Chapter Summaries

Plot points and events

• Jiang Lin notices Zhu Zhuqing struggling under her stone-filled basket, takes it from her so she can rest, and offers water and help. She refuses his offer to carry some of the load, determined to continue on her own.
• Jiang Lin later finds Ning Rongrong resting after only one lap. He points out that Zhu Zhuqing and Xiao Xun are much farther ahead, but when Ning Rongrong dismisses the training as unreasonable, he leaves rather than coaxing her.
• While finishing his own laps, Jiang Lin wonders whether separating Xiao Xun from Tang San would disrupt the world’s correction. The system warns that interfering with someone created by that force could erase him unless he reaches the world’s power limit: level 100 Soul Power. Jiang Lin believes he can reach that level after the next stage of his inheritance.
• Jiang Lin encounters Zhu Zhuqing again, now close to collapse. He takes more than half the stones from her basket. When she stumbles, he catches her briefly, then lets go at once.
• Seeing that Zhu Zhuqing has exhausted her Soul Power, Jiang Lin offers to lend her some so she can finish her final lap. She accepts, and he begins transferring blue Soul Power through her palm.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhu Zhuqing remains fiercely proud and determined, refusing help at first and continuing despite severe exhaustion. Jiang Lin’s restraint and practical kindness soften her initial wariness; she comes to regard him as a gentleman and accepts his help when she can no longer continue alone.
• Jiang Lin shows selective patience: he supports Zhu Zhuqing’s resolve without pressuring her, but quickly abandons attempts to motivate Ning Rongrong. He also continues to treat the world’s correction as something he may eventually challenge, once strong enough.
• Ning Rongrong resists Jiang Lin’s attempt to spur her on and hopes he might carry some of her load, but he leaves instead. She is surprised and frustrated that he does not keep persuading her.
• Xiao Xun briefly notices Jiang Lin’s unusual speed, while he observes her without approaching.

Significant themes

• Stubbornness and perseverance: Zhu Zhuqing’s determination drives her through the training even as her strength fails.
• Respectful help and personal boundaries: Jiang Lin offers assistance without forcing it and immediately withdraws after catching Zhu Zhuqing.
• Different responses to hardship: Zhu Zhuqing endures the challenge, whereas Ning Rongrong questions its fairness and opts to rest.
• Fate versus agency: The system’s warning establishes that challenging the world’s correction carries an existential risk, though Jiang Lin intends to grow strong enough to do so.

Key plot points and events

• Jiang Lin restores Zhu Zhuqing’s depleted Soul Power, then leaves her. She later realizes he has removed most of the stones from her bamboo basket to lighten her burden.
• Jiang Lin finds Ning Rongrong still idle on the road. He pretends to believe her claim that she is finishing her final lap, then moves on.
• After Xiao Xun passes Ning Rongrong without acknowledging her, Ning Rongrong feels increasingly isolated. She finally picks up her heavy basket and begins running.
• Zhu Zhuqing passes Ning Rongrong and offers her a brief word of encouragement, further strengthening Ning Rongrong’s resolve.
• Jiang Lin returns to Shrek Academy having completed all ten round trips. Lu Qibin approves of him helping another student, while he and Shao Xin wager over who received the extra stones from Jiang Lin’s basket. Zhu Zhuqing’s early return confirms Lu Qibin’s guess.
• Xiao Xun finishes her five laps, while Ning Rongrong is still absent. Zhao Wuji and Li Yusong later arrive with Dai Mubai, Oscar, and Ma Hongjun. The two boys remain intimidated by their previous nightmare involving the girls.
• Jiang Lin considers using his psychological intimidation tactic against Tang San, but the system warns that an attack has only a one-percent chance of success and that challenging Tang San too soon could get Jiang Lin erased by the world’s corrective force.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhu Zhuqing feels grateful to Jiang Lin, then notices his quiet act of kindness and develops a small affection for him. She also surprises Ning Rongrong by offering encouragement.
• Ning Rongrong moves from idleness and self-pity toward determination. Jiang Lin’s apparent indifference, Xiao Xun’s coldness, and Zhu Zhuqing’s encouragement all contribute to her decision to resume training.
• Jiang Lin helps Zhu Zhuqing without drawing attention to it, though he continues to mask his feelings with a casual smile. He also remains scheming and cautiously weighs the system’s warning.
• Lu Qibin and Shao Xin discuss Jiang Lin’s generosity and wager over whom he helped.
• Oscar and Ma Hongjun remain wary of Zhu Zhuqing and Xiao Xun after their earlier frightening experience.

