Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Gradually Yandere-fying Lan Fozu”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ming and Lan Fozu arrive at the Heavenly Dragon Sect, located on a mountain in northern Dragon City.
• Lan Fozu praises the sect’s magnificent appearance, largely because of her admiration for Su Ming rather than genuine respect for the sect itself.
• Su Ming reflects on the Heavenly Dragon Sect’s declining status. Although it remains powerful and famous, its reputation depends heavily on its ancient glory, and it currently lacks a Titled Douluo capable of protecting it.
• Su Ming resolves to restore the sect to greatness and prevent the destruction that would otherwise await the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon lineage.
• Lan Fozu notices Su Ming becoming pensive and worries that he may have misrepresented his relationship with the sect. Su Ming quickly reassures her that he was merely thinking about the Grand Elder and the others.
• Because Su Ming can sense Lan Fozu’s emotional fluctuations, he realizes that her feelings have become increasingly unstable as they approach the sect. He deliberately slows their journey and keeps monitoring her.
• Lan Fozu takes Su Ming’s hand and decides to observe how the Heavenly Dragon Sect treats him. If the sect mistreats him, she is prepared to respond ruthlessly.
• The chapter explains Lan Fozu’s psychological transformation: she once viewed Su Ming as a potential enemy after he persuaded her mother to sacrifice herself, but gradually came to trust him through his sincerity and kindness.
• Lan Fozu now regards Su Ming as her only family, though her attachment has developed into possessive romantic feelings. Knowing that he has a fiancée and another close female companion, she prepares herself to compete for his attention.

Character Developments

• Su Ming: Demonstrates awareness of the Heavenly Dragon Sect’s weaknesses and takes responsibility for rebuilding it. He also becomes increasingly concerned about Lan Fozu’s unstable, possessive emotions and carefully tries to prevent her from becoming extreme.
• Lan Fozu: Changes from a seemingly gentle, harmless, and obedient girl into someone emotionally dependent and quietly possessive. Her former suspicion of Su Ming has evolved into deep trust and attachment, but this affection is beginning to resemble yandere behavior.
• Lan Fozu’s mother, the Demon Empress: Though absent, her death and legacy strongly influence Lan Fozu’s feelings. The sacrifice created Lan Fozu’s initial hostility toward Su Ming, while the treasure she left behind gives Lan Fozu the power to threaten or even destroy those who harm him.

Significant Themes

• Decline and restoration: The Heavenly Dragon Sect symbolizes a once-glorious faction that has fallen into weakness, while Su Ming represents the possibility of renewal.
• Emotional dependence: Lan Fozu’s lack of a stable family life causes her to transfer her need for love and security onto Su Ming.
• Possessive love: Her affection gradually shifts from gratitude and familial attachment into jealousy and a willingness to harm anyone she views as a rival or threat.
• Appearance versus reality: The sect looks magnificent despite its decline, while Lan Fozu appears gentle and harmless despite possessing immense power and increasingly dangerous emotions.
• Trust and transformation: Su Ming’s consistent treatment of Lan Fozu slowly changes her perception of him, but this growing trust also intensifies her attachment.

Character Interactions

• Lan Fozu praises the Heavenly Dragon Sect while walking beside Su Ming, seeking his approval and sharing his experiences.
• Su Ming notices her emotional instability and reassures her when she fears he dislikes her comments or has a poor relationship with the sect.
• Lan Fozu physically takes Su Ming’s hand, signaling her dependence and desire to remain close to him.
• While outwardly calm and affectionate, Lan Fozu internally prepares to confront Su Ming’s fiancée and the girl he rescued, treating them as rivals.
• Su Ming remains unaware of how far Lan Fozu’s possessiveness may develop, though he recognizes that her emotions are becoming increasingly extreme.

Chapter Summary: “Two Girls, One Show”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Nan Qiuqiu rushes to see Su Ming after learning of his return, hoping to strengthen their relationship.
• She is shocked to discover that Su Ming has brought back another beautiful girl, Lan Fozu, whom he introduces as his younger sister.
• Su Ming explains that he rescued Lan Fozu and, out of pity for her situation, brought her to the Heavenly Dragon Sect.
• Su Ming openly introduces Nan Qiuqiu as his fiancée, which reassures Nan and boosts her confidence.
• Nan attempts to establish authority over Lan by calling herself her “older sister” and offering help, while subtly emphasizing her position as Su Ming’s fiancée.
• Lan initially responds meekly, but then launches a sharp verbal counterattack. She accuses Nan of having another fiancé and implies that the Earth Dragon Sect is greedy and ambitious.
• Nan is caught off guard and left speechless, while Su Ming is stunned by Lan’s unexpectedly hostile and possessive behavior.
• Su Ming ultimately asks Lan to apologize, attempting to calm the situation and maintain fairness between his legitimate fiancée and his newly adopted sister.

Character Developments

• Nan Qiuqiu: Her confidence is shaken by Lan’s beauty, and she becomes increasingly competitive and possessive toward Su Ming. She tries to behave like a gracious future wife and older sister, but her jealousy leads her to subtly challenge Lan.
• Lan Fozu: Though normally gentle and kind, Lan reveals a possessive and aggressive side when she feels Su Ming’s relationship with her is threatened. She has begun actively competing for his affection and is willing to use cutting words and social accusations to defend her position.
• Su Ming: He is surprised and concerned by the rivalry between the two girls. Although he sympathizes with Lan because of her vulnerable circumstances and the Demon Empress’s trust in him, he recognizes his responsibility to protect Nan’s status as his fiancée and tries to mediate fairly.

Significant Themes

• Romantic rivalry and jealousy: Both girls want to secure Su Ming’s exclusive attention, creating immediate tension despite Lan’s nominal role as his younger sister.
• Possessiveness and competition: Nan relies on her official engagement, while Lan challenges her through emotional attachment and verbal manipulation.
• Appearances versus true intentions: Nan presents herself as warm and considerate, but her words conceal an attempt to separate Su Ming from Lan. Lan appears innocent and weak, yet proves capable of a vicious counterattack.
• Family and loyalty: Su Ming’s decision to care for Lan creates a new emotional bond that complicates his engagement and forces him to balance competing loyalties.
• The limits of kindness: Lan feels guilty about attacking Nan but believes that defending her place beside Su Ming justifies abandoning her usual gentleness.

Character Interactions

• Nan and Lan’s first meeting immediately becomes a contest for dominance.
• Nan tries to claim the superior role of fiancée and older sister, but Lan rejects the implied hierarchy.
• Lan uses Nan’s rumored additional fiancé and the Earth Dragon Sect’s ambitions against her, turning Nan’s own social tactics back on her.
• Su Ming acts as the mediator, asking Lan to apologize without harshly reprimanding her, thereby attempting to preserve both girls’ dignity and prevent the rivalry from escalating.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lan Fozu gives Nan Qiuqiu a seemingly apologetic but insincere apology, subtly placing Qiuqiu in a position where she must appear gracious.
• Nan Qiuqiu suppresses her anger and responds generously, declaring that Lan Fozu is family because she is Su Ming’s “little sister.” Both girls maintain a polite façade while privately treating each other as romantic rivals.
• Su Ming attempts to mediate, but he recognizes that neither girl will truly give up her desire to have him to herself. He therefore avoids taking sides, knowing that direct intervention could be interpreted as favoritism.
• Jiang Nannan unexpectedly arrives to visit Su Ming. Her appearance immediately changes the atmosphere and makes Nan Qiuqiu worry about how her own feelings may look.
• Jiang Nannan asks about Lan Fozu, prompting Su Ming to introduce her as his little sister.
• Jiang Nannan explains why she has begun calling Su Ming “Young Master.” After Su Ming sent her family to the Heavenly Dragon Sect, its sect master arranged treatment for her seriously ill mother and waived the enormous medical costs.
• Feeling indebted to Su Ming and the sect, Jiang Nannan decides to become his attendant, helping with his daily needs and serving as his sparring partner while gradually repaying the debt.
• Su Ming accepts that Jiang Nannan’s stated gratitude is sincere, though he suspects she also has personal feelings and motives. He realizes that life with the three girls will become increasingly lively and complicated.

Character Developments

• Nan Qiuqiu: Demonstrates restraint and social skill by hiding her anger and acting generous toward Lan Fozu. She is now openly competing for Su Ming’s affection and recognizes Lan Fozu as a serious rival.
• Lan Fozu: Reveals her manipulative, “innocent” persona, using a false apology to provoke Nan Qiuqiu while appearing harmless. She becomes more respectful of Qiuqiu after seeing that Qiuqiu can withstand sustained pressure.
• Su Ming: Shows awareness of the romantic tension between the girls but deliberately refuses to choose sides. His desire to avoid hurting either of them limits how directly he can resolve their conflict.
• Jiang Nannan: Returns in a happier, more confident state and formally positions herself close to Su Ming by becoming his attendant. Though motivated by gratitude, she also appears to harbor growing affection for him.

