Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yang Sheng confronts Li Yan, whose body and consciousness have been overtaken by a terrifying gu worm. Despite the enormous gap between their realms, Yang Sheng uses martial intent to destroy the black blood vessels around Li Yan’s heart.
• Yang Sheng’s final punch pierces Li Yan’s body and crushes the hidden gu worm, restoring Li Yan’s clarity just before his death. Li Yan acknowledges Yang Sheng’s victory.
• Captain Ma is shocked that a Dark Force martial artist defeated someone in the Subtlety Realm. He disappears mysteriously, revealing abilities likely belonging to a Stellar Martial Artist.
• Zhou Mohai realizes that Captain Ma could have killed everyone present if he had intervened, and feels fortunate that he refrained from acting.
• Yang Sheng’s victory saves not only himself but also the tens of thousands of spectators, since Li Yan had lost his humanity and might otherwise have attacked the stands.
• Wang Chao, who had previously doubted Yang Sheng’s strength, now fully acknowledges him. He challenges Yang Sheng in the next match but is defeated after two minutes, accepting the loss with exhilaration rather than resentment.
• Yang Sheng wins three consecutive matches, scores 982 points, and places among the top five students in Yu Prefecture. He becomes the highest-ranked student in Bay City Martial Arts High School’s history.
• Later, Zhou Mohai and Jiang Tian discuss increasing attacks against them and the pressure surrounding their support for Lower Registry students and opposition to the existing class-divided cultivation system.
• Yang Sheng continues his nightly training despite danger surrounding his home. Li Jing visits him, and Yang Sheng teasingly suggests that she attend a university near his in Kyoto so she can conveniently bring him towels.

Character Developments

• Yang Sheng: Demonstrates extraordinary power, courage, and tactical ability by defeating a stronger opponent and protecting the entire audience. His victory establishes him as the school’s greatest student and strengthens his reputation. He remains disciplined and committed to training even after his success.
• Li Yan: Briefly regains his humanity after the gu worm is destroyed, recognizes Yang Sheng’s victory, and dies.
• Wang Chao: Abandons his earlier doubts about Yang Sheng and develops genuine respect for him. Though defeated, he embraces the challenge and accepts the result gladly.
• Zhou Mohai and Jiang Tian: Their conversation reveals that both are committed to resisting social inequality despite political pressure and personal danger. They continue hoping that exceptional Lower Registry students can change the system.
• Li Jing: Shows unwavering faith in Yang Sheng during his battle. Her relationship with him becomes more emotionally suggestive after he playfully teases her.

Significant Themes

• Hope in desperate circumstances: Yang Sheng’s victory embodies Zhou Mohai’s belief that people can find strength and possibility even when the situation seems hopeless.
• Breaking social limitations: A Dark Force martial artist defeating a Subtlety Realm expert challenges the rigid assumptions behind the class-divided cultivation system.
• Persistence and resistance: Zhou Mohai, Jiang Tian, and Yang Sheng all continue pursuing their goals despite danger, criticism, and systemic opposition.
• Recognition through action: Wang Chao’s change in attitude shows how Yang Sheng earns respect not through claims, but through courage and results.
• Possibility and change: The title reflects the characters’ belief that the world is not limited to its current hierarchy or predetermined outcomes.

Character Interactions

• Yang Sheng and Li Yan share a final moment of mutual recognition when Li Yan admits defeat before dying.
• Captain Ma and Zhou Mohai exchange guarded remarks about hope, revealing their opposing positions and the hidden danger surrounding the school.
• Wang Chao and Qian Feng discuss Yang Sheng before Wang Chao challenges him. After losing, Wang Chao accepts Yang Sheng’s superiority without bitterness.
• Zhou Mohai and Jiang Tian discuss their shared Lower Registry background and their determination to keep resisting an unjust system.
• Yang Sheng and Li Jing share a playful exchange that hints at growing closeness: his teasing leaves her embarrassed but secretly pleased.

Chapter Summary: “Money at Last!”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• After Yang Sheng becomes Bay City’s top scorer in the Martial Arts Entrance Exam, his fame spreads throughout the city and even reaches Zheng City.
• The owner of Skysea Boxing Gym capitalizes on Yang Sheng’s popularity by creating promotional materials, preparing medicinal meals, and opening the gym early.
• Hundreds of students arrive hoping to meet Yang Sheng, receive his guidance, and improve their cultivation. The gym quickly becomes overcrowded, with queues stretching several blocks.
• Yang Sheng personally guides students, using the Martial God Soul to identify flaws in their cultivation, simulate improvements, and recommend suitable long-term techniques such as spear or staff skills.
• His efficient and highly personalized guidance proves far more valuable than the expensive instruction offered by competing martial arts schools, causing the gym’s popularity to surge.
• Yang Sheng improves his own cultivation while teaching, gaining more than eighty points after assisting over two hundred students, though the effort leaves him severely exhausted.
• He calls in members of the High-Aspiration Class for help. He Fei and Liu Chang teach beginners, while Yang Sheng handles students at Great Completion of Bright Force.
• By the afternoon, more than a thousand students have been taught. The gym runs out of medicinal meals and closes early because everyone is exhausted.
• The owner reveals that the gym served 1,032 students and earned 1.26 million in one day.
• The profits are divided among Yang Sheng, the owner, Li Jing, Liu Chang, He Fei, and the gym, while the student helpers also receive wages.
• He Fei learns that he personally earned about 100,000, instantly renewing his energy. Yang Sheng receives more than 600,000, marking a major improvement in his family’s financial situation.
• The chapter ends with the owner joyfully throwing cash into the air and declaring, “We’re rich!”

2. Character Developments

• Yang Sheng: Demonstrates a deeper understanding of the Martial God Soul and expands its use from personal combat analysis to teaching and long-term cultivation planning. His growing reputation gives him both influence and a new source of income. He also feels proud that his success can relieve his father’s financial burden.
• Skysea owner: Shows strong business instincts by exploiting Yang Sheng’s sudden fame. He is energetic, ambitious, and delighted by the gym’s enormous profits.
• He Fei: Initially complains about the exhausting work, but his attitude changes completely once he learns how much money he has earned. His excitement reveals both his practical nature and his appreciation for personally earned wealth.
• Liu Chang and Li Jing: Although their families are financially secure, they become enthusiastic because the money comes from their own labor rather than family businesses.
• High-Aspiration Class students: Support Yang Sheng and gain valuable work experience and income by helping teach the crowds.

3. Significant Themes

• Success creating opportunity: Yang Sheng’s examination achievement rapidly transforms Skysea Boxing Gym into a thriving business.
• The value of expertise: Yang Sheng’s ability to provide precise, personalized advice makes his teaching exceptionally valuable.
• Hard work and financial independence: The characters take pride in money earned through their own efforts, especially compared with wealth inherited or generated by their families.
• Strength improving ordinary life: Yang Sheng recognizes that cultivation is meaningful not only for combat or status, but also because it allows him to support his family and improve their quality of life.
• Teamwork and shared prosperity: The gym’s success depends on Yang Sheng’s guidance and the collective efforts of his friends and classmates.
• Humor and material motivation: The characters’ exhaustion disappears almost instantly when they learn their earnings, adding a lighthearted tone to the chapter.