Significant themes

• Kindness beneath indifference: Jiang Lin’s discreetly removing stones from Zhu Zhuqing’s basket contrasts with his outwardly casual manner.
• Motivation through social pressure and support: Ning Rongrong’s guilt, perceived rejection, and Zhu Zhuqing’s encouragement push her to act.
• Pride and perseverance: Ning Rongrong’s identity and pride as the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect’s young lady help her overcome the temptation to quit.
• Power and limits: Jiang Lin’s ambitions are checked by the system’s warning that the world itself may punish him for acting against Tang San too early.

Plot points and events

• Zhao Wuji outlines the evening’s one-on-one combat test: students must last ten minutes against him or Li Yusong, who will match their Soul Power and avoid overly strong Soul Skills.
• Oscar and Ma Hongjun are excused from combat practice but must run ten round trips between the academy and Suotuo City carrying forty pounds. Dai Mubai must do the same carrying fifty pounds.
• While the others attend a lesson on Soul Masters and Soul Beasts, Ning Rongrong completes her five weighted training laps. Jiang Lin gives her water and praises her effort.
• Jiang Lin begins cultivating after the lesson, prompting Zhu Zhuqing and Xiao Xun to join him after resting. Ning Rongrong wants to follow, but her exhaustion prevents her.
• Dai Mubai returns from his run looking comfortable, while Oscar and Ma Hongjun are badly exhausted. He has taken on some of their weight, but they still struggled.
• At dinner, Jiang Lin notices Zhu Zhuqing has left much of her meal uneaten. He takes the untouched food and finishes it, telling her not to waste food and to serve herself less next time.

Character development and interactions

• Ning Rongrong shows determination by finishing training despite her exhaustion, earning warmer regard from the group. She also feels frustrated when she cannot immediately join the others in cultivating.
• Jiang Lin remains disciplined and hardworking, and his past experience of scarcity shapes his strong aversion to waste. He offers Ning Rongrong water and encouragement, then finishes Zhu Zhuqing’s leftovers without recognizing the intimacy she reads into the gesture.
• Zhu Zhuqing is initially reserved around Jiang Lin but becomes more comfortable watching him. His practical concern about food surprises her and leaves her curious and quietly pleased.
• Xiao Xun remains cool toward Ning Rongrong, while Jiang Lin’s example motivates her and Zhu Zhuqing to resume cultivation.
• Dai Mubai accepts his training without complaint and helps Oscar and Ma Hongjun by carrying some of their load. The two, in contrast, struggle badly with the run.

Significant themes

• Discipline and perseverance: The students face demanding physical, mental, and combat training, with effort and endurance presented as essential.
• Work ethic and influence: Jiang Lin’s dedication encourages others to train harder.
• Waste and frugality: His reaction to Zhu Zhuqing’s leftovers reflects lessons from a difficult past and the chapter’s central concern with valuing resources.
• Growing relationships: Small gestures—encouragement, shared food, and quiet observation—begin to build trust and affection.

After Jiang Lin defeated Zhao Wuji in combat training, the system warned him that the Hunt Temple had begun targeting the Douluo Continent and assigned him a mission to kill its Pursuers. The chapter ended with Jiang Lin learning that 951 Pursuers had already arrived, including one fourth-tier member.

