Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Drawing a Gold Again!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Lin arrives at the Rose Grand Hotel and finds Xiao Wu, Little Dragon Girl, Tian Yan, and Qingyue in a lavish pink, romance-themed room.
• Xiao Wu and Little Dragon Girl chose the hotel because they liked its appearance, while Jiang Lin feels embarrassed by the romantic setting and deliberately keeps his distance from the three girls.
• While the women chat and laugh together, Jiang Lin cultivates in silence, remaining focused on his goal of reaching Soul Emperor within a year and eventually obtaining enough strength to challenge even a Limit Douluo.
• After three days of cultivation, Jiang Lin realizes that the Northern Dark Spiritual Meridian provides very little assistance now that he has reached Soul King. His progress toward Soul Emperor is far slower than expected.
• With 13,430 Collapse Points available, Jiang Lin decides to use 10,000 points on a Silver Card Pool draw rather than continue relying solely on cultivation or save for a guaranteed inheritance.
• The draw produces a rare golden result: a Special-Type Silver Three-Star Summon Card for Jiang Chen, the “Failed Corpse Husk” and “Ghost Doctor Sacred Hand,” an incomplete character associated with the Nine Nether Profound-Heaven system.
• Jiang learns that Jiang Chen carries the incomplete Gold Three-Star inheritance, Nine Nether Profound-Heaven Divine Art. He could obtain it by reaching 60 Favorability with her, or purchase it directly for 30,000 Collapse Points.
• Because it is his first inheritance purchase, the system offers a one-time 99% discount. Jiang Lin spends his remaining 3,000 points and obtains the inheritance, leaving him with only 430 Collapse Points.

Character Developments

• Jiang Lin remains cautious and self-controlled around Xiao Wu, Little Dragon Girl, and Tian Yan, consciously avoiding physical closeness because of his attraction and youthful impulses.
• His frustration grows as his cultivation slows dramatically after reaching Soul King. This pushes him toward relying more heavily on the system and summoned inheritances.
• Jiang Lin displays both excitement and impulsiveness when the draw produces a gold result. Despite his initial shock at the inheritance’s price, he chooses immediate advancement over saving resources.
• Xiao Wu and Little Dragon Girl are portrayed as innocent and carefree, enjoying the hotel’s unusual décor without attaching romantic meaning to it.
• Tian Yan participates in the group’s relaxed conversation but receives little individual focus in the chapter.
• Qingyue remains quiet and observant, standing apart from the others.

Significant Themes

• Cultivation versus external shortcuts: Jiang Lin’s natural cultivation has become inefficient, forcing him to seek power through the system’s lottery and inheritance mechanics.
• Risk and reward: He risks 10,000 Collapse Points on an uncertain draw but is rewarded with a rare inheritance opportunity.
• Resource management and sacrifice: Obtaining the Nine Nether Profound-Heaven Divine Art consumes nearly all his remaining points, showing Jiang Lin’s willingness to sacrifice future flexibility for immediate strength.
• Self-control and desire: Jiang Lin’s decision to avoid sitting on the bed reflects his awareness of his romantic feelings and his effort to restrain himself.
• Luck and opportunity: The golden draw dramatically changes Jiang Lin’s prospects, emphasizing the role of chance in his advancement.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Wu teasingly invites Jiang Lin to sit on the bed, but he refuses and chooses the sofa.
• Xiao Wu, Little Dragon Girl, and Tian Yan bond through cheerful conversation while Jiang Lin remains separate and cultivates.
• Jiang Lin interacts primarily with the system during the latter half of the chapter, negotiating the cost and conditions of the newly discovered inheritance.
• Though Jiang Chen does not physically appear, her summon card and inheritance become the chapter’s major turning point.

Chapter Summary: “Sudden Enthusiasm”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Lin uses the Gold Inheritance Card containing the incomplete Nine Nether Profound-Heaven Divine Art.
• In the inheritance space, he witnesses sacred white figures and demonic black figures emerge from an ancient scroll. He receives the technique’s cryptic teachings and begins cultivating it.
• The gathered black and white energies condense into a mysterious black eye in Jiang Lin’s palm, which can blink under his control.
• Before the inheritance space closes, an unknown woman tells Jiang Lin to find her at the Profound Abyss Sea.
• The system refuses to identify the woman but reveals that the Profound Abyss Sea lies on Eastern Extremity Star, in the Third-Layer Desolate Expanse Heaven Realm.
• Jiang Lin learns that the world he inhabits is only a Micro-Level Plane within the Boundless Chaos Sea. The greater cosmos consists of thirty-six Heaven Realms and seventy-two Earth Realms, and only beings around the Heaven Trampling Realm can freely enter them.
• After reviewing his improved status panel, Jiang Lin decides to summon Jiang Chen using her incomplete Silver Three-Star Summoning Card.
• Because Jiang Lin possesses a technique sharing Jiang Chen’s origin, the system grants her increased initial favorability. She appears as a powerful, poisonous, red-haired woman and immediately embraces him enthusiastically.

Character Developments

• Jiang Lin gains the incomplete Nine Nether Profound-Heaven Divine Art and manifests the Nine Nether Demon Eye, expanding both his abilities and his connection to the mysterious inheritance.
• His understanding of the universe dramatically changes when he discovers that the Douluo world is merely a low-level plane within a much larger cosmology.
• Though shocked by the revelations about the Myriad Heavens, Jiang Lin remains practical and recognizes that these distant realms are beyond his current strength.
• Jiang Chen is introduced as the “Corpse Ancestor,” possessing Level 89 Soul Douluo cultivation, powerful martial souls, poison-based techniques, and a sealed ability.
• Her initial favorability toward Jiang Lin reaches 50, placing her at the “Familiar” stage and making her unexpectedly warm and affectionate.

Significant Themes

• Expansion of the world’s scale: The chapter reveals a layered cosmology far beyond the current setting, transforming Jiang Lin’s understanding of reality.
• Power and progression: Access to the Heaven and Earth Realms is tied to overwhelming cultivation, emphasizing the enormous distance Jiang Lin still has to travel.
• Mystery and foreshadowing: The unknown woman, the Profound Abyss Sea, and the Nine Nether inheritance introduce future quests and unanswered questions.
• Inheritance and destiny: Jiang Lin’s techniques connect him to ancient powers and to Jiang Chen, suggesting that his path may be shaped by forces predating his arrival.
• Humorous subversion of expectations: Jiang Lin expects Jiang Chen to be distant or difficult, but she instead embraces him immediately, creating a comedic contrast with his assumptions.

Character Interactions

• The mysterious female voice addresses Jiang Lin as the inheritor and instructs him to seek her at the Profound Abyss Sea.
• Jiang Lin repeatedly questions the system about the voice, the wider universe, and the complete version of the divine art, but the system withholds information due to his insufficient authorization.
• Upon summoning Jiang Chen, Jiang Lin formally welcomes her. She recognizes him as the younger brother of someone who asked her to care for him and responds with immediate affection by hugging him.
• Jiang Lin is left bewildered by her enthusiasm, realizing that her behavior does not match his expectations.

Chapter Summary

• Plot and events: Jiang Lin is caught hugging Jiang Chen just as Little Dragon Girl and Xiao Wu enter the room, creating an awkward misunderstanding. Jiang Chen explains the embrace by claiming she immediately felt close to Jiang Lin, though Xiao Wu remains suspicious. The tension is interrupted when Jiang Lin is informed that Earl Sein, Vilant’s father, has arrived with Bishop Ellington of Spirit Hall.
• Jiang Lin, Little Dragon Girl, Xiao Wu, Jiang Chen, and Qingyue go to confront them. Earl Sein arrives with ten heavily armed guards, all powerful Soul Masters. He angrily declares his intention to avenge Vilant and orders the guards to attack. Qingyue effortlessly defeats all ten with a single slap, shocking both Sein and Bishop Ellington.
• Jiang Lin dismisses Sein’s forces as inadequate and warns him to leave. Enraged, Sein summons his black-scaled serpent Martial Soul and attacks with his fifth Soul Skill, Venom Nightmare Demon Whip. Qingyue catches the poisonous whip, pulls Sein toward her, and prepares to strike him. The chapter ends mid-attack.
• From above, Dai Mubai observes the confrontation with Katarina and a powerful elder. The elder estimates Qingyue’s strength to be between levels 83 and 85, identifying her as a formidable Soul Douluo.