4. Character Interactions

• The Skysea owner organizes the business around Yang Sheng’s fame and later reveals the day’s earnings to the exhausted group.
• Yang Sheng works closely with the students, offering concise but highly effective cultivation advice.
• He Fei and Liu Chang assist by teaching less advanced students, while Yang Sheng focuses on more advanced practitioners.
• He Fei initially argues with the owner about being tired, but his mood changes when he discovers his large earnings.
• Liu Chang teases He Fei by telling him to stop calculating and revealing that he made 100,000.
• The group shares in the excitement of their first major financial success, ending the day with a collective sense of accomplishment.

Chapter Summary: Preparatory Selection Tournament

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yang Sheng returns home unusually early because Skysea Boxing Gym closed ahead of schedule. He notices that the family has finally been free of the frequent visitors who had come after his excellent Martial Arts Entrance Exam results.
• As he enters the house, Jiang Tian ambushes him from behind the door. Yang Sheng avoids the first strike, withstands a powerful whip kick, and attempts a counterattack using the doorframe.
• Jiang Tian easily defeats him with a close-range elbow strike, but praises Yang Sheng for surviving three exchanges. Lu Shan, who is also present, reveals that he and Jiang Tian had bet on whether Yang Sheng could last that long.
• Yang Sheng’s father welcomes the two teachers and arranges a celebratory meal. Before they leave, Lu Shan explains that he has come to deliver important news.
• Lu Shan officially presents Yang Sheng with his admission letter to China Martial Arts University, confirming that Yang Sheng placed first in Bay City’s Martial Arts Entrance Exam.
• The admission letter bears the name of Wu Zhenyue, the university’s president and a legendary martial artist. Yang Sheng recognizes the letter as both an honor and an opportunity to change his future.
• Lu Shan explains that Yang Sheng has been admitted to the prestigious Martial Arts Boxing major. He warns that the program is filled with exceptionally talented students and will be extremely competitive.
• Lu Shan then reveals the second piece of news: China Martial Arts University is inviting Yang Sheng to participate in its annual Preparatory Selection Tournament. Only the top five students from each province’s entrance examination are eligible, and Yang Sheng qualifies as fifth in Yu Prefecture.

Character Developments

• Yang Sheng: Demonstrates major growth in combat ability by surviving three attacks from Jiang Tian, a much stronger martial artist. Although still outmatched, he reacts intelligently, uses his surroundings effectively, and shows improved resilience. His admission to China Martial Arts University marks a major step toward changing his destiny.
• Jiang Tian: Continues to act as a demanding but supportive teacher. His surprise attack tests Yang Sheng’s actual combat ability, while his praise confirms that Yang Sheng’s progress has exceeded expectations.
• Lu Shan: Serves as the bearer of Yang Sheng’s success and future opportunities. He recognizes Yang Sheng’s talent but also warns him about the intense competition awaiting him at the university.
• Father Yang: Remains proud and supportive of his son. He quickly understands Yang Sheng’s attempt to repay the teachers’ kindness and takes the initiative to arrange a celebratory dinner.

Significant Themes

• Growth through hardship: Yang Sheng’s progress is measured by his ability to endure attacks from a vastly stronger opponent rather than by victory.
• Recognition and opportunity: Admission to China Martial Arts University validates Yang Sheng’s efforts and provides him with a path toward a better future.
• Competition among geniuses: The university is portrayed as a gathering place for elite martial artists, foreshadowing greater challenges and rivals.
• Mentorship and gratitude: Jiang Tian and Lu Shan guide Yang Sheng’s development, while Yang Sheng and his father seek to honor their teachers in return.
• Destiny and ambition: The admission letter symbolizes Yang Sheng’s chance to escape his previous limitations and pursue a larger role in the martial arts world.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Tian and Lu Shan jokingly discuss their bet and Jiang Tian’s habitual stinginess, showing their long-standing friendship and familiarity.
• Yang Sheng respectfully thanks both teachers and involves his father in arranging a meal for them.
• Lu Shan advises Yang Sheng about the difficulty of the Boxing major, while Yang Sheng confidently accepts the challenge.
• The chapter ends with Lu Shan extending the invitation to the Preparatory Selection Tournament, setting up Yang Sheng’s next major challenge.

Key plot points and events

• Lu Shan explains that the Preparatory Selection Tournament identifies exceptional students nationwide. Its winners may enter China Martial Arts University’s elite Preparatory Class ahead of schedule.
• The class accepts only thirty students a year and offers extraordinary training resources. Nearly all its graduates become Stellar Martial Artists and head to the Astral Battlefield.
• Lu Shan warns Yang Sheng that the tournament is far more brutal than the Martial Arts Entrance Exam. Its organizers assess participants’ actions, and the results may affect their future admission resources.
• Despite Jiang Tian’s concern about the danger, Yang Sheng accepts without hesitation. Lu Shan arranges for him to leave for Kyoto the next morning.
• Yang Sheng’s father has already packed a large suitcase, expecting that Yang Sheng may enroll directly after the tournament and rarely return home. His careful preparations remind Yang Sheng how thoroughly his father has raised him alone.
• At seven the next morning, Yang Sheng leaves with a university staff member. They drive to Zheng City, where Yang Sheng catches a flight to Kyoto. At the airport, he sees terminals for domestic and international travel, the moon, and the Astral Battlefield.

Character developments and interactions

• Yang Sheng demonstrates resolve by accepting a dangerous, high-stakes opportunity without hesitation. His father’s preparations also make him confront the likelihood of leaving home for good.
• Lu Shan acts as recruiter and mentor: he lays out the tournament’s rewards and risks, then privately approves of Yang Sheng’s unyielding attitude.
• Jiang Tian recognizes the value of the Preparatory Class but worries about Yang Sheng’s safety. After Yang Sheng decides, he offers a brief, heartfelt encouragement.
• Yang Sheng’s father shows his devotion through practical care, packing everything Yang Sheng might need and urging him to focus on his studies.
• The university staff member escorts Yang Sheng and notes that his selection is unusual, since Zheng City students have generally dominated Yu Prefecture’s top ten.

Significant themes

• Ambition and courage: Advancement requires accepting risk rather than retreating from it.
• Opportunity and sacrifice: Elite education promises extraordinary prospects, but may mean leaving family and home behind.
• Parental devotion: Yang Sheng’s father’s meticulous packing conveys years of care more powerfully than words.
• The scale of the world: The airport’s moon and Astral Battlefield terminals hint at the vast, spacefaring future awaiting martial artists.

Summary: “Yu Prefecture Prodigies”

Key Plot Points and Events

• At Zheng City Airport, a burly staff member explains the purpose of the two enormous black towers, known as Star Connectors or Star Launchers. One transports passengers to the moon through a space elevator and relay station, while the other sends space shuttles to distant star regions.
• The towers represent a major turning point in human history, allowing humanity and Stellar Martial Artists to move from defending Earth against alien races to launching offensives in space.
• Yang Sheng checks in his oversized suitcase and enters a private lounge, where he meets the four other Yu Prefecture students selected for the China Martial Arts University Preparatory Selection Competition.
• Qi Ming introduces the other students:
  • Sun Jiahao, ranked third in the Martial Arts Entrance Exam
  • Wu Qiong, ranked second
  • Han Tong, the top scorer with 998 points and the only one among them to reach the peak of Major Dark Force Mastery
  • Qi Ming himself, ranked fourth
• Professor Lu Shan arrives and informs them that they will fly by charter plane to Kyoto Third Airport. Qi Ming explains that the airport was once military property, suggesting that the competition will take place at a military base.
• The five students board the luxurious, nearly empty plane. During the flight, Wu Qiong quietly helps Yang Sheng relieve the pressure in his ears by giving him chewing gum.
• Upon landing, they meet Colonel Feng, a powerful Stellar Martial Artist. His natural presence overwhelms the students, forcing all five to instinctively step back.
• Colonel Feng reveals that he has watched recordings of their matches and welcomes them to the preparatory selection competition.

