Chapter Summaries

Plot points and events

• Gu Mingyuan reviews his earlier conversation and is unsurprised that Huo Yuhao recognized Tang Ya through her disguise, attributing it to the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm’s abilities. He urges Tang Ya to face her situation rather than avoid Huo Yuhao, and she leaves to eat the Soul Beast meat.
• Huo Yuhao tells Fan Yu that the disguised woman he encountered was Tang Ya. He explains that she recognized Bei Bei’s name and seemed frightened. Fan Yu agrees they should learn more, but warns Huo Yuhao not to tell anyone and advises him to observe Tang Ya’s routine before approaching her privately.
• Huo Yuhao searches for Tang Ya the next morning but does not find her. The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm confirms that the woman was Tang Ya and says they will likely encounter her again.
• At the laboratory, Huo Yuhao asks Shen Heng whether he can identify Tang Ya or find her laboratory. Shen Heng declines and redirects his attention to an upcoming Soul Tool crafting competition.
• Huo Yuhao is intrigued by the Level Three prize: a Flash Space Ring, a Level Seven Soul Tool made from a Soft Bone Rabbit Soul Bone that can teleport its wearer three feet. Shen Heng tells him to win it himself and warns him about Xuan Ziwen’s new Level Three student, who is reputed to have strong fundamentals.

Character developments and interactions

• Huo Yuhao is determined to understand why Tang Ya is hiding and wants to help Bei Bei get answers, but Shen Heng’s notice gives him a new practical goal: competing for the Flash Space Ring.
• Tang Ya appears anxious and afraid of being discovered, while remaining under Gu Mingyuan’s influence.
• Fan Yu is cautious and prioritizes the exchange students’ safety, choosing surveillance over an impulsive confrontation.
• Shen Heng is blunt and dismissive of Huo Yuhao’s search, but redirects him toward his studies and offers a meaningful challenge.
• Gu Mingyuan remains composed and seems confident that his influence is growing.

Significant themes

• Secrecy and trust: Tang Ya’s disguise and Huo Yuhao’s need to keep her discovery quiet create uncertainty and risk.
• Duty versus safety: Huo Yuhao wants to pursue the truth, while Fan Yu urges restraint to protect the group.
• Ambition and opportunity: The Soul Tool competition offers Huo Yuhao a chance to gain a rare artifact by proving his skill.

Plot points and events

• Shen Heng warns Huo Yuhao to take the upcoming Soul Engineer competition seriously, especially if he faces Xuan Ziwen’s student. He then gives Yuhao a stack of Sun Moon Empire blueprints to master within a month.
• Huo Yuhao is troubled by not knowing where Tang Ya is, but resolves to search for her once his competition preparations are further along.
• At Mingde Hall, Xuan Ziwen tells Gu Mingyuan about the competition and advises him not to underestimate Huo Yuhao’s spiritual-attribute abilities. Gu decides to enter after learning the prize is a Flash Space Ring.
• Tang Ya is not eligible for the competition and is struggling to complete even a Level One Core Array; a flaw in her Soul Power ruins her work.
• Gu remembers a Golden Radiance Left Arm Bone and a weapon he commissioned in Star Luo City. He contacts Feng Ling and arranges to bring the underground Soul Engineer—and all related materials, unfinished work, blueprints, and records—to Ming Capital.
• Feng Ling approves, offering Cult resources while stressing secrecy. Gu is to keep his ordinary exchange-student cover and avoid drawing suspicion from either Shrek or Mingde Hall.
• Gu concludes that it is time to begin addressing the Snow Empress.

Character developments and interactions

• Huo Yuhao accepts Shen Heng’s demanding assignment and competition warning, while keeping his worry for Tang Ya to himself.
• Shen Heng shows professional rivalry with Xuan Ziwen, denying any personal connection but admitting he would dislike seeing Xuan’s student defeat Yuhao.
• Gu Mingyuan is practical and increasingly protective of his independence: he wants a trusted specialist to maintain his close-combat weapons rather than relying on Mingde Hall’s staff.
• Xuan Ziwen recognizes Yuhao’s strengths and urges Gu to take him seriously, while remaining focused on his research.
• Tang Ya is frustrated by her failure and the limits of her current skill, but Gu bluntly redirects her attention to mastering her present work.
• Feng Ling supports Gu’s request as Holy Son but reinforces the need for secrecy.

Significant themes

• Preparation and competition: Both schools are gearing up for the coming contest, with Yuhao facing intensive study and Gu weighing the challenge.
• Trust and independence: Gu’s preference for a familiar Soul Engineer reflects his desire to control his equipment and keep sensitive work outside Mingde Hall’s scrutiny.
• Secrecy and shifting plans: Gu carefully maintains his cover while moving resources to Ming Capital; Yuhao’s unexpected arrival may disrupt what he had planned.
• Persistence amid setbacks: Yuhao commits to study despite worry, while Tang Ya confronts the gap between her ambitions and current ability.

