Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Tang Li brutally whips Xie Xie with a branch and then a vine, repeatedly demanding that he surrender. Xie Xie stubbornly resists, though Tang Li has accidentally sealed his mouth and prevented him from responding.
• Tang Wulin arrives and points out that Xie Xie cannot speak and is terrified. Tang Li releases him, apologizes, and claims he had only intended to restrain him securely.
• Xie Xie finally declares defeat, insults Tang Li as a “pervert,” and limps away with severe bruising.
• Tang Li later treats Xie Xie’s injuries with a pistol-shaped healing Soul Tool, rapidly reducing the swelling on his buttocks.
• Na’er contacts Tang Li telepathically and says she has persuaded Gu Yue to seek him out. Tang Li misinterprets this as an opportunity to capture and refine Gu Yue—the Silver Dragon King’s half-body—into an extraordinarily powerful Soul Ring using the Demon-Sealing Pot.
• Tang Li considers the practical difficulties of containing the Silver Dragon King’s immense energy and suspects Na’er may have another plan. Na’er, however, is shocked by his interpretation and privately considers Gu Yue unworthy of competing with her.
• Tang Li and Tang Wulin stroll through Eastsea Park. Tang Wulin notices that her cultivation is progressing unusually quickly there and feels closely connected to the plants. Tang Li understands the hidden reason but chooses not to reveal that she is not fully human.
• The following morning, Tang Li returns to meditation after healing Xie Xie, who had been unable to sleep because of his injuries.

Character Developments

• Tang Li is shown as sadistic and mischievous but also capable of remorse and care. He is proud of his control and “kindness,” yet his thoughts about refining Gu Yue reveal his ruthless ambition and willingness to exploit immense power.
• Xie Xie proves stubborn and proud, refusing to surrender until Tang Wulin clarifies the misunderstanding. The experience leaves him frightened and resentful of Tang Li.
• Tang Wulin acts as the voice of reason, stopping Tang Li’s excesses and criticizing his behavior. She remains protective of others and notices when Tang Li is planning trouble.
• Na’er continues manipulating events behind the scenes by encouraging Gu Yue to approach Tang Li. Her feelings toward Tang Li appear possessive, especially regarding the possibility of creating a Wisdom Soul Ring.
• Gu Yue does not appear directly, but her approaching meeting with Tang Li becomes the chapter’s major potential development.

Significant Themes

• Cruelty disguised as playfulness: Tang Li treats violence as a joke, while the consequences for Xie Xie are genuinely painful and frightening.
• Power and exploitation: Tang Li views the Silver Dragon King’s immense cultivation as a resource that could be converted into a Soul Ring.
• Miscommunication: Na’er’s vague message leads Tang Li to imagine an entirely different plan from the one she intended.
• Hidden identities and concealed truths: Tang Li understands the real nature of Tang Wulin’s connection to plants but withholds the truth to protect her from learning about her nonhuman origins.
• Morality and ambition: Tang Li’s ability to heal Xie Xie contrasts with his disturbing willingness to sacrifice or refine another powerful being for personal gain.

Important Character Interactions

• Tang Li and Xie Xie: Their antagonistic relationship becomes more extreme, with Tang Li overpowering and humiliating Xie Xie before later treating him.
• Tang Li and Tang Wulin: Tang Wulin restrains Tang Li’s behavior and criticizes his lack of judgment, while Tang Li remains playful and dismissive of her concerns.
• Tang Li and Na’er: Their telepathic exchange reveals significant miscommunication and Na’er’s possessive feelings toward Tang Li.
• Tang Wulin and Tang Li in Eastsea Park: Their quiet walk allows Tang Wulin to discuss her unusual cultivation growth, while Tang Li silently protects her from a painful revelation.

Chapter Summary: Class, Wu Zhangkong Personally Tests Them

Key Plot Points and Events

• Tang Li has breakfast with Tang Wulin and Senior Ouyang Zixin in the student cafeteria. Ouyang learns that the siblings are in Class Five rather than Class One because they fought their roommates during registration.
• Tang Wulin becomes irritated when Tang Li seems to enjoy speaking with Ouyang Zixin, though Tang Li does not understand the reason for her mood.
• Wu Zhangkong begins teaching Class Five and takes the students to the training field for a combat assessment. He announces a single-elimination practical test to evaluate their abilities.
• When a support-type student questions whether she must participate, Wu Zhangkong insists that no enemy will spare her in battle. He then chooses Tang Li as his first opponent and personally demonstrates the importance of combat readiness.
• Tang Li immediately uses all three of his Soul Skills:
  • His first skill weakens blood and qi while causing mental disruption.
  • His second skill, Soul-Refining Bind, seals and refines part of Wu Zhangkong’s Martial Soul.
  • His third skill further supports his ability to maintain the attack.
• Although Wu Zhangkong breaks free with his icy sword qi, Tang Li’s Soul-Refining Bind reduces Wu Zhangkong’s effective Soul Power to Level Fifty and limits him to his first three Soul Skills.
• Tang Li then copies Wu Zhangkong’s Heavenly Frost Sword. With the Demon-Sealing Pot supplying spiritual energy from the Pot World, he greatly amplifies the copied Martial Soul and launches Wu Zhangkong’s own Frost Mark technique back at him.
• Wu Zhangkong manages to deflect the first attack, but Tang Li follows with a powerful storm of Frost Mark sword qi. Because Tang Li can sustain his techniques through spiritual energy, he appears capable of exhausting even the highly experienced Wu Zhangkong.

Character Developments

• Tang Li: Demonstrates exceptional confidence, tactical creativity, and overwhelming versatility. Rather than merely relying on raw Soul Power, he combines debuffs, Martial Soul refinement, copied abilities, and external spiritual-energy support. His performance suggests that even powerful instructors must take him seriously.
• Tang Wulin: Remains energetic and focused on eating and training, but becomes visibly jealous or embarrassed when Tang Li interacts warmly with Ouyang Zixin. She also instinctively stays close to him during the class formation.
• Wu Zhangkong: Reveals his strict teaching philosophy and formidable combat experience. Though initially confident, he is surprised by the extent of Tang Li’s abilities and recognizes that Tang Li’s copied sword and amplified Frost Mark possess abnormal power.
• Ouyang Zixin: Becomes more interested in Tang Wulin and Tang Li after seeing their close relationship and learning that they study under Wu Zhangkong. She views the siblings as amusing and unusual.

Significant Themes

• Combat readiness over specialization: Wu Zhangkong emphasizes that every Soul Master, including support types, must be prepared to fight directly.
• Hidden strength and underestimated talent: Tang Li’s placement in Class Five does not reflect his true ability; he quickly proves capable of challenging a powerful teacher.
• Adaptability and strategy: Tang Li wins advantages by weakening his opponent, restricting his Martial Soul, copying techniques, and using spiritual energy creatively rather than relying on conventional strength alone.
• Sibling closeness and jealousy: Tang Wulin and Tang Li’s deep bond is highlighted, alongside Tang Wulin’s possessive irritation when another girl attracts Tang Li’s attention.
• Teacher and student evaluation: The practical test establishes that Wu Zhangkong intends to judge the students through real combat, while Tang Li’s unexpected counterperformance forces Wu Zhangkong to reassess him.

Character Interactions

• Tang Li and Tang Wulin share a familiar, close sibling dynamic, with Tang Wulin encouraging him to join her morning runs.
• Ouyang Zixin interacts warmly with both siblings, praising their closeness and questioning why such talented students were placed in Class Five.
• Tang Wulin’s silent anger toward Tang Li creates comic tension, especially because he cannot understand what he did wrong.
• Wu Zhangkong challenges the class through a support-type student’s question, then selects Tang Li for a direct demonstration.
• The chapter ends with a tense teacher-student duel in which Tang Li turns Wu Zhangkong’s own Heavenly Frost Sword and Frost Mark technique against him.

Chapter Summary: “Battle Between Teacher and Student”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Tang Li battles Wu Zhangkong using his knowledge of Wu’s Heavenly Frost Sword abilities: Frost Mark, Frost Mist, and Heavenly Frost Slash.
• Tang Li fills the field with Frost Mist and repeatedly launches Frost Marks, using them to keep Wu Zhangkong at a distance and prevent him from exploiting his superior close-combat experience.
• Wu Zhangkong counters by tracking Tang Li through the mist and nearly catches him with a concealed Heavenly Frost Sword attack. Tang Li narrowly evades it.
• Using the Demon-Sealing Pot, Tang Li creates a replica of the Heavenly Frost Sword and throws it at Wu Zhangkong. The replica explodes on contact, releasing a powerful reversal of extreme cold into a scorching shockwave that sends Wu Zhangkong flying.
• Tang Li continues attacking with multiple inferior sword replicas. He secretly summons Big Eyed, who assists by controlling the replicas telekinetically and disrupting Wu Zhangkong’s senses and Spiritual Power.
• While Big Eyed and the sword replicas keep Wu Zhangkong occupied, Tang Li prepares his strongest attack: a Clear Sky Hammer strengthened by Golden Dragon King Divine Power and overloaded with Soul Power to imitate the explosive force of Ring Detonation.
• Tang Li unleashes the hammer as Wu Zhangkong’s seal is nearly broken. Wu Zhangkong responds by summoning his true Heavenly Frost Sword and activating his fifth and sixth Soul Skills, Frost Whisper Ice Wheel and Frost Condensation.
• Wu Zhangkong freezes the Clear Sky Hammer in midair and neutralizes its devastating explosion. The duel ends without either combatant suffering serious injury.
• Tang Li collapses from Spiritual Power exhaustion, and Tang Wulin helps him stand. The entire academy—including students and teachers—is left stunned by the spectacle.