• Jiang Lin defeated Zhao Wuji and was allowed to arrange his own combat training.
• The system told Jiang Lin that the Hunt Temple was a ruthless force from the Hidden God Earthly Realm that plundered worlds.
• Jiang Lin spent 1,000 collapse points to learn that three powerful forces had nearly destroyed the Hunt Temple 139,000 years earlier.
• The system issued the optional mission “Twilight of the God of the Hunt” and unlocked the Hunt Shop.
• Jiang Lin accepted the mission and learned that the Hunt Temple had sent 500 first-tier, 300 second-tier, 150 third-tier, and one fourth-tier Pursuer to the Douluo Continent.

Xuanzhu led a force through a black gate into the Star Dou Forest and drained the life from a valley as his troops began preparing to conquer the world. Jiang Lin learned about the Pursuers, summoned the Six Sword Slaves of the Web, and sent them to search for the invaders while avoiding direct contact.

• Xuanzhu and his black-armored force emerged from a gate on a cliff in the Star Dou Forest, and Xuanzhu drained the life from the valley below.
• Xuanzhu assigned Chen Yuan, Han Gang, Su Yan, and Kuang Ye to gather information and find a site for the World-Breaking Gate.
• Jiang Lin learned that the Pursuers were stronger than Soul Masters of equivalent stages and that a fourth-tier Pursuer matched a Level-99 Limit Douluo.
• Jiang Lin left Shrek Academy and traveled several hundred li to a secluded location.
• Jiang Lin used a legion summoning card to summon the Six Sword Slaves of the Web and their forces.
• Jiang Lin ordered Zhen Gang to spread out, record suspicious people, and mark the Pursuers' locations without alerting them.

Jiang Lin saved Zhu Zhuqing from a dangerous blow during her sparring match with Li Yusong, then offered to carry her back after she twisted her ankle. Zhu Zhuqing accepted, leaving the two of them growing flustered by their closeness as he carried her toward the dormitory.

• Zhu Zhuqing challenged Li Yusong again, but her depleted soul power left her unable to dodge his Dragon Pattern Staff.
• Jiang Lin knocked Li Yusong's staff aside and checked that Zhu Zhuqing was unharmed.
• After Li Yusong dismissed everyone, Zhu Zhuqing fell and discovered that she had twisted her ankle.
• Ning Rongrong asked Jiang Lin what to do, and he offered to carry Zhu Zhuqing back to the dormitory.
• Zhu Zhuqing accepted Jiang Lin's offer, and he carried her on his back as they both felt an unfamiliar intimacy.

Over two months at Shrek Academy, Jiang Lin advanced his cultivation and grew closer to Zhu Zhuqing while the Web Assassin Corps secretly tracked the Pursuers across both empires. The chapter ended as Zhao Wuji prepared to assign the students their matches at the Soto Great Soul Arena.

• Jiang Lin carried Zhu Zhuqing back to her dormitory, then left promptly, increasing her fondness for him.
• Over the next two months, Jiang Lin accumulated two-thirds of the Soul Power needed to reach level 69, and he and Zhu Zhuqing became friends who were mutually attracted to each other.
• The Web Assassin Corps reported that the Pursuers were spread across the Star Luo Empire and Heaven Dou Empire, rarely shedding blood and usually backing down from clashes.
• Jiang Lin resolved to keep cultivating rather than trust anyone else to handle the Pursuers.
• On Saturday morning, Jiang Lin woke Oscar and joined Ma Hongjun, Dai Mubai, Tang San, Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, and Xiao Xun at the training grounds.
• Zhao Wuji arrived and began telling the students their targets for that day's matches.

Jiang Lin competed in the Soto Great Soul Arena and defeated the nineteen-match winner Shen Heng with a single sword strike. A member of the Wild Hunt Temple watched the fight and considered recruiting Jiang Lin, pending a test.

• Jiang Lin sensed a low-tier Pursuer in the waiting room before being called to fight early.
• Jiang Lin learned he would face Blazing Fire Warhammer, Shen Heng, who had won nineteen matches in a row.
• Shen Heng attacked first with his Explosive Fire Hammer Strike, but Jiang Lin extinguished its flames and held the Cold Mountain Sword to Shen Heng’s neck.
• Jiang Lin won the match in one move and returned to the waiting room, where Zhu Zhuqing and the others were unsurprised.
• A black-robed Pursuer judged Jiang Lin strong enough to rank among the best of the second tier and considered recruiting him into the Wild Hunt Temple after testing him.