Key plot points and events

• Electrolux tells Gu Mingyuan he will inspect and reinforce the Mother Seal on Wu Zhu when the blacksmith arrives, since Gu’s stronger cultivation and spiritual power make it a good time to strengthen the restraint.
• In Star Luo City, Wu Zhu receives orders to go to Ming Capital with all the materials and unfinished items Gu left in his care. He is relieved that Gu is alive, having feared the consequences if Gu had died; he also learns Gu has become the Holy Spirit Cult’s Holy Son.
• At Sun Moon Imperial Academy, Gu delivers his notes to Xuan Ziwen and returns to find four students testing a cannon-shaped Soul Tool. Ju Zi is startled by Gu’s question and attacks him with fruit from her Martial Soul. Gu’s force field stops the attack.
• Ju Zi and Zimu criticize Gu for startling her. Gu answers sarcastically and refuses to back down. When Zimu grabs him and then attacks with a close-combat Soul Tool, Gu wounds his forearm and uses a Blood Curse that prevents the wound from closing, causing him to bleed heavily.
• Ju Zi and Keke try to treat Zimu, but their efforts fail. Zimu admits he lost his temper and struck first; Gu releases the curse, allowing him to stop the bleeding.

Character developments

• Gu Mingyuan appears more confident and capable, using newly refined spiritual-power techniques to conceal his Soul Rings and control his abilities precisely. He is sharp-tongued and retaliates decisively when challenged.
• Wu Zhu remains anxious about Gu’s power over him, but the transfer order confirms that Gu is alive and still influential.
• Zimu begins as a self-assured defender of Ju Zi, but Gu’s counterattack forces him to recognize that he escalated the confrontation and admit fault.
• Ju Zi is focused on her engineering work but reacts defensively when startled; concern for Zimu ultimately takes precedence over her anger at Gu.

Significant themes

• Power and restraint: Gu’s Mother Seal over Wu Zhu and Blood Curse over Zimu show how spiritual abilities can exert control long after an initial encounter.
• Provocation and accountability: The conflict escalates from a startled reaction to a physical attack, and Zimu must acknowledge that he made the first move.
• Status and rivalry: Gu’s Shrek background and the Sun Moon students’ expectations create tension, while his sarcasm invokes competition between their academies.
• Technical ambition amid conflict: Soul Tool testing and study form the setting, but personal pride repeatedly disrupts the work.

Character interactions

• Electrolux advises Gu on strengthening the Mother Seal; Gu accepts the plan.
• Wu Zhu’s fear and relief are shaped by his dependence on Gu and uncertainty about the seal.
• Gu’s encounter with Ju Zi and Zimu turns from a disagreement over laboratory etiquette into a fight, with Keke and Ju Zi attempting to help the injured Zimu.
• Gu ends the confrontation by lifting the curse only after Zimu apologizes and admits responsibility.

Key plot points and events

• After Gu Mingyuan cuts Zimu with the Hand of the Kingkiller, Ju Zi treats Zimu’s wound. The small scratch refuses to stop bleeding despite Soul Power and medicine, demonstrating the weapon’s unusual properties and unnerving everyone present.
• Xuan Ziwen arrives, scolds Ju Zi for fighting in a workshop full of equipment, and tells Zimu that his injury is the result of picking a fight with someone stronger. He sends Zimu to the school hospital.
• A student named Nana brings Xuan Ziwen a short blade whose Soul Power conduction is faulty. Gu Mingyuan recognizes her as Ghost Nana, though the chapter does not explain their connection.
• At Shrek, Qian Duoduo brings news that Huo Yuhao believes he has found Tang Ya at the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy. She has changed her appearance, refuses to acknowledge him, and reacts strongly when he mentions Bei Bei.
• Mu En orders Xuan Zi to travel to Ming Capital, investigate Tang Ya and her reasons for hiding, and proceed secretly so as not to alert Jing Hongchen—or risk walking into a trap.
• Bei Bei is told that Tang Ya may be alive. He urgently wants to go after her, but Yan Shaozhe makes him stay and help recall details from before her disappearance. Zhang Lexuan helps him prepare identifying traits and private passcodes, and Bei Bei is allowed to write to Huo Yuhao.
• Back at the Sun Moon academy, Ju Zi remains troubled by Zimu’s wound. Huo Yuhao sees her while leaving the experimental area and considers asking the female students to help him search for Tang Ya.