Character Developments

• Tang Li demonstrates extraordinary combat intelligence, adapting Wu Zhangkong’s own techniques and combining them with the Demon-Sealing Pot, Big Eyed’s abilities, and Tang Wulin’s Clear Sky Hammer.
• He shows growing confidence and willingness to use powerful techniques, overcoming his earlier fear of seriously injuring an opponent.
• Tang Li’s strategy reveals that he can fight beyond his apparent level through preparation, creativity, and precise control, though the effort leaves him physically and mentally exhausted.
• Wu Zhangkong recognizes Tang Li as a genuine prodigy and takes the battle seriously. He remains calm and technically superior, using experience and overwhelming control of his Martial Soul to stop Tang Li’s final attack.
• Wu Zhangkong’s emotional side briefly appears when he reunites with his true Heavenly Frost Sword, viewing it with unusual tenderness rather than his usual cold detachment.
• Tang Wulin supports Tang Li after the battle, emphasizing their close bond and his practical role in helping Tang Li recover.

Significant Themes

• Teacher and student rivalry: The fight tests how far a gifted student can challenge an experienced master.
• Ingenuity versus mastery: Tang Li relies on improvisation, layered abilities, and unconventional tactics, while Wu Zhangkong counters with experience, precision, and superior technique.
• Growth through risk: Tang Li pushes beyond his previous limits and accepts the danger of using an untested, highly destructive move.
• Power and restraint: Both fighters display immense destructive potential, but Wu Zhangkong carefully prevents the final clash from destroying the academy grounds.
• Hidden depth beneath appearances: Tang Li’s seemingly reckless attacks conceal careful planning, while Wu Zhangkong’s normally emotionless exterior briefly gives way to affection for his Martial Soul.

Character Interactions

• Tang Li and Wu Zhangkong engage in a tactical duel in which each repeatedly anticipates and counters the other’s moves.
• Tang Li uses Wu Zhangkong’s own Heavenly Frost Sword techniques against him, creating a symbolic reversal of the teacher-student relationship.
• Big Eyed supports Tang Li by interfering with Wu Zhangkong’s senses, allowing Tang Li to concentrate on his finishing attack.
• Wu Zhangkong responds to Tang Li’s strongest move with full seriousness, revealing his respect for the student’s abilities.
• Tang Wulin assists Tang Li after the battle, while the surrounding students and teachers react with shock and admiration, recognizing the duel as an extraordinary event for the academy.

Key plot points and events

• Tang Li ends his match with Wu Zhangkong by conceding, though he has pushed the teacher to unleash a powerful Ten Thousand Year Soul Skill. Wu recognizes Tang Li’s talent and takes responsibility for the crater their battle left behind.
• The fight also helps Wu Zhangkong loosen the emotional and personal barriers that have held back his cultivation; he feels close to breaking through to Soul Saint.
• Tang Li recovers from exhausting his Spiritual Power. A blessing from Na’er’s silver pendant and the mark on his brow restores him quickly and even strengthens his Spiritual Power slightly.
• Tang Wulin easily defeats her opponent with her Clear Sky Hammer, then beats Xie Xie after keeping pace with the faster Agility Attack Soul Master using her Golden Scales and overwhelming strength.
• Wu Zhangkong concludes the matches by emphasizing physical conditioning and practical combat. He explains that a strong body is essential even for Mecha Masters, and announces a new schedule focused on training in the mornings and theory and Meditation in the afternoons.
• Wu calls Tang Li, Tang Wulin, and Xie Xie to accompany him to his office.

Character developments and interactions

• Tang Li shows confidence and composure despite being drained, and he recognizes that Wu held back. He also teases Tang Wulin about frightening away potential suitors; she knocks him down and threatens him, revealing their familiar, affectionate sibling dynamic.
• Wu Zhangkong displays approval of Tang Li and concern for his recovery, temporarily softening his usual cold manner. The battle also gives him renewed hope of overcoming his inner obstacles.
• Tang Wulin is protective of Tang Li and formidable in combat, though her strength intimidates her classmates. She takes Tang Li’s teasing badly but reacts in a playful, sibling-like way.
• Xie Xie is established as a strong, quick fighter, but Tang Wulin’s speed and power prove decisive against him.

Significant themes

• Physical strength as a foundation: Wu argues that bodily conditioning matters beyond Soul Power and Soul Skills, especially for Mecha combat.
• Growth through challenge: Tang Li’s battle benefits both student and teacher, while Wu’s matches reveal the class’s weaknesses and potential.
• Care and teasing among siblings: Tang Wulin’s worry, Tang Li’s jokes, and their mock threats show their closeness.
• Overcoming inner barriers: Wu’s loosening emotional knot suggests that personal healing can unlock progress as much as talent or training.

Chapter Summary: Wu Zhangkong’s Arrangements, Promotion Class Tournament

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wu Zhangkong summons Tang Wulin, Tang Li, and Xie Xie to his extremely small office to discuss their progress and the upcoming Promotion Class Tournament.
• He criticizes Xie Xie for having made little Soul Power progress despite possessing Twin Martial Souls and Innate Full Soul Power. As an Agility Attack System Soul Master, Xie Xie is also reprimanded for being slower than Tang Wulin while she carries the Clear Sky Hammer. Wu Zhangkong increases his physical-training workload by thirty percent.
• Tang Wulin is praised for her exceptional control over her Martial Soul. She reveals that she is already a Level-3 Blacksmith, explaining that frequent use of her Martial Soul through blacksmithing improved her control. Wu Zhangkong advises her to prioritize Soul Power cultivation.
• Wu Zhangkong explains the Promotion Class Tournament, in which weaker classes challenge stronger ones and take their rankings after winning. Victories over higher-grade classes bring greater rewards.
• He assigns Tang Wulin and Xie Xie to challenge the other first-grade classes. Their immediate objective is to defeat Class Five and eventually replace the number five with number one. They will undergo special evening training for a month.
• Tang Li is excluded from the first-grade battles and is instead assigned to fight students from the upper grades. Wu Zhangkong intends for Tang Wulin and Xie Xie to prove themselves first, with Tang Li serving as a powerful backup for later challenges.
• After Tang Wulin and Xie Xie leave, Wu Zhangkong questions Tang Li about his possession of the Mysterious Heaven Skill, which normally requires Tang Sect affiliation.
• Tang Li claims that the technique was inherited from a family elder and belongs to the vanished Clear Sky Sect. He invents a rule that the technique may only be passed to male heirs, explaining why Tang Wulin does not cultivate it.
• Wu Zhangkong accepts the explanation because of the historical connection between the Clear Sky Sect, Tang Sect, and Shrek. He offers to take Tang Wulin to the Tang Sect so she can obtain the Mysterious Heaven Skill legitimately.
• Tang Li also reveals that he is a Level-4 Soul Engineer specializing in Mecha Design. Wu Zhangkong exempts him from daytime physical training and orders him to gain combat experience in the Soul Fighting Arena against upper-grade students.
• The chapter ends with Tang Li leaving and Wu Zhangkong releasing the full sword intent of his Heavenly Frost Sword, filling the office with intense cold.

Character Developments

• Xie Xie: His lack of cultivation progress and insufficient physical effort are exposed. Though embarrassed and distressed by the comparison with Tang Wulin, he is given a concrete challenge and heavier training.
• Tang Wulin: Demonstrates unusually refined Martial Soul control and reveals her impressive Level-3 Blacksmith status. She is recognized as a talented specialist whose main weakness is now Soul Power cultivation.
• Tang Li: Is established as the strongest and most advanced member of the group. He calmly deceives Wu Zhangkong about the origin of his cultivation technique and is revealed to be a Level-4 Mecha Designer as well as a formidable combatant.
• Wu Zhangkong: Shows himself to be a strict but perceptive instructor. He differentiates his training plans according to each student’s abilities and investigates Tang Li’s suspicious technique while ultimately choosing to trust his explanation.