Character Developments

• Yang Sheng is introduced as inexperienced with the privileges and facilities associated with elite martial artists. He is impressed by the space infrastructure, the charter flight, and the presence of a Stellar Martial Artist. His interaction with the others begins to show him that, despite their talents, they can cooperate as fellow students from Yu Prefecture.
• Qi Ming emerges as friendly, sociable, and well-informed. He takes responsibility for welcoming Yang Sheng and encourages the group to support one another.
• Sun Jiahao appears confident and somewhat teasing, commenting on Yang Sheng’s conspicuous suitcase while playing with a dagger.
• Wu Qiong initially seems quiet and reserved, but his small act of giving Yang Sheng gum reveals a considerate and helpful side.
• Han Tong is portrayed as calm and unassuming, yet exceptionally gifted. His ordinary appearance contrasts with his status as the exam’s top scorer and the strongest student among the five.
• Lu Shan commands immediate respect from the students and acts as their reliable leader and representative.
• Colonel Feng is established as an imposing and highly accomplished Stellar Martial Artist whose presence alone demonstrates the vast gap between his level and that of the students.

Significant Themes

• Humanity’s expansion into space: The Star Connectors symbolize humanity’s technological and martial advancement beyond Earth.
• The hierarchy of martial strength: The students are elite among their peers, but Colonel Feng’s presence reveals how distant the Stellar Martial Artist realm remains.
• Comradeship among competitors: Although the five students are rivals in ability and status, their shared origin encourages mutual support and solidarity.
• Appearance versus true ability: Han Tong’s ordinary appearance hides extraordinary talent, while the students’ intimidating reputations mean little beside the power of a true Stellar Martial Artist.
• Transition into a larger world: The journey from a local airport to a restricted military facility marks the students’ movement from ordinary academic competition into a more serious national and possibly interstellar arena.

Character Interactions

• The burly airport employee enthusiastically explains the Star Connectors to Yang Sheng, though Yang Sheng remains more concerned with handling his luggage.
• Qi Ming initiates contact with Yang Sheng, introduces the other competitors, and offers to help him adjust to unfamiliar circumstances.
• Sun Jiahao lightly mocks Yang Sheng’s oversized suitcase, establishing a teasing, competitive atmosphere.
• Wu Qiong quietly assists Yang Sheng during the flight, demonstrating practical kindness despite his reserved nature.
• The students show immediate respect toward Lu Shan when he enters the lounge.
• Lu Shan interacts respectfully with Colonel Feng, signaling their shared status and professional familiarity.
• Colonel Feng acknowledges each student by name and welcomes them personally, confirming that their talents have already attracted the attention of higher-level martial authorities.

Chapter Summary: “Selection Tournament Begins”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The five representatives from Yu Prefecture—Yang Sheng, Qi Ming, Wu Qiong, Sun Jiahao, and Han Tong—arrive in Kyoto for the preparatory selection tournament.
• At Kyoto Third Airport, Colonel Feng explains the purpose of a massive super base station. It supports communication with the Starship Federation and powers one of the nation’s eight Virtual Dojos.
• Unlike the small simulation used during the Martial Arts Entrance Exam, the Virtual Dojo can recreate battlefields spanning hundreds or thousands of kilometers, closely imitating the Astral Battlefield.
• The group learns that the tournament will have over 170 competitors, consisting of the top five students from each province. Only slightly more than thirty will qualify for the China Martial Arts University Preparatory Class.
• Upon entering the venue, the Yu Prefecture team is mocked by Xu Yuntian from Shanghai City, who insults each member’s appearance.
• Qi Ming identifies Xu Yuntian as a powerful second-place finisher and warns the others about Yang Bing, Shanghai’s top student, who may have secretly reached the Subtlety Realm.
• Han Tong and Yang Sheng urge the group not to respond to the provocation and instead prove themselves during the competition.
• Qi Ming points out several other major competitors, including Tian Tian of Ji Prefecture, whose spear techniques have reached the Subtlety Realm, and Wang Rui of Qingzhou, a renowned blade wielder with an exceptional winning record.
• The tournament’s rules are announced: participants must enter a Virtual Battlefield, kill enough alien enemies, and survive for twenty-four hours.
• No equipment is required because the super base station has already recorded their biological data. The tournament begins only ten seconds after the announcement, catching many competitors off guard.

Character Developments

• Qi Ming demonstrates extensive knowledge of the competitors and the Virtual Dojo. His awareness makes him an important source of strategic information for the team.
• Wu Qiong shows his blunt, hot-tempered nature by immediately wanting to confront Xu Yuntian, but he is restrained by Qi Ming.
• Han Tong displays maturity and self-control, advising the team to avoid unnecessary conflict and focus on the tournament.
• Yang Sheng remains calm in the face of mockery, suggesting that he has become accustomed to discrimination and refuses to be provoked.
• Sun Jiahao reacts with quiet disdain to the insults, maintaining his pride without escalating the situation.
• Xu Yuntian is established as arrogant and aggressive, while Yang Bing appears more composed and responsible, restraining Xu and warning him against causing trouble.
• Several elite competitors are introduced as serious threats, raising the level of competition.

Significant Themes

• Preparation for the unknown: The Virtual Dojo exists to help martial artists adapt to the unfamiliar environment of the Astral Battlefield before facing it in reality.
• Competition and survival: The tournament is not based on formal duels but on killing alien races and surviving, emphasizing practical combat ability.
• Judgment based on appearances: The Yu Prefecture team is mocked because of their unusual appearances, but their true abilities remain unknown.
• Self-control versus provocation: The team chooses not to waste energy on Xu Yuntian’s insults, highlighting discipline and strategic patience.
• Equal opportunity through adversity: Though the tournament offers a path to advancement, the severe competition means only the strongest students will qualify.

Character Interactions

• Colonel Feng educates the group about the Virtual Dojo and prepares them for the seriousness of the tournament.
• Xu Yuntian openly ridicules the Yu Prefecture team, prompting Wu Qiong to react.
• Qi Ming prevents Wu Qiong from acting rashly and explains the danger posed by Yang Bing.
• Han Tong reinforces the decision to avoid conflict, while Yang Sheng silently supports the same approach.
• Yang Bing restrains Xu Yuntian and reminds him that the tournament contains many powerful opponents.
• The chapter ends with all competitors being abruptly transported into the Virtual Battlefield as the selection tournament begins.