Significant Themes

• Romantic rivalry and concealed hostility: The girls speak politely while competing indirectly for Su Ming’s exclusive attention.
• Appearance versus sincerity: Lan Fozu’s apology and innocent demeanor conceal provocative intentions, while Jiang Nannan’s gratitude is genuine but may also mask romantic hopes.
• Debt, gratitude, and loyalty: Jiang Nannan’s decision to serve Su Ming reflects her family’s indebtedness after the Heavenly Dragon Sect saves her mother.
• The limits of mediation: Su Ming understands that resolving the rivalry himself could worsen it by appearing to favor one side.

Important Character Interactions

• Lan Fozu and Nan Qiuqiu: Exchange courteous words filled with hidden threats and rivalry, each claiming familial closeness to Su Ming.
• Su Ming and both girls: Su Ming acts as a neutral mediator, trying to ease tensions without exposing their competition or choosing a favorite.
• Jiang Nannan and Su Ming: Jiang Nannan expresses gratitude and offers herself as his attendant, while Su Ming realizes her return adds another potential romantic complication.
• Jiang Nannan and the other girls: Her arrival instantly makes her another rival in Nan Qiuqiu’s eyes and adds a new layer to the developing conflict.

Chapter Summary: “Reform That Kept Pace with the Times”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Six years later, Su Ming tests his newly developed Self-Created Soul Skill, Sacrificial Strike, in a private training room. The attack destroys the testing apparatus, proving that his years of effort have produced powerful results.
• Sacrificial Strike doubles his strength and attack power but sacrifices all defense. Because Su Ming possesses the External Soul Bone connected to the Sea God and the regenerative abilities of his Kyogre Martial Soul, he can safely exploit this high-risk technique more effectively than ordinary Soul Masters.
• Su Ming has created numerous Self-Created Soul Skills inspired by his experience with Kyogre, Groudon, and Rayquaza. He develops them gradually and pragmatically, abandoning projects that become unproductive rather than wasting time or Spirit Ring slots.
• He instructs Jiang Nannan to purchase modern training equipment and facilities from the Sun Moon Empire, emphasizing that the Heavenly Dragon Sect must modernize if it hopes to grow stronger.
• Over the past two years, Su Ming and Yu Xingtuo have secretly imported Sun Moon Empire training methods, scientific cultivation knowledge, equipment, and pills. These reforms initially faced opposition because of their enormous expense, but the sect members soon recognized their benefits and began supporting further investment.
• The sect is also preparing to establish a Soul Guidance Department. Several Soul Engineers, including a high-level Soul Engineer, have been hired from the Sun Moon Empire to teach the sect.
• Su Ming declines to personally receive the incoming instructors because of a scheduling conflict. His immediate priority is leaving the next day to hunt for his third Spirit Ring.

Character Development

• Su Ming has matured into a powerful and strategic leader. He combines his combat development with long-term institutional reform, demonstrating that his goal of reviving the Heavenly Dragon Sect is serious and systematic.
• His fighting style has become more flexible and inventive. Rather than relying solely on Spirit Rings, he creates independent techniques suited to his unique abilities.
• Su Ming also displays practical leadership: he evaluates technology according to its usefulness instead of blindly following tradition, and he is willing to spend heavily on reforms that will strengthen the sect.
• Jiang Nannan has remained loyal and diligent for two years, carefully recording Su Ming’s instructions and test results. She now functions as a reliable aide and administrator within the reform effort.
• The Heavenly Dragon Sect’s members gradually change from conservative opponents of reform into supporters after witnessing the effectiveness of the imported equipment and methods.

Significant Themes

• Modernization versus tradition: The chapter contrasts the sect’s old-fashioned attitudes with the Sun Moon Empire’s technological and educational advancements.
• Practical adaptation: Su Ming believes useful ideas should be adopted regardless of their origin. He takes the Sun Moon Empire’s strengths while avoiding simply copying its entire system.
• Long-term institution building: Strengthening the sect requires more than individual power; it also demands better training, education, equipment, and financial investment.
• Innovation and self-reliance: Self-Created Soul Skills allow Su Ming to expand his abilities without consuming limited Spirit Ring opportunities.
• Risk balanced by unique advantages: Sacrificial Strike is dangerous in theory, but Su Ming’s healing and regeneration make its drawbacks manageable.
• Overcoming prejudice: The planned Soul Guidance Department aims to challenge the sect’s belief that traditional Martial Souls are inherently superior to Soul Tools.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Nannan admires Su Ming’s growing strength while recording the results of his attack test.
• Su Ming gives Jiang Nannan detailed administrative orders concerning equipment purchases, reform efforts, and the arrival of Soul Engineers. She responds respectfully and immediately records everything in her notebook.
• Su Ming’s decisions reveal a mentor-like and leader-like relationship with Jiang Nannan, who has become accustomed to carrying out his instructions.
• Although Su Ming will not personally meet the incoming Soul Engineers, his hiring of them shows his determination to expose the sect’s traditional Soul Masters to advanced Soul Tools and force them to acknowledge their value.
• The chapter ends with Su Ming leaving the training room and preparing for his next major personal objective: obtaining his third Spirit Ring.

Chapter Summary: The Art of Patience Is Letting Go

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ming prepares to leave Heavenly Dragon Sect with his younger sister, Lan Fozu, to hunt his third Spirit Ring.
• Nan Qiuqiu is disappointed that she cannot accompany him, especially because Lan Fozu is going instead. Su Ming reassures her that he will bring her along on a future trip.
• Before departing, Su Ming assigns Jiang Nannan responsibility for overseeing matters at the sect.
• During the journey, Lan Fozu reveals that their real goal is for Su Ming to obtain a ten-thousand-year Spirit Ring after reaching Soul Power level thirty.
• Su Ming also plans to stay in nearby coastal cities to search for Whale Rubber, both for the sect and possibly for his own cultivation. Although Whale Rubber has become largely ineffective for him due to his exceptionally powerful physique, he is still willing to acquire higher-aged varieties if possible.
• Lan Fozu becomes displeased at the mention of Whale Rubber because her true form is the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King. Su Ming comforts her by promising to spend an extra day shopping with her after obtaining his Spirit Ring, satisfying her.

Character Developments

• Su Ming demonstrates confidence in his physical strength and believes he can safely absorb a ten-thousand-year Spirit Ring at his current level. He continues to prioritize both sect responsibilities and the cultivation needs of those around him.
• Lan Fozu displays her increasingly human-like emotional behavior. She uses mild sulking and tsundere-like reactions to gain Su Ming’s attention and strengthen their relationship. Her confidence that she can become Su Ming’s closest companion also grows.
• Nan Qiuqiu reveals jealousy toward Lan Fozu, particularly because Su Ming chooses to take Lan Fozu on the trip. Her gloomy reaction shows her attachment to Su Ming and her rivalry with Lan Fozu.
• Jiang Nannan continues to quietly cultivate affection for Su Ming. Though outwardly reliable and composed, she secretly hopes to become his sole companion and views the conflict between Nan Qiuqiu and Lan Fozu as an opportunity to improve her own position.

Significant Themes

• Patience and letting go: The title reflects the need to accept temporary separation and wait for future opportunities, particularly Jiang Nannan’s anxiety about leaving Su Ming to attend Shrek Academy.
• Romantic rivalry and possessiveness: Nan Qiuqiu, Lan Fozu, and Jiang Nannan each seek Su Ming’s attention in different ways, creating an undercurrent of competition.
• Emotional manipulation and intimacy: Lan Fozu’s deliberate sulking and Jiang Nannan’s hidden schemes show how the characters use subtle behavior to deepen or secure their relationships with Su Ming.
• Cultivation and physical supremacy: Su Ming’s extraordinary constitution allows him to pursue a ten-thousand-year Spirit Ring far earlier than normal, emphasizing his exceptional development.
• Duty versus personal desire: Su Ming balances his obligations to the sect, his cultivation, and the emotional needs of the women close to him.

Character Interactions

• Su Ming gently reassures Nan Qiuqiu before departing, promising to take her along another time.
• He entrusts Jiang Nannan with sect affairs, reinforcing her role as his dependable assistant and secretary.
• During the carriage ride, Lan Fozu discusses Su Ming’s Spirit Ring plans and deliberately becomes upset about Whale Rubber to receive his attention.
• Su Ming responds by embracing and comforting her, promising to go shopping with her after the spirit hunt. Lan Fozu’s satisfaction confirms that her apparent annoyance was mainly a way to seek affection.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ming and Lan Fozu relax on a deserted beach in Heartsea City while waiting for news from Lan Fei.
• Su Ming is searching for a rare Ten Thousand Year Mirage Rain Phantom Mother, whose Spirit Ring would suit his needs. Lan Fei, a loyal Ten Thousand Year starfish and former escort of Su Ming and Lan Fozu, has been tasked with locating one.
• Lan Fei searches in the rain-mist waters between the coastal and deep-sea regions, where Mirage Rain Phantom Mothers are found. After detecting signs of one with ten thousand years of cultivation, he decides to capture it himself and bring it directly to Su Ming as a surprise.
• Lan Fei is confident because he is a powerful Red-Thorn King Starfish, a species capable of paralyzing enemies with poisonous thorns, sacrificing limbs to escape, and surviving against powerful opponents.
• Su Ming and Lan Fozu spend several days touring Heartsea City and enjoying time together. Su Ming also searches the markets for Ten Thousand Year Whale Rubber, but fails to find any.
• The chapter ends with Su Ming acknowledging that Ten Thousand Year Whale Rubber is extraordinarily rare and usually requires exceptional luck to obtain.