Significant Themes

• Talent versus effort: Xie Xie’s Twin Martial Souls and natural potential have not translated into sufficient growth because of laziness, while Tang Wulin’s skills have developed through disciplined professional practice.
• Specialized training: Wu Zhangkong recognizes that each student requires a different path—physical training for Xie Xie, cultivation for Tang Wulin, and high-level combat experience for Tang Li.
• Class honor and competition: The Promotion Class Tournament turns advancement into a public test of strength, teamwork, and class reputation.
• Secrets and deception: Tang Li protects the secret of his Mysterious Heaven Skill by constructing a convincing connection to the Clear Sky Sect.
• Inherited traditions and gender restrictions: The invented Clear Sky Sect rule reflects how family and sect traditions can control access to power and knowledge.

Character Interactions

• Wu Zhangkong’s harsh criticism leaves Xie Xie feeling unfairly compared with Tang Wulin, while Tang Wulin’s praise highlights the difference between their recent progress.
• Xie Xie questions why Tang Li is not participating in the first-grade tournament, prompting Wu Zhangkong to reveal his larger plan for the group.
• Tang Wulin shows concern for Tang Li before leaving the office, indicating their close sibling relationship.
• Wu Zhangkong interrogates Tang Li about the Mysterious Heaven Skill, but Tang Li’s composed explanation satisfies him and leads Wu Zhangkong to offer help for Tang Wulin.
• The teacher-student relationship between Wu Zhangkong and Tang Li is based on cautious observation: Wu Zhangkong recognizes Tang Li’s unusual abilities, while Tang Li carefully conceals his true origins.

Chapter Summary: “A Chance Encounter with Gu Yue”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After meeting Wu Zhangkong, Tang Li receives messages from his mother, Lang Yue, and his brother Tang Wulin. Tang Wulin tells him to meet early the next morning after taking a job at the Blacksmith Association.
• Tang Li goes to the East China Sea Spirit Pagoda to study Soul Tool theory, earn money by creating and selling Soul Tools, and cultivate in the Meditation Room overnight.
• His broader goal is to save enough money to buy Na’er a Communicator so they can stay in contact across the distance without relying on spiritually taxing communication through their shared mark.
• At the Spirit Pagoda, Tang Li unexpectedly encounters Gu Yue and Zi Ji. Gu Yue looks almost identical to Na’er, while Zi Ji is the Hell Demon Dragon King who once came to take Na’er away.
• Gu Yue immediately recognizes Tang Li as the person whose blessing aura prevented her from merging with Na’er. Zi Ji, whose memories of Tang Li were altered by Na’er, does not recognize him.
• Lin Ye becomes terrified that Tang Li may be caught in a conflict involving powerful figures, but he cannot prevent Gu Yue from requesting a private conversation with Tang Li.
• Gu Yue enters the Meditation Room, where Tang Li is studying Speculations on Spatial Soul Tools. The two introduce themselves and begin a blunt, suspicious conversation.
• Gu Yue claims she came because she was curious about Tang Li, but her true purpose is connected to her wager with Na’er: she must make Tang Li abandon Na’er and choose her so that Na’er will willingly merge with her.
• Gu Yue also becomes intensely interested in the mysterious, highly suppressive aura hidden within Tang Li, believing it could help the Soul Beast race compete for territory against extraterrestrial life.

Character Developments

• Tang Li: Demonstrates initiative, intellectual curiosity, and devotion to his family. He is committed to improving his Soul Tool knowledge and earning money for Na’er’s benefit. Despite recognizing Gu Yue’s difference from Na’er, her familiar appearance causes him to instinctively treat her like a younger sister. He is also unusually direct and suspicious, openly asking whether Gu Yue has ulterior motives.
• Gu Yue: Begins actively pursuing the wager with Na’er, though she is still uncertain how to manipulate Tang Li. Her initial curiosity quickly becomes strategic interest once she senses the powerful aura within him. She remains outwardly calm and charming but is internally focused on using Tang Li’s power for the Soul Beast race.
• Zi Ji: Acts as Gu Yue’s subordinate and protector. Her memories of Tang Li have been altered by Na’er, so she does not recognize him, though she remains curious about Gu Yue’s attention toward him.
• Lin Ye: Becomes anxious and overprotective of Tang Li, imagining that Gu Yue and Zi Ji are involved in a dangerous struggle between powerful clans. His helplessness emphasizes the difference between his status and theirs.
• Na’er: Although absent, she remains central to the chapter. Her relationship with Tang Li motivates his actions, while her wager with Gu Yue drives Gu Yue’s behavior.

Significant Themes

• Family and emotional bonds: Tang Li’s desire to stay connected with Na’er shows the strength of their sibling-like relationship, while Gu Yue’s resemblance to Na’er creates emotional confusion.
• Identity and division: Gu Yue, Na’er, and the Silver Dragon King’s fragmented existence blur the boundaries between individual identities, family, and shared origin.
• Power and exploitation: Gu Yue sees Tang Li less as an ordinary person and more as a potential source of power for the Soul Beast race, raising questions about whether he will be treated as family, an ally, or a resource.
• Trust and manipulation: Tang Li suspects Gu Yue’s motives, while Gu Yue intends to influence his feelings as part of her wager with Na’er.
• Knowledge and self-improvement: Tang Li’s study of Soul Tools reflects his commitment to gaining practical strength and independence.

Important Character Interactions

• Tang Li and Tang Wulin: Their messages establish Tang Wulin’s blacksmithing work and their plan to meet the next morning.
• Tang Li and Lin Ye: Lin Ye attempts to protect Tang Li from Gu Yue and Zi Ji but is forced to allow their private meeting.
• Gu Yue and Zi Ji: Gu Yue commands Zi Ji through silent communication, demonstrating their hierarchical relationship and Gu Yue’s authority.
• Tang Li and Gu Yue: Their first direct conversation is marked by mutual scrutiny. Tang Li is blunt and wary, while Gu Yue disguises her true intentions behind claims of curiosity.
• Gu Yue and Na’er: Though Na’er never appears, their wager and conflicting goals shape the encounter. Gu Yue seeks to make Tang Li choose her, while Na’er’s influence remains present through Tang Li’s protective feelings and the aura within him.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Tang Li becomes uncomfortable with Gu Yue’s intense interest in him and decides to return to Eastsea Academy. Before leaving, Gu Yue tells him she will visit his school, and Tang Li accidentally gives her his exact class information after momentarily treating her like Na’er.
• After Gu Yue leaves, Tang Li contacts Na’er for advice but receives no immediate response. Meanwhile, Lin Ye worries about Gu Yue’s motives and resolves to monitor her future visits.
• At Shrek Academy, Na’er completes her apprenticeship ceremony and becomes Atlas Douluo Yun Ming’s disciple. She is allowed to remain on Sea God Island for training.
• Na’er later responds to Tang Li’s message but deliberately keeps secret the wager between herself and Gu Yue. She believes Gu Yue will eventually become attached to Tang Li because of his powerful attraction and suppressive effect on beast-type Martial Souls.
• Tang Wulin is confronted outside her dormitory by Mu Xi and several upperclassmen. Mu Xi wants to force her into a blacksmithing competition, motivated by jealousy and her father’s praise of Tang Wulin’s talent.
• When Tang Wulin refuses, the group attempts to restrain her. She throws one attacker aside, but Mu Xi uses her Sun Martial Soul to weaken Tang Wulin.
• Tang Li arrives at the critical moment. When another student tries to attack Tang Wulin, Tang Li kills him instantly with a blue-gold chain and throws his body into a trash can. She then threatens Mu Xi, leaving the crowd terrified.

Character Developments

• Tang Li: Shows confusion over his feelings toward Gu Yue and his tendency to associate her with Na’er. His normally protective nature becomes violently aggressive when Tang Wulin is threatened, revealing the danger of his killing intent and Asura-related power.
• Gu Yue: Continues pursuing Tang Li openly and plans to visit him at Eastsea Academy. Her interest appears connected to a larger contest with Na’er.
• Na’er: Officially becomes Yun Ming’s disciple and demonstrates considerable cunning by hiding the wager from Tang Li. She is confident that Gu Yue will lose emotionally if she grows close to him.
• Tang Wulin: Remains stubborn and composed under pressure, refusing to submit to Mu Xi’s coercion. Her blacksmithing talent continues to provoke jealousy among her peers.
• Mu Xi: Her competitiveness and insecurity escalate into bullying. Her admiration of Tang Wulin’s talent turns into an aggressive attempt to force a rematch.
• Lin Ye: Acts cautiously and worries about the hidden motives of powerful families surrounding Tang Li.

Significant Themes

• Possessiveness and emotional rivalry: Na’er and Gu Yue are engaged in a secret competition over Tang Li, while Tang Li remains largely unaware of the manipulation around him.
• Protective violence: Tang Li’s devotion to Tang Wulin manifests in extreme brutality, suggesting that his strength and killing intent may be difficult to control.
• Talent provoking jealousy: Tang Wulin’s superior blacksmithing ability threatens Mu Xi’s pride and status, leading to confrontation.
• Hidden identities and family bonds: Na’er recognizes that her relationship with Tang Li and Tang Wulin may not be that of true siblings, adding mystery to their shared origins.
• Power and coercion: Mu Xi attempts to use seniority and force to impose her will, but Tang Wulin and Tang Li respond in opposite ways—Tang Wulin resists calmly, while Tang Li answers with lethal force.