Character developments and interactions

• Ju Zi is shaken by the unexplained bleeding and grows quiet after treating Zimu. Her encounter with Huo Yuhao is brief, but it may create an opportunity for him to approach her.
• Gu Mingyuan remains composed after the fight and shows familiarity with Nana by recognizing her as Ghost Nana.
• Xuan Ziwen firmly restores order and continues mentoring students on their soul tools.
• Huo Yuhao persists in searching for Tang Ya, despite limited time and repeated failures.
• Bei Bei reacts with intense hope and concern at the news, revealing that Tang Ya remains his overriding focus. Zhang Lexuan supports him while quietly setting aside her own concerns for him.
• Xuan Zi accepts the mission cautiously, while Mu En emphasizes secrecy and the possibility that Tang Ya could be used as bait.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and longing: Bei Bei’s devotion to Tang Ya drives his response to the news.
• Secrecy and uncertainty: Tang Ya’s concealment raises questions about whether she is acting freely or under pressure.
• Caution versus urgency: Shrek’s leaders balance the need to find her against the danger of alerting their opponents.
• Power and consequences: Zimu’s injury shows how a seemingly minor attack can have frightening effects when unusual soul tools are involved.

Plot points and events

• Zimu, injured from an earlier incident, and Wang Shaojie, who plans to seek help dealing with Huo Yuhao, both say they cannot join Ju Zi’s field test. Ju Zi worries the trip may have to be canceled.
• Huo Yuhao arrives looking for a girl whose portrait he has been carrying. Ju Zi and Keke do not recognize her, but Ju Zi promises to ask students in the dormitories.
• When Huo Yuhao offers to help with the test, Ju Zi learns he is the Shrek exchange student mentioned in tournament reports. His Spiritual Detection Sharing impresses the group: it gives them a detailed view of their surroundings, including terrain and objects beyond obstacles.
• Ju Zi recruits him to fill the team’s need for a detector. She will operate the equipment, Keke will provide firepower, and Huo Yuhao will handle detection. Zimu objects, but Ju Zi and Keke accept the arrangement.
• Huo Yuhao’s instructor, Shen Heng, approves the trip but instructs him to record the test and its data, report on Xuan Ziwen’s work, and keep the upcoming practical competition in mind. Huo Yuhao also informs Fan Yu of his plans.
• The next morning, Ju Zi tells Huo Yuhao that the search for the girl has so far failed, though her friends will continue looking. The three then depart for the Jingyang Mountain Range.

Character developments and interactions

• Huo Yuhao remains focused on finding the girl, but also proves willing to help the academy team. His detection skill earns him a useful role and gives him a rare reason for optimism.
• Ju Zi shows practical leadership: she sets aside Zimu’s hostility, recognizes Huo Yuhao’s value, and reorganizes the test team around their complementary abilities. She also follows through on her promise to help with his search.
• Zimu is still resentful and confrontational, first accusing Huo Yuhao of using the portrait to approach Ju Zi, then objecting to his joining the test. He feels displaced when the others turn their attention to Huo Yuhao.
• Keke is curious about Huo Yuhao’s ability and readily supports his participation after seeing how useful it would be.
• Shen Heng approves Huo Yuhao’s outing but treats it as an opportunity to gather information, revealing professional tension around Xuan Ziwen’s research.

Significant themes

• Cooperation and practical ability: Huo Yuhao’s talent bridges the team’s staffing gap and changes how efficiently they can conduct fieldwork.
• Rivalry and insecurity: Zimu’s antagonism and sense of being replaced contrast with the team’s growing excitement about Huo Yuhao.
• Duty alongside personal longing: Huo Yuhao balances his search for the girl with obligations to the test, his instructors, and his upcoming competition.

Key plot points and events

• Wang Shaojie complains to his cousin, Xu Mochén, that Gu Mingyuan’s glove Soul Tool caused Zimu’s wound to bleed uncontrollably. Xu Mochén uses the allegation to send the Imperial Inspection Team to investigate Gu.
• Xuan Ziwen blocks the inspectors from entering the laboratory and warns Gu that they are pursuing his records. Gu learns Xu Mochén is behind the move and quietly notes his name.
• Gu goes to the training area to meet Nana, hoping his ability to touch souls may help free her parents, whose souls the Holy Spirit Cult has imprisoned.
• Nana tests her ghostly combat technique against Gu. Though she expects her body to become untouchable, Gu catches her wrist, proving he can physically affect Spirit Forms.
• Nana asks whether he can free sealed souls. Gu explains that he would need to examine the seal, and Nana reveals how the cult uses her parents to force her to gather intelligence.
• Despite Nana’s warning that the branch is guarded by powerful Evil Soul Masters, Gu insists on seeing the vessel. They agree to meet outside the academy that evening.
• Gu returns to Tang Ya and tells her to pack and bring her Hidden Weapons, leaving their destination unexplained.

Character developments and interactions

• Gu Mingyuan stays composed under political pressure and shows practical concern for Nana’s situation. His unusual soul-touching ability gives her hope, and he is willing to risk confronting the cult.
• Nana shifts from testing Gu’s combat skill to trusting him with her secret. Her fear for her parents—and for Gu’s safety—shows the emotional cost of her coerced service.
• Xu Mochén emerges as a potential adversary, using the Inspection Team’s authority to retaliate against Gu.
• Xuan Ziwen protects Gu by refusing the inspectors entry, though he cautions Gu to be careful.
• Wang Shaojie fuels the conflict by portraying Gu’s weapon as dangerous.
• Tang Ya is brought into Gu’s plans, suggesting he intends to protect or involve her in what comes next.