Character Developments

• Su Ming remains practical and resourceful, using his ability to communicate with Sea Soul Beasts to make the search for rare Spirit Rings easier. He also demonstrates patience by accepting that some treasures cannot simply be bought or found through effort.
• Lan Fozu becomes more relaxed and openly attached to Su Ming. She values their private time together, especially because returning to the Heavenly Dragon Sect means facing enemies and political pressure.
• Lan Fei shows strong loyalty and initiative. Rather than merely locating the Mirage Rain Phantom Mother, he plans to capture and transport it himself so that he can save Su Ming and Lan Fozu trouble and earn their approval.
• Lan Fei’s status is elevated through his connection to Demon Empress’s family and Su Ming, with the possibility of becoming a divine official in the future.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty and reward: Lan Fei’s devotion to Demon Empress’s family is rewarded with trust, protection, and the promise of a better future.
• Luck versus effort: The rarity of Ten Thousand Year Whale Rubber emphasizes that some opportunities depend on extraordinary fortune rather than determination alone.
• Leisure amid danger: Su Ming and Lan Fozu’s peaceful days in Heartsea City contrast with the dangers of soul-beast hunting and the conflicts awaiting them at the Heavenly Dragon Sect.
• The value of relationships: Lan Fozu’s happiness comes from uninterrupted time with Su Ming, while Lan Fei’s actions show that loyalty and personal bonds motivate him as much as practical gain.

Character Interactions

• Su Ming and Lan Fozu share a comfortable, affectionate relationship, casually discussing Lan Fei’s progress and enjoying their time together.
• Lan Fozu encourages Su Ming to trust Lan Fei and helps maintain his relaxed mood.
• Lan Fei never directly meets Su Ming or Lan Fozu in the chapter, but his actions are driven by his desire to please and support them.
• Su Ming and Lan Fozu also exchange playful remarks about his unrealistic hopes of finding Ten Thousand Year Whale Rubber, reinforcing their easy familiarity.

Chapter Summary: “Lan Fozu, Clear-Eyed as Ever”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ming and Lan Fozu meet at a remote beach to reunite with Lan Fei, who has been tasked with finding the Mirage Rain Phantom Mother.
• Lan Fei arrives triumphantly and reveals that he has captured the desired soul beast, saving Su Ming the danger and effort of searching for it himself.
• The Mirage Rain Phantom Mother is fifteen to sixteen thousand years old, making it an ideal target for Su Ming’s third Spirit Ring.
• Su Ming kills the already-poisoned soul beast painlessly with a water-droplet attack and begins absorbing its Ten Thousand Year Spirit Ring.
• The beast’s resentful remnant soul attempts to cause a mental shock, but Su Ming’s powerful body and Mental Sea easily suppress it.
• Su Ming successfully absorbs the Spirit Ring and advances to the rank of Soul Elder, gaining a third soul skill that is exactly suited to his needs.
• Afterward, Lan Fozu secretly dismisses Lan Fei and arranges a future surprise for Su Ming, keeping the plan hidden from him.

Character Developments

• Su Ming demonstrates growing strength and confidence. His physical and mental power have become strong enough that absorbing a Ten Thousand Year Spirit Ring is effortless, and even the soul beast’s resentment cannot affect him.
• Lan Fozu reveals herself to be emotionally conflicted but highly practical. She is disappointed that Lan Fei’s success ruins her chance to spend private time with Su Ming, yet she sincerely prioritizes his advancement over her own desires.
• Lan Fozu also shows ambition in her relationship with Su Ming. She wants to become indispensable support rather than someone who merely relies on affection, thinking strategically about how to win a lasting place beside him.
• Lan Fei proves himself to be a valuable and reliable ally by completing his mission and delivering the soul beast directly to Su Ming. He also enjoys receiving praise and recognition for his contribution.

Significant Themes

• Support and sacrifice: Lan Fozu gives up personal time with Su Ming because his safety and cultivation are more important to her.
• Love expressed through usefulness: Lan Fozu believes affection alone is insufficient and seeks to support Su Ming through competence and practical assistance.
• Strength and rapid advancement: Su Ming’s effortless absorption of a powerful Spirit Ring emphasizes his exceptional growth and mental resilience.
• Good fortune and cooperation: Su Ming’s advancement is made possible through the combined efforts of his allies, particularly Lan Fei’s assistance.
• Hidden intentions and surprises: Lan Fozu quietly begins planning a special gift for Su Ming, showing both thoughtfulness and a playful, competitive side.

Character Interactions

• Lan Fei proudly reports his success to Su Ming and asks whether the Spirit Ring’s age is appropriate. Su Ming confirms that it is perfect.
• Lan Fozu congratulates Su Ming enthusiastically, presenting herself as an adoring supporter despite her private disappointment.
• Su Ming acknowledges Lan Fei’s importance and appreciates how much safer and easier the mission became because of his help.
• Lan Fozu and Lan Fei cooperate behind the scenes: after learning new information, she sends him away early so she can prepare a surprise for Su Ming.
• Lan Fozu and Su Ming leave together after his successful breakthrough, with Lan Fozu continuing to conceal her secret plan.

Chapter Summary

Plot and events

Shi Lihao, a twenty-year-old Advanced Soul King and notorious Evil Soul Master, encounters Su Ming and Lan Fozu near the beach. His Blood Infant Martial Soul, awakened at age eighteen, allows him to rapidly increase his power by devouring infants. After recently losing an arm, he discovers that older children can also enhance his cultivation, making Su Ming and Lan Fozu tempting targets. Convinced that he is destined to become a Titled Douluo and rule the continent, Shi Lihao decides to toy with them before attacking.

Su Ming and Lan Fozu’s actions

Both Su Ming and Lan Fozu sense Shi Lihao’s presence and recognize his evil aura immediately. Rather than attacking at once, they deliberately pretend not to notice him and mock him indirectly, referring to him as a “beast” and questioning whether he possesses any real intelligence. Their conversation is a calculated provocation designed to amuse themselves and draw him out.

Character development

Shi Lihao’s twisted worldview is revealed. He believes other soul masters persecute him out of jealousy rather than because of his atrocities, and he interprets his horrific abilities as a divine blessing. His rapid advancement has made him arrogant, delusional, and increasingly inhuman. Su Ming, in contrast, becomes fully convinced that Shi Lihao is beyond redemption and deserves to be killed without mercy.

Character interactions

Lan Fozu questions why Su Ming spared the evil presence they sensed earlier, while Su Ming calmly insists that they wait. Their exchange demonstrates their close cooperation, shared understanding, and confidence. When Shi Lihao finally appears, he proudly announces that he is an Evil Soul Master and the future ruler of the continent. Su Ming responds with feigned fear, allowing Shi Lihao to believe he has the advantage.

Significant themes

The chapter explores the corruption caused by unchecked power, the self-justification of evil, and the contrast between genuine intelligence and bestial instinct. Shi Lihao’s belief that persecution proves his uniqueness highlights his warped sense of victimhood, while Su Ming and Lan Fozu’s mockery exposes the absurdity of his arrogance. The chapter ends with Su Ming viewing Shi Lihao not as a human being, but as a monstrous threat that has abandoned all moral boundaries.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter explains that Evil Soul Masters can be divided into three categories:
  1. Those forced into evil through persecution or misunderstanding, often because their martial souls possess dark attributes. Zhang Peng and Wu Yun are cited as examples. Zhang Peng was temporarily protected by Mu En but later became an Evil Soul Master after Mu En’s death, while Wu Yun was hunted immediately after awakening her Dark Crow martial soul and eventually joined the Holy Spirit Cult.
  2. Those who voluntarily joined for personal reasons but retained some conscience, with Long Xiaoyao presented as the clearest example. He joined the Holy Spirit Cult after being deceived and acting foolishly out of emotional attachment.
  3. True Evil Soul Masters, who are cruel by nature or possess inherently evil martial souls. They treat lives as disposable and use horrific methods for cultivation. This group forms the overwhelming majority and is considered deserving of death.
• Su Ming reflects that the continent’s method of identifying Evil Soul Masters is too simplistic. He resolves to create clearer standards that distinguish truly evil individuals from innocent soul masters with dark-attribute martial souls.
• Su Ming and Lan Fozu confront Shi Lihao, a Soul King and genuine Evil Soul Master.
• Shi Lihao becomes frustrated when the two remain calm instead of showing fear. He decides to torture and consume them rather than kill them quickly.
• Shi Lihao reveals his grotesque Blood Infant martial soul, which emits a terrifying cry and a bloody aura.
• Su Ming recognizes the martial soul and understands that Shi Lihao’s cultivation requires using infants, meaning he has already harmed many innocent children.
• Shi Lihao activates his second soul skill, Parasite, sending blood threads from the Blood Infant toward Su Ming and Lan Fozu.