Chapter Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Professors from China Martial Arts University observe 170 contestants participating in a simulated battlefield trial at the Third Airport.
• Dean Shang Ming, a highly respected Stellar Martial Artist and Silver Sword Badge holder, arrives to oversee the selection.
• He explains that the university has released thirty-three Preparatory Class spots and intends to identify exceptional students. This class may become the first to train partly at the university’s new lunar branch, making the selection especially important.
• Professor Lu Shan recommends Yang Sheng as an additional evaluation candidate.
• Although Yang Sheng had only reached Bright Force during a special assessment half a month earlier—and had not even entered Bright Force a month before that—he later achieved first place in Bay City and fifth place in Yu Prefecture, demonstrating Major Dark Force-level mastery.
• Impressed by his extraordinary cultivation speed, Shang Ming approves Yang Sheng’s inclusion in the evaluation.
• Contestants are randomly scattered across the enormous Virtual Battlefield and must survive for twenty-four hours.
• Yang Sheng appears in a dense forest. He climbs a tall tree to survey the terrain, but discovers that the tree is abnormal: its horizontally aligned bark suddenly moves, revealing a massive eye. The chapter ends with the revelation that the tree is alive.

Character Developments

• Shang Ming is established as an authoritative and experienced dean whose battlefield achievements command respect. He is also cautious and demanding about selecting students for the university’s potentially groundbreaking lunar program.
• Lu Shan demonstrates strong judgment and confidence in Yang Sheng, recognizing that Yang’s rapid advancement makes him worthy of special attention despite his limited recorded credentials.
• Yang Sheng is portrayed as observant, decisive, and adaptable. Rather than remaining exposed on the ground, he quickly seeks higher ground to analyze the battlefield, showing practical survival instincts.
• The professors’ attitude toward Yang Sheng shifts from skepticism to curiosity after hearing about his unprecedented cultivation progress.

Significant Themes

• Talent and rapid growth: Yang Sheng’s sudden rise from below Bright Force to Major Dark Force mastery highlights the value of potential over conventional records.
• Preparation through hardship: The university uses the battlefield trial to humble gifted students and prepare them for the dangers of real combat.
• The future of martial arts training: The planned lunar campus suggests that the university is investing heavily in producing stronger Stellar Martial Artists through extraterrestrial training.
• Uncertainty and hidden danger: The seemingly quiet forest conceals unexpected threats, reinforcing that survival requires constant vigilance.

Character Interactions

• Shang Ming questions Lu Shan about Yang Sheng’s background and confirms the astonishing timeline of his advancement.
• Lu Shan defends his recommendation by explaining that he personally assessed Yang Sheng and witnessed his progress.
• The other professors initially doubt the nomination, but their skepticism fades once Yang Sheng’s achievements are revealed.
• The chapter concludes with Yang Sheng confronting an unexplained living tree, introducing the first direct danger of the battlefield trial.

Chapter Summary: “Ruleless Melee”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yang Sheng encounters a horrifying Big-Eyed Demon Tree, an alien creature whose bark conceals writhing flesh and whose branches can harden into spear-like weapons.
• The tree attacks by moving its bark, lashing branches, and extending poisonous roots. Yang Sheng narrowly avoids its strikes and discovers that its fluids release toxic smoke.
• Qi Ming appears while fleeing three enormous mutant squirrels with steel-like skin, blood-red eyes, teeth, and claws. He identifies Yang Sheng’s opponent as a mature Big-Eyed Demon Tree, an alien race reportedly powerful enough to match a Subtlety Realm expert.
• Qi Ming mentions that the tree has a weakness but abandons Yang Sheng rather than explaining it.
• Realizing that constant retreat will eventually lead to his death, Yang Sheng chooses to confront the tree and searches for its vulnerable point.
• He notices the tree’s fear and agitation whenever he approaches its giant eye, confirming that the eye is its weakness.
• Yang Sheng climbs the trunk, evades the tree’s own thrashing branches, and destroys the enormous eyeball with a punch infused with Dark Force and Fist Intent.
• The tree withers and collapses. Its death significantly increases Yang Sheng’s cultivation progress, raising him to Subtlety Realm (625/1000).
• The Virtual Battlefield announces new rules: every fifteen minutes, the safe boundary will shrink, forcing contestants and alien creatures toward the center. The number and variety of aliens will also increase after each contraction, beginning the true “ruleless melee.”

Character Development

• Yang Sheng demonstrates adaptability, courage, and tactical thinking. Although initially overwhelmed by the tree’s strength and poison, he stops relying solely on evasion and analyzes its behavior to find its weakness.
• His successful kill reveals a new motivation: alien creatures are not merely threats but opportunities to rapidly advance his cultivation.
• Qi Ming is established as knowledgeable about alien races but self-serving and unwilling to risk himself for Yang Sheng. His desperate flight also shows that he is not yet capable of handling the mutant squirrels alone.

Significant Themes

• Survival through intelligence: Yang Sheng cannot defeat the tree through brute force alone; observing its fear and reactions allows him to exploit its weakness.
• Escalating danger: The battlefield’s shrinking boundaries guarantee increasingly intense confrontations and prevent contestants from hiding indefinitely.
• Risk and reward: Killing powerful alien races is extremely dangerous but provides major cultivation gains.
• Trust and selfishness: Qi Ming offers useful information but ultimately prioritizes his own escape, reinforcing the competitive nature of the battlefield.
• The beginning of chaos: The updated rules transform the battlefield into an unavoidable mass conflict involving contestants and increasingly powerful alien creatures.

Character Interactions

• Yang Sheng and the Big-Eyed Demon Tree engage in a direct battle of evasion, observation, and counterattack.
• Qi Ming encounters Yang Sheng while being pursued by mutant squirrels. He warns Yang Sheng about the tree’s strength and weakness but refuses to stay and help.
• The battlefield’s mechanical announcement affects all contestants, forcing them toward the center and ensuring future clashes among humans and alien races.

Plot points and events

• As the battlefield’s first shrinking boundary closes in, Yang Sheng heads for the central Hills, the highest ground.
• He meets Tian Tian, a wounded contestant from Ji Prefecture, who initially threatens him with her spear. Yang Sheng saves her from a Shrub Wolf, and she explains that another contestant ambushed her; she has already killed two competitors herself.
• Qi Ming rushes past, fleeing a gigantic burrowing insect. The creature is a boss-level threat, unexpectedly awakened early, and has power comparable to a beginner Astral Martial Artist. Yang Sheng grabs Tian Tian and runs after Qi Ming.
• In the control room, the observers decide not to intervene. They reveal two hidden tournament rules: contestants may attack one another, and helping others earns higher evaluation scores. Yang Sheng has met their minimum standard after killing a Big-Eyed Demon Tree, though he has not yet impressed them.
• The observers watch Yang Bing move expertly through a swamp, killing hostile creatures with precise martial intent. One evaluator recommends him for an S Rank resource recommendation.
• At the Hills, packs of Mutant Shrub Wolves overwhelm contestants. Wang Rui and his two Qingzhou companions rescue an Ezhou contestant before continuing uphill.

Character developments and interactions

• Yang Sheng acts quickly to protect Tian Tian and then helps her escape the giant insect, showing courage and concern for others.
• Tian Tian is wary after being ambushed, but Yang Sheng’s intervention softens her attitude. She proves both composed and ruthless, having killed two rival contestants.
• Qi Ming accidentally triggers the giant insect and leads it toward Yang Sheng and Tian Tian.
• Yang Bing displays calm, controlled skill while concealing much of his strength.
• Wang Rui and his companions demonstrate the tournament’s value of helping others by rescuing a contestant in danger.

Significant themes

• Competition versus cooperation: Contestants can attack one another, yet helping others also improves their evaluation.
• Uncertainty and danger: The battlefield’s threats include both hostile creatures and fellow contestants, while unexpected events can rapidly change the balance.
• Merit and judgment: Evaluators assess contestants not only by combat ability but also by their choices and conduct.