Jiang Lin faced Dugu Yan in the Soul Fighting Arena and brutally injured her, provoking Yu Tianheng and the Imperial Fighting Team. He crippled Yu Tianheng and fought the teammates who rushed in, while a mysterious observer considered recruiting him into the Wild Hunt Temple.

• Jiang Lin recognized Dugu Yan as Yu Tianheng’s lover and struck her down with the flat of his sword, leaving her severely injured outside the ring.
• Yu Tianheng ignored Dugu Yan’s warning and entered the ring to avenge her, unleashing his Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul and third Soul Skill.
• Jiang Lin used his third Soul Skill, freezing Yu Tianheng before shattering the ice and leaving him with all four limbs severed.
• The Imperial Fighting Team members charged Jiang Lin after he taunted them, and a host watched the arena descend into a brawl.
• A mysterious observer praised Jiang Lin’s decisiveness and ruthlessness and considered him a possible recruit for the Wild Hunt Temple.

Jiang Lin crippled the Imperial Fighting Team and threatened Ye Lingling before Qin Ming arrived and tried to kill him. Zhao Wuji stopped Qin Ming and defended Jiang Lin, who decided to leave Shrek Academy and seek the immortal herbs guarded by Dugu Bo.

• Tang San watched Jiang Lin fight and felt an unexplained disgust toward him.
• Jiang Lin threatened Ye Lingling and demanded that she obey him or suffer the same fate as her teammates.
• Qin Ming arrived, learned what had happened, and attacked Jiang Lin in fury.
• Zhao Wuji blocked Qin Ming's strike and ordered him to take the injured students for treatment.
• Qin Ming warned Zhao Wuji about the enemies Shrek Academy would make, but Zhao Wuji refused to give Jiang Lin up.
• Jiang Lin rejected Zhao Wuji's protection and planned to leave Shrek Academy to harvest the herbs at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

Jiang Lin sent Zhen Gang to fight Qin Ming after refusing Zhao Wuji’s attempt to settle their dispute peacefully. Zhao Wuji intervened to save Qin Ming, and Jiang Lin agreed to spare him for Zhao Wuji’s sake, but left a condition unfinished.

• Jiang Lin summoned Zhen Gang and identified him to Zhao Wuji as his Level-65 guard, then demanded that Ye Lingling choose between his offers.
• Qin Ming challenged Jiang Lin, and both he and Jiang Lin refused Zhao Wuji’s request to step down and reconcile.
• Jiang Lin ordered Zhen Gang to attack Qin Ming, whose flames could not stop Zhen Gang’s sword strikes.
• Zhen Gang nearly struck Qin Ming in the throat, but Zhao Wuji activated his Martial Soul Avatar and shielded his former student.
• Jiang Lin recalled Zhen Gang and agreed to spare Qin Ming for Zhao Wuji’s sake, then began to state a condition.

Jiang Lin forced Ye Lingling to leave with him and announced that he was leaving Shrek Academy. After exchanging gifts with Zhu Zhuqing, he departed with Zhen Gang and Ye Lingling, while a sinister black-clad figure secretly left the Soul Fighting Arena.

• Jiang Lin demanded that Ye Lingling choose between being crippled and obeying him, and Zhao Wuji refused Qin Ming's plea to save her.
• Qin Ming told Ye Lingling to go with Jiang Lin, and she accepted in order to stay alive.
• Jiang Lin told Zhao Wuji he was leaving Shrek Academy, then asked Zhu Zhuqing to leave with him; she refused but exchanged gifts with him.
• Jiang Lin returned to the Arena, said goodbye to Zhao Wuji, and vanished with Zhen Gang and Ye Lingling.
• Ning Rongrong and the Shrek students reacted to Jiang Lin's departure, while Zhao Wuji and Qin Ming left the Arena with their respective groups.
• An unidentified sinister figure clad in black also departed from the Soul Fighting Arena.