Character Developments

• Su Ming develops a stronger sense of purpose. Rather than simply condemning all Evil Soul Masters, he recognizes that some were driven into evil by persecution. He resolves to reform how the continent identifies and handles them while eliminating genuinely malicious Evil Soul Masters.
• His hatred toward Shi Lihao intensifies after learning the nature of the Blood Infant martial soul and the atrocities required to cultivate it.
• Lan Fozu demonstrates confidence and composure. She is not frightened by Shi Lihao, recognizing that a mere Soul King poses no real threat to her. Her disgust comes from his methods and the suffering he has caused.
• Shi Lihao is portrayed as sadistic, arrogant, and cannibalistic. He views children as food, enjoys causing them fear and pain, and interprets Su Ming’s anger as admiration for his martial soul.
• Zhang Peng, Wu Yun, and Long Xiaoyao serve as examples showing that not every Evil Soul Master has the same motives or moral condition.

Significant Themes

• Justice versus prejudice: The chapter criticizes the indiscriminate labeling of people as Evil Soul Masters solely because of their martial soul attributes.
• Persecution creating evil: Zhang Peng and Wu Yun illustrate how fear, hatred, and unjust hunting can push otherwise innocent people into becoming genuine threats.
• Moral distinctions within evil: The chapter emphasizes that forced, misguided, and inherently malicious Evil Soul Masters should not be judged identically.
• The need for responsible reform: Su Ming believes the world needs clearer criteria so that innocent people are protected while truly evil individuals are destroyed.
• The horror of dehumanization: Shi Lihao’s treatment of infants and his view of children as food represent the extreme cruelty of the third category of Evil Soul Masters.

Character Interactions

• Mu En previously intervened to protect Zhang Peng, preventing others from killing him despite their suspicion and hatred.
• Zhang Peng’s gratitude toward Mu En temporarily restrained him from committing evil, showing Mu En’s influence over his fate.
• Wu Yun had no protector and was driven into the Holy Spirit Cult by relentless persecution.
• Su Ming and Lan Fozu agree that Su Ming will handle Shi Lihao, even though Lan Fozu is powerful enough to defeat him herself.
• Shi Lihao attempts to intimidate and psychologically torment both of them, but Lan Fozu remains disgusted rather than afraid, while Su Ming silently forms a stronger resolve to kill him.
• The chapter ends as Shi Lihao launches his Blood Infant’s blood-thread attack against both protagonists.

Chapter Summary: Bewildering Rain Mist Like a Domain

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ming uses his newly acquired Third Soul Skill, Bewildering Rain Mist, to defend against Shi Lihao’s attack through the Blood Infant martial soul.
• Rather than killing Shi Lihao immediately, Su Ming deliberately treats the injured Soul King as a test subject to evaluate his new ability.
• Shi Lihao is shocked by Su Ming’s Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring, but his surprise quickly turns into greed. Believing Su Ming will be valuable nourishment, he attempts to devour him.
• Su Ming’s rain, enhanced by his Kyogre martial soul and Third Soul Skill, neutralizes Shi Lihao’s crimson thread attacks.
• The mist expands across the forest, concealing Su Ming and Lan Fozu while making them completely undetectable to Shi Lihao.
• Shi Lihao repeatedly attempts to escape, attack, and navigate through the mist, but the skill disrupts his vision, spiritual senses, sense of direction, time, and space. He continually returns to the same location despite traveling in different directions or flying upward.
• Su Ming further intensifies the illusion by removing Shi Lihao’s perception of surrounding objects, causing even marked trees and the ground beneath him to disappear.
• Trapped, exhausted, and mentally broken, Shi Lihao curses, challenges Su Ming to fight openly, and eventually begs for mercy.
• Shi Lihao offers to become Su Ming’s slave, but Su Ming recognizes the plea as an act and refuses to consider sparing or recruiting him.

Character Development

• Su Ming: Demonstrates confidence, tactical intelligence, and careful control over his growing power. He views the battle as an opportunity to test the full capabilities of his new Soul Skill rather than simply overpowering his opponent. His refusal to recruit Shi Lihao also reinforces his firm moral boundaries.
• Lan Fozu: Becomes increasingly impressed by Su Ming’s abilities and develops a stronger hatred of Shi Lihao after learning about the Blood Infant martial soul. Her reaction shows her growing moral awareness and emotional investment in the conflict.
• Shi Lihao: Changes from an arrogant, predatory Evil Soul Master into a desperate and psychologically shattered prisoner. His greed and confidence collapse as he loses all control over his surroundings, eventually resorting to false repentance and submission.

Significant Themes

• Power and control: The chapter highlights Su Ming’s ability to dominate the battlefield without relying on direct physical attacks.
• Psychological warfare: The mist attacks Shi Lihao’s senses and mind, making his isolation and confusion more devastating than ordinary injury.
• Moral boundaries: Su Ming refuses to accept an Evil Soul Master as a subordinate, showing that power and talent do not excuse monstrous behavior.
• Justice and retribution: Shi Lihao, who intended to devour others, is instead trapped and tormented by the person he sought to consume.
• Growth toward a domain: The Bewildering Rain Mist functions like a miniature domain, suggesting that Su Ming’s Soul Skill may eventually evolve into a true domain ability.

Character Interactions

• Su Ming protects Lan Fozu within the mist and explains the nature of Shi Lihao’s Blood Infant martial soul to her.
• Lan Fozu praises Su Ming’s skill and insists that Shi Lihao deserves more than an easy death.
• Su Ming reassures her that Shi Lihao will not escape, while calmly observing and manipulating the Evil Soul Master’s mental collapse.
• Shi Lihao attempts to provoke Su Ming and Lan Fozu into revealing themselves, but Su Ming silences and ignores him, maintaining complete control over the encounter.

Chapter Summary: “Sky-Sea Final Burial”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After testing his new soul skill, Su Ming decides to kill Shi Lihao, who has been pretending to be unconscious and repentant.
• Su Ming deliberately dismisses the Bewildering Rain Mist and reveals himself, knowing Shi Lihao is attempting to lure him into close range.
• Shi Lihao falls for Su Ming’s counter-deception. Believing the younger soul master has lowered his guard, he suddenly launches his fourth soul skill, Sky-Sea Final Burial.
• Su Ming responds by activating his first soul skill, empowered by the terrifying red Spirit Ring with three golden bands—apparently the Hundred-Thousand-Year Spirit Ring given to him by Lan Fozu’s mother.
• Rayquaza’s phantom appears, while the Demon Empress’s phantom true form emerges from a massive celestial tsunami. The two entities merge, creating an overwhelming fusion of dragon and deep-sea power.
• The sky transforms into an inverted ocean. A colossal tsunami crashes down over the forest, destroying trees, hills, and the surrounding landscape.
• The destructive force is compressed into a dark blue-black sphere that distorts space and drains the air around it. Su Ming, Lan Fozu, and Shi Lihao are the only ones protected from its pull.
• The attack strikes the ground without producing a conventional explosion, completely annihilating the forest and creating a gigantic crater filled with boiling seawater. The sky itself cracks before slowly recovering.
• Shi Lihao is utterly terrified and genuinely begs for mercy, realizing that Su Ming is far beyond anything he expected.
• Su Ming calmly surveys the devastation and declares the result perfect, demonstrating the overwhelming power of Sky-Sea Final Burial.

Character Developments

• Su Ming shows his caution, intelligence, and ruthlessness. He recognizes Shi Lihao’s deception immediately and intentionally exposes himself to crush the enemy’s hopes before killing him.
• Su Ming’s confidence grows as he witnesses the full destructive potential of his new soul skill. Rather than being disturbed by the devastation, he evaluates it calmly and approvingly.
• Shi Lihao shifts from arrogant schemer to genuinely helpless victim. His attempted trickery fails, and his confidence collapses when he realizes Su Ming possesses power vastly beyond his expectations.
• Lan Fozu is deeply shocked by the skill’s scale. Her awe also connects the attack to her mother, whose Spirit Ring appears to be the source of Su Ming’s power.