Character development

• Jiang Lin remains calm and confident despite being confronted by a nobleman seeking revenge. His trust in Qingyue reflects his awareness of his own strength and the protection surrounding him.
• Jiang Chen is playful, physically affectionate, and quick-witted, deliberately teasing Jiang Lin while helping him escape the embarrassing situation.
• Little Dragon Girl shows jealousy and suspicion toward Jiang Chen but ultimately accepts Jiang Lin’s reassurance.
• Qingyue’s overwhelming power is revealed more clearly, establishing her as Jiang Lin’s extremely capable protector.
• Earl Sein is driven by grief and fury over the death of his only son, but his anger causes him to underestimate Jiang Lin’s group.
• Dai Mubai becomes increasingly aware that Jiang Lin possesses an extraordinary background and powerful allies.
• Themes: The chapter emphasizes jealousy and romantic tension, loyalty and protection, the consequences of revenge, and the contrast between outward status and true strength. It also highlights Jiang Lin’s hidden influence and the danger of underestimating those around him.
• Character interactions: Jiang Lin tries to reassure Little Dragon Girl while managing Jiang Chen’s teasing behavior. Jiang Chen openly challenges the distance between herself and Jiang Lin, provoking Xiao Wu’s suspicion and Little Dragon Girl’s jealousy. Jiang Lin confronts Earl Sein verbally, while Qingyue acts as his silent shield. Above them, Dai Mubai and Elder Xiang analyze Jiang Lin’s forces, suggesting that the confrontation has attracted the attention of powerful observers.

Chapter Summary: “Soul-Chaos Sound”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Lin kills Earl Sein with a single palm strike, shattering his body instantly.
• A system notification confirms Sein’s death and announces a major timeline shift, awarding Jiang Lin 5,000 Collapse Points.
• Hotel manager Morrison is terrified, realizing the hotel may be punished because Sein was a noble personally appointed by the king.
• Bishop Ellington, a Soul Saint who accompanied Sein, does not intervene. Instead, he trembles in fear after sensing the overwhelming power of Qingyue and Jiang Lin’s group.
• Jiang Lin questions Ellington about his intentions. Ellington denies coming to cause trouble and swears that he only came because Sein persistently requested his help.
• Jiang Lin considers killing Ellington but decides against it, fearing that the death of a red-robed cardinal would provoke a thorough investigation by Spirit Hall and disrupt his plans to remain hidden.
• Instead, Jiang Lin uses the Nine Nether Demon Eye and its Ear-Rending Demon Sound to alter Ellington’s memories. Ellington becomes convinced that Sein’s death had nothing to do with him and leaves without resistance.
• Jiang Lin then kills Morrison for bringing Sein to the hotel, believing that anyone who becomes his enemy must be eliminated to prevent future trouble.
• Elder Xiang observes Jiang Lin’s ruthlessness and warns Dai Mubai that Jiang Lin is someone who can only be treated as a friend, never an enemy. Dai Mubai acknowledges the warning.
• Jiang Lin gives the frightened maids ten Gold Soul Coins and orders them to clean up the corpses, telling them to direct any inquiries to him.
• Later, Jiang Lin moves into a separate room to avoid the inconveniences of sharing quarters with the women in his group.
• While cultivating late at night, Jiang Lin senses someone standing outside his door.

Character Developments

• Jiang Lin: Demonstrates overwhelming strength, calculated cruelty, and careful strategic thinking. Although he kills Sein and Morrison without hesitation, he avoids killing Ellington because doing so would attract Spirit Hall’s attention. His use of memory manipulation shows his growing mastery of the Nine Nether Demon Eye and his preference for eliminating threats discreetly when possible.
• Earl Sein: His arrogance and attempt to confront Jiang Lin lead directly to his death. His death also causes a significant change in the family timeline.
• Bishop Ellington: Despite being a powerful Soul Saint, he is completely intimidated by Jiang Lin’s group. He abandons any apparent loyalty to Sein and becomes vulnerable to Jiang Lin’s mental manipulation.
• Manager Morrison: His fear and association with Sein make him another liability in Jiang Lin’s eyes. Jiang Lin kills him to remove a witness and prevent future complications.
• Elder Xiang: Correctly recognizes Jiang Lin as an extremely dangerous figure who must not be antagonized.
• Dai Mubai: Receives Elder Xiang’s warning and appears to understand the importance of maintaining a favorable relationship with Jiang Lin.
• Jiang Lin’s companions: Jiang Lin’s reflections reveal emotional distance from most of the women in the group. He feels closest to Little Dragon Girl, has limited affection for Xiao Wu, and views Tian Yan, Jiang Chen, and Qingyue with varying degrees of detachment.

Significant Themes

• Power and intimidation: Even high-ranking nobles and Soul Saint-level experts are helpless before Jiang Lin and Qingyue’s strength.
• Pragmatism and concealment: Jiang Lin balances brutality with caution, choosing not to kill Ellington because Spirit Hall’s investigation would expose him prematurely.
• Control of mind and memory: The Nine Nether Demon Eye allows Jiang Lin to rewrite Ellington’s perception of events, emphasizing the danger of psychological and spiritual power.
• Eliminating future threats: Jiang Lin believes enemies must be destroyed decisively, reflected in his deaths of Sein and Morrison.
• Emotional detachment: Jiang Lin views several companions in utilitarian or distant terms, revealing his reluctance to form genuine emotional bonds.
• Friendship versus hostility: Elder Xiang identifies Jiang Lin as someone who rewards friendship but responds to opposition with overwhelming violence.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Lin confronts Ellington and pressures him into denying any hostile intent.
• Jiang Lin secretly implants false memories in Ellington while pretending to accept his explanation.
• Jiang Lin kills Morrison after questioning him about bringing Sein to the hotel.
• Elder Xiang and Dai Mubai discuss Jiang Lin’s personality and the danger of becoming his enemy.
• Jiang Lin briefly reassures and compensates the hotel maids after the killings, contrasting his polite manner with his ruthless actions.
• The chapter ends with Jiang Lin alone in his room, sensing an unknown visitor outside his door.

Chapter Summary: “A Year”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Chen visits Jiang Lin late at night and reveals that she also cultivates the same lineage of techniques—the Nine Nether Profound-Heaven Divine Art and Nine Nether Demon Eye.
• She asks Jiang Lin to lend her several strands of the pure divine-demonic energy within his Demon Eye, claiming it would improve her own weakened technique and promising him a mysterious reward.
• Jiang Lin immediately realizes that Jiang Chen’s sudden friendliness is motivated by her desire for his power. Distrusting her assurances and uninterested in her reward, he refuses to agree and dismisses her, saying he will consider the request.
• Jiang Chen is surprised by his decisiveness but becomes more interested in him, remarking that he has successfully piqued her curiosity.
• Because Qingyue previously defeated Earl Sein and intimidated Bishop Ellington, Jiang Lin gains a fearsome reputation throughout Suotuo City. Manager Wang of the Rose Grand Hotel begins waiving their rent, supplying food, and arranging transportation to gain Jiang Lin’s favor.
• The group spends the following year in relative peace. Jiang Lin accompanies Little Dragon Girl, Xiao Wu, and the others during the day while cultivating at night. He also occasionally takes the women shopping.
• After a year of cultivation, Jiang Lin breaks through to Level 68 Soul Emperor. His system estimates his combat strength at approximately that of a Level 95 Titled Douluo.
• Jiang Lin reflects that reaching Soul Saint will likely require another six months, but he feels capable of handling most dangers with his own strength and the assistance of his summoned companions.
• He checks the progress of his companions:
  • Little Dragon Girl reaches Level 62 Soul Emperor, with a combat rating equivalent to a Level 81 Soul Douluo. Her affection for Jiang Lin rises to 83, showing a strong and intimate bond.
  • Tian Yan reaches Level 71 Soul Saint and advances in martial cultivation as well. Because of her satisfactory behavior and past life-saving favor, Jiang Lin previously removed the first layer of her seal. Her affection rises to 65, making the second stage eligible for unlocking, though Jiang Lin remains cautious.