Significant themes

• Power and accountability: The Inspection Team’s intervention raises questions about whether authority is being used for justice or personal revenge.
• Trust and coercion: Nana’s loyalty to the cult is enforced through threats against her parents; Gu offers a possible way out.
• The limits of the ordinary: Gu’s materialist ability overturns Nana’s expectation that a ghostly body cannot be touched.
• Risk and responsibility: Gu’s willingness to investigate the seal puts him in danger, while Nana must decide whether to trust him with a perilous secret.

Plot points and events

• Gu Mingyuan takes Tang Ya and Nana to a Holy Spirit Cult sub-altar in Ming Capital. Nana is uneasy about bringing Tang Ya, but Gu insists they proceed.
• Using Nana’s token, they enter the hidden underground hall, where the Second Saint Spirit challenges Gu’s claim to possess a Saint Son Token.
• Gu displays the token, but the Second Saint Spirit rejects its authority and attacks. Gu restrains him, uses the All-Seeing Heavenly Eye to locate the source of his power, and—following Electrolux’s guidance—captures and purifies his soul fire.
• Gu restores the Second Saint Spirit’s body and binds the purified flame to his own spiritual power, turning the former enemy into a controllable skeleton. Electrolux estimates it retains Soul Emperor-level physical strength, though it has lost its Soul Skills.
• The Great Saint Spirit watches in shock, his hand on the Holy Spirit Banner, as the newly revived skeleton awaits Gu’s orders.

Character developments

• Gu Mingyuan demonstrates confidence and decisiveness, taking the group straight into the sub-altar rather than waiting for nightfall. His ability to combine his own powers with Electrolux’s instruction lets him defeat and repurpose a powerful opponent.
• Nana is revealed as a cautious insider who uses her status and token to get the group past the guards, though she has little control over Gu’s plans.
• Tang Ya realizes Gu intends to act against the sub-altar’s leaders and may involve her in the operation.
• The Second Saint Spirit shifts from arrogant aggressor to a body under Gu’s command, his consciousness erased in the process.
• The Great Saint Spirit appears deeply shaken by what he has witnessed.

Significant themes

• Power and authority: Gu’s token challenges the sub-altar’s hierarchy, but force ultimately proves more persuasive than status.
• Control and transformation: Gu turns an enemy into an obedient weapon, raising questions about the cost of victory and the loss of identity.
• Improvisation and mastery: Gu’s unconventional choice to physically seize the soul fire shows his willingness to adapt beyond instructions.
• Fear and intimidation: The sub-altar’s followers are accustomed to exercising power, but the Second Saint Spirit’s defeat reverses the balance of fear.

Character interactions

• Nana’s caution contrasts with Gu’s blunt resolve, while Tang Ya quietly pieces together his intentions.
• The Second Saint Spirit openly challenges Gu; Gu answers first with the Saint Son Token, then with force.
• Electrolux coaches Gu through the soul-fire purification and restoration, correcting and guiding him as he proceeds.
• The Great Saint Spirit witnesses the transformation and is left confronting Gu’s power and the obedience of his former ally.

Key plot points and events

• Gu Mingyuan reveals himself as the Holy Spirit Cult’s Holy Son. The Great Saint Spirit and the other Holy Servants kneel before him; Nana is shaken to discover the person she brought for help belongs to the cult.
• At Gu’s command, the Great Saint Spirit opens the Holy Altar, where more than a hundred suffering souls are trapped. Nana recognizes her parents among them.
• With Electrolux guiding his power, Gu carefully purifies the souls. After initially struggling to control his strength, he succeeds, allowing Nana and the other Holy Servants to speak briefly with their loved ones before the spirits fade.
• Nana thanks Gu and pledges herself to him. Gu orders the Great Saint Spirit to report the Second Saint Spirit’s execution and Nana’s new allegiance to the Main Altar.
• Gu reflects on his rough handling of the soul flame and asks Electrolux to teach him more about purification.
• Elsewhere, Huo Yuhao’s Spiritual Detection Sharing helps a team test the All-Terrain Detection Soul Tool in the Jingyang Mountain Range, making the difficult route far easier and speeding up testing.
• Ju Zi praises Huo Yuhao and helps him pursue information about a person in his portrait. Keke teases him about his awkwardness around Ju Zi. Huo Yuhao remains focused on finding the person, while Yu Xiaogang criticizes him for caring about Tang Ya despite her apparent distance from him.