Significant Themes

• True despair versus false repentance: Shi Lihao repeatedly uses fake remorse to manipulate others, but Su Ming turns the same tactic against him and forces him to experience authentic fear.
• Overwhelming power and judgment: The attack resembles a natural catastrophe or divine punishment, presenting Su Ming as an unstoppable judge rather than an ordinary soul master.
• Deception and counter-deception: Both characters attempt to ambush the other, but Su Ming’s superior perception allows him to control the entire encounter.
• Destruction on a cosmic scale: The fusion of sky, sea, dragon, and demonic whale imagery emphasizes the near-apocalyptic power of Sky-Sea Final Burial.
• Legacy and inherited power: Lan Fozu’s reaction suggests that Su Ming’s Spirit Ring is tied to her mother, foreshadowing a future meeting and deepening the connection between the characters.

Character Interactions

• Su Ming and Shi Lihao engage in a silent psychological confrontation, each pretending to be vulnerable while waiting for the other to attack.
• Shi Lihao attempts to exploit Su Ming’s apparent inexperience, but Su Ming deliberately allows him to believe he has succeeded.
• Lan Fozu witnesses Su Ming’s full power firsthand and realizes that she would have been destroyed without his protection.
• The fusion of Rayquaza’s phantom with the Demon Empress’s phantom symbolizes the joining of powers associated with Su Ming and Lan Fozu’s mother, while also hinting at the importance of their future relationship.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After using Sky-Sea Final Burial, Su Ming stands amid the completely devastated battlefield with only Lan Fozu remaining. Despite unleashing a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Skill, he has nearly recovered all his Soul Power because of the passive effects of his External Soul Bone, the Heart of the Sea God.
• Lan Fozu excitedly asks whether the devastating attack was Sky-Sea Final Burial. Su Ming confirms it and explains its functions:
  • He can choose which targets are judged and which are protected.
  • Judged targets are immobilized and subjected to the skill’s destruction.
  • Protected targets remain unharmed and can move freely.
  • The skill combines battlefield suppression from the heavens with destructive power from the deep sea.
• Curious about Su Ming’s second Hundred Thousand Year Soul Skill, Lan Fozu asks him to demonstrate it. Su Ming agrees because the second ability is designed to follow Sky-Sea Final Burial and absorb its remaining destructive energy.
• Su Ming activates Heaven-Sea Dragon Court · Ten Thousand Dragons Paying Homage. The lake freezes, its center sinks into a bottomless Dragon Abyss, and Su Ming enters a powerful dragon-like Martial Soul Possession.
• Nine dragon-shaped water pillars rise into the sky, while dragon phantoms coil together to form the initial shape of a magnificent Heaven-Sea Dragon Court.
• The Dragon Court absorbs the residual destructive force left by Sky-Sea Final Burial, converting it into sacred golden-blue dragon radiance and becoming increasingly solid.
• Su Ming applies the Dragon Court’s enhancements to Lan Fozu, allowing her to experience its effects directly.
• The chapter ends with Su Ming recognizing that the Dragon Court is only an early form of a much greater power. As his divine powers grow and merge, it may eventually develop beyond the limits of a mere Dragon Court.

Character Developments

• Su Ming demonstrates tremendous confidence in his power. He remains virtually unaffected after using a devastating Hundred Thousand Year Soul Skill, revealing the efficiency of the Heart of the Sea God.
• His understanding of his abilities deepens. He realizes that Heaven-Sea Dragon Court is not a fixed technique but a growable domain whose strength and functions will expand with his cultivation.
• Su Ming’s ambitions become more expansive. He no longer views the Dragon Court as his ultimate achievement and begins envisioning a greater power formed through the fusion of multiple divine forces.
• Lan Fozu continues to show strong admiration and affection toward Su Ming. She is amazed by his abilities and eagerly tests the new enhancement skill, reacting with enthusiasm to its overwhelming power.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming power and hidden potential: Su Ming’s ability to recover Soul Power so quickly emphasizes how far he surpasses expectations for someone of his current rank.
• Growth and evolution: The Dragon Court represents an ability that can continuously develop rather than remain static. Its current version is only a foundation for future power.
• Destruction transformed into creation: The remnants of Sky-Sea Final Burial are absorbed and converted into protective, empowering dragon radiance, showing how destructive and constructive forces can work together.
• Divine ambition: Su Ming’s thoughts suggest that his true goal extends beyond mastering one soul skill; he aims to unite greater divine powers into an entirely new form.
• Protection and support: Although Su Ming’s abilities are immensely destructive, the Dragon Court also strengthens allies, shields them, and weakens enemies’ will to fight.

Character Interactions

• Lan Fozu approaches Su Ming with admiration after witnessing Sky-Sea Final Burial and asks him to demonstrate his second soul skill.
• Su Ming responds affectionately, stroking her head and calling her “Little Lan.”
• Lan Fozu kisses Su Ming on the cheek before running away to watch the demonstration, highlighting their close and playful relationship.
• After receiving the Dragon Court’s enhancements, Lan Fozu praises the ability as superior to ordinary support-type Martial Souls.
• Su Ming confidently accepts her praise and uses her reaction to confirm the extraordinary strength of his new skill.

Chapter Summary: “Three Years in the Blink of an Eye”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Three years after the previous events, Su Ming prepares to leave Dragon City and the Heavenly Dragon Sect.
• Yu Tianlong, Xing Yan, and several other sect disciples see him off and express their reluctance at his departure.
• Su Ming claims he is leaving to broaden his experience, but his true motives are more strategic: he wants to seek opportunities, acquire talents, and avoid dangerous places such as Shrek Academy and the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy.
• He is especially wary of Mingdu, one of the Holy Spirit Cult’s strongholds. Su Ming believes that displaying his exceptional talent there would make him a target, and he refuses to rely on the Heavenly Dragon Sect’s protection in the Sun Moon Empire.
• Before departing, Su Ming encourages the disciples to cultivate diligently so they can represent the Heavenly Dragon Sect in the “next-next” Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament.
• Su Ming leaves Dragon City by carriage with Lan Fozu. Nan Qiuqiu secretly watches him depart rather than saying goodbye in person.
• During the journey, Lan Fozu asks whether the Heavenly Dragon Sect will truly be allowed to participate in the future tournament. Su Ming confidently confirms that sects will regain the right to compete.
• Su Ming looks forward to the future competition, which will be dramatically larger and more intense than previous tournaments. He wonders whether he can reach the Titled Douluo realm within the next seven years.

Character Developments

• Su Ming: Becomes more calculating, cautious, and ambitious. Although he presents his departure as a journey for experience, he is primarily pursuing future opportunities while avoiding the Holy Spirit Cult and other threats. His confidence in his plans and his long-term focus are emphasized.
• Yu Tianlong and Xing Yan: Show deep trust and affection toward Su Ming. They accept his advice unquestioningly and are inspired by his promise that the sect will one day compete in the major tournament.
• Nan Qiuqiu: Reveals how emotionally attached she has become to Su Ming. As his fiancée, she hides herself during his departure because she fears she will cry and embarrass him. She resolves to cultivate harder and surprise him when he returns.
• Lan Fozu: Has matured significantly after living in the human world for over five years. She now understands Soul Master society and major events such as the Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament. Her close relationship with Su Ming is shown through their affectionate interaction.
• Jiang Nannan, Lan Fozu, and Nan Qiuqiu: Their former rivalry has developed into genuine sisterly affection, despite their competition for Su Ming’s attention.

Significant Themes

• Ambition and long-term planning: Su Ming is already preparing for events years in the future and measuring present decisions against his eventual goals.
• Danger beneath opportunity: Shrek Academy and the Sun Moon Empire offer valuable opportunities, but Su Ming recognizes that they also expose him to powerful enemies and political dangers.
• Loyalty and trust: The disciples trust Su Ming completely, even when they do not understand his predictions or motives.
• Separation and emotional attachment: The departure highlights the bonds between Su Ming and those remaining behind, particularly Nan Qiuqiu’s quiet sadness.
• Growth and transformation: Both individuals and institutions are changing. Lan Fozu has matured, Nan Qiuqiu commits herself to improvement, and the tournament itself is set to expand into a much larger contest.
• Competition and prestige: The future tournament will allow sects to compete alongside academies, making it an important opportunity to display strength and enhance reputation.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Ming gives Yu Tianlong, Xing Yan, and the other disciples a motivational farewell, urging them to prepare for the future tournament.
• Nan Qiuqiu watches Su Ming leave from the shadows, blessing him silently and resolving to become stronger.
• Lan Fozu questions Su Ming about the tournament during their journey, allowing him to explain the future restoration of sect participation.
• Su Ming affectionately pats Lan Fozu’s head, demonstrating their close, familial bond.
• The chapter closes with Su Ming anticipating the future tournament and questioning whether he can become a Titled Douluo within seven years.