Character Developments

• Jiang Lin becomes more powerful, cautious, and self-reliant. He refuses to be manipulated by Jiang Chen and recognizes that his own growing strength means he no longer needs to seek her approval or assistance.
• Jiang Chen is shown to be calculating and opportunistic. Her interest in Jiang Lin is tied primarily to the purity of his divine-demonic energy, though his refusal also increases her personal curiosity about him.
• Little Dragon Girl grows considerably stronger and her emotional attachment to Jiang Lin deepens. Their relationship becomes increasingly intimate, though Jiang Lin continues to restrain himself from fully consummating it.
• Tian Yan proves reliable enough for Jiang Lin to loosen part of her seal. However, he still does not completely trust her and intends to observe her before granting her greater freedom.
• Manager Wang responds to Jiang Lin’s reputation with submission and flattery, illustrating how Jiang Lin’s influence has expanded beyond direct combat.

Significant Themes

• Power and independence: Jiang Lin’s breakthrough makes him less dependent on others and allows him to reject Jiang Chen’s request without fear of losing an advantage.
• Trust and manipulation: Jiang Chen’s request exposes the transactional nature of her approach, while Jiang Lin’s cautious response reflects his awareness that promises may conceal risks.
• Control versus loyalty: Tian Yan’s sealed power represents Jiang Lin’s attempt to balance trust with control. Her freedom depends on continued obedience and demonstrated loyalty.
• Growing intimacy: The chapter emphasizes the gradual development of Jiang Lin’s relationship with Little Dragon Girl, combining emotional affection with restraint and unresolved desire.
• Reputation and influence: Jiang Lin’s growing fame changes how others treat him. Fear and opportunism replace open hostility, allowing him and his companions to live peacefully.

Important Character Interactions

• Jiang Lin and Jiang Chen: Jiang Chen attempts to charm and persuade him into sharing his divine-demonic energy. Jiang Lin remains distant, identifies her motive, and sends her away, causing her interest in him to increase.
• Jiang Lin and Little Dragon Girl: Their bond strengthens throughout the year. They spend private time together, and her affection reaches an intimate level despite Jiang Lin stopping short of complete physical possession.
• Jiang Lin and Tian Yan: Jiang Lin rewards Tian Yan’s satisfactory conduct by removing the first layer of her seal, but he continues testing her loyalty before unlocking the second.
• Jiang Lin and Manager Wang: Manager Wang becomes excessively accommodating after learning of Jiang Lin’s strength, while Jiang Lin accepts the favorable treatment without further provoking him.

Chapter Summary: “Tang San Arrives”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Lin reviews Jiang Chen’s current status. She is a Level 92 Titled Douluo with a combat rating equivalent to a Level 97 Super Douluo. Her first seal has been unlocked through the Divine-Demon Qi Jiang Lin gave her, while her second seal can only activate once she reaches Level 99.
• Jiang Lin explains that he empowered Jiang Chen partly because Sword Douluo Chen Xin, a Level 96 Super Douluo, is currently stronger than him. Since Jiang Lin intends to approach Ning Rongrong, he needs Jiang Chen’s strength as protection against Chen Xin.
• He notes that Tang San is now twelve and likely traveling toward Suotuo City, meaning Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing will soon appear as well.
• Jiang Lin discovers that people who reach at least 70 Favorability toward him can receive system panels. Xiao Wu’s panel becomes visible: she is a Level 51 Soul King with a normal combat rating of Level 59, but can temporarily reach Level 76 by unleashing the power of her hundred-thousand-year soul-beast origin.
• Jiang Lin vows to protect Xiao Wu from the fate she suffered in the original timeline. He is confident that, after another six months of cultivation, he will reach Soul Saint and gain the next stage of the Ancient God inheritance, making him powerful enough to crush even a Level 99 Limit Douluo.
• Jiang Lin checks on his blood-moon servants. Qingyue has been reforged and strengthened with Ancient God Origin, reaching Level 85 Soul Douluo after absorbing the world’s vital energy. Blood One and Blood Two are considered expendable because of their limited talent.
• The system suddenly warns Jiang Lin that Tang San, the world’s “fated protagonist,” has come within one hundred meters.
• The system reveals the existence of a World Correction Force, which attempts to steer events back toward the original plot after major timeline disruptions. It had previously been hidden under a new-user protection clause and only activates when Jiang Lin encounters Tang San.
• Jiang Lin leaves his room to meet Tang San and sees him accompanied by an unfamiliar young girl.

Character Developments

• Jiang Lin: Becomes increasingly confident in his ability to surpass the original world’s strongest figures. He is also determined to protect Xiao Wu and continue altering the original timeline. His curiosity and caution increase once he learns that the world itself may be resisting his interference.
• Jiang Chen: Has grown into a powerful ally, reaching Level 92 and gaining greater strength through Jiang Lin’s Divine-Demon Qi. Her favorable attitude toward Jiang Lin has also increased enough to unlock her first seal.
• Xiao Wu: Remains deeply favorable toward Jiang Lin, with a Favorability score of 71. Her hidden combat potential is revealed, and Jiang Lin takes personal responsibility for preventing her original tragic fate.
• Qingyue: Shows significant growth after being reforged, becoming capable of independently absorbing vital energy to cultivate.
• Tang San: Arrives at the location as the recognized protagonist of the original timeline. His presence triggers the system’s special assistance and introduces the threat of World Correction Force.

Significant Themes

• Fate versus free will: Jiang Lin’s actions have radically changed the original storyline, but the world now appears to be attempting to restore its destined course.
• Power and preparation: Jiang Lin carefully evaluates the strengths of his allies and recognizes the need to prepare for powerful figures such as Sword Douluo.
• Protection and redemption: His determination to save Xiao Wu reflects his desire to rewrite tragic events rather than allow the original story to repeat.
• System limitations and hidden rules: The system is shown to possess concealed clauses and restrictions, suggesting that Jiang Lin does not yet fully understand the forces governing his journey.
• Growing confidence: Jiang Lin increasingly believes he can surpass every major figure in the world, though Tang San’s arrival signals a new challenge.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Lin and Jiang Chen have a close but somewhat troublesome relationship: she repeatedly sought access to his Divine-Demon Qi, while he ultimately gave her some after confirming it was safe.
• Jiang Lin’s relationship with Xiao Wu is protective and emotionally significant. Her high Favorability allows him to access her system information, and he openly resolves to save her from her destined sacrifice.
• Jiang Lin has not yet directly spoken with Tang San in the chapter, but his arrival creates immediate tension. Jiang Lin observes him carefully and prepares to investigate how the World Correction Force will affect their encounter.
• The chapter ends with Jiang Lin noticing that Tang San is accompanied by an unknown girl, setting up the next major interaction.