Character developments and interactions

• Gu Mingyuan shows compassion and restraint by choosing delicate purification over force, while recognizing his inexperience and seeking Electrolux’s instruction.
• Nana is reunited with her parents for a final, painful farewell. Their advice—that she stop suffering on their behalf—moves her to promise to care for herself; afterward, she binds herself to Gu out of gratitude.
• The Holy Servants shift from fear and reverence toward grief as they are allowed to meet the purified souls of their loved ones.
• Tang Ya silently considers asking Gu for help with her own deceased parents but holds back, believing it is too late or impossible.
• Huo Yuhao proves valuable to the expedition and remains emotionally invested in finding the person in his portrait, despite Yu Xiaogang’s objections.
• Ju Zi and Huo Yuhao share a friendly, slightly awkward moment as she offers to help him. Keke notices and teases him; Yu Xiaogang challenges his concern for Tang Ya.

Significant themes

• Compassion and redemption: Gu uses his authority and skill to ease the suffering of the trapped souls.
• Grief and release: Nana and the Holy Servants receive a brief chance to say goodbye, but must accept that their loved ones cannot remain.
• Power and responsibility: Gu’s status gives him control over the Holy Altar, yet the scene emphasizes the care required when wielding spiritual power.
• Loyalty and emotional attachment: Nana’s pledge contrasts with Huo Yuhao’s persistence in caring about someone who may not welcome his concern.

Chapter summary

• Huo Yuhao is urged to focus on his training. Yu Xiaogang criticizes him for wanting to investigate Tang Ya, arguing that Shrek Academy can handle it and that Yuhao should concentrate on cultivation and the upcoming Soul Engineer Practical Competition. His anger at Tang San reveals a deep, lasting resentment: he feels abandoned after Tang San became a god and left him behind. Yuhao reassures his teacher that he will remain grateful, while the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm needles Yu Xiaogang about his grudge.
• Yuhao travels with Ju Zi and Keke. He sets aside his worries to help repair their vehicle. That evening, he cooks grilled meat for the group, and a relaxed, friendly moment develops as Ju Zi and Keke praise his cooking and he reminisces about selling grilled fish.
• Elder Xuan suddenly appears at their camp. He has tracked Yuhao down after asking Fan Yu about his route. Spotting Yuhao with the two girls, he jokes that Yuhao is enjoying himself, then demands an account of Tang Ya. Ju Zi and Keke react warily to the powerful stranger.
• Gu Mingyuan consolidates control of the Ming Capital branch altar. The frightened Great Saint Spirit hands over its financial and intelligence records, rare metals, and two Soul Bones, and agrees that the branch’s people are at Gu’s command. Gu orders him to clear out and not return unless summoned.
• Tang Ya leaves the underground hall. The oppressive atmosphere and the violence she has witnessed unsettle her. After Gu dismisses her, she exits through the secret passage, leaving him, Nana, and the black skeleton behind.

Character developments and interactions

• Yu Xiaogang reveals how deeply Tang San’s departure wounded him; his advice to Yuhao mixes concern with bitterness and a desire not to be abandoned again.
• Yuhao remains loyal to Tang Ya and values the help she gave him, but accepts that the academy can investigate while he focuses on his immediate responsibilities.
• Ju Zi and Keke share an easy, warm rapport with Yuhao around the campfire, then become cautious when Xuan Zi appears.
• Xuan Zi brings urgent attention back to Tang Ya’s situation, interrupting the camp’s relaxed mood.
• Gu Mingyuan demonstrates his authority through force and intimidation, while the Great Saint Spirit’s fearful obedience underscores the shift in control. Tang Ya is visibly disturbed by the setting and events.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and abandonment: Yuhao’s gratitude contrasts with Yu Xiaogang’s resentment toward Tang San.
• Duty versus personal concern: Yuhao wants to help Tang Ya but agrees to prioritize his competition and let Shrek investigate.
• Power and fear: Gu’s takeover of the branch altar shows how authority is enforced in the underground world.
• Brief comfort amid danger: The campfire’s friendly warmth stands in sharp contrast to the violence and oppressive atmosphere of the underground hall.

Key plot points and events

• After Tang Ya leaves, Gu Mingyuan tasks Nana with secretly watching her at the academy and reporting anything suspicious. He gives Nana a Communication Soul Tool and instructs her to continue acting normally.
• Gu resumes training with Electrolux, learning to control the black skeleton precisely as a battle puppet rather than simply overpowering it. After practice, he can direct it reasonably well.
• Electrolux reveals that he created an Undead Half-Plane, a separate realm where undead creatures can be stored and summoned. With Electrolux’s limited help through Gu’s Sea of Spirit, Gu opens a portal and enters with the skeleton.
• The half-plane is a vast, barren world under a black sun called the Eclipse, with deathly cold air and black soil. Electrolux says it has expanded and evolved over time, so even he does not know everything it now contains.
• Hundreds of weak skeletons and several zombies approach the newcomers. Electrolux explains that they are low-level undead: the skeletons are fragile and slow, while zombies are tougher and carry mild corpse poison, but are also slow and not especially powerful.