Chapter Summary: “You’re Very Attractive”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The selection competition continues, with thirty-one contestants eliminated and nearly seventy reaching the Central Hills. Yang Bing and Wang Rui lead the rankings at the C-rank evaluation level, while the professors debate who might claim the third S-rank Preparatory Class slot.
• Monitoring staff discover an unusual development: Yang Sheng’s punching power is steadily increasing. The growth began after he killed his first Big-Eyed Demon Tree, puzzling even Shang Ming, who orders the information kept secret.
• Qi Ming successfully lures away a Giant Insect, allowing Yang Sheng and Tian Tian to leave hiding and continue toward the Central Hills.
• Shrub Wolves repeatedly attack the pair, drawn by the blood from Tian Tian’s shoulder wound. Yang Sheng kills each one instantly, gradually accumulating cultivation progress.
• Tian Tian reveals that her injury is worsened by poison from weapons used by two Yun Prefecture contestants. Although she killed both attackers, the poison has severely reduced her stamina and strength.
• Yang Sheng insists on staying with Tian Tian, claiming that teammates should not abandon each other. In reality, he benefits from the wolves attracted by her injury, using them as easy sources of cultivation progress.
• By the fourth hour, Yang Sheng kills a Shrub Wolf from ten meters away with condensed Fist Intent. His cultivation progress reaches 800/1000 in the Subtlety Realm, and he celebrates his fifty-sixth wolf kill.
• Tian Tian realizes that Yang Sheng has deliberately kept her nearby because she attracts the wolves. When he jokingly repeats that she is “very attractive,” meaning attractive to monsters, she becomes visibly angry.

Character Development

• Yang Sheng: His strength and punching power continue to rise rapidly through combat experience. He becomes increasingly enthusiastic about hunting alien creatures rather than avoiding them, viewing the competition as an opportunity to advance his cultivation. His opportunistic and somewhat oblivious personality is highlighted by his literal, misleading compliments to Tian Tian.
• Tian Tian: Despite being poisoned and weakened, she remains proud and self-reliant. She initially assumes Yang Sheng’s support resembles the attention she has received from other admirers, but gradually becomes more perceptive about his motives. Her embarrassment over his comment turns into irritation when she understands what he meant.
• Shang Ming: He demonstrates professional curiosity and caution after noticing Yang Sheng’s abnormal growth, choosing to investigate discreetly rather than immediately informing the other professors.
• Qi Ming: He contributes indirectly by using his agility and stamina to lure the Giant Insect away, enabling Yang Sheng and Tian Tian to proceed safely.

Significant Themes

• Strength through risk and combat: While most contestants avoid alien creatures to survive, Yang Sheng discovers that killing them accelerates his cultivation, transforming the competition into a training opportunity.
• Perception versus reality: Tian Tian initially interprets Yang Sheng’s behavior as romantic interest, while Yang Sheng is primarily motivated by the cultivation benefits of traveling with her.
• Teamwork and exploitation: Yang Sheng frames their partnership as loyalty to a teammate, but he is also exploiting Tian Tian’s injury to attract enemies and gain experience.
• Unexpected growth: Yang Sheng’s unexplained improvement suggests that his abilities may operate differently from those of the other contestants, attracting the attention of the professors.
• Romantic misunderstanding and comedy: Tian Tian’s assumption that Yang Sheng is complimenting her personally contrasts with his literal reference to her ability to attract Shrub Wolves, creating the chapter’s central humorous interaction.

Character Interactions

• Yang Sheng and Tian Tian: Their relationship develops through mutual dependence. Tian Tian needs protection while poisoned, and Yang Sheng benefits from accompanying her. Their exchange about her being “attractive” creates embarrassment, misunderstanding, and finally annoyance.
• Yang Sheng and Qi Ming: Qi Ming’s successful distraction of the Giant Insect supports Yang Sheng’s progress and helps the group escape danger.
• Shang Ming and the technician: Their discussion establishes that Yang Sheng’s rapid increase in strength is unusual enough to warrant secret observation, foreshadowing further investigation into his abilities.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Tian Tian and Yang Sheng continue working together in the Virtual Battlefield. Tian Tian attracts Shrub Wolves while Yang Sheng kills them to improve his cultivation.
• After more than ten hours of travel, Yang Sheng reaches the Central Hills with Tian Tian just as the battlefield barrier closes and the final four-hour survival battle begins.
• Yang Sheng’s cultivation progress reaches Subtlety Realm (948/1000), but killing weaker creatures no longer provides meaningful advancement.
• At the summit, over forty contestants are fighting a massive horde of alien creatures. Many have already been eliminated, leaving only a few survivors from most prefectures.
• Several major contestants are badly injured:
  • Han Tong is burned by alien blood while fighting.
  • Wu Qiong loses several fingers but continues battling.
  • Sun Jiahao loses an arm after enduring a difficult journey and a Prairie Wolf assault.
  • Qi Ming remains relatively unharmed because of his exceptional movement techniques.
• Yang Bing and Wang Rui form the strongest defensive line, combining Yang Bing’s powerful Fist Intent with Wang Rui’s saber techniques.
• The Giant Insect, an Entry Tier ultimate boss capable of inducing overwhelming fear, suddenly emerges at the summit. Its mental attack freezes Han Tong and causes several contestants to be swallowed.
• Yang Sheng arrives at the crucial moment and strikes the Giant Insect with his Peak Major Dark Force Mastery Fist Intent. His punch forces the monster underground, temporarily saving Han Tong and stabilizing the battlefield.
• The remaining Yu Prefecture contestants regroup around Yang Sheng. Han Tong thanks him, Wu Qiong expresses gratitude despite his injuries, and Sun Jiahao jokingly complains that Yang Sheng has stolen the spotlight—and is even accompanied by Tian Tian.
• In the central control room, the professors debate who should receive the final S-rank selection spot. Shang Ming ultimately recommends Yang Sheng, recognizing his decisive contribution and strength.

Character Developments

• Yang Sheng demonstrates both exceptional combat power and strong battlefield awareness. Rather than merely surviving, he intervenes at the most dangerous moment and repels the Giant Insect, establishing himself as one of the tournament’s clear leaders.
• Tian Tian remains frustrated by Yang Sheng’s treatment of her as a tool for attracting monsters, though she is also relieved that their relationship appears to be based on mutual benefit rather than romantic pursuit.
• Han Tong suffers severe physical and psychological danger but continues fighting. His willingness to openly thank Yang Sheng marks a shift in their relationship and suggests growing respect.
• Wu Qiong displays remarkable endurance by fighting despite losing fingers and suffering heavy blood loss.
• Sun Jiahao is revealed to have survived an extremely difficult journey from the edge of the map. His humorous reaction to Yang Sheng provides comic relief amid the brutal battle.
• Qi Ming confirms his reputation as the fastest and most mobile contestant, allowing him to avoid much of the damage suffered by others.
• Yang Bing and Wang Rui are shown to be highly reliable elites whose teamwork protects the remaining contestants.
• Shang Ming makes the decisive judgment that Yang Sheng deserves the final S-rank position, elevating Yang Sheng’s status among the tournament’s survivors.