Chapter Summary: “World Correction, Xiao Xun”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Lin notices a mysterious purple-haired girl accompanying Tang San. Using an eye technique, he sees that her true form is a stalk of purple lavender, revealing her to be another Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast who has taken human form.
• The girl, named Xiao Xun, possesses the same Level-29 cultivation that Xiao Wu had in the original timeline. Jiang Lin suspects she was created or positioned by the World Correction Force to replace Xiao Wu in Tang San’s story.
• Dai Mubai enters with two similar-looking women, apparently recreating the original scene in which he first encountered Tang San. Jiang Lin decides to interfere and prevent events from following their original course.
• Jiang Lin confronts Tang San after six years. Tang San recognizes him and warns Xiao Xun that Jiang Lin is a ruthless killer who murdered people at Notting Junior Soul Master Academy.
• Tang San and Xiao Xun reveal their two yellow Soul Rings and prepare to fight. Jiang Lin mocks Tang San for still being only a Two-Ring Soul Grandmaster.
• Dai Mubai arrives and confirms that Jiang Lin does not need assistance. He knows Jiang Lin’s strength is at least Level 65, making him overwhelmingly superior to Tang San and Xiao Xun.
• Jiang Lin summons the King’s Power Sword and reveals an astonishing six-ring configuration: three purple, two black, and one red, representing unusually powerful thousand-year, ten-thousand-year, and Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Rings.
• Tang San and Xiao Xun are shocked by the disparity in strength. Xiao Xun considers retreating, but Tang San insists he will protect her.
• Believing that his father, Tang Hao, is secretly following and protecting him, Tang San launches an attack. He uses Blue Silver Grass vines to obstruct Jiang Lin’s vision, then fires a Godly Zhuge Crossbow directly at Jiang Lin’s neck.

Character Developments

• Jiang Lin is portrayed as increasingly powerful, confident, and openly hostile toward Tang San. He recognizes the World Correction Force’s attempts to restore the original storyline and resolves to oppose it.
• Tang San has become more confident and prepared after six years of cultivation, but remains vastly weaker than Jiang Lin. His faith in his hidden trump card—Tang Hao’s protection—makes him reckless enough to attack despite the overwhelming danger.
• Xiao Xun is introduced as a lavender-based Soul Beast in human form, apparently designed to fill Xiao Wu’s former narrative role. She is wary of Jiang Lin and shows instincts characteristic of her true identity, but relies on Tang San for protection.
• Dai Mubai now respects and fears Jiang Lin’s strength. His reaction to Jiang Lin’s Soul Rings emphasizes how extraordinary Jiang Lin’s cultivation has become.
• Tang San and Xiao Xun’s relationship appears close, with Tang San instinctively shielding and reassuring her. This mirrors the protective bond he originally shared with Xiao Wu.

Significant Themes

• World Correction versus individual agency: The chapter suggests that the world itself is attempting to repair deviations from the original timeline by introducing Xiao Xun as a replacement for Xiao Wu.
• Destiny and resistance: Jiang Lin actively rejects the predetermined plot and seeks to prevent familiar events from occurring.
• Power imbalance: The extraordinary Soul Ring configuration establishes Jiang Lin as far beyond Tang San and Xiao Xun, making their confrontation heavily one-sided.
• False confidence and hidden protection: Tang San’s belief that Tang Hao will intervene gives him courage, but also encourages him to underestimate the danger.
• Identity and transformation: Xiao Xun’s human appearance conceals her Soul Beast nature, raising questions about whether her identity and role were imposed by the world.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Lin studies Xiao Xun in secret before confronting her and Tang San.
• Jiang Lin taunts Tang San about Xiao Xun’s origins, while Tang San responds defensively and warns her about Jiang Lin.
• Xiao Xun remains cautious of Jiang Lin but follows Tang San’s lead.
• Dai Mubai openly declares that Jiang Lin needs no allies, indirectly humiliating Tang San and emphasizing the gap between them.
• Tang San reassures Xiao Xun that he will protect her, then attacks Jiang Lin with a concealed Godly Zhuge Crossbow.
• The chapter ends at the moment the crossbow bolt is fired, leaving the outcome of the attack unresolved.

Chapter Summary: “Tang Hao Arrives!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Lin effortlessly blocks Tang San’s poisoned Godly Zhuge Crossbow bolts and hidden silver needles with his King’s Power Sword. The poison severely corrodes the hotel floor, alarming the onlookers.
• Tang San attempts to attack Jiang Lin with concealed weapons, but Jiang Lin casually deflects the needles back toward him. Tang San and Xiao Xun narrowly escape.
• Jiang Lin prepares to kill Tang San with a powerful golden sword strike. Just before it lands, Tang Hao appears and destroys the attack with one hand.
• Tang Hao reunites emotionally with Tang San after six years apart, reassuring him that he will protect him from now on. He also acknowledges Xiao Xun’s loyalty to Tang San and approves of her.
• Tang Hao confronts Jiang Lin over the humiliation Tang San suffered six years earlier. Jiang Lin provokes him by revealing that he knows Tang Hao’s identity as the former Clear Sky Douluo and reminding him of Spirit Hall’s pursuit.
• Tang Hao assumes Jiang Lin must be connected to Spirit Hall, but Jiang Lin refuses to reveal his true identity.
• Tang Hao unleashes his full strength, revealing nine Soul Rings—including one red ring—and summons his blood-red Clear Sky Hammer. His overwhelming aura forces nearly everyone in the hotel to flee.
• Dai Mubai is removed from the scene by Elder Xiang for his safety. Xiao Xun becomes uneasy around Tang Hao after sensing the immense slaughter and bloodshed associated with his power.
• Rather than being intimidated, Jiang Lin applauds Tang Hao’s courage and claims that, despite being “only” a Soul Emperor, he can easily hold Tang Hao back. An ancient, primal aura begins to emerge from Jiang Lin, setting up the coming battle.

Character Developments

• Jiang Lin: Demonstrates overwhelming confidence and combat ability, easily neutralizing Tang San’s hidden weapons. He openly taunts Tang Hao and shows that he no longer fears him. His mysterious identity and growing ancient aura suggest that his true strength is far greater than his apparent Soul Emperor rank.
• Tang San: Shows desperation when his attacks fail and nearly dies under Jiang Lin’s sword strike. His reunion with Tang Hao reveals his deep emotional dependence on his father and renewed confidence after receiving Tang Hao’s protection.
• Tang Hao: Returns as a powerful and intimidating protector. His affection for Tang San contrasts sharply with his ruthless demeanor toward Jiang Lin. By revealing his identity and Martial Soul, he abandons caution and openly prepares to settle past grievances.
• Xiao Xun: Remains devoted to Tang San and risks herself to protect him. Although Tang Hao approves of her loyalty, she is disturbed by the murderous aura surrounding him and instinctively distances herself.
• Dai Mubai: Recognizes the danger of Tang San’s weapons but is completely outmatched by Tang Hao’s presence. He is forcibly evacuated before the confrontation escalates.
• Elder Xiang: Acts protectively by removing Dai Mubai from the battlefield, preventing him from becoming collateral damage.

Significant Themes

• Parental protection and reunion: Tang Hao’s arrival fulfills Tang San’s longing for his father and establishes a powerful father-son bond.
• Hidden identities and political danger: Jiang Lin’s knowledge of Tang Hao’s past creates tension, since revealing Tang Hao’s identity could attract Spirit Hall’s retaliation.
• Power versus appearance: Jiang Lin appears to be only a Soul Emperor, yet his effortless defenses and mysterious aura imply that his actual capabilities are far beyond what others expect.
• Fear and intimidation: Tang Hao’s aura causes everyone except Jiang Lin to flee, emphasizing the vast gap between ordinary cultivators and Titled Douluo-level power.
• Violence and moral unease: Xiao Xun’s reaction highlights the cost of Tang Hao’s strength; his power is associated with immense slaughter, making him both a protector and a frightening figure.
• Revenge and unresolved grudges: Tang Hao intends to repay Jiang Lin for harming Tang San, while Jiang Lin deliberately provokes him by invoking the past and Spirit Hall.