Character Interactions

• Tang Li and Gu Yue: Gu Yue flirts with and pursues Tang Li, while he reacts awkwardly and unconsciously compares her to Na’er.
• Tang Li and Na’er: Na’er teases Tang Li indirectly by withholding information about her wager with Gu Yue and enjoys watching the rivalry unfold.
• Tang Wulin and Mu Xi: Mu Xi challenges Tang Wulin because of her jealousy and competitive pride. Tang Wulin refuses to be intimidated or forced into a contest.
• Tang Wulin and the upperclassmen: Tang Wulin evades one attacker and attempts to leave, but Mu Xi’s Martial Soul temporarily weakens her.
• Tang Li and the attackers: Tang Li intervenes to protect Tang Wulin, killing one of the students and terrifying everyone present. He then turns his threatening attention toward Mu Xi.

Chapter Summary: “Sealing Mu Xi’s Hands, Aftermath”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Tang Li retaliates violently after discovering that Mu Xi and several older students bullied and surrounded his sister, Tang Wulin.
• He attacks Mu Xi with Level-4 Soul Tool blades, nearly severing both her arms. Wu Zhangkong intervenes and pulls her away, but Tang Li redirects his attack by throwing the blades.
• Wu Zhangkong catches the blades, while Tang Li uses an acceleration Soul Tool and metal gauntlet to attack the students surrounding Tang Wulin.
• Long Hengxu stops Tang Li from seriously injuring another student. However, Tang Li remotely controls his concealed Demon-Sealing Pot, causing chains to pierce and seal Mu Xi’s hands.
• Tang Li openly mocks Long Hengxu for arriving only after the situation escalated and angrily condemns Mu Xi for relying on her family’s status in the forging world.
• Tang Wulin, overwhelmed by the ordeal, embraces Tang Li and begs to transfer schools. He immediately agrees, prioritizing her safety over Eastsea Academy or its opportunities.
• Long Hengxu persuades the siblings to discuss the incident rather than leave immediately. Tang Ziran supports whatever decision his children make.
• The academy issues probationary punishment to the students involved and requires Mu Xi to compensate those injured. Mu Xi’s parents are informed, and Mu Chen—furious and ashamed of his daughter’s actions—accepts the sealing of her hands as deserved discipline and offers compensation.
• Tang Wulin ultimately decides the academy’s handling of the matter is fair and agrees to remain. Tang Li remains ready to remove her if she changes her mind.

Character Developments

• Tang Li: Demonstrates fierce protectiveness toward Tang Wulin and a willingness to use overwhelming force against anyone who harms her. His anger reveals both his distrust of authority and his belief that strength is the only reliable means of protection. After speaking with Wu Zhangkong, he becomes calmer and considers less destructive forms of revenge, though he remains threatening toward Mu Xi and the other students.
• Tang Wulin: Initially maintains a brave exterior but breaks down after being rescued, revealing how deeply the bullying affected her. She relies on Tang Li emotionally yet also shows maturity by accepting Long Hengxu’s resolution and refusing to cause further trouble for her family.
• Wu Zhangkong: Acts decisively to protect Mu Xi and prevent fatalities, but he also recognizes Tang Li’s anger and underlying sense of helplessness. His own tragic past allows him to empathize with Tang Li and guide him toward controlled retaliation.
• Long Hengxu: Attempts to restore order and protect the academy’s reputation. Though criticized by Tang Li for arriving late, he handles the aftermath fairly by punishing the aggressors and supporting Tang Wulin.
• Mu Xi: Her arrogance and abuse of status lead to severe consequences: her hands are sealed, her reputation is damaged, and her father condemns her behavior.
• Mu Chen: Shows responsibility as a parent and association president by acknowledging his daughter’s wrongdoing instead of defending her.

Significant Themes

• Family loyalty and protection: Tang Li’s extreme reaction is driven entirely by his devotion to Tang Wulin, while she also worries about the consequences his actions may bring.
• Strength versus authority: Tang Li believes insufficient strength leaves people unable to protect themselves or challenge unjust decisions. Wu Zhangkong counters that uncontrolled violence creates greater problems.
• Justice and retaliation: The chapter contrasts institutional punishment with personal revenge, suggesting that wrongdoers should face consequences without allowing anger to destroy the victim’s future.
• Abuse of status and privilege: Mu Xi’s bullying is linked to her family background and position in the forging world, while Tang Li condemns her assumption that talent and lineage make her superior.
• Trauma and empathy: Wu Zhangkong’s memories of failing to protect someone important help him understand Tang Li’s rage and offer guidance based on painful experience.

Important Character Interactions

• Tang Li and Wu Zhangkong clash over whether violence is an effective solution, but Wu Zhangkong eventually redirects Tang Li toward the academy’s Spirit Arena as a safer means of gaining justice.
• Tang Li and Tang Wulin share a strong emotional bond: she seeks his protection, while he repeatedly assures her that her safety matters more than school, reputation, or opportunity.
• Tang Li confronts Long Hengxu with contempt, accusing him of failing to intervene until after the students were punished.
• Long Hengxu mediates between the siblings and the academy, ultimately earning Tang Wulin’s acceptance of the resolution.
• Mu Chen’s response to Mu Xi’s punishment reinforces that even powerful families cannot excuse misconduct and that Mu Xi must learn humility.

Chapter Summary: “Gu Yue Really Came!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Tang Li refuses to return the Martial Soul he seized from the upperclassman who attacked Tang Wulin. Because the attack severely damaged the upperclassman’s soul, Tang Li plans to return it only after confronting and defeating him again.
• Mu Xi suffers a similarly serious consequence: her arm’s soul has been sealed by the Soul-Refining Bind, potentially leaving her crippled unless she finds a rare soul-restoring herb. Tang Li is willing to consider releasing her only if her father, Forging Association president Mu Chen, offers satisfactory compensation—and if Tang Wulin agrees.
• Long Hengxu suppresses the incident, ordering those involved to keep silent. As a result, Tang Li and the others continue attending Class Five normally.
• During physical training, Tang Li’s extreme hostility gradually fades as Big Eyed helps absorb his negative emotions. His frighteningly intense nature is especially revealed when his family is threatened.
• Wu Zhangkong makes Tang Wulin and Xie Xie carry especially heavy iron garments during the class’s eight-kilometer run. Tang Wulin handles the burden with ease, while Xie Xie and the other students struggle badly.
• Gu Yue arrives at Eastsea Academy after the registration period, claiming she wants to enroll. Wu Zhangkong notices that she seems to have come specifically to find Tang Li.
• Wu Zhangkong arranges a combat test between Gu Yue and Tang Li to assess whether she is qualified to enter the academy. Tang Li readily agrees, relieved that the situation will be settled through a fight.

Character Developments

• Tang Li: His protective instincts and violent hostility remain extremely strong, especially concerning Tang Wulin. However, his anger is beginning to subside with Big Eyed’s assistance. He is wary of Gu Yue after their previous encounter but becomes much more relaxed once he learns he will be testing her through combat.
• Tang Wulin: Demonstrates remarkable physical strength during the endurance training, continuing to sprint while the rest of the class falls behind. Her resilience reinforces her exceptional abilities.
• Xie Xie: Struggles under the additional weight and lacks Tang Wulin’s physical advantage, though he continues pushing forward.
• Gu Yue: Appears confident, composed, and mysteriously focused on Tang Li. Her beauty and unusual presence immediately attract attention, while her eagerness to enroll suggests that finding Tang Li is her primary motivation.
• Wu Zhangkong: Acts cautiously and perceptively. He recognizes Gu Yue’s unusual aura and apparent interest in Tang Li, but still gives her a fair opportunity to prove herself. He also worries that Tang Li may overreact and unintentionally hurt her.

Significant Themes

• Protectiveness and retaliation: Tang Li’s behavior shows how fiercely he protects his family and how quickly affection can turn into violent revenge.
• Control versus extreme emotion: Tang Li’s powers and temperament are dangerous when his emotions spiral, making emotional regulation essential to his growth.
• Strength as proof of worth: Both the physical training and Gu Yue’s entrance test emphasize that ability, endurance, and combat strength determine one’s place in the academy.
• Hidden identities and motives: Gu Yue’s true purpose remains unclear, while Tang Li’s real nature is also only partially understood, even by those close to him.
• Humor amid tension: Wu Zhangkong’s assumptions about Gu Yue and Tang Li’s possible romantic situation provide comic relief against the darker events surrounding the Martial Soul incident.