Character developments and interactions

• Gu Mingyuan shows growing strategic skill: he assigns Nana an intelligence-gathering role and develops more precise control over his undead puppet. He is also impressed by Electrolux’s past achievements.
• Nana is grateful to Gu for helping free her parents’ souls and accepts her role as his covert observer.
• Electrolux acts as Gu’s mentor, guiding him through the ritual and explaining the half-plane and its inhabitants. His pride in his former creation briefly surfaces, though he dismisses it as part of the past.
• Gu and Electrolux continue their teacher-student partnership, combining Gu’s growing abilities with Electrolux’s knowledge.

Significant themes

• Trust, loyalty, and surveillance: Nana’s gratitude binds her to Gu, while her assignment introduces secrecy and monitoring.
• Mastery through practice: Gu progresses from brute-force control to precise command of the skeleton.
• Power and legacy: The half-plane demonstrates Electrolux’s immense former power, while his reluctance to dwell on it hints at loss and a changed present.
• The unknown and hidden danger: Though the half-plane offers useful storage and a possible emergency escape, its vast, evolving nature means it may contain things neither Gu nor Electrolux understands.

Plot points and events

• Gu Mingyuan tests the half-plane’s defenses by commanding the Second Saint Spirit’s black skeleton. Its Soul Emperor-level aura frightens away the low-ranking undead nearby.
• Electrolux explains that the half-plane has a limited population and replenishes ordinary undead after losses. Powerful undead can revive if their soul fires survive, but rebuilding their bodies consumes the plane’s origin energy. Light, sunlight, and the vitality of living visitors help restore that energy; fresh flesh and blood can also accelerate undead evolution.
• The half-plane cannot be expanded without godlike power. Gu Mingyuan instead sees it as a secure storehouse and barracks for valuables, supplies, and beings he needs to keep out of public view. He leaves the skeleton guarding the portal and confirms he can control it across the passage.
• Back in the Ming Capital Branch Altar, Gu Mingyuan receives a call from Wu Zhu, who has arrived with the goods. He arranges a discreet meeting and decides to remain at the altar, partly to inspect the spear and partly to watch for Shrek’s response to Huo Yuhao recognizing Tang Ya.
• At the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, Xuan Zi intercepts Tang Ya after tracking her from the Jingyang Mountain Range. Tang Ya recognizes him, and Nana quietly withdraws to leave them alone.

Character developments and interactions

• Gu Mingyuan shows growing strategic foresight: he plans to use the half-plane as a hidden base, storage space, and safe place for subordinates, while anticipating Shrek’s next move.
• Electrolux acts as Gu Mingyuan’s guide, explaining the half-plane’s rules and limitations.
• Xuan Zi and Tang Ya meet again, but the reunion is tense and painful. Tang Ya is shaken by the encounter and considers going with him to escape the Holy Spirit Cult and Gu Mingyuan’s control.
• Tang Ya’s choice is constrained by the cold brand near her heart, which makes escape dangerous. She is also burdened by guilt and fear over the Ironblood Sect massacre and her life-force-consuming cultivation method, which she would have to explain to Bei Bei and Shrek’s Sea God Pavilion.

Significant themes

• Power and its costs: Reviving powerful undead drains the half-plane, so military strength depends on managing resources.
• Secrecy and strategic control: Gu Mingyuan uses the half-plane to hide assets and prepare for future conflict.
• Constrained freedom and moral consequences: Tang Ya longs to escape but remains bound by the brand and haunted by what she has done.

Plot points and events

• Tang Ya’s Soul Power has surged toward level 40 since the Holy Spirit Cult took her and her Martial Soul mutated. The progress gives her hope of catching up to Bei Bei, but it comes from draining the life force of plants and Soul Beasts.
• Xuan Zi finds her and urges her to return to Shrek, explaining that Bei Bei has been desperately searching for her. Tang Ya is visibly worried about Bei Bei and misses her former companions, but fears returning to her old powerlessness.
• She reveals that the Holy Spirit Cult placed a dangerous Brand on her Heart Meridian. Xuan Zi finds it has grown into the meridian and cannot be removed by force without killing her. He offers to remove it carefully somewhere safe.
• Tang Ya asks to remain where she is after the Brand is removed, admitting she wants more time to grow stronger. Xuan Zi condemns her life-draining cultivation as an Evil Soul Master’s method, but cannot offer an alternative that would guarantee her progress. Tang Ya asks him not to force her decision about returning.
• Nana retreats after sensing Xuan Zi’s danger and reports to Gu Mingyuan that Tang Ya has been caught by an old man. Gu recognizes the urgency and prepares to inform Feng Ling.
• Wu Zhu arrives at the Branch Altar, recognizes Gu as the Holy Son, and kneels to pledge his loyalty.