Significant Themes

• Strength proven through decisive action: Yang Sheng’s intervention against the Giant Insect demonstrates that true ability is revealed in critical moments, not merely through accumulated kills or cultivation progress.
• Cooperation amid competition: Although the contestants are competing for limited rankings, survival forces them to defend one another and recognize each other’s contributions.
• Endurance and sacrifice: The injuries suffered by Han Tong, Wu Qiong, and Sun Jiahao emphasize the cost of surviving the tournament.
• Fear as a weapon: The Giant Insect’s ability to attack the mind shows that danger in the battlefield is not limited to physical strength.
• Recognition and merit: The debate over the S-rank spot highlights how achievements are evaluated. Yang Sheng’s willingness to protect others ultimately outweighs more conventional candidates.
• Transactional relationships and trust: Tian Tian and Yang Sheng’s partnership begins as an exchange of benefits, while Yang Sheng’s rescue of the group starts creating genuine respect and loyalty among the other contestants.

Character Interactions

• Tian Tian and Yang Sheng maintain a tense but mutually beneficial partnership, with Tian Tian drawing enemies and Yang Sheng using them to advance.
• Yang Sheng saves Han Tong from the Giant Insect, prompting Han Tong to address him directly and thank him for the first time.
• Wu Qiong acknowledges Yang Sheng’s help with a weak smile and a raised thumb.
• Sun Jiahao teases Yang Sheng for receiving attention after arriving late and jokes about Tian Tian accompanying him.
• Yang Bing and Wang Rui silently acknowledge Yang Sheng after he joins the defense, signaling respect among the strongest fighters.
• The professors argue over the final S-rank candidate before Shang Ming ends the dispute by endorsing Yang Sheng.

Key plot points and events

• In the Control Room, Shang Ming nominates Yang Sheng for S-rank based on his rapidly rising punching power. Several professors object, citing his limited achievements and lack of reputation, but agree to wait for the final hour of the battlefield.
• As alien creatures overwhelm the contestants’ four defensive lines, Han Tong trusts Yang Sheng to hold the southern line alone and sends the others to reinforce weaker positions. Tian Tian stays with Yang Sheng.
• Yang Sheng slaughters the Prairie Wolves at an extraordinary pace, growing stronger as he fights. He clears his own line, then charges across the battlefield to clear the eastern line too. The wolves begin to avoid him, and the contestants regain the initiative.
• With fifteen minutes left, the Giant Insect reappears, taking out two contestants and trapping the survivors. It targets Yang Sheng with a mental attack that drags him into a vortex of painful memories.
• The Martial God Soul manifests within Yang Sheng’s mind and pulls him free. Golden light surrounds his fist as he attacks and kills the Giant Insect—an unprecedented feat in the selection tournament.
• Witnessing his performance, all the professors agree to nominate Yang Sheng for S-rank. One professor wonders whether any grade can adequately describe him.

Character developments and interactions

• Yang Sheng goes from an overlooked, fifth-ranked contestant to the battlefield’s most formidable fighter. His stamina and strength continue to rise during prolonged combat, and his hidden Martial God Soul lets him withstand the Giant Insect’s mental assault.
• Han Tong demonstrates faith in Yang Sheng by leaving him to defend a line alone; Tian Tian likewise stays beside him and tries to help when the Giant Insect attacks.
• Yang Bing and Wang Rui, initially treated as the leading fighters, recognize Yang Sheng’s growing power and immense kill count. Wu Qiong and Sun Jiahao are also forced to reconsider their impressions of him.
• Shang Ming’s faith in Yang Sheng is vindicated. The skeptical professors, including the professor who opposed the nomination most strongly, ultimately acknowledge Yang Sheng’s ability.

Significant themes

• Potential versus proven ability: Yang Sheng’s statistics first suggest promise, but his battlefield feats turn that promise into undeniable evidence.
• Growth through adversity: Relentless combat steadily increases Yang Sheng’s strength and skill.
• Trust and recognition: Han Tong’s confidence, Tian Tian’s support, and the professors’ eventual agreement mark a shift from doubt to respect.
• Limits of conventional rankings: Yang Sheng’s performance—and especially his defeat of a boss monster not meant to be killed—raises the possibility that S-rank is no longer sufficient to describe him.

Key events

• Yang Sheng kills the Giant Insect, ending the Prairie Wolves’ coordinated assault and securing the survival of all twenty-eight remaining contestants. His decisive performance makes tournament history.
• The survivors return to the venue, where Colonel Feng warns them that mind control and betrayal are real dangers on the Astral Battlefield. The professors announce that the top thirty-three contestants will enter the Preparatory Class.
• Yang Sheng earns a perfect score of 100—the first contestant ever to receive full marks from every professor. All five contestants from Yu Prefecture qualify.
• The students choose to stay at Third Airport Base before classes begin. Qi Ming receives a B-rank resource contract; Yang Sheng is summoned separately to sign his.
• The professors award Yang Sheng an unprecedented SS-rank contract: forty million in annual training resources, permanent top-level Advanced Training Room access, the Technique Library’s highest reading privileges, and unlimited medical care. He signs without hesitation.

Character developments and interactions

• Yang Sheng’s combat achievement earns him broad admiration, including from fellow prodigies Yang Bing and Wang Rui. He also reaches the Subtlety Realm, completing an extraordinary month of progress since his Martial God Soul awakened.
• Qi Ming and Wu Qiong proudly introduce Yang Sheng to the others; Han Tong accepts that Yang Sheng’s strength has surpassed old rankings. Tian Tian joins the group in cheering him on.
• Colonel Feng restores order when contestants begin confronting those who used sneak attacks, urging them to stay calm and prepare for the battlefield’s moral and mental hazards.
• Shang Ming and the professors formally recognize Yang Sheng’s potential, while Lu Shan expresses pride in him. Qi Ming’s playful envy of Yang Sheng’s special treatment ends in shock when he discovers the SS-rank contract.

Significant themes

• Merit and recognition: Yang Sheng’s actions overturn doubts about his earlier performance and earn unanimous approval.
• Team survival and leadership: His decisive intervention saves the group and helps all five Yu Prefecture contestants qualify.
• Preparation for harsher realities: The warnings about manipulation and betrayal foreshadow dangers beyond the tournament.
• Commitment to growth: Yang Sheng’s immediate acceptance of the contract reflects his confidence and dedication to becoming a Stellar Martial Artist.

Plot points and events

• During a two-day break from assignments, Yang Sheng reviews his China Martial Arts University contract. His benefits include 15 million in cash, extensive supplies of Great Medicine—including ten Blazing Sun Hearts annually—and access to advanced equipment. He learns that elite training facilities are extraordinarily expensive, underscoring how much wealth high-level martial arts demands.
• After resting, Yang Sheng arrives at China Martial Arts University, still struck by how far his life has changed in a month. He registers for the fist-technique major and is assigned to Fist Class Two.
• At registration, student assistant Guan Qian reveals that Yang Sheng is a rare Lower Registry student. Her careless praise of his talent at the expense of Upper Registry students offends nearby families. Yang Sheng tactfully defuses the tension, insisting all admitted students have worked hard.
• Yang Sheng settles into a four-person dorm and befriends fellow Yu Prefecture student Meng Zhen. While cleaning the room, he confronts roommate Yu Wenjie for kicking and dirtying his suitcase. Yu Wenjie and another Shanghai City roommate try to intimidate him with their Major Dark Force, but Yang Sheng’s Subtlety Realm presence overwhelms them. The dorm supervisor interrupts, and Yu Wenjie threatens to involve Xu Yuntian, a powerful acquaintance. Yang Sheng stops him from leaving and insists he clean the suitcase.