Important Character Interactions

• Jiang Lin and Tang San: Jiang Lin mocks Tang San’s reliance on hidden weapons and nearly kills him, establishing Jiang Lin’s dominance over him.
• Tang Hao and Tang San: Their emotional reunion restores Tang San’s confidence and confirms Tang Hao’s determination to defend his son.
• Tang Hao and Xiao Xun: Tang Hao approves of Xiao Xun because she never abandoned Tang San, though his terrifying aura makes her uncomfortable.
• Jiang Lin and Tang Hao: Their verbal exchange is openly hostile. Jiang Lin challenges Tang Hao’s pride and past, while Tang Hao vows to settle both old and new debts.
• Tang Hao and the onlookers: His unleashed power terrifies everyone, forcing them to retreat and underscoring the seriousness of the impending confrontation.
• Jiang Lin and the wider threat of Spirit Hall: Jiang Lin uses Spirit Hall as psychological leverage, testing whether Tang Hao will risk exposing himself by fighting.

Chapter Summary: “Giant God Clan?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Lin transforms into a three-meter-tall giant form, revealing golden divine patterns, golden eyes, purple starlight between his brows, and a powerful physique linked to his Ancient God abilities.
• Tang Hao identifies Jiang Lin’s appearance and strength as signs of the legendary Giant God Clan, an ancient race that once ruled the Douluo Continent.
• Tang Hao explains that the Giant God Clan grew from ordinary-looking humans into enormous beings hundreds of meters tall. Their leader was eventually killed by the original Angel God and Sea God, ending their dominance.
• Jiang Lin realizes that the Giant God Clan is likely only a weakened branch or remnant of the Ancient God bloodline, rather than the true source of his power.
• Jiang Lin summons the King’s Power Sword, enhancing it with both destructive devouring energy and purifying sacred power.
• Tang Hao initially underestimates Jiang Lin because of his age, believing the twelve-year-old could possess no more than Soul Douluo-level strength.
• Their first clash overturns Tang Hao’s assumptions: Jiang Lin overpowers Tang Hao’s Clear Sky Hammer and forces him backward.
• Tang Hao uses his fourth soul skill, Thunder Shockwave, to escape Jiang Lin’s attack and begins fighting seriously.
• Jiang Lin responds with his sixth soul skill, Thousand-Mountain Subduing-Peak Slash, summoning enormous mountain-like projections.
• Tang Hao activates the Clear Sky Hammer’s Weapon Spirit True Body and counters with the Clear Sky Sect’s Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer, building up eighty-one increasingly powerful strikes.
• Their collision devastates the Rose Grand Hotel and destroys the surrounding area within a thousand meters. Tang Hao survives but is badly exhausted and finally questions Jiang Lin’s true identity.

Character Developments

• Jiang Lin: Demonstrates that he can access much of the Ancient God’s power even without fully assuming his true Ancient God form. He becomes more confident and openly reveals greater portions of his strength when Tang Hao stops holding back.
• Tang Hao: Moves from arrogant dismissal to shock and caution. He recognizes that Jiang Lin’s power rivals his own and is forced to fight seriously.
• Tang San: Initially feels inferior to Jiang Lin, but Tang Hao’s explanation of the Giant God Clan gives him a reason to believe Jiang Lin’s superiority comes from his bloodline rather than his own limitations.
• Xiao Xun and the other bystanders: Are largely powerless observers, relying on Tang Hao’s protection during the increasingly destructive battle.

Significant Themes

• Hidden ancestry and bloodlines: Jiang Lin’s abilities are connected to an ancient and mysterious race, though the chapter hints that his true origins may be even greater than the Giant God Clan.
• Underestimation and revelation: Tang Hao’s belief that Jiang Lin’s age limits his strength is repeatedly disproven.
• Inherited power versus individual ability: Tang San interprets Jiang Lin’s strength as a product of bloodline, while Jiang Lin’s mastery and knowledge suggest that training and understanding also matter.
• Escalation of conflict: What begins as a confrontation quickly becomes a battle between near-equal powers, forcing both sides to reveal increasingly powerful techniques.
• Mythic history: The chapter expands the world’s ancient history by introducing the Giant God Clan and its connection to the Angel God and Sea God.

Character Interactions

• Tang Hao explains the Giant God Clan to Tang San and the others, fundamentally changing their perception of Jiang Lin.
• Tang San warns his father when Jiang Lin attacks, while Tang Hao dismisses the danger and is immediately proven wrong.
• Jiang Lin and Tang Hao exchange increasingly serious attacks, with Jiang Lin challenging Tang Hao’s assumptions and Tang Hao demanding to know Jiang Lin’s true identity after witnessing his overwhelming strength.

Chapter Summary: “Retreating”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Lin recognizes that, according to the system’s evaluation, he is strong enough to fight Tang Hao without being disadvantaged.
• However, killing Tang Hao would still be extremely difficult because Tang Hao possesses the powerful Great Clear Sky Hammer and can use the dangerous Ring Detonation technique. Even Jiang Chen could suffer serious injuries from it.
• Tang Hao is also protected indirectly by Tang Chen, the Level 99 Limit Douluo known as the King of Slaughter. If Tang Hao were killed, Tang Chen would likely pursue Jiang Lin and his allies.
• Having exhausted most of his Soul Power and realizing he cannot defeat Jiang Lin, Tang Hao withdraws with Tang San and Xiao Xun after warning Jiang Lin that he will remember him.
• The system announces that Tang Hao’s identity has been exposed earlier than in the original timeline. This changes the storyline involving Tang San and Dai Mubai, earns Jiang Lin 30,000 Collapse Points, and raises the total to 30,430.
• The system then warns that the World Correction Force has activated because of the major timeline disturbance.
• Jiang Lin senses three powerful auras approaching—three Titled Douluo—and immediately retreats to avoid being surrounded and drained of his Ancient God Power.
• Shortly afterward, three Spirit Hall figures arrive at the ruins of the Rose Grand Hotel: Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan, Ghost Douluo Gui Mei, and an unnamed, extremely aged Titled Douluo. They arrive too late to catch Jiang Lin and Tang Hao.

Character Developments

• Jiang Lin demonstrates improved confidence in his strength but remains cautious and strategic. Rather than risk fighting Tang Hao and three powerful reinforcements, he chooses to retreat.
• He also shows a clear understanding of the political consequences of killing Tang Hao, especially the threat posed by Tang Chen.
• Tang Hao is forced to acknowledge that he cannot currently defeat Jiang Lin. His retreat reveals both his remaining combat judgment and his determination to remember and possibly retaliate against Jiang Lin.
• Tang San leaves with Tang Hao, while his future path is now uncertain because Tang Hao’s early exposure has disrupted the original storyline.
• Jiang Chen is established as powerful enough to defeat Tang Hao directly, though even she would be endangered by Tang Hao’s ultimate technique.
• Yue Guan and Gui Mei continue acting as Spirit Hall enforcers, arriving to investigate the destruction and pursue the escaped parties.
• The unnamed elderly Titled Douluo is introduced as a mysterious and physically decayed figure whose immense strength contrasts with his near-death appearance.