Character developments and interactions

• Tang Ya is torn between longing for Bei Bei and Shrek, resentment at having been weak and unable to protect herself, and the temptation of rapid—but morally troubling—power. Her request for time shows that she is not ready to abandon her new path.
• Xuan Zi offers protection and a way to remove the Brand, but his firm opposition to Tang Ya’s cultivation methods brings their goals into conflict. He understands her desperation yet has no easy solution.
• Bei Bei, though absent, remains central to Tang Ya’s feelings; news of his search immediately breaks through her guardedness.
• Nana acts cautiously, withdrawing rather than risking confrontation, then alerts Gu.
• Gu Mingyuan responds to the report and is approached by Wu Zhu, whose deferential pledge reinforces Gu’s authority within the cult.

Significant themes

• Power versus morality: Tang Ya’s newfound strength comes at the cost of draining life, raising the question of whether survival and advancement justify harmful methods.
• Belonging versus independence: Tang Ya misses Shrek and Bei Bei but fears returning to a place where she felt helpless and overlooked.
• Care and control: Xuan Zi wants to protect Tang Ya, yet his insistence that she stop cultivating conflicts with her need to choose her own future.
• Dangerous divided loyalties: Tang Ya’s Brand, Nana’s report, and Gu’s position show how precarious her ties are between Shrek and the Holy Spirit Cult.

Chapter Summary

• After learning that Xuan Zi has arrived in Ming Capital and found Tang Ya, Gu Mingyuan contacts Feng Ling. She orders him to remain hidden at the Holy Spirit Cult’s Outer City Branch Altar while she handles the situation.
• Gu uses the Mother Seal to punish Wu Zhu, then has Electrolux check and reinforce the seal. Wu Zhu presents Golden Radiance, a Level Seven close-combat spear built around Gu’s Golden Radiance Left Arm Bone.
• Gu tests the spear against a Level Five alloy ingot. Its Light Flame pierces and melts the metal, and its nested core design appears reliable. Gu keeps the weapon and orders Wu Zhu to leave its blueprints and operating notes.
• Feng Ling reports to Zhongli Wu that Xuan Zi has found Tang Ya but has not exposed Gu. Concerned that Tang Ya could reveal Gu’s survival and endanger the Holy Son, Zhongli Wu sends Feng Ling to guard Gu and goes with Zhang Peng to confront Xuan Zi.
• Meanwhile, Tang Ya pleads with Xuan Zi on a secluded road. She asks him to remove her Brand and give her several more months before returning to the academy, promising to come back once she reaches Soul Ancestor. The chapter ends before Xuan Zi answers.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Gu Mingyuan acts cautiously, prioritizing concealment, while testing and approving a weapon suited to his fighting style.
• Wu Zhu remains fearful and submissive under the Mother Seal, but demonstrates technical skill through the spear he designed.
• Feng Ling protects Gu and moves quickly to contain the threat posed by Xuan Zi’s arrival.
• Zhongli Wu makes Gu’s safety the priority, even as he prepares to face a powerful Shrek elder.
• Tang Ya remains determined to delay returning to the academy, despite pleading with Xuan Zi.

Significant Themes

• Control and coercion: The Mother Seal gives Gu and Electrolux direct power over Wu Zhu.
• Secrecy and political danger: Tang Ya’s knowledge of Gu’s survival could trigger a violent confrontation.
• Power and preparation: Golden Radiance offers Gu stronger combat options, though his current cultivation limits its full potential.
• Divided loyalties: Tang Ya’s appeal to return to the academy contrasts with her request for more time.

Key plot points

• Xuan Zi gives up trying to persuade Tang Ya. He knocks her unconscious, suppresses the evil Brand in her body to prevent it from being triggered, and carries her away from Ming Capital toward Shrek.
• Zhongli Wu and Zhang Peng track them down using the Brand’s last known location and the Holy Spirit Cult’s agents. Xuan Zi lands on a mountainside to face them, keeping Tang Ya behind him.
• Zhongli Wu demands that Xuan Zi surrender Tang Ya, while taunting him about Gu Mingyuan’s disappearance and Shrek’s past choices. Xuan Zi accuses the Holy Spirit Cult of taking Gu Mingyuan and attacks.
• Zhongli Wu meets Xuan Zi head-on, while Zhang Peng circles around and targets Tang Ya. Forced to divide his attention between fighting and protecting her, Xuan Zi is gradually cornered.
• Meanwhile, Feng Ling checks that Gu Mingyuan is safe at the Holy Spirit Cult’s branch altar. She orders the area sealed and tells him to remain with her until the night’s events are resolved.

Character developments and interactions

• Xuan Zi shifts from patient persuasion to decisive action, prioritizing Tang Ya’s safety despite her resistance. His anger over both Tang Ya’s predicament and Gu Mingyuan’s disappearance fuels his confrontation with Zhongli Wu.
• Tang Ya remains drawn to the life-devouring evil art and refuses to cooperate, but is rendered unconscious before she can continue resisting.
• Zhongli Wu is composed and provocative, using Xuan Zi’s history with Gu Mingyuan to needle him while coordinating the attack.
• Zhang Peng avoids a direct contest with Xuan Zi and exploits Tang Ya’s presence to weaken the older fighter’s defenses.
• Feng Ling reveals a more guarded, controlling side: she secures Gu Mingyuan and restricts his movements, though she frames it as necessary while the Cult Master and Zhang Peng are away.