Character developments and interactions

• Yang Sheng is grateful for his unprecedented opportunity but remains practical about the cost of advancement. He shows humility at registration, then firmness and self-respect when challenged in the dorm.
• Guan Qian is eager to gain influence as class monitor, but her impulsive remarks reveal poor judgment. Advisor Gao Peng remains unconvinced about appointing her.
• Meng Zhen quickly connects with Yang Sheng over their shared home region. Though initially anxious during the confrontation, he eventually stands up for Yang Sheng.
• Yu Wenjie looks down on Yang Sheng’s regional and social background and relies on status and connections to bully him. His confidence falters when Yang Sheng displays his superior realm.
• The scene contrasts Yang Sheng’s restrained power with the roommates’ blustering show of force.

Significant themes

• Talent, privilege, and opportunity: Yang Sheng’s Lower Registry background contrasts with the wealth and resources many students possess.
• The cost of martial advancement: Money, medicine, and specialized equipment are essential to progress, making elite cultivation difficult to access.
• Class and regional prejudice: Guan Qian’s comments and Yu Wenjie’s insults expose biases between social groups and regions.
• Dignity and restraint: Yang Sheng does not boast about his strength, but refuses to accept disrespect or let others intervene on his behalf.

Plot points and events

• Yu Wenjie, after being cornered by Yang Sheng, wipes the shoeprint from Yang’s suitcase and leaves the dorm with his roommate. He threatens to return that night with Xu Yuntian.
• Meng Zhen worries that Xu’s reputation—and his connection to the influential Yang Bing—could make trouble for Yang. Yang remains calm and dismisses the dispute as childish.
• Concerned for his new roommate, Meng Zhen calls Sun Jiahao, a Preparatory Class student he knows. Sun agrees to come to the dorm that evening and confront Xu Yuntian.
• Yang explores campus. At the central plaza, he sees a monument honoring university alumni killed on the Astral Battlefield, including many who died at the Subtlety Realm. The memorial makes him consider that he, too, might one day be remembered there.
• At a campus pharmacy, Yang learns that Marrow-Cleansing Liquid helps transform the body so Subtlety Realm martial artists can better sense and absorb star source. It must be used in a specialized medicinal bath. Yang buys two bottles, hoping his Martial God Soul will amplify its effects.

Character developments and interactions

• Yang Sheng stands his ground against Yu Wenjie but refuses to be rattled by threats. His curiosity about the university and serious reflection at the memorial reveal both his modest background and growing awareness of the path ahead.
• Meng Zhen is anxious about the danger Yang may face, yet proves loyal and resourceful by calling Sun Jiahao for help. His deference to Jiahao also shows how much status matters in this martial-arts world.
• Sun Jiahao responds decisively once he hears Xu Yuntian’s name, motivated partly by his prior clash with Xu at the Third Airport Base.
• Yu Wenjie’s pride and privilege are established through his anger at being challenged and his reliance on stronger allies. Xu Yuntian remains an offstage threat.

Significant themes

• Status and power: Martial ability and connections shape campus life, while even admission to the university ranks below the elite Preparatory Class.
• Loyalty and solidarity: Meng Zhen risks using a personal favor to protect someone he has only just met.
• Ambition and sacrifice: The memorial reminds Yang that advancement carries the possibility of death, not merely prestige.
• Preparation for transformation: The Marrow-Cleansing Liquid introduces the bodily conditioning required to progress toward becoming a Stellar Martial Artist—and Yang’s hope that his unusual ability can give him an edge.

Plot points and events

• While wandering Goods Street, Yang Sheng buys Marrow-Cleansing Liquid and an old copy of Basic Fist Technique by legendary martial artist Lian Zhantian. He finds the original manual richer and more coherent than the simplified version he learned in school, especially in its guidance on training conditions and nature’s rhythms. Absorbed in the book, he reads until nightfall.
• Tian Tian finds him and invites him to dinner as thanks for his help during the selection competition. At the tea restaurant, they talk about Yang Sheng’s rapid progress. When she asks about his past, he explains that hardship made him determined: “Fate made me angry.” He tells her about his difficult but meaningful high-school years, and Tian Tian says she would like to visit Bay City.
• Their conversation is interrupted by Yu Wenjie, who arrives with Xu Yuntian and two other students. Yu demands that Yang Sheng explain himself to Xu. Xu initially intends to intimidate him, but recognizes Yang Sheng and Tian Tian as Preparatory Class students. He immediately changes course, slaps Yu Wenjie instead, and apologizes to Yang Sheng.
• The chapter ends as another young man with striking yellow hair arrives, shouting for Xu Yuntian to come out and accusing him of bullying his brother.

Character developments and interactions

• Yang Sheng shows his disciplined approach to cultivation by studying a foundational manual despite his strength. He is modest and reserved in conversation, but his account of adversity reveals the anger and resolve driving his progress.
• Tian Tian is grateful for Yang Sheng’s protection during the competition and seeks his company. Her curiosity about his background deepens into sympathy and respect; she also hints at wanting to know him better by proposing a visit to Bay City.
• Yu Wenjie tries to use Xu Yuntian’s authority to confront Yang Sheng, but his confidence collapses when Xu turns on him.
• Xu Yuntian arrives looking for someone weaker to vent his frustration on, then becomes conciliatory once he realizes Yang Sheng and Tian Tian are powerful Preparatory Class students.

Significant themes

• Perseverance and self-determination: Yang Sheng’s progress is tied to hardship and a refusal to accept the fate he was given.
• Learning beyond formal instruction: The original manual offers a more integrated understanding of martial arts than the school’s simplified curriculum.
• Power and status: Xu’s sudden reversal shows how social confidence and aggression depend on whom someone believes they can safely target.
• Connection and gratitude: Tian Tian’s invitation and interest in Yang Sheng’s past grow out of the trust formed when he protected her.

Key plot points and events

• Sun Jiahao arrives with Meng Zhen and confronts Xu Yuntian, assuming he is troubling Yang Sheng. After Tian Tian’s anger makes clear there is no real fight to break up, Sun awkwardly steers Xu and Meng away.
• Yu Wenjie declines Yang Sheng’s invitation to join dinner. Yang and Tian enjoy their meal, and Tian tells him that class officers at the university can influence access to resources and help build alliances for the Astral Battlefield.
• Tian has agreed to become president of Spearmanship Class Four. Yang decides he may run for president of his own class, recognizing that leadership and the ability to inspire loyalty matter alongside martial strength.
• Back at the dorm, Yang finds that Yu Wenjie and Wang Jie have cleaned the room. Yu apologizes for his earlier behavior, accepts a junior “brother” role in the roommates’ age-based hierarchy, and offers to help Yang meet classmates.
• Yang asks Yu to build connections in the class and help arrange a gathering. Meng Zhen reveals that Guan Qian is also seeking the presidency and has already contacted classmates by helping with registration and giving the girls small gifts.
• Yang recruits Meng to gather information, including from near the women’s dormitory. Meng supports Yang’s campaign and hopes to qualify for a special class such as Yao Class.

Character developments

• Yang Sheng shifts from focusing mainly on personal training toward pursuing leadership and influence. He keeps his SS-rank Preparatory Class status private to avoid attracting excessive attention.
• Tian Tian shows practical ambition: she sees class leadership as a way to secure resources, build a reputation, and create support for future dangers.
• Yu Wenjie reverses his antagonistic behavior, apologizes, and becomes willing to help Yang.
• Meng Zhen proves loyal and resourceful, while also showing his own ambition to advance into a special class.
• Guan Qian emerges as a capable political rival who has already begun building relationships strategically.