Important Character Interactions

• Tang Li’s potential negotiations with Mu Chen and his decision to let Tang Wulin influence Mu Xi’s fate show his loyalty to family and willingness to compromise only on his own terms.
• Wu Zhangkong and Tang Li discuss Gu Yue’s entrance test, with Wu Zhangkong warning him not to fight too seriously.
• Gu Yue openly greets Tang Li and claims she came specifically to find him, while Tang Li responds with discomfort and deliberate emotional distance.
• The chapter ends with Tang Li preparing to fight Gu Yue, intending to suppress his hesitation by treating her as an opponent rather than someone whose appearance makes him reluctant to attack.

Key plot points and events

• Tang Li faces Gu Yue in a student sparring match. He opens with a rapid assault using the Heavenly Frost Sword and Xie Xie’s Shadow Dragon Dagger, while Gu Yue counters with fire and spatial movement.
• Tang Li’s sword strike nearly reaches Gu Yue, but a flash of spiritual power disrupts his sword intent, and he veers just enough to miss her. He also hesitates after seeing Na’er’s face in Gu Yue’s projected image.
• Gu Yue accuses him of going easy on her. Tang Li insists he will not be manipulated and uses his Demon-Sealing Pot’s chains to bind her and draw out a silver dragon-shaped phantom.
• After lifting the seal, Tang Li uses the Silver Dragon King’s elemental powers against Gu Yue. They trade elaborate combinations of fire, wind, ice, light, and other elements, each countering the other.
• Their clash ends without a clear victor. Gu Yue feigns exhaustion, complains that her feet hurt, and asks Tang Li to carry her on his back, leaving Tang Wulin stunned.

Character developments

• Tang Li shows extraordinary adaptability: he instinctively learns how to use unfamiliar weapons and Wu Zhangkong’s sword intent. Though confident and tactical, his feelings for Na’er—and his affection for Wulin—make it difficult for him to attack those he considers family.
• Gu Yue reveals formidable spiritual and elemental abilities, as well as a playful, emotionally direct side. She appears able to influence Tang Li by invoking his attachment to Na’er.
• Wu Zhangkong is impressed by Tang Li’s rapid mastery of sword intent and recognizes Gu Yue’s talent after watching her elemental combinations.
• Tang Wulin worries about Tang Li hurting Gu Yue, whose face seems familiar to her, and rushes to check on her after the fight.

Significant themes

• Talent and adaptation: Tang Li’s instinctive command of weapons and elemental techniques sets him apart.
• Restraint and attachment: Personal bonds complicate combat and can alter the outcome.
• Power and perception: Gu Yue’s spiritual influence and projected image affect Tang Li as much as her physical attacks.
• Playfulness amid rivalry: The intense sparring gives way to Gu Yue’s teasing request, undercutting the battle’s seriousness.

Character interactions

• Tang Li and Gu Yue test each other through escalating attacks and counters, while Gu Yue challenges his claim that he was holding back.
• Wu Zhangkong observes the match, evaluating both students rather than immediately intervening.
• Xie Xie and Tang Wulin watch anxiously; Tang Wulin’s concern for Gu Yue becomes especially clear at the end.

Chapter Summary: “Gu Yue’s Backstab, Tang Wulin on Guard”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After their fight, Gu Yue pretends to be injured and demands that Tang Li carry her. Tang Li immediately sees through the act, accuses her of trying to scam him, and refuses.
• Wu Zhangkong arrives and confirms Gu Yue has passed the entrance test. He asks about her background and Martial Soul.
• Gu Yue reveals that her Martial Soul is the Silver Dragon and that she possesses rank-fifteen Soul Power. Wu Zhangkong is shocked because the Silver Dragon is an extraordinarily powerful super-dragon species associated with elemental and Spiritual Power.
• Gu Yue had intended to conceal her true Martial Soul by claiming to possess an “Elemental Envoy,” but Tang Li’s earlier attack exposed the silver-dragon image. She blames him for forcing her to reveal the truth.
• Wu Zhangkong orders the class to complete additional physical training, including an eight-kilometer run and frog-jumping laps. Tang Li is told to supervise temporarily.
• Tang Wulin notices the suspicious familiarity between Tang Li and Gu Yue. Tang Li claims he only met Gu Yue once at Lin Ye’s residence and deliberately withholds the truth to protect his sister.
• After Wu Zhangkong completes Gu Yue’s enrollment, Tang Li leaves to cultivate at the Spirit Pagoda, hoping to avoid Gu Yue’s interference.
• Gu Yue then approaches Tang Wulin while they are frog-jumping. Unable to manipulate Tang Li directly, she decides to use his family to gather information about him.
• Gu Yue reveals that she knows Na’er and claims to be Na’er’s older sister. She tells Tang Wulin that Na’er is in Shrek City as Yun Ming’s disciple, which reassures Tang Wulin and strengthens her determination to reach Shrek Academy.
• Tang Wulin quickly realizes that Tang Li should already have known about Na’er if he had met Gu Yue. She becomes suspicious of Tang Li’s secrecy and Gu Yue’s intentions.
• When Gu Yue portrays Tang Li as cold and mistreating her, Tang Wulin does not sympathize with her. Instead, she becomes protective and wary, deciding not to let an unfamiliar woman influence or “lead Xiao Li astray.”

Character Development

• Tang Li: Remains blunt, emotionally detached, and highly suspicious of Gu Yue’s schemes. He prioritizes cultivation and deliberately conceals information from Tang Wulin to keep her out of a dangerous situation. His unusual insight into Gu Yue’s identity and motives shows his caution.
• Gu Yue: Demonstrates adaptability and manipulation. After failing to deceive Tang Li or win him over directly, she changes tactics by approaching Tang Wulin. Her revelation of the Silver Dragon exposes her true power, while her claim of being Na’er’s sister gives her leverage.
• Tang Wulin: Shifts from curiosity to active suspicion. She is initially excited to hear news about Na’er, but her sharp instincts soon reveal inconsistencies in Gu Yue and Tang Li’s stories. Her protective feelings toward Tang Li become especially strong.
• Wu Zhangkong: Acts decisively and efficiently, accepting Gu Yue into the class after learning her identity and assigning demanding physical training. His reaction to the Silver Dragon emphasizes its extraordinary significance.

Significant Themes

• Deception and hidden identities: Gu Yue’s concealed Martial Soul, Tang Li’s withheld knowledge, and the uncertain relationship between Gu Yue and Na’er create an atmosphere of secrecy.
• Manipulation versus emotional loyalty: Gu Yue tries to use Tang Wulin’s concern for Na’er to gain access to information about Tang Li, but Tang Wulin’s loyalty to her brother prevents the plan from working as intended.
• Family protection: Tang Li hides information to protect Tang Wulin, while Tang Wulin becomes defensive of him, creating mutual but imperfect protection.
• Power and destiny: The Silver Dragon’s revelation and Na’er’s connection to Yun Ming suggest that all three children are tied to powerful forces and a larger future conflict.
• Cultivation and discipline: The demanding physical exercises and Tang Li’s eagerness to meditate reinforce the importance of training and personal strength.

Important Character Interactions

• Tang Li and Gu Yue: Their hostile exchange establishes their mutual distrust. Gu Yue attempts to play the victim, but Tang Li refuses to indulge her.
• Tang Li and Tang Wulin: Tang Wulin questions him about Gu Yue, while Tang Li gives a carefully incomplete explanation. Their interaction highlights both his protectiveness and her growing suspicion.
• Gu Yue and Wu Zhangkong: Gu Yue formally joins the class after revealing her Silver Dragon Martial Soul. Wu Zhangkong recognizes the immense significance of her power.
• Gu Yue and Tang Wulin: Gu Yue uses Na’er as an opening to approach Tang Wulin and subtly investigate Tang Li. Instead, Tang Wulin notices the contradictions and becomes suspicious of Gu Yue.
• Tang Wulin and Na’er’s absence: News that Na’er is safe and studying under Yun Ming gives Tang Wulin hope and a new goal: entering Shrek Academy to reunite with her.

Chapter Summary: “A Gift for Na’er, Meeting the Parents?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gu Yue abandons her initial aggressive attempts to get close to Tang Li after realizing they are counterproductive. Instead, she adopts a patient, gradual approach, speaking to him only occasionally and behaving like an ordinary classmate.
• Tang Li remains suspicious of Gu Yue’s motives, but relaxes after she causes no trouble for a week.
• Tang Wulin briefly acts resentful toward Tang Li after Gu Yue joins the class, though she eventually returns to normal without explaining the reason.
• Xie Xie’s arrogant façade is broken by Wu Zhangkong’s harsh physical and combat training. He becomes more open and talkative, frequently complaining to Tang Li about his exhausting routine.
• Tang Li spends much of his free time meditating at the Spirit Pagoda. His cultivation advances by another level, while his Spiritual Power reaches the Spirit Sea Realm with a score of 511.
• With Gu Yue sitting nearby, Tang Li secretly uses the Demon-Sealing Pot to absorb Silver Dragon King power, causing him to view her more favorably despite his suspicions.
• His improved Spiritual Power strengthens his Soul Tool-making ability. While studying Mecha design, he discovers flaws in his earlier communicator designs and successfully creates an improved, long-distance communicator that can connect exclusively with another designated device.
• Tang Li packages the communicator beautifully as a gift for Na’er and asks Gu Yue to have it delivered to her.
• Tang Wulin, suspicious of Tang Li spending time alone with Gu Yue, invites Gu Yue to the family home for a meal instead. Gu Yue eagerly accepts, seeing the invitation as an opportunity to meet Tang Li’s parents and become closer to him.