Significant Themes

• Strategic retreat versus reckless victory: Jiang Lin chooses survival over pursuing a dangerous kill, emphasizing calculation rather than pride.
• The consequences of altering fate: Exposing Tang Hao causes major changes to the timeline, demonstrating that Jiang Lin’s actions are reshaping the original story.
• Power and hidden trump cards: Strength alone is not enough; Tang Hao’s Ring Detonation and Tang Chen’s protection make him dangerous even when outmatched.
• The struggle between individual action and narrative correction: The World Correction Force suggests that the altered world may attempt to restore key events, possibly including Tang San’s entry into Shrek Academy.
• Political repercussions: Tang Hao’s exposure places him in greater danger from Spirit Hall and risks provoking Tang Chen, expanding the conflict beyond the immediate battle.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Lin and Tang Hao confront one another directly, with Tang Hao ultimately withdrawing after recognizing that he cannot win.
• Tang Hao gives Jiang Lin a hostile final warning, establishing future antagonism between them.
• Jiang Lin mentally evaluates the consequences of Tang Hao’s possible death, including the response from Tang Chen.
• The system informs Jiang Lin of the timeline shift and its rewards, then warns him of the World Correction Force.
• Jiang Lin senses the approaching Spirit Hall Douluo and escapes before they can surround him.
• Yue Guan, Gui Mei, and the elderly Titled Douluo arrive at the ruined hotel and confirm that their targets have already fled.

Plot points and events

• Jiang Lin spends three 10,000-point draws on the Silver Card Pool.
• His first draw gives him Wang Quanbayue’s Smiley Mask. Though initially disappointed, he discovers it can disguise its wearer and conceal their presence, but its original effects work only against targets below Gold rank.
• The second draw yields a Web Assassin Corps summoning card: 200 killers ranging from Soul Emperor to Soul Elder. Jiang Lin decides not to summon or enhance them, judging the cost and benefit poor.
• His final draw produces an Intermediate Evolution Stone. He uses it on the mask, evolving it into Gold One-Star equipment without spending the 30,000 points that a second-tier evolution would normally require.
• The upgraded mask can fundamentally alter the wearer’s appearance and aura, though it has limits against powerful Gold-rank opponents. Jiang Lin tests it and transforms into a red-haired woman resembling Jiang Chen, with his voice and clothing changed as well.
• Pleased with the disguise, he leaves his room with a mischievous idea.

Character developments

• Jiang Lin is willing to gamble his remaining points, driven by optimism that another draw will pay off.
• He assesses rewards pragmatically: he sets aside the mask until it can be upgraded and rejects the corps’ enhancement as not worthwhile for him.
• His excitement at the evolved mask reveals a playful, scheming side, as he immediately considers how to use his new disguise.

Significant themes

• Risk and reward: Jiang Lin spends all his remaining points chasing a better draw, and luck ultimately delivers a valuable upgrade.
• Resourcefulness and strategy: Rather than pay for an evolution directly, he uses the Evolution Stone to improve the mask efficiently.
• Power and limitations: Each card offers useful abilities but comes with restrictions, emphasizing the need to weigh benefits against cost and risk.

Character interactions

• Jiang Lin consults the system repeatedly for card details, evolution costs, and limitations, then acts on that information.
• His next interaction with the women is anticipated but not shown: he exits his room disguised, intending to try his new appearance on them.

Key plot points and events

• A woman who looks exactly like Jiang Chen appears at the hotel room door. The real Jiang Chen attacks, but the newcomer dodges and claims to be Jiang Chen.
• Tian Yan’s Martial Soul cannot distinguish the double from the real Jiang Chen. Little Dragon Girl, however, recognizes the visitor as Jiang Lin from a familiar feeling.
• Jiang Lin removes the Smiley Mask, revealing that it allowed him to copy Jiang Chen’s appearance so convincingly that even Tian Yan’s special sight could not detect the disguise.
• The next morning, Jiang Lin tells the group he must leave alone to handle an important matter. He asks Jiang Chen to protect Little Dragon Girl and the others, promising to return and share Divine-Demon Qi.
• After an affectionate farewell with Little Dragon Girl, Jiang Lin departs. Outside the hotel, he adopts a new disguise: a young man in teal robes carrying an ancient sword and a scroll.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Lin demonstrates the mask’s power and tests its effectiveness, then takes responsibility for a dangerous task by leaving without his companions. He reassures the group but keeps his plans private.
• Little Dragon Girl recognizes Jiang Lin through her close emotional bond with him, despite the perfect disguise. She worries about his departure but ultimately accepts it after he promises to be careful.
• Jiang Chen is initially angered by the impersonation, then impressed by the mask. She agrees to protect the others while Jiang Lin is away.
• Xiao Wu and Tian Yan are fooled by the disguise; Tian Yan is particularly astonished that her Martial Soul cannot expose it.

Significant themes

• Intimacy and recognition: Little Dragon Girl’s familiarity with Jiang Lin surpasses magical or physical deception.
• Trust and protection: Jiang Lin entrusts the group’s safety to Jiang Chen and reassures those he leaves behind.
• Identity and deception: The mask blurs the boundary between genuine appearance and disguise, foreshadowing Jiang Lin’s use of an assumed identity for his next undertaking.

Plot points and events

• Jiang Lin abandons his earlier plan because his effective Smiley Mask lets him infiltrate his targets without raising suspicion. He heads to Shrek Academy, eager to conceal his strength and surprise people who underestimate him.
• At the academy’s makeshift admissions station, he recognizes Li Yusong, a powerful Soul Emperor, and sees Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing arrive. Dai Mubai later appears with Tang San and Xiao Xun, surprising Jiang Lin because Tang San still came despite Tang Hao’s identity having been exposed.
• Applicants pay a nonrefundable fee of ten Gold Soul Coins before being tested. Li Yusong rejects most of them, explaining that Shrek accepts only exceptional students: applicants must reach Level 21 before turning thirteen.
• When a rejected boy’s father asks for a refund, Li refuses to make an exception. Other parents join the protest, hoping to recover their own fees as well. Jiang Lin watches, unsure who is in the right, but believes Li will not yield.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Lin adopts a new strategy of blending in as an ordinary applicant. He observes the familiar characters and considers how his presence may affect the story, though he has no immediate plans concerning Ning Rongrong or Zhu Zhuqing.
• Li Yusong shows brief sympathy for the struggling family but upholds the academy’s rules, wary of setting a precedent.
• Tang San notices Jiang Lin, exchanges a polite smile, and moves on without recognizing him.
• The applicants’ parents move from individual appeals to collective pressure when Li refuses the refund.

Significant themes

• Changing the story from within: Jiang Lin intends to use deception and concealment rather than confront his targets openly.
• Merit and exclusion: Shrek’s demanding standards distinguish exceptional talent from ordinary ability, but leave rejected students and their families bearing a steep financial cost.
• Conflicting perspectives on fairness: Li prioritizes consistent rules, while the parents argue from hardship and their children’s prospects.

Key plot points and events

• Li Yusong uses his six Soul Rings to silence parents protesting Shrek Academy’s nonrefundable registration fee, then continues testing applicants.
• A twelve-year-old with Soul Power level nineteen is rejected. Jiang Lin, posing as Xu Nuo, passes the age test and reveals an astonishing Soul Power level of thirty-nine.
• Li Yusong eagerly welcomes Xu Nuo and asks about his background. Xu Nuo says he was raised by his grandfather and knows nothing about his parents, concealing his real identity.
• Xu Nuo chooses to wait while Li Yusong finishes testing the others, saying he is waiting for “them”—a remark Li misunderstands.
• Ning Rongrong is tested next. Li recognizes the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda symbol and learns her name, realizing she is the sect leader’s daughter. She passes with Soul Power level twenty-six.
• Ning joins Xu Nuo, who introduces himself warmly. Though initially flustered, she responds pleasantly.