Significant themes

• Leadership beyond strength: Success requires charisma, organization, and the ability to rally others—not just combat skill.
• Competition for opportunity: University resources and positions must be earned, making networking and initiative important.
• Trust and discretion: Yang values close allies but chooses not to publicize his exceptional status yet.
• Changing relationships: A tense first day turns former rivals and new acquaintances into potential allies.

Character interactions

• Sun Jiahao’s protective intervention for Yang quickly becomes awkward when he realizes Tian Tian is the one truly upset; he and Xu Yuntian leave to avoid escalating matters.
• Tian and Yang discuss class leadership over dinner, with her advice prompting his decision to consider running.
• Yu’s apology and Meng’s loyalty give Yang the beginnings of a campaign team, while Meng’s report about Guan Qian alerts him to a serious competitor.

Key plot points and events

• Yang Sheng receives a new communicator from Li Jing, who calls to share the success of Skysea Boxing Gym and tell him she has applied to the Kyoto Arts Institute. He discourages her from coming to Kyoto early, explaining that he will be too busy to spend time with her.
• A second communicator arrives from Liu Chang. During their call, she confirms that her desire to be with Yang Sheng—and have a child with him—is serious. Yang Sheng feels awkward and ends the conversation quickly.
• His roommates mistake both women for girlfriends and jokingly beg Yang Sheng to teach them how to attract women. Yang Sheng insists he is still single, and the dorm ends the night laughing together.
• Over the next two days, Yang Sheng builds a connection with his class advisor, Gao Peng, by asking for advice. This helps him gain early access to the university’s Advanced Training Rooms.
• On his third day, Yang Sheng uses his access card to enter the advanced facilities. He chooses the Advanced Medicinal Bath Room, where an attendant is waiting for him.

Character developments and interactions

• Yang Sheng balances gratitude, ambition, and discomfort. He cares about Li Jing but prioritizes training; he respects Liu Chang as a senior disciple yet does not return her romantic feelings. He also deliberately uses favors and reciprocity to build relationships at school.
• Li Jing is excited about Yang Sheng’s success and her own plans for Kyoto, while showing affection by sending him a communicator.
• Liu Chang remains determined to pursue Yang Sheng, despite choosing Zheng City Martial Arts University at her family’s insistence.
• The roommates grow closer to Yang Sheng. Yu Wenjie and Meng Zhen admire his supposed romantic prowess, while Wang Ju timidly mentions his own experience with a girl. Their teasing gives way to friendly roughhousing.
• Gao Peng becomes an early connection for Yang Sheng, helping him access valuable training facilities.

Significant themes

• Romance and misunderstanding: The roommates interpret Yang Sheng’s calls as proof that he has multiple girlfriends, though he maintains that he is single.
• Ambition and opportunity: Yang Sheng uses initiative and social connections to secure access to elite training resources.
• Friendship and belonging: Humor and reconciliation help transform the roommates’ difficult first day into a warm, supportive bond.

Plot points and events

• Yang Sheng undergoes his first Marrow-Washing in the Advanced Training Room. Xiao Mei explains the safety requirements, prepares the medicated bath, and stays with him.
• The process causes intense, needlelike pain and muscle spasms. Xiao Mei steadies him and presses key acupoints, easing the pain and helping the medicine flow through his meridians.
• Impurities emerge from Yang Sheng’s pores. He confirms that the treatment raises the cultivation figures on his progress panel. After two hours, he feels lighter and quicker, and decides to return for further treatments.
• Back at the dorm, Yang Sheng invites his roommates to dinner at Great Medicine Barbecue. He asks Yu Wenjie to invite the boys in their class and assigns Meng Zhen to invite the girls. Yu Wenjie is initially hesitant, but Yang Sheng encourages him to try.
• Yang Sheng then visits class adviser Gao Peng. He quietly fills Gao’s empty cup while waiting, and Gao asks why he has come.

Character developments and interactions

• Yang Sheng shows grit by enduring the painful treatment, resourcefulness by checking its effect on his cultivation panel, and generosity by organizing a class dinner. His small, considerate gesture toward Gao also distinguishes him from the other prodigies.
• Xiao Mei acts as both a professional attendant and a skilled practitioner, keeping Yang Sheng safe and guiding him through the treatment.
• Yu Wenjie worries about refusing Yang Sheng and doubts he can persuade classmates to attend, but Yang Sheng treats his plans casually and gives him a straightforward role.
• Meng Zhen eagerly accepts the task of inviting the girls, reflecting his enthusiasm for socializing with them.
• Gao Peng initially regards Yang Sheng as one student among many, but notices his unusual attentiveness when Yang Sheng fills his cup.

Significant themes

• Discipline and endurance: Yang Sheng meets physical pain with the resolve he developed through earlier hardship.
• Cultivation and transformation: Marrow-Washing physically clears impurities and advances Yang Sheng’s measurable progress, linking bodily change to future power.
• Leadership and camaraderie: Yang Sheng takes initiative to bring classmates together, while allowing others to participate on their own terms.
• Consideration over status: His simple courtesy toward Gao contrasts with the self-absorption Gao associates with gifted students.

Plot and events

• Yang Sheng invites advisor Gao Peng to a dinner for all of Fist Class Two, presenting it as a way for the new students to get acquainted. Gao agrees and offers to pay.
• Yang Sheng, with help from Yu Wenjie and Meng Zhen, gathers all fifty-four students. Gao is surprised by how successfully the class has come together and begins to see Yang Sheng as a possible class monitor.
• At Great Medicine Barbecue, Gao encourages everyone to relax and talk. Medicinal food and wine fuel a lively evening, with students turning drinking into a friendly competition. Gao stays composed and watches over the group.
• Guan Qian praises Yang Sheng’s organizing and suggests that, if she becomes class monitor, he could be her deputy. Yang Sheng accepts the partnership—but privately imagines himself as monitor and Guan Qian as deputy. She drinks enthusiastically and passes out.
• After four hours, the group leaves. Gao learns Yang Sheng secretly paid the 30,000-yuan bill. Impressed by Yang Sheng’s planning and conduct, Gao says he may need to reconsider his choice of class monitor.

Character developments and interactions

• Yang Sheng uses the dinner to demonstrate initiative, leadership, and attention to detail. He is ambitious: becoming class monitor is a first step toward gaining the influence he believes a future legendary martial artist needs. He treats Guan Qian warmly while quietly positioning himself to lead.
• Gao Peng shifts from favoring Guan Qian to seriously considering Yang Sheng. Yang Sheng’s success in uniting the class, managing the evening, and paying the bill all strengthen Gao’s confidence in him.
• Guan Qian recognizes Yang Sheng’s abilities and offers to work with him, though she assumes she would be monitor. Her drinking leaves her unconscious by the end of the meal, weakening Gao’s impression of her.
• The students begin as strangers but bond through the shared meal, conversation, and competitive drinking.

Significant themes

• Leadership is more than strength: Yang Sheng sees charisma, organization, and the ability to rally others as essential to his larger ambitions.
• Initiative earns trust: His thoughtful actions influence Gao more than background or prior connections.
• Community and competition: The dinner builds class unity while youthful pride turns drinking into a contest.