Chapter Summary: “Million Year Whale Pearl?”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ming and Lan Fozu travel to the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest instead of immediately registering at Shrek Academy.
• Su Ming reveals that they are seeking two major opportunities:
  • The Million Year Soul Beast, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm.
  • The remnant soul of the Undead Saint Dharma God.
• Su Ming intends to claim these opportunities for himself rather than allow Huo Yuhao to obtain them as in the original storyline.
• Lan Fozu worries about whether Su Ming can safely confront a Million Year Soul Beast and considers using the Million Year Whale Pearl left by her father, the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King.
• Su Ming reassures her that the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm is in an unusual condition and poses no serious danger.
• He also tells Lan Fozu not to sacrifice her family heirloom for his sake, though she quietly insists that what belongs to her also belongs to him.
• The pair playfully quarrel, revealing their growing emotional intimacy.
• They detect the smell of grilled fish and realize they are approaching Huo Yuhao. Su Ming expects to encounter Bei Bei, Tang Ya, and Jiang Nannan as well.
• The chapter ends with Su Ming reflecting on his plans for the Tang Sect and Tang Ya.

2. Character Development

• Su Ming: Becomes increasingly ambitious and strategic. He is actively altering the original plot to seize powerful resources, strengthen his allies, and eventually control the Tang Sect. He also displays concern for Lan Fozu’s safety and values her personally, not merely for her power.
• Lan Fozu: Shows deep trust and affection toward Su Ming. Although she remains confident and playful, the prospect of a Million Year Soul Beast makes her genuinely uneasy. Her willingness to use her father’s Whale Pearl for Su Ming demonstrates her devotion.
• Huo Yuhao: Does not appear directly, but his famous grilled fish signals his imminent introduction. Su Ming views him negatively, believing he will abandon his original grievances, restore the Dai family, and become loyal to Tang San.
• Tang Ya: Su Ming considers her worth cultivating because of her innate devouring talent, rather than valuing her merely for her appearance.
• Jiang Nannan: Has already been influenced by Su Ming, who arranged for her to join the Tang Sect and prepare for its eventual takeover.

3. Significant Themes

• Seizing destiny and changing the original plot: Su Ming refuses to let key opportunities follow the established storyline and intends to claim them himself.
• Power and preparation: The chapter emphasizes gathering powerful inheritances, Soul Rings, artifacts, martial arts, and weapons to build future strength.
• Trust and emotional intimacy: Lan Fozu’s faith in Su Ming and their teasing interactions demonstrate the strength and warmth of their relationship.
• Strategic manipulation: Su Ming plans to infiltrate and eventually control the Tang Sect while using its techniques and hidden weapons to strengthen his own forces.
• Conflict with the established order: Su Ming’s contempt for Huo Yuhao’s future loyalty to Tang San reflects his opposition to the influence of Tang San and the God Realm.

4. Character Interactions

• Su Ming openly shares his plans with Lan Fozu, showing that he trusts her completely.
• Lan Fozu offers to use her Million Year Whale Pearl to protect or assist him, while Su Ming gently refuses to exploit her inheritance.
• Their playful teasing, physical joking, and Lan Fozu’s embarrassed reaction reveal romantic affection beneath their banter.
• Su Ming takes Lan Fozu’s hand as they investigate the smell of grilled fish, reinforcing their closeness.
• Su Ming’s thoughts about Huo Yuhao, Tang Ya, Jiang Nannan, and the Tang Sect establish the relationships and power struggles that will drive the next stage of the story.

Chapter Summary: “Pitiful Huo Yuhao”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Huo Yuhao is grilling fish near the outskirts of Shrek Academy when Tang Ya and Jiang Nannan call out to him from opposite directions, startling him and causing a fish to fall into the fire.
• Tang Ya, Bei Bei, and Jiang Nannan emerge from the bushes, followed shortly by Su Ming and Lan Fozu. The group reveals that they are acquainted and are connected through Shrek Academy and the Tang Sect.
• Their reunion demonstrates Su Ming’s close relationships with the group. He has helped financially support the Tang Sect, which strengthened his bond with Tang Ya and Bei Bei, while Lan Fozu and the three girls have also developed a sister-like friendship.
• Huo Yuhao watches the confident, talented group and becomes painfully aware of his own impoverished background and isolation. He has come to seek a Spirit Ring and become a true soul master, but their presence intensifies his feelings of inferiority.
• Su Ming senses Huo Yuhao’s emotional instability and reflects on the suffering that shaped him: poverty, abuse, bullying, his mother’s death, and his suppressed hatred toward the White Tiger Duke’s Estate.
• Su Ming recalls how, in the original timeline, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm and Electrolux helped Huo Yuhao heal and grow, though both were eventually lost or turned against him through Tang San’s schemes.
• Su Ming resolves that, since he has taken Huo Yuhao’s original opportunities, he will eventually help Huo Yuhao take revenge and destroy the White Tiger Duke’s Estate.
• Tang Ya remembers the immediate purpose of approaching Huo Yuhao: she wants to buy his grilled fish. Huo Yuhao, embarrassed by the group’s attention, offers the fish for free.

Character Developments

• Huo Yuhao: His sensitivity, insecurity, poverty, and painful past are emphasized. Though he feels inferior, his endurance and determination to grow stronger and seek revenge reveal considerable inner strength.
• Su Ming: He acts as an observer and protector of Huo Yuhao, recognizing the psychological damage caused by his past. He also becomes committed to altering Huo Yuhao’s future and eliminating the White Tiger Duke’s Estate.
• Tang Ya: Remains energetic and straightforward, quickly focusing on the grilled fish despite the reunion. She maintains a friendly, familiar relationship with Su Ming.
• Jiang Nannan: Her frugal nature is highlighted through her reluctance to waste money or food. She is genuinely happy to see Su Ming and Lan Fozu, reflecting her close bond with them.
• Lan Fozu: Shows warmth and enthusiasm toward Jiang Nannan and the others, reinforcing the close friendships formed over the years.
• Bei Bei: Serves as another established connection between Su Ming and the Tang Sect, greeting Su Ming as an old acquaintance.

Significant Themes

• Inferiority and social comparison: Huo Yuhao’s humble circumstances contrast sharply with the confidence, wealth, and talent of Su Ming’s group.
• Trauma and resilience: Huo Yuhao’s painful childhood has made him emotionally fragile, but it has also given him unusual perseverance and a powerful desire for revenge.
• Fate and altered destiny: Su Ming’s intervention has changed Huo Yuhao’s original path, forcing him to consider how to replace the support and opportunities Huo Yuhao would otherwise have received.
• Manipulation and free will: The discussion of Tang San’s future schemes suggests that Huo Yuhao’s destiny was manipulated, eventually leading to his identity being reshaped into Dai Yuhao.
• Friendship and alliances: The reunions among Su Ming, Lan Fozu, Tang Ya, Bei Bei, and Jiang Nannan show how personal relationships and political connections overlap.

Character Interactions

• Tang Ya and Jiang Nannan independently praise Huo Yuhao’s grilled fish, while their sudden remarks startle him.
• Su Ming, Lan Fozu, Tang Ya, Bei Bei, and Jiang Nannan greet one another warmly, revealing longstanding friendships and mutual respect.
• Huo Yuhao quietly observes the group and feels excluded, while Su Ming notices his emotional distress.
• Tang Ya and Lan Fozu approach Huo Yuhao about buying his fish, but Huo Yuhao nervously offers it for free instead.

Chapter Summary: “Thriving”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ming deliberately asks Huo Yuhao for his name and suggests that the group help him catch fish rather than pay him directly. He understands that Yuhao, despite needing money, would reject charity because of his pride and difficult past.
• The group works together to prepare a meal:
  • Bei Bei uses his Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul to stun fish in the stream.
  • Tang Ya uses Blue Silver Grass to pull the fish ashore.
  • Su Ming, Jiang Nannan, and Lan Fozu clean and prepare them.
  • Huo Yuhao grills the fish.
• Everyone enjoys the meal, and Tang Ya jokes that she wants to hire Huo Yuhao as the Tang Sect’s head chef. Su Ming and Bei Bei tease her about her habit of justifying expenses as worthwhile investments.
• The chapter emphasizes that the Tang Sect is flourishing because of Su Ming and Jiang Nannan’s early support. It now has a functioning headquarters, veteran blacksmiths, outer disciples, and hidden-weapon orders.
• Tang Ya has recovered emotionally from the Tang Sect’s decline, largely because of Jiang Nannan’s companionship and Su Ming’s financial assistance.
• Unlike the original timeline, Tang Ya and Bei Bei show no romantic development. Bei Bei remains focused on rebuilding the Tang Sect and is motivated by its genuine potential and the accomplishment of restoring it.
• Huo Yuhao eventually leaves the group. When questioned, he reveals little, but the others realize he is likely heading alone toward the Star Dou Great Forest.
• Su Ming correctly infers that Yuhao intends to obtain his first Spirit Ring and become a Soul Master.
• Concerned for his safety, the group discusses following him. Su Ming suggests helping him acquire his Spirit Ring and potentially recruiting him into the Tang Sect, while Tang Ya remains interested in hiring him as a cook.