Character Developments

• Tang Li: Becomes more capable in cultivation, Spiritual Power, Soul Tool creation, and Mecha studies. Although still wary of Gu Yue, he begins to trust and appreciate her practical usefulness. His effort in designing and packaging Na’er’s communicator reveals his strong affection for and commitment to his family.
• Gu Yue: Shifts from direct manipulation to patient persistence. She carefully studies Tang Li’s personality and recognizes that his family is especially important to him. Her invitation to the family home represents a major opportunity to gain his trust.
• Tang Wulin: Shows protectiveness toward Tang Li and distrust of Gu Yue’s intentions. By inviting Gu Yue home, she attempts to supervise their relationship while also strengthening the class’s connection to Na’er.
• Xie Xie: Loses his elitist composure under Wu Zhangkong’s training and reveals a more sociable, talkative personality. His relationship with Tang Li improves.
• Na’er: Though physically absent, she remains central to Tang Li’s thoughts and motivations. The communicator demonstrates how much he wants to maintain direct contact with her.

Significant Themes

• Patience and persistence: Gu Yue learns that winning Tang Li over requires steady, subtle interaction rather than overwhelming enthusiasm.
• Family bonds: Tang Li’s devotion to his family influences his behavior and becomes Gu Yue’s main route toward gaining his trust.
• Personal growth through hardship: The characters’ cultivation and relationships improve through intense training and difficult experiences.
• Trust and guardedness: Tang Li is cautious about Gu Yue, while Gu Yue carefully interprets even small signs of trust, such as his decision to explain himself to her.
• Technology as emotional connection: Tang Li’s communicator is not merely a technical achievement; it is a practical expression of his affection for Na’er.

Character Interactions

• Gu Yue maintains a deliberately restrained relationship with Tang Li, while Tang Li gradually becomes less hostile because of her usefulness.
• Tang Li and Xie Xie grow closer as Xie Xie becomes more open about his struggles.
• Tang Wulin and Tang Li’s sibling bond remains strong, with Tang Wulin accompanying him on runs and monitoring his interactions with Gu Yue.
• Tang Li politely asks Gu Yue to deliver Na’er’s gift but insists that he has nothing further to say through her, showing both courtesy and emotional independence.
• Tang Wulin inserts herself into the situation by inviting Gu Yue to dinner with the family. Gu Yue accepts enthusiastically, viewing meeting Tang Li’s parents as a new strategy for becoming closer to him.

Key plot points and events

• Tang Li waits while Lin Ye negotiates for him to enter the Spirit Ascension Platform; he is content to wait for a possible opportunity after the upcoming Promotion Class Tournament.
• Mu Chen takes Tang Wulin as his apprentice. Tang Li later accompanies her to the Blacksmith Association and lifts the seal he had placed on Mu Xi, accepting her after Tang Wulin decides she is trustworthy.
• In class, Wu Zhangkong teaches practical uses of Soul Power. Tang Wulin listens closely, while Tang Li—already familiar with the material—divides his attention between class and conversations with his Soul Spirit, Big Eyed.
• Big Eyed warns Tang Li that Gu Yue has an unusual aura. Tang Li says he knows, but does not explain further.
• Gu Yue telepathically teases Tang Li, calling him a bad-tempered cat. Meanwhile, she privately considers how she might win him over to her side in a future conflict with humanity.
• Tang Li retaliates by using Big Eyed to send a frightening illusion at Gu Yue. She resists at first, but is overwhelmed by its power and briefly sees a terrifying eye.
• Gu Yue recognizes the Evil Eye imagery and senses that Big Eyed carries not only Tang Li’s aura but another fierce golden aura and a trace of divine essence. She is astonished and concludes that Tang Li has surprised her again.

Character developments and interactions

• Tang Li remains confident and largely untroubled by schoolwork, but shows care for Tang Wulin’s judgment and a playful, mischievous streak toward Gu Yue. His growing Spiritual Power and connection with Big Eyed are revealed to be unusually potent.
• Tang Wulin is eager to learn practical Soul Power techniques and has grown more accepting of Mu Xi, enabling Mu Chen’s apprenticeship arrangement.
• Gu Yue shifts between teasing Tang Li and privately plotting to recruit him. The illusion exposes her surprise at the extraordinary power and nature of his Soul Spirit.
• Big Eyed continues studying the mysterious Demon-Sealing Pot while assisting Tang Li, and demonstrates the ability to help create a powerful illusion.
• Wu Zhangkong notices Tang Li and Gu Yue’s telepathic exchange but lets the interaction continue during class.

Significant themes

• Hidden power and mystery: Big Eyed’s origins and divine essence hint that Tang Li’s abilities exceed what others expect.
• Trust and influence: Tang Wulin’s opinion shapes Tang Li’s treatment of Mu Xi, while Gu Yue believes she can draw Tang Li toward her cause.
• Playfulness amid conflict: Their teasing seems lighthearted, but Gu Yue’s private plans reveal larger tensions between humanity and Soul Beasts.

Key plot points and events

• Gu Yue withstands Big Eyed’s fear-inducing mental illusion, surprising him. She tests him with a calculated threat: Tang Li might replace him with another Evil Eye.
• Big Eyed takes the bait, but Tang Li ends the illusion before Gu Yue can learn more. The brief episode passes almost instantly in the real classroom.
• Gu Yue realizes Tang Li can create other unusual soul beasts and sees his biological modifications as a possible way to free soul beasts from the Dragon God’s restraints. She believes this could help the Soul Beast Clan regain power without relying on controlling humanity.
• Meanwhile, Tang Li studies the Demon-Sealing Pot’s inscriptions in his Spirit Sea. A totem detaches from the pot, merges with him, and ejects him from the Spirit Sea.
• He wakes after class with blood-red markings covering half his body. He conceals them beneath his skin and says the change is a beneficial martial-soul mutation.
• His classmates leave for their own obligations, while Tang Li goes to see Teacher Wu. Gu Yue and Tang Wulin are left alone, and Tang Wulin suspects Gu Yue wants to take Tang Li away from her.

Character developments and interactions

• Gu Yue proves perceptive and strategically manipulative, testing both Big Eyed’s loyalty and Tang Li’s abilities. She also begins planning to move near him and involve his parents, while viewing him as crucial to the Soul Beast Clan’s future.
• Big Eyed / Evil Monarch is powerful but emotionally vulnerable when Gu Yue threatens his place as Tang Li’s soul spirit. Tang Li steps in to protect him and end the confrontation.
• Tang Li remains unaware of Gu Yue’s larger plans and Tang Wulin’s jealousy. His study of the pot produces a mysterious bodily change that seems to strengthen him.
• Tang Wulin shows deep concern for Tang Li, checking his condition and showing him the markings. Her concern shifts into suspicion of Gu Yue and possessiveness toward Tang Li.
• Xie Xie has grown more comfortable around Tang Li, who has been bringing him meals; he leaves quickly after sensing tension between the others.

Significant themes

• Power and loyalty: Gu Yue tests whether Big Eyed’s loyalty can be shaken, while Tang Li’s intervention reinforces their bond.
• Soul-beast survival and coexistence: Gu Yue hopes Tang Li’s methods can restore the soul beasts’ strength while preserving humanity and ecological balance.
• Hidden transformation: The inscriptions’ sudden transfer suggests Tang Li’s power is evolving in ways he does not yet understand.
• Affection and rivalry: Gu Yue’s calculated pursuit of Tang Li contrasts with Tang Wulin’s protective, jealous attachment.

Key events

• Tang Li considers the Star Dou Battle Net’s role as a virtual combat arena and heads to Wu Zhangkong’s office to check on his application.
• Wu confirms that Tang Li can begin using the network that night, with ten hours of daily access.
• The principal, Yu Zhen, has approved Tang Li’s access despite his young age because he is already a Soul Elder. Yu also hopes to launch the Class Zero Experimental Plan.
• Tang Li enters a Simulation Pod in the Advanced Division’s Combat Training Building. After connecting to the network, he appears in a simulated Ancient Spirit Arena.
• He chooses to fight a live opponent. As the match begins, the Demon-Sealing Pot reveals the Totem of War God Xingtian, and Tang Li forms a crimson-gold shield and axe before charging into battle.
• Tang Li recognizes his opponent as vaguely familiar, but his excitement leaves him focused entirely on the fight.