Jiang Lin entered Heaven Dou City with Ye Lingling and learned that Qin Ming and the Imperial Fighting Team had been killed by someone impersonating the Mountain-Sea Sword Demon. After leaving for Sunset Forest, he received 30,000 collapse points for the deaths and plot changes, bringing his balance to 41,000.

• Jiang Lin arrived in Heaven Dou City with Ye Lingling, whom he had turned into his Divine Attendant.
• Jiang Lin heard that Qin Ming and the Imperial Fighting Team had been killed after an attacker blamed the Mountain-Sea Sword Demon, and he suspected the Pursuers were responsible.
• Meng Shenji and the Heaven Dou Royal Academy committee discussed how to answer to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Sect and Poison Douluo over Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan's deaths.
• Flender learned Qin Ming was dead and that Xu Nuo had been blamed, then left Shrek Academy with Zhao Wuji and other teachers to investigate.
• Jiang Lin continued into Sunset Forest with Ye Lingling and received 30,000 collapse points, raising his balance to 41,000.

Jiang Lin reached the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and drained the infernal delicate apricot and octagonal mysterious ice grass, breaking through to level 70 and gaining a large number of Collapse Points. He left with Ye Lingling and planned to seek a hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast in the Star Dou Forest for his Seventh Soul Ring.

• Jiang Lin realized Dugu Bo was likely investigating Dugu Yan's death and hurried with Ye Lingling to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
• Jiang Lin protected Ye Lingling from the poisonous miasma and descended into the hollow, where he found the two immortal herbs.
• Jiang Lin subdued the infernal delicate apricot and octagonal mysterious ice grass, then absorbed their origin power for several hours.
• Jiang Lin broke through to level 70, exhausted the herbs, and received 70,000 Collapse Points, bringing his balance to 111,000.
• Jiang Lin checked his status, decided to seek a hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast in the Star Dou Forest, and returned to retrieve Ye Lingling before leaving.

Jiang Lin challenged the 130,000-year-old Thunder Elephant King to obtain its soul ring, but the battle exposed the beast’s deadly attacks and formidable defenses. After evading a blood-red fire snake and surviving the Thunder Elephant King’s charge, Jiang Lin prepared a fully charged strike from several thousand meters away.

• Jiang Lin found the Thunder Elephant King and transformed into his ancient god body, then demanded that the beast sacrifice its soul ring.
• The Thunder Elephant King attacked with lightning blades, and Jiang Lin blocked them with his golden fire dragon and King's Power Sword before closing in.
• Jiang Lin launched his Cold Crystal Frost-Breaking Slash, while the Thunder Elephant King sent a blood-red fire snake that Jiang Lin narrowly dodged.
• The Cold Crystal Python broke through the Thunder Elephant King’s lightning shields and wounded him, but the beast remained largely unharmed.
• The Thunder Elephant King charged into what he realized was Jiang Lin’s decoy body, then sensed the real Jiang Lin several thousand meters away, readying a fully charged attack.

Jiang Lin killed the Thunder Elephant King, absorbed its hundred-and-thirty-thousand-year Soul Ring, and reached Soul Saint while his combat power rose to Level 99 Limit Douluo. He rejected the Two-Star Ancient God inheritance after learning it would trigger a deadly heavenly tribulation, then began a Gold card draw that stopped on an item card.

• Jiang Lin pinned the Thunder Elephant King beneath phantom mountains and killed him with the King's Power Sword and pure yang flame.
• Jiang Lin absorbed the Thunder Elephant King's blood-red Soul Ring and broke through to Level 74 Soul Saint, unlocking the second stage of his Ancient God Strength inheritance.
• Jiang Lin learned that becoming a Two-Star Ancient God would bring a heavenly tribulation with no chance of survival, so he abandoned the idea.
• Jiang Lin spent 100,000 collapse points on a Gold card draw, and the pointer stopped after passing the Ten-Thousand Beasts Corps card.