Character Developments

• Huo Yuhao: Remains quiet, proud, and highly self-reliant, but he is beginning to accept companionship instead of rejecting all assistance. His harsh upbringing has made him sensitive to charity and determined to prove his own worth. His decision to enter the forest alone demonstrates both his resolve and his recklessness.
• Su Ming: Shows strong insight into Yuhao’s personality and knows how to help him without damaging his pride. He also continues acting as the Tang Sect’s key benefactor and strategist.
• Tang Ya: Is cheerful, affectionate, and much more emotionally stable than in the original storyline. She is sincerely grateful to Su Ming and Jiang Nannan, while also showing practical concern for the sect’s needs—especially the lack of a chef.
• Bei Bei: Displays kindness and responsibility by worrying about Yuhao’s safety. He is deeply committed to restoring the Tang Sect and now believes in its future for his own reasons, rather than merely trying to please Tang Ya.
• Jiang Nannan: Has become an important source of emotional support for Tang Ya and contributes to the warmer, healthier state of the Tang Sect.
• Lan Fozu and the others: Participate in the group’s cooperative outing and share concern about Yuhao’s dangerous plan.

Significant Themes

• Pride versus accepting help: Yuhao’s reluctance to accept assistance reflects the lasting effects of poverty and neglect. Su Ming’s indirect approach shows that genuine help must sometimes preserve a person’s dignity.
• Found family and fellowship: The shared fishing and meal preparation strengthen the group’s bonds and create a relaxed, familial atmosphere.
• Rebuilding and hope: The Tang Sect’s growth represents recovery from decline. With proper support, it is no longer merely surviving but genuinely thriving.
• Alternate destinies: Changes to the original storyline—especially Tang Ya’s recovery, the lack of a romance with Bei Bei, and the Tang Sect’s improved condition—demonstrate how Su Ming and Jiang Nannan’s intervention has reshaped everyone’s future.
• Mutual benefit: Su Ming’s proposal to assist and recruit Yuhao combines compassion with the Tang Sect’s practical needs, suggesting that support and self-interest can coexist without becoming exploitative.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Ming carefully guides Yuhao into accepting help by framing the meal as cooperation rather than charity.
• Tang Ya and Bei Bei exchange playful remarks, revealing their comfortable friendship but lack of romantic tension.
• The group’s cooking and eating bring everyone closer and allow Yuhao to experience kindness in a non-threatening setting.
• Bei Bei, Jiang Nannan, Tang Ya, and Lan Fozu all express concern over Yuhao traveling alone.
• Su Ming identifies Yuhao’s likely goal and proposes helping him obtain a Spirit Ring, while Tang Ya immediately connects the idea to recruiting him as the Tang Sect’s future chef.

Chapter Summary: “Su Ming, Already a Soul Ancestor”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ming volunteers to scout ahead while the others rest, heading in the direction Huo Yuhao went.
• The group agrees because they recognize that Su Ming’s strength is far beyond their own. They reason that if he cannot handle the danger alone, accompanying him would likely only result in more casualties.
• While Su Ming leaves, Bei Bei, Tang Ya, and Jiang Nannan discuss how powerful he has become. They conclude that he has already reached the Soul Ancestor realm despite being not yet twelve years old.
• Su Ming catches up with Huo Yuhao just as Huo Yuhao finishes fighting the Wind Baboon, an event that mirrors the original timeline.
• Rather than intervene immediately, Su Ming hides nearby and waits for Sky Dream Ice Silkworm to appear.
• Because Su Ming possesses the Deep Sea Demon Whale Clan’s devouring ability, gained through the Demon Empress’s sacrifice, he intends to devour Sky Dream Ice Silkworm instead of accepting his sacrifice or allowing him into his Mental Sea.
• The Wind Baboon is defeated, and Su Ming senses that Sky Dream Ice Silkworm has arrived. The ground begins to crack, golden-white light emerges, and a powerful chill spreads through the area.

2. Character Developments

• Su Ming: His overwhelming strength and confidence are emphasized. He acts strategically rather than recklessly, choosing to hide and wait for the precise moment to seize Sky Dream Ice Silkworm. His outlook has also become more ruthless: he views imperfect loyalty as unacceptable and plans to eliminate Sky Dream rather than trust him.
• Bei Bei: He has moved from frustration and disbelief to acceptance of Su Ming’s abnormal talent. His past defeat by Su Ming, who knocked him down with one punch without using his martial soul or soul skills, shaped this acceptance.
• Jiang Nannan: She admits that her efforts to keep pace with Su Ming have only made the gap between them seem more hopeless. Her admiration for him has deepened because of his unprecedented cultivation speed.
• Lan Fozu: She takes private pride in knowing Su Ming’s true strength, unlike the others who can only speculate. This secret knowledge makes her feel especially close to him.
• Huo Yuhao: Exhausted after fighting the Wind Baboon, he becomes frightened and desperate when the ground begins to shake. His greatest regret is the possibility of dying before avenging his mother.

3. Significant Themes

• Exceptional talent versus ordinary effort: Su Ming is portrayed as a once-in-an-era prodigy whose growth far surpasses even other geniuses.
• Power and trust: Su Ming’s decision to devour Sky Dream reflects his belief that anything less than absolute loyalty is dangerous.
• Fate and altered destiny: The events resemble Huo Yuhao’s original path, but Su Ming’s presence threatens to drastically change the outcome.
• Hidden knowledge and intimacy: Lan Fozu’s awareness of Su Ming’s true power creates a private bond between them and distinguishes her from the rest of the group.
• Moral judgment and loyalty: The chapter contrasts Sky Dream Ice Silkworm’s earlier helpful intentions with his later betrayal, explaining why Su Ming refuses to trust him.

4. Character Interactions

• Su Ming calmly reassures the group by volunteering to scout ahead, while Bei Bei accepts the help and allows him to take responsibility.
• Tang Ya questions Su Ming’s current strength, prompting Bei Bei to recount his humiliating defeat at Su Ming’s hands.
• Jiang Nannan shares her admiration and despair at being unable to catch up with him, while Lan Fozu silently takes pride in possessing knowledge the others lack.
• Su Ming observes Huo Yuhao from hiding rather than immediately assisting him, waiting for Sky Dream Ice Silkworm to reveal himself.
• Huo Yuhao’s encounter with the Wind Baboon and the approaching Sky Dream Ice Silkworm sets up a confrontation in which Su Ming intends to intervene for his own gain.

Chapter Summary: “Successfully Devouring the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• A five-meter-wide fissure opens, from which the enormous, jade-white Sky Dream Ice Silkworm emerges.
• Su Ming observes it from hiding and notes its ten golden rings, which signify its immense power.
• As the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm begins a voluntary sacrifice, it releases a mental wave across a hundred-li radius, temporarily stunning Tang Ya’s group and all nearby creatures.
• Su Ming remains unaffected because the Three Divine Martial Souls protect him from mental interference.
• He activates the Three Divine Martial Souls, frightening and disrupting the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm before it can complete its sacrifice.
• Su Ming then unleashes his Devouring Domain, combining the Devouring Talent inherited from the Deep Sea Demon Whale Clan with the power of the Three Divine Martial Souls.
• The domain completely suppresses the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, preventing it from escaping or finishing its sacrifice.
• The ten golden rings are forcibly stripped away one by one and absorbed into Su Ming, while the silkworm’s spiritual power is also devoured.
• The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm begs for mercy and offers Su Ming a second martial soul, a four-hundred-thousand-year spirit ring, or coexistence, but Su Ming ignores its pleas.
• The creature’s body and million-year spiritual origin are ultimately consumed, leaving only a damaged shadow before it vanishes completely.
• The mental disturbance across the surrounding area ends, though the enormous crack in the ground remains as evidence of what occurred.

2. Character Developments

• Su Ming demonstrates overwhelming confidence and control. His immunity to mental attacks and mastery of the Devouring Domain establish that he has gained a major advantage over powerful soul beasts.
• He also shows a ruthless, pragmatic side: once the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm is trapped, he refuses negotiation and treats it purely as a source of power.
• The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm shifts from a terrifying million-year soul beast to a desperate, helpless victim. Its fear and pleas reveal the psychological trauma caused by its ten thousand years of imprisonment and exploitation.
• Its brief attempt at voluntary sacrifice is interrupted, leaving it vulnerable and unable to determine whether Su Ming intends to help or destroy it.

3. Significant Themes

• Predation and survival: The chapter presents power as a brutal hierarchy in which the stronger party consumes the weaker.
• Absolute power and suppression: Su Ming’s combined abilities leave the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm no opportunity to resist, emphasizing the vast gap between them.
• Exploitation of the weak: The silkworm’s long imprisonment and use as a “power bank” contrast with Su Ming’s own decision to devour it.
• Moral ruthlessness: Su Ming prioritizes strength and opportunity over compassion, refusing the creature’s offers once it has been subdued.
• Transformation through power: The silkworm’s spiritual energy and golden rings become resources that strengthen Su Ming, showing how conquest directly fuels his advancement.