Character developments and interactions

• Tang Li remains carefree and eager for combat. He briefly worries Wu Zhangkong may reprimand him for his classroom antics, but Wu only discusses the Battle Net.
• Wu treats Tang Li with unusual gentleness, while Tang Li regards him simply as a good teacher.
• Tang Li avoids the Lin brothers in the training building, hoping not to get drawn into another conversation about their Mecha designs.
• Yu Zhen sees Tang Li’s exceptional talent as a reason to support him and advance the Class Zero plan.
• Tang Li’s manifestation of Xingtian’s Totem gives his first Battle Net match a powerful, battle-driven intensity.

Significant themes

• Technology and combat: The Battle Net makes training and competition possible through virtual simulations while serving a wider strategic and military role.
• Talent and opportunity: Tang Li’s extraordinary ability earns him access beyond what students his age would normally receive.
• The thrill of battle: Tang Li’s excitement—and the Totem’s fierce will—turns the match into an outlet for his appetite for combat.

Chapter Summary: “Shattering Ouyang Zixin with One Axe, Gan Qi Dance”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Tang Li overwhelms Ouyang Zixin in the Star Dou Battle Net. His crimson-gold bloodflames, generated through the Xingtian Totem, completely neutralize her sword attacks.
• Ouyang uses her first and second Soul Skills and attacks with numerous sword shadows, but her Netherpurple Sword cannot penetrate Tang Li’s defenses.
• Tang Li deliberately pauses before killing her, hoping to give Ouyang a dignified chance to resist because she is acquainted with Wulin. However, she is too weak to break through his protection.
• He ultimately splits her in two with his massive axe, though the result is far messier than the dignified defeat he intended.
• After the system declares Tang Li victorious, he immediately requests another opponent and raises the matchmaking requirement to Soul Masters with at least three Soul Rings.
• Tang Li reflects on the Xingtian Totem’s abilities:
  • Gan Qi, his giant axe
  • Xingtian Divine Armor, formed by the protective bloodflames
  • Immunity to negative effects while his fighting spirit remains
  • Increasing strength, speed, and defense as his fighting spirit rises
  • The ability to store his fighting spirit for a powerful burst, which he names

Gan Qi Dance

• Bloodflames capable of burning away Soul Power and breaking domain suppression
• His second opponent is Lu Duan, an Advanced Division student with a Crimson Baboon Martial Soul and three enhancement-type Soul Skills.
• Lu Duan’s roar attempts to weaken Tang Li mentally, but Tang Li’s fighting spirit protects him. Lu Duan enters a berserk state and attacks with overwhelming physical strength.
• Tang Li counters with the Primordial Divine Shield, overpowering Lu Duan and then killing him with a single descending axe strike.
• The system reveals that Lu Duan was ranked fifteenth in Eastsea Academy’s Spirit Arena. Tang Li replaces him at that position.
• Unsatisfied with the easy victories, Tang Li raises the requirement again to opponents above Soul Power level 35 and calls for even more intense combat.

Character Developments

• Tang Li becomes increasingly confident and exhilarated by his new power. He learns more about the Xingtian Totem’s abilities and begins naming and conceptualizing his techniques.
• His fighting spirit proves to be both a source of strength and a defense against mental and status-based attacks.
• Tang Li also shows a small degree of restraint and consideration by trying to give Ouyang Zixin a dignified battle, though his overwhelming power makes that impossible.
• His bloodlust and desire for stronger opponents intensify after defeating two opponents with little effort. He is no longer interested in simple victories and wants genuinely dangerous battles.
• Ouyang Zixin is shown to be completely outmatched. Despite using her strongest available techniques, her two Soul Rings are insufficient against Tang Li’s defenses.
• Lu Duan demonstrates impressive physical power, berserk abilities, and combat instincts, but even his Advanced Division ranking cannot match Tang Li’s current strength.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming power and escalation: Tang Li’s new abilities allow him to defeat opponents instantly, shifting the conflict from survival to finding worthy challenges.
• Fighting spirit as strength: Tang Li’s determination directly fuels his physical abilities and protects him from mental interference, emphasizing willpower as a combat resource.
• The cost of battle and berserk power: Both Tang Li and Lu Duan rely on forms of enhancement that push their bodies beyond normal limits, though the Crimson Baboon’s berserk state carries a heavier price.
• Violence versus dignity: Tang Li attempts to give Ouyang a respectable defeat, but the brutal nature of his axe makes the result grotesque, highlighting the gap between his intentions and the reality of his power.
• Ambition and bloodlust: Tang Li’s victories do not satisfy him. Instead, they increase his desire for stronger enemies and more dangerous battles.

Character Interactions

• Tang Li and Ouyang Zixin have a brief, one-sided confrontation in which she desperately attacks while he calmly waits behind his defenses. His familiarity with her connection to Wulin motivates his momentary restraint.
• Tang Li and Lu Duan engage in a direct clash of enhanced physical power. Lu Duan relies on roaring intimidation, berserk transformation, and powerful punches, while Tang Li answers with his shield, bloodflames, and axe.
• The system acts as a neutral commentator, announcing Tang Li’s victories, ranking advancement, and matchmaking changes.
• By the end of the chapter, Tang Li’s declaration—“Blood sacrifices Blood God!”—captures his growing eagerness for increasingly brutal and challenging combat.

Chapter Summary: “Axe King Tang Li’s Rising Fame”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Tang Li spends ten hours fighting in the Star Dou Battle Net, where his Spiritual Power rapidly recovers.
• After defeating a senior with a Crimson Baboon Martial Soul, he defeats six more Advanced Division students with Soul Power Levels between thirty-five and forty, raising his ranking to eighth.
• Once no Four-Ring Soul Ancestors are available online, he switches to simulated battles and fights Soul Ancestors above Level 40.
• By the end of the night, Tang Li has achieved eighty-eight consecutive victories, storing the accumulated battle frenzy within his Spiritual Body.
• He leaves the simulation pod before dawn feeling completely refreshed and physically invigorated.
• During a morning run with Tang Wulin, senior Ouyang Zixin reveals Tang Li’s astonishing record to her. His victories have earned him the nickname “Axe King.”
• Over the following days, Tang Li continues training, attending Wu Zhangkong’s classes, visiting the Spirit Pagoda, and fighting in the Battle Net. His reputation spreads throughout the academy.

2. Character Developments

• Tang Li: Demonstrates a major increase in combat ability, confidence, and battle experience. His Third Soul Skill allows him to fight far above his apparent level, and his aggressive fighting style becomes his defining reputation. Despite his success, he remains somewhat embarrassed by the “Axe King” title and downplays his victories.
• Tang Wulin: Shows strong pride and affection toward Tang Li, immediately encouraging him and believing he will reach the top of the rankings. She is astonished by his achievements and quietly concerned about the intensity of his fighting.
• Ouyang Zixin: Initially resentful after being defeated by Tang Li, she becomes playful and teasing when exposing his record to Tang Wulin. Her reaction helps spread his fame.
• Wu Zhangkong: Though not physically present in most of the chapter, his approval of Tang Li’s Battle Net application enables the night’s training and breakthrough.

3. Significant Themes

• Growth through combat: Tang Li’s continuous battles accelerate his development and reveal how much power he can unleash in the virtual environment.
• Reputation and identity: His victories transform him from an ordinary student into the academy’s famed “Axe King,” though the public image does not fully match how he sees himself.
• Family support: Tang Wulin’s encouragement gives Tang Li confidence and helps soften his otherwise prickly personality.
• Restraint versus aggression: Tang Li enjoys the exhilaration of overwhelming combat, yet he insists that he was restrained, suggesting both immense power and a need to control it.
• Rising ambition: His claim that taking first place would be easy reflects his growing confidence and foreshadows further challenges.

