identifies and rewards exceptional talent rather than nurturing weaker or average students.
• Building a new organization: The planned orphanage and Hearth House base show the Fools expanding their presence and establishing roots in Shrek City.

Character Interactions

• Xu Tianming formally welcomes Jiang Nannan and receives her heartfelt thanks.
• Tang Ya challenges Xu Tianming over Nannan’s future and expresses concern about her age and safety; he responds by explaining the Fools’ training system.
• Jiang Nannan’s mother silently recognizes the sacrifice behind her daughter’s choice and supports it despite her reservations.
• Tang Ya shares an emotional farewell with Jiang Nannan before leaving with Bei Bei.
• Xu Tianming gives Nannan practical instructions and a Communication Soul Tool, reinforcing his role as her protector and organizational superior.

Chapter Summary: Hearth House Branch Established

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Fools’ growing reputation—especially after Jingliu’s earlier actions and the group’s connection to a Titled Douluo—allows them to establish a branch in Shrek City without significant opposition.
• Shrek City welcomes outside organizations because their presence brings population, resources, commerce, and additional support during crises such as beast tides.
• The Fools acquire a large courtyard in the western part of the city for a new Hearth House branch. Its location near the Commoner District makes it suitable for helping homeless children.
• The branch is planned to include living quarters, kitchens, classrooms, an infirmary, and a training ground.
• Cyrene is placed in charge of establishing and managing the branch. Xu Tianming arranges for personnel, supplies, intelligence support, and administrative assistance to be sent from Mingdu.
• Herta’s Little Herta puppet will assist remotely, while First Mirror’s Spatial Warp ability enables rapid transportation of supplies between Mingdu and Shrek City.
• The branch will eventually contain advanced facilities, including a Soul Power Training Room, Mimicry Training Ground, Virtual Combat Arena, and Void Terminals offering educational and informational resources.
• Jiang Nannan’s future training will be arranged after Xu Tianming returns to Mingdu. Although she will lack direct peer competition, her difficult upbringing and desire to repay Xu Tianming motivate her to continue improving.
• Xu Tianming departs through a spatial passage, leaving Cyrene responsible for the branch. The Hearth House Branch officially begins operation.

Character Developments

• Xu Tianming demonstrates his strategic leadership by expanding the Fools’ influence and creating a self-sufficient support system for Hearth House. He places strong trust in Cyrene and carefully plans Jiang Nannan’s development.
• Cyrene takes on a major leadership role. Her emotional sensitivity, spiritual abilities, and sincere belief that Hearth House should be a true home make her especially suited to caring for traumatized children.
• Jiang Nannan begins a new stage of life after joining the Fools. Her gratitude toward Xu Tianming and determination to protect her mother and repay his kindness become powerful motivations for cultivation.
• Herta continues contributing indirectly through technology and the Little Herta puppet, while First Mirror supports the organization’s logistics through spatial transportation.

Significant Themes

• Building a home and community: Hearth House is presented not merely as an institution but as a genuine home where abandoned children can recover and grow.
• Cooperation and mutual support: Shrek City’s prosperity and security depend on cooperation among many outside factions, while the Fools also rely on their members’ different strengths.
• Healing through care and belonging: Cyrene’s role emphasizes emotional recovery and the importance of compassion in helping children overcome trauma.
• Preparation and self-sufficiency: The branch’s advanced facilities and logistical network show the Fools preparing for long-term growth rather than acting only in response to immediate threats.
• Motivation through gratitude and responsibility: Jiang Nannan’s determination to become stronger comes from her desire to repay Xu Tianming and protect the future he gave her.

Character Interactions

• Xu Tianming and Cyrene discuss the branch’s future, with Xu expressing complete confidence in her ability to manage it.
• Cyrene views the work as rewarding rather than burdensome, believing that watching the children grow into independent people will be meaningful.
• Xu Tianming and Cyrene share a warm farewell before his return to Mingdu. He entrusts Hearth House to her, and she promises to make it livelier before his next visit.
• Their exchange reinforces the close partnership and mutual trust between them, while also marking Cyrene’s official responsibility for the Shrek City branch.