4. Character Interactions

• Su Ming initially remains hidden while studying the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, then reveals himself only after securing victory.
• The Three Divine Martial Souls intimidate the silkworm, interrupting its sacrifice and creating the opening Su Ming needs.
• The silkworm attacks mentally and later pleads with Su Ming, offering valuable powers and cooperation, but its efforts are intercepted or ignored.
• Their interaction is entirely one-sided: Su Ming maintains control throughout, while the silkworm moves from resistance to desperation before being completely devoured.

Chapter Summary: The Plan for a Million-Year Seventh Ring

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ming decides not to absorb the Million Year Soul Ring immediately. Instead, he plans to reserve it for his seventh Spirit Ring slot, believing that this position will maximize its effects.
• He intends to give the ring to his Sky God Martial Soul, Rayquaza, whose immense power and divine status make it the most suitable recipient.
• Su Ming explains that the seventh Spirit Ring is unique because it causes a Martial Soul to undergo a qualitative transformation, fully materializing its source power and enabling the user to manifest a Martial Soul Avatar.
• After devouring the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, Su Ming gains not only the Million Year Soul Ring but also a vast amount of spiritual and innate soul power. Because he cannot absorb all of it at once, the energy is sealed in layers so he can gradually refine it into his own foundation.
• Su Ming turns his attention to the three-hundred-and-ninety-thousand-year Ice Empress, deciding that he must obtain her as well. He plans to exploit her inability to survive the Four-Hundred-Thousand-Year Heavenly Tribulation while relying on his own strength and future path to godhood.
• He briefly reflects on Electrolux’s remnant soul, which did not come to him as it did in the original timeline. Su Ming accepts this outcome, reasoning that the benefits of devouring Sky Dream Ice Silkworm are more valuable to him than gaining Electrolux as a teacher.
• Lan Fozu and the others arrive after sensing the disturbance. They find Su Ming beside the unconscious Huo Yuhao and notice the large crack created during the earlier battle.
• Su Ming gives them a simplified explanation: Huo Yuhao killed a Ten-Year Wind Baboon, then encountered another Soul Beast, and Su Ming arrived in time to rescue him. He conceals the true identity and significance of the creature involved.
• The group praises Huo Yuhao for defeating the Wind Baboon despite his weak, malnourished condition and lack of Soul Master cultivation.
• Lan Fozu realizes that Su Ming’s explanation is incomplete, since she understands him better than the others, leaving her with complicated emotions.

Character Developments

• Su Ming demonstrates long-term planning and restraint. Rather than using the Million Year Soul Ring for immediate strength, he focuses on maximizing its future value through the seventh Spirit Ring and Martial Soul Avatar.
• His confidence increases as he views godhood not as a distant possibility but as a path he is already certain to follow.
• Su Ming also shows growing strategic ambition by planning to obtain Ice Empress in addition to Sky Dream Ice Silkworm’s power.
• Huo Yuhao remains unconscious and physically frail, but his successful defeat of the Wind Baboon reveals courage and potential despite his disadvantaged state.
• Lan Fozu shows strong concern for Su Ming and appears capable of recognizing that he is hiding important information. Her complicated reaction suggests deeper emotional awareness and possibly unease about his actions.
• Jiang Nannan openly worries about Su Ming and instinctively addresses him with unusual intimacy, revealing the closeness of their relationship.
• Tang Ya acknowledges Huo Yuhao’s achievement, recognizing the significance of his victory given his weak condition.
• Electrolux does not appear directly, but his absence emphasizes that Su Ming’s path is diverging from the original events.

Significant Themes

• Patience and strategic planning: Su Ming values future optimization over immediate power, reserving the Million Year Soul Ring for the most advantageous moment.
• Power and transformation: The seventh Spirit Ring symbolizes a major evolutionary stage, allowing a Soul Master’s Martial Soul to merge fully with the body.
• Divergence from destiny: Su Ming’s actions alter events from the original story, particularly through his devouring of Sky Dream Ice Silkworm and the failure to attract Electrolux.
• Self-reliance: Unlike Huo Yuhao, who benefits from powerful teachers and external inheritances, Su Ming believes his Three Divine Martial Souls already provide a direct route to godhood.
• Concealment and trust: Su Ming hides the truth about the battle from his companions, creating a contrast between the group’s trust in him and Lan Fozu’s awareness that something is being concealed.
• Opportunity and survival: The plans involving Ice Empress and Electrolux highlight the importance of exploiting weaknesses, preserving resources, and choosing which opportunities are worth pursuing.

Character Interactions

• Lan Fozu enthusiastically greets Su Ming and moves immediately to his side, reflecting her closeness and concern.
• Bei Bei questions Su Ming about the disturbance and Huo Yuhao’s whereabouts.
• Jiang Nannan expresses direct concern for Su Ming, momentarily forgetting their usual public formality.
• Tang Ya praises Huo Yuhao after seeing the Wind Baboon’s corpse and asks about the more powerful Soul Beast involved.
• Su Ming calmly reassures the group, provides a misleading account of events, and maintains control over the situation.
• Lan Fozu silently recognizes that Su Ming is not telling the full truth, ending the chapter with unresolved emotional tension.

Chapter Summary: A Grilled Fish Prodigy Joins the Tang Sect

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lan Fozu mentally asks Su Ming whether he obtained the Million Year Soul Ring from the Star Dou Great Forest. Su Ming confirms that he did.
• Su Ming explains that he will not absorb the ring immediately. Instead, he plans to wait until he becomes a Soul Sage so he can use it to create a Million Year Martial Soul Avatar.
• Huo Yuhao awakens after collapsing in the forest. He vaguely remembers encountering a talking soul beast that seemed to want to eat him, but his memories are confused.
• The others assume Huo Yuhao’s recollections were hallucinations caused by exhaustion and fear.
• Su Ming provides a false but plausible explanation, claiming that he arrived in time to frighten away the soul beast that had threatened Huo Yuhao.
• Tang Ya, Bei Bei, and the others praise Huo Yuhao for killing a Wind Baboon, though their words unintentionally remind him of his weakness and lack of power.
• Seeing an opportunity to help him, Tang Ya invites Huo Yuhao to join the Tang Sect. She emphasizes that he can cultivate and receive protection while also contributing by cooking grilled fish.
• Huo Yuhao is deeply moved because he grew up hearing stories about the Tang Sect. He ultimately agrees to join, feeling that his cooking talent has finally found value.

Character Developments

• Su Ming: Demonstrates his overwhelming power and long-term planning. He continues hiding the truth about the Million Year Soul Beast and carefully controls the information others receive.
• Lan Fozu: Becomes even more impressed with Su Ming after learning that he obtained a Million Year Soul Ring. Her loyalty and admiration for him deepen.
• Huo Yuhao: Awakens frightened, confused, and physically exhausted. His experience in the forest forces him to confront how weak he currently is, causing him to feel despair about his goals of becoming powerful and avenging his mother. However, joining the Tang Sect gives him hope and a sense of purpose.
• Tang Ya: Shows kindness and initiative by recruiting Huo Yuhao, though her interest is partly motivated by his exceptional grilled fish. She sees the Tang Sect as a means to protect and improve his life.
• Bei Bei and Jiang Nannan: Support Tang Ya’s recruitment effort and regard it as a way to help the struggling Huo Yuhao.

Significant Themes

• Power and inadequacy: Huo Yuhao’s near-death experience highlights the immense gap between his ambitions and his current abilities.
• Hope through belonging: The Tang Sect offers Huo Yuhao protection, training, and acceptance when he feels useless and alone.
• Hidden truths and manipulation: Su Ming conceals the real events surrounding the Million Year Soul Beast and Huo Yuhao’s survival, presenting a carefully constructed explanation.
• Value beyond strength: Although Huo Yuhao is weak as a soul master, his cooking talent gives him a meaningful role and becomes the reason he is welcomed into the Tang Sect.
• Ambition and preparation: Su Ming’s decision to delay absorbing the Million Year Soul Ring reflects his strategic approach and focus on maximizing future power.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Ming and Lan Fozu: Communicate privately through mental connection, discussing the Million Year Soul Ring and Su Ming’s future plans.
• Su Ming and Huo Yuhao: Su Ming reassures Huo Yuhao and supplies an alternative explanation for the mysterious encounter in the forest.
• Tang Ya and Huo Yuhao: Tang Ya praises Huo Yuhao, then invites him to join the Tang Sect, appealing to both his interest in the sect and his need for support.
• Tang Ya, Bei Bei, and Jiang Nannan: Cooperate in persuading Huo Yuhao to accept the invitation.
• Huo Yuhao and the Tang Sect: Huo Yuhao’s acceptance marks the beginning of his association with the sect and gives him renewed confidence in his future.