4. Character Interactions

• Tang Li and Tang Wulin share a warm sibling relationship during their morning run. She praises him enthusiastically, while he responds with confident humor.
• Ouyang Zixin joins them and reveals Tang Li’s eighty-eight-win streak, forcing him to confront the consequences of his previous night’s rampage.
• Tang Li becomes visibly awkward when Tang Wulin asks about the “Axe King” nickname, avoiding an explanation of how violently he fought.
• Ouyang Zixin deliberately moves beside Tang Wulin and whispers to her, leaving Tang Li behind and sparing him further questioning.
• Tang Wulin does not press him for details afterward, but her occasional concerned glances show that she suspects his battles may have been more extreme than he admits.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Tang Li’s intense daily battles in the Star Dou Battle Net accelerate his cultivation, allowing him to break through two levels and reach Soul Power level 34.
• He becomes highly proficient with the Xingtian Totem and its pair of Gan Qi, earning the nickname “Axe King.”
• Tang Li discovers that his Demon-Sealing Pot can refine or seal other people’s Martial Souls within the simulated network. He copies and refines the Martial Souls of nearly every eligible Eastsea Academy student, gaining a fearsome reputation.
• He returns a previously sealed Martial Soul only after forcing its owner to fight him for an hour, repeatedly defeating him with a wide variety of copied abilities. This serves as an outlet for Tang Wulin’s anger.
• Na’er has been unable to answer Tang Li because she is training on Sea God Island under Atlas Douluo Yun Ming. Her Communicator is temporarily held by Holy Spirit Douluo Yali, though Yali eventually returns it after Na’er proves her dedication to cultivation.
• Na’er contacts Tang Li after seeing his numerous messages. Meanwhile, Yali and Yun Ming discuss visiting Eastsea City to meet Na’er’s highly praised older brother.
• Tang Li brings Gu Yue home for a family meal. His mother, Lang Yue, enthusiastically welcomes her, while Tang Wulin becomes embarrassed and jealous of the attention given to Gu Yue.
• During the meal, Tang Li’s Communicator begins playing the familiar nursery rhyme associated with Tang Wulin and Na’er, suggesting that Na’er is calling him.

Character Development

• Tang Li: Grows stronger and more versatile through constant combat. Though still blunt and emotionally awkward, he behaves more naturally at home and begins to view Gu Yue somewhat more favorably.
• Na’er: Demonstrates exceptional talent by mastering Yun Ming’s spear techniques almost immediately. She remains deeply attached to Tang Li and eagerly seeks contact with him.
• Gu Yue: Becomes increasingly interested in Tang Li and sees his family visit as an opportunity to understand him better. She is warmly accepted by his family.
• Tang Wulin: Feels threatened and sidelined by Gu Yue’s presence, especially when her parents and Tang Li focus on her. Her protective and jealous reactions provide comic tension.
• Lang Yue: Quickly approves of Gu Yue, sensing something familiar about her and hoping she may become Tang Li’s romantic partner.
• Yun Ming and Yali: Treat Na’er affectionately as a beloved disciple or daughter. Yun Ming is impressed by her extraordinary talent, while Yali is caring but also gently supervises her.

Significant Themes

• Rapid growth through hardship: Tang Li’s relentless battles lead to dramatic increases in cultivation and combat mastery.
• The danger and power of Martial Souls: Tang Li’s ability to copy and refine Martial Souls highlights both his unusual abilities and the potential abuse of power in the simulated world.
• Family and belonging: The warm family gathering contrasts with Tang Li’s isolated, combat-focused life and shows his growing connection to Gu Yue and his family.
• Affection and attachment: Na’er treasures Tang Li’s gift and longs to speak with him, while Lang Yue and Yali express maternal affection toward the younger characters.
• Romantic and familial tension: Gu Yue’s growing closeness to Tang Li provokes Tang Wulin’s jealousy, while Tang Li slowly becomes more receptive to Gu Yue.

Important Character Interactions

• Tang Li humiliates the previously sealed student in battle but ultimately keeps his promise and restores the man’s Martial Soul.
• Yun Ming praises Na’er’s spear talent and predicts that she may become the world’s strongest person.
• Na’er pleads with Yali and Yun Ming for her Communicator, then joyfully contacts Tang Li once it is returned.
• Lang Yue deliberately gives Tang Li and Gu Yue time alone and encourages Tang Wulin not to interfere.
• At the family meal, Tang Li’s parents openly favor and pamper Gu Yue, intensifying Tang Wulin’s comic frustration.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• During dinner at Tang Li’s home, Na’er calls his Communicator, surprising the entire family because she has been away for a long time without contacting them.
• Na’er reassures Tang Ziran, Lang Yue, and Tang Wulin that she is safe and misses them. She says she will return to visit eventually but tells Tang Li that she has a private matter to discuss later.
• Gu Yue declines to speak directly with Na’er, saying they can talk when Na’er comes to East China Sea.
• After dinner, Gu Yue wins over Tang Li’s parents, especially Lang Yue, who enthusiastically tells her stories about Tang Li’s childhood. Gu Yue is pleased that she has discovered the family’s address and made a favorable impression.
• Gu Yue decides to buy the house next door and bring Bi Ji to East China Sea so she can remain close to Tang Li’s family and strengthen their connections.
• Tang Li accompanies Gu Yue toward the East China Sea Spirit Pagoda. Since she is also staying there, they travel together by bus.
• At the Spirit Pagoda, Tang Li enters meditation. Gu Yue secretly conceals the surrounding area with her spiritual power, while Zi Ji guards the outside.
• Gu Yue reveals a more dangerous and mysterious side: her eyes transform into violet vertical pupils, and she passes through the Meditation Room’s door using silver light.
• She kneels before the meditating Tang Li and enters his Spirit Sea through the power they share, ending the chapter on a suspenseful cliffhanger.

Character Developments

• Tang Li remains trusting and relaxed around Gu Yue, gradually lowering his guard after seeing how warmly his family accepts her. He misunderstands his mother’s intention when she sends him to escort Gu Yue farther.
• Gu Yue presents herself as polite and charming before the Tang family, successfully gaining Lang Yue’s approval. Privately, however, she is calculating and intent on embedding herself in Tang Li’s life. Her supernatural transformation and secret intrusion into his Spirit Sea expose her dangerous true nature.
• Na’er demonstrates that she still regards the Tang family as her true family and cares deeply about them. Her private message to Tang Li suggests that she has an undisclosed matter to address.
• Lang Yue and Tang Ziran show strong affection and concern for Na’er while readily welcoming Gu Yue into the family.
• Zi Ji supports Gu Yue’s covert plan by standing guard and helping conceal her actions.

Significant Themes

• Family and belonging: Na’er’s affection for the Tang family contrasts with her physical absence, while Gu Yue attempts to create a place for herself within that family.
• Trust versus deception: Tang Li’s growing comfort with Gu Yue allows her to act secretly, highlighting the danger of misplaced trust.
• Hidden identities and duality: Gu Yue appears harmless and sociable in public but reveals powerful, unsettling abilities in private.
• Manipulation and strategic closeness: Gu Yue deliberately cultivates relationships with Tang Li’s parents and plans to live next door, suggesting that emotional intimacy is also part of a larger strategy.
• Mystery and suspense: Na’er’s undisclosed concern and Gu Yue’s entry into Tang Li’s Spirit Sea leave important questions unresolved.

Character Interactions

• Na’er warmly speaks with Tang Li’s family, reassuring them and reinforcing her emotional bond with them.
• Tang Li invites Gu Yue to visit his home freely, unintentionally encouraging her plan to remain close to him.
• Lang Yue treats Gu Yue almost like a prospective family member, sharing personal stories about Tang Li and pushing him to accompany her.
• Gu Yue and Tang Li travel together comfortably, showing that his defenses around her are weakening.
• The final interaction reverses this apparent friendliness: while Tang Li meditates unaware, Gu Yue secretly approaches him and penetrates his Spirit Sea.

Key plot points and events

• Gu Yue uses Na’er’s Silver Dragon King blessing to enter Tang Li’s Spirit Sea, intending to ask him for a deal that might help the endangered Soul Beast Clan.
• Tang Li mistakes her intrusion for an attempt to possess or manipulate him. The Demon-Sealing Pot immediately seals her Spiritual Sense with chains.
• Gu Yue insists she came peacefully and swears an oath to prove it. Tang Li recognizes that she could have simply spoken to him instead of sneaking into his mind.
• Realizing his criticism is fair, Gu Yue falls silent and dejected. Tang Li lowers the Pot’s power and releases her manifestation, then prepares to hear her out.

Character developments

• Tang Li remains suspicious and decisive, but his anger gives way to sympathy once Gu Yue appears defeated. He also recognizes that his own assumptions may have turned a peaceful approach into a confrontation.
• Gu Yue is revealed as desperate to secure help for the dwindling Soul Beast Clan. Her secretive approach backfires, and Tang Li’s blunt rebuke makes her question her judgment and resolve.

Significant themes

• Trust and communication: Gu Yue’s attempt to bypass a conversation makes her seem threatening, while Tang Li’s assumptions prevent him from recognizing her true purpose.
• Power and vulnerability: Tang Li’s Spirit Sea and Demon-Sealing Pot overwhelm even the Silver Dragon King, but Gu Yue’s emotional vulnerability complicates their power struggle.
• Pride and desperation: Gu Yue’s concern for her people pushes her to act in a way that undermines her dignity and credibility.

Character interactions

• Gu Yue’s covert entry meets Tang Li’s immediate defensive response, turning a proposed negotiation into an apparent attack.
• Tang Li harshly mocks Gu Yue, and she reacts with anger before conceding inwardly that he has a point.
• After freeing her, Tang Li shows an unexpected measure of pity and is poised to let her explain the deal. The chapter ends before she can do so.