Significant themes

• Protection versus autonomy: Xuan Zi protects Tang Ya by overriding her wishes, leaving unresolved whether safety can justify coercion.
• Tactical vulnerability: Tang Ya’s presence turns Xuan Zi’s concern for her into an opening for his enemies.
• Old grievances and divided loyalties: The confrontation links Tang Ya’s crisis to Gu Mingyuan’s disappearance and to earlier choices made by Shrek’s leaders.
• Control and confinement: Tang Ya is carried away against her will, while Gu Mingyuan is ordered to stay put—both are caught in other people’s plans.

Key plot points and events

• Xuan Zi fights Zhongli Wu and Zhang Peng while trying to protect and extract the unconscious Tang Ya. The attackers wear down his defenses with Beast Souls, Death Energy, and the Bone Dragon King.
• Because Tang Ya is with him, Xuan Zi cannot transform and fight freely. He puts her down behind a protective barrier and declares that he will return for her, but Zhongli Wu refuses to let him leave.
• Zhongli Wu offers safe passage in exchange for the Shrek Supervisory Group suspending its hunts of the Holy Spirit Cult for three years. Xuan Zi refuses, unwilling to give the cult time to recover.
• Zhongli Wu then threatens to alter Tang Ya’s memories, making her loyal to the Holy Cult and unable to remember Shrek or Bei Bei. When he begins using his power on her, Xuan Zi gives in and negotiates a one-year pause in Shrek’s active missions against the cult.
• Zhongli Wu withdraws his power, leaving Tang Ya unharmed but unconscious, and allows Xuan Zi to go. Xuan Zi leaves shaken, aware of the cost of his concession.

Character developments and interactions

• Xuan Zi shows both resolve and vulnerability: he is determined to rescue Tang Ya, but his concern for Bei Bei makes him susceptible to Zhongli Wu’s leverage. He compromises Shrek’s campaign rather than risk Tang Ya’s mind and future.
• Zhongli Wu proves calculating as well as ruthless. He recognizes Xuan Zi’s attachment to Tang Ya’s fate and turns it into a bargaining tool, escalating his threat only when Xuan Zi refuses.
• Tang Ya remains largely unconscious, yet her importance drives the confrontation. Her bond with Bei Bei is central to Xuan Zi’s decision.
• Zhang Peng helps corner Xuan Zi and takes Tang Ya after Zhongli Wu releases her.
• Xuan Zi’s thoughts reveal his sympathy for Bei Bei and his hope that rescuing Tang Ya might ease Mu En’s worries.

Significant themes

• The cost of loyalty: Xuan Zi’s concern for Tang Ya—and, indirectly, Bei Bei—forces him to make a choice with consequences beyond the battlefield.
• Hostages and coercion: Zhongli Wu turns Tang Ya’s safety and identity into political leverage.
• Personal duty versus institutional responsibility: Xuan Zi must balance saving one person against protecting Shrek’s long-term fight against the Holy Spirit Cult.
• A concession’s uncertain consequences: The chapter ends with Xuan Zi questioning what his one-year agreement will mean for Shrek and the broader conflict.

Plot points and events

• Xuan Zi leaves Tang Ya with the Holy Spirit Cult and returns to Shrek, believing that saving her mind is the priority. He fears the harm the cult could cause if left unchecked, but feels bound by Bei Bei’s desperation and Mu En’s approaching death.
• Zhongli Wu brings Tang Ya to the Ming Capital sub-altar. He adds a dangerous restriction: if she leaves the Sun Moon Empire without permission, it will destroy her Sea of Spirit and leave her helpless.
• Zhongli Wu assigns Gu Mingyuan to watch Tang Ya and secretly tells him to use her as a shield if necessary, valuing the Holy Son more than Tang Ya.
• Unaware that Xuan Zi failed, Huo Yuhao continues searching the Jingyang Mountains with Ju Zi and Keke. Guided by Tian Meng, he finds and defeats a roughly five-thousand-year-old Gray-Eyed Bei.
• Huo Yuhao absorbs its soul ring, becoming a Soul Elder and gaining the mental-type skill Weakening Light, which disrupts opponents’ coordination and weakens them.
• He also discovers a thousand-year left-leg Soul Bone. Though initially disappointed by its modest quality, he decides to save it rather than occupy a slot he might later use for a stronger bone.

Character developments and interactions

• Xuan Zi accepts a painful compromise, prioritizing Tang Ya’s immediate survival despite his concern for the wider threat and his failure to free her.