Character developments

• Xu Nuo/Jiang Lin stays calm and confident under scrutiny, carefully maintains his assumed identity, and shows social tact by approaching Ning Rongrong without arrogance.
• Li Yusong shifts from stern gatekeeper to enthusiastic recruiter after discovering Xu Nuo’s extraordinary talent. He becomes especially cautious once he realizes Ning’s family status.
• Ning Rongrong displays her impatience and spoiled upbringing, but her nervousness about her family’s reaction shows she is also anxious to gain independence. Xu Nuo’s friendly greeting softens her initial surprise.
• Other observers—Zhu Zhuqing, Dai Mubai, Tang San, Xiao Xun, and Tang Hao—each assess Xu Nuo’s exceptional potential, often comparing him with themselves or Jiang Lin.

Significant themes

• Talent and comparison: Xu Nuo’s level thirty-nine Soul Power astonishes nearly everyone and reshapes how they view their own abilities.
• Identity and concealment: Jiang Lin adopts the name Xu Nuo and gives a partly fabricated account of his family.
• Status and influence: Ning Rongrong’s lineage changes Li Yusong’s manner, highlighting how family power affects treatment.
• Independence and belonging: Both Xu Nuo and Ning Rongrong are entering Shrek under personal circumstances that suggest they are seeking more than admission alone.

Character interactions

• Li Yusong intimidates the protesting parents, then personally guides Xu Nuo through the admission process.
• The applicants and hidden observers react internally to Xu Nuo’s strength, revealing their rivalries, admiration, and plans.
• Li Yusong cautiously questions Ning Rongrong about her family, then tests her after receiving an unseen signal.
• Xu Nuo and Ning Rongrong exchange a polite first meeting, establishing a friendly connection.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Zhu Zhuqing passes her entrance test with Soul Power level 27 at age twelve, then joins Ning Rongrong. Tang San and Xiao Xun also complete their tests.
• Impressed by the group’s talents—especially Xu Nuo’s reported level 39—Li Yusong skips the usual preliminary tests and takes them directly to the final practical test.
• The students are surprised by Shrek Academy’s humble, village-like grounds. They meet Zhao Wuji, who has come to inspect the exceptional new applicants.
• Zhao Wuji sets the challenge: the students must endure his attacks for the time it takes an incense stick to burn. Dai Mubai suggests that Zhao probably won’t fight at full strength, but the group still sees the test as daunting.
• Xu Nuo calmly claims the challenge should be manageable. He reveals a scroll-like Martial Soul, the Book of Mountains and Seas, and demonstrates its power by briefly immobilizing everyone nearby.

Character developments and interactions

• Xu Nuo/Jiang Lin presents himself as a confident, extraordinarily talented student. His display impresses and unsettles the others, especially Tang San, who recognizes how dangerous the binding ability could be.
• The revelation is a deception: Jiang Lin has disguised his true Martial Soul and constructed a false identity as a genius, including a fabricated Second Martial Soul and Soul Rings.
• Ning Rongrong reacts indignantly to Zhao Wuji’s challenge and is astonished by Xu Nuo’s ability. Zhu Zhuqing remains reserved but becomes curious about his Martial Soul.
• Tang San quietly assesses how to counter Xu Nuo and concludes that hesitation could leave him helpless once restrained.
• Dai Mubai tries to help by explaining the challenge and speculating about Zhao Wuji’s restraint, though he has little concrete information.
• Li Yusong warns Zhao Wuji to be careful because Ning Rongrong is the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect’s princess. Zhao also suspects Tang San may have influential connections.

Significant themes

• Appearance versus reality: Jiang Lin’s apparent Martial Soul and talent are carefully manufactured, while his true capabilities remain concealed.
• Power and vulnerability: The binding demonstration shows how an unusual ability can neutralize even capable fighters before they can respond.
• Testing and intimidation: Zhao Wuji’s demanding trial challenges the students’ confidence and sets up a test of endurance, teamwork, and composure.

Plot points and events

• Jiang Lin organizes the applicants’ strategy for Zhao Wuji’s assessment: he will restrain Zhao, Ning Rongrong will provide support, Xiao Xun will protect her, Zhu Zhuqing will watch for surprises, and Tang San will serve as the main attacker.
• The test begins with a time limit: the group must endure until an incense stick burns out. Jiang Lin uses his first soul skill, Mountain and Sea Suppression, to pin Zhao Wuji in place.
• Ning Rongrong’s support gives the team a modest boost. Zhu Zhuqing attacks, while Xiao Xun uses an illusion skill, but Zhao Wuji easily repels Zhu and dispels the mist.
• Tang San then binds Zhao Wuji with Blue Silver vines and encases him in a cocoon. The group briefly thinks they may succeed by keeping him trapped.
• Zhao Wuji breaks free in his powerful bear form and attacks Tang San. Tang San briefly freezes just before impact, then takes the full blow and is gravely injured.
• Both the onlookers and Zhao Wuji are surprised: Zhao intended only to test Tang San and had reduced the force, but the strike inexplicably became much stronger at the last moment.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Lin takes charge and appears to help the group, but his private thoughts reveal a desire to cause Tang San a serious injury. His restraint of Zhao is deliberately calibrated so it poses little danger to the teacher.
• Tang San is wary of Jiang Lin’s plan but follows it. He acts decisively once the others’ attacks fail, then becomes the target of the mysterious force behind the injury.
• Xiao Xun shows concern for Tang San, warning him and rushing to cradle him after he is struck.
• Zhao Wuji remains confident and playful at first, then becomes forceful when the students appear to underestimate him. He is startled by the unexpected severity of his own blow.
• Zhu Zhuqing demonstrates speed and initiative, but Zhao’s counterattack injures her slightly.

Significant themes

• Deception and hidden motives: Jiang Lin’s cooperative role conceals his hostile intention toward Tang San.
• The gap between power levels: The students’ coordinated tactics and impressive skills are still easily overcome by Zhao Wuji’s superior strength.
• Unintended or concealed interference: Tang San’s momentary freeze and the sudden increase in the strike’s force suggest an unseen cause, leaving the source of his injury unexplained.

Key plot points and events

• Tang San is badly injured by Zhao Wuji during the assessment and is taken to the infirmary. Jiang Lin secretly caused Tang San’s hesitation and helped provoke the injury, but his interference goes unnoticed by both Tang Hao and Sword Douluo Chen Xin, who are watching from hiding.
• Zhao Wuji resumes the assessment. Jiang Lin organizes the group: Zhu Zhuqing guards Ning Rongrong, while Xiao Xun disrupts Zhao Wuji.
• Jiang Lin reveals that he has twin martial souls. He draws his Cold Mountain Sword and uses its second soul skill, Snow on a Thousand Mountains. With Ning Rongrong’s boosts and Xiao Xun’s binding skill, he wounds and freezes Zhao Wuji’s hand, briefly turning him into an ice sculpture.
• The onlookers are impressed: Tang Hao hopes Jiang Lin will become Tang San’s friend, Chen Xin wonders about his mysterious background, and Zhao Wuji recognizes his strength.
• Zhao Wuji breaks free and announces he will get serious. Jiang Lin steps in front of the girls, receives Ning Rongrong’s full-power boosts, and summons the Heavy Mountain Shield from his Book of Mountains and Seas. The chapter ends as the shield forms to meet Zhao Wuji’s attack.

Character developments

• Jiang Lin continues to hide his true motives beneath a reassuring public persona. He is pleased by Tang San’s injury, yet performs concern, reveals only enough of his abilities to impress others, and protects the girls to sustain his act.
• Ning Rongrong moves from worry and insecurity about Jiang Lin’s superior talent to determinedly supporting him with all her strength.
• Xiao Xun is anxious about facing Zhao Wuji without Tang San but follows Jiang Lin’s plan and successfully helps restrain their opponent.
• Zhao Wuji feels some guilt for injuring Tang San, but maintains his authority. He recognizes Jiang Lin’s talent while also wanting to regain face after being frozen.
• Tang Hao and Chen Xin each become more interested in Jiang Lin, though for different reasons.

Significant themes

• Deception and performance: Jiang Lin conceals his role in Tang San’s injury and carefully acts like a concerned ally.
• Talent, reputation, and suspicion: Jiang Lin’s rare abilities draw admiration while prompting questions about his origins.
• Cooperation under pressure: The group combines boosts, restraint, and attack to challenge a stronger opponent.
• Power and face: Zhao Wuji balances testing the students against maintaining his authority.

Character interactions

• Jiang Lin reassures Ning Rongrong and assigns roles to her, Zhu Zhuqing, and Xiao Xun.
• Ning Rongrong boosts Jiang Lin, while Xiao Xun restrains Zhao Wuji, creating an opening for his sword strike.
• Jiang Lin shields the girls as Zhao Wuji prepares to escalate, prompting Ning Rongrong to commit all her remaining strength to supporting him.

Key plot points and events

• Jiang Lin, posing as Xu Nuo, deliberately lets Zhao Wuji break his Grayrock Great Shield during the assessment. He then counters with a fast, deadly-looking sword strike that stops at Zhao Wuji’s neck.
• Impressed by Jiang Lin’s control and swordsmanship, Zhao Wuji declares the group has passed, even though the assessment’s incense has not burned out. The change to Shrek’s enrollment storyline earns Jiang Lin 2,000 collapse points.
• Xiao Xun asks after Tang San and is sent with Dai Mubai to visit him in the infirmary.
• After the others leave, Chen Xin (Sword Douluo) reveals himself to Flender. He gives the academy a 50,000-year Soul Bone as Ning Rongrong’s tuition and leaves Jiang Lin a token, inviting him to seek instruction in swordsmanship.
• Zhao Wuji takes Jiang Lin, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing to their accommodations. Jiang Lin finds he will share a cramped cabin with Oscar, who eagerly tries to greet the girls, only for them to walk away in disgust. Jiang Lin introduces himself politely.

Character developments

• Jiang Lin/Xu Nuo demonstrates that his strength and sword intent exceed what he openly reveals, while maintaining control of the match and earning the admiration of Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing.
• Zhao Wuji is shaken by Jiang Lin’s sword strike but acknowledges his ability and passes the group.
• Chen Xin recognizes Jiang Lin’s exceptional sword talent and offers him a path to further training.
• Flender accepts Chen Xin’s generous gift and becomes more attentive to Jiang Lin.
• Oscar is introduced as Jiang Lin’s roommate; his immediate interest in the new girls is rebuffed.

Significant themes

• Hidden strength and restraint: Jiang Lin wins respect without revealing his full power or causing harm.
• Talent and recognition: His swordsmanship draws the attention of a powerful mentor.
• Privilege and responsibility: Chen Xin’s gift secures Ning Rongrong’s care, while Flender promises to protect her.
• First impressions: Oscar’s eagerness alienates the girls, contrasting with Jiang Lin’s measured courtesy.

Character interactions

• Jiang Lin and Zhao Wuji spar, ending with Jiang Lin’s blade at Zhao Wuji’s neck and a mutual acknowledgment of his skill.
• Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing show admiration for Jiang Lin but reject Oscar’s advances.
• Xiao Xun leaves with Dai Mubai to check on Tang San.
• Chen Xin and Flender discuss Ning Rongrong’s enrollment; Chen Xin also recommends Jiang Lin’s sword talent.
• Oscar welcomes Jiang Lin as a roommate, and Jiang Lin responds courteously.

Key plot points and events

• Zhao Wuji settles Xu Nuo (Jiang Lin) into the dorm and asks Oscar to help him. Oscar immediately tries to learn more about Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing, hoping to pursue them.
• Jiang Lin warns Oscar away, then secretly uses his Nine Nether Demon Eye to plant demonic energy in Oscar’s bed. When Oscar later returns with Ma Hongjun, Ma Hongjun also shows interest in Zhu Zhuqing.
• That night, Jiang Lin sends demonic energy into Ma Hongjun’s body. Both boys suffer terrifying nightmares: Oscar dreams of sexual humiliation and castration, while Ma Hongjun cries out that he does not want to become a eunuch.
• Oscar wakes badly shaken, vomits at the memory, and can barely walk. At training, seeing the girls makes him nauseated again, so Dai Mubai takes him to the infirmary.
• Jiang Lin joins the remaining group, greets Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing, and chats with Ning. Flender arrives with the academy’s teachers, including Lu Qibin, Shao Xin, and the previously mentioned healer Ye Xuanxin.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Lin is composed and outwardly sociable, but possessive and vindictive: he treats the boys’ interest in the girls as a threat and secretly punishes them through supernatural nightmares.
• Oscar is eager to pursue the new girls and dismisses Jiang Lin’s warning, but his nightmare leaves him frightened, physically shaken, and unable to face them comfortably.
• Ma Hongjun openly comments on Zhu Zhuqing’s appearance and enlists Oscar’s help, making him another target of Jiang Lin’s retaliation.
• Ning Rongrong greets Jiang Lin warmly, while Zhu Zhuqing remains reserved and gives only a brief response.
• Dai Mubai notices Oscar’s condition and takes responsibility for getting him medical help.

Significant themes

• Jealousy and possessiveness: Jiang Lin assumes authority over who may pursue the girls, despite having no established relationship with them.
• Power and covert retaliation: He uses supernatural abilities to control others without their knowledge, while maintaining a harmless façade.
• Fear and humiliation: The graphic nightmares turn the boys’ romantic interest into an experience of terror and revulsion.
• Appearance versus reality: Jiang Lin presents concern for Oscar even as he secretly enjoys the consequences of his actions.

Key plot points and events

• At the first training session, Dai Mubai, Oscar, and Ma Hongjun are absent. Oscar and Ma Hongjun have each suffered strange symptoms after disturbing dreams; Dai Mubai is reportedly with Oscar at the infirmary. Zhao Wuji is also bruised from an unexplained encounter the previous night.
• Flender sends Ma Hongjun to the infirmary and begins outlining Shrek Academy’s training program: weighted obstacle runs, evening sparring, theory lessons, and weekly matches at the Soto Great Soul Arena.
• Jiang Lin (using the name Xu Nuo) appears bored by the plan, believing meditation is more useful for increasing his strength. He makes an excuse about being tired, and Flender lets the matter pass.
• Lu Qibin assigns Jiang Lin an especially demanding run: ten round trips between the academy and Soto City, carrying fifty pounds. Ning Rongrong objects, but Jiang Lin accepts and says he can finish in three hours.
• Jiang Lin easily carries the stone-filled basket and sets out with Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, and Xiao Xun, who have lighter loads. Two hours later, he has completed seven trips, while Zhu Zhuqing has managed only three and is nearly exhausted.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Lin displays confidence and extraordinary physical ability, hinting that his true strength far exceeds what the others know. He also shows concern for Zhu Zhuqing by asking whether she needs to rest.
• Ning Rongrong stands up for Jiang Lin, arguing that his assignment is unreasonable, though she ultimately has to complete her own run.
• Zhu Zhuqing is hardworking and fast compared with the other girls, but the exercise pushes her close to her limits. Jiang Lin’s speed leaves her stunned and frustrated.
• Flender and Lu Qibin enforce the academy’s demanding training, while Flender takes note of Jiang Lin’s attitude and later speaks privately with Lu Qibin.
• The absent students’ mysterious injuries, along with Zhao Wuji’s bruises, leave an unresolved air of trouble surrounding the academy.

Significant themes

• Discipline and endurance: Shrek’s training is designed to test students’ physical and mental limits.
• Hidden strength and appearances: Jiang Lin’s casual manner conceals ability far beyond what his assignment suggests.
• Concern and rivalry: Ning Rongrong’s defense of Jiang Lin and Zhu Zhuqing’s reaction to his performance show both solidarity and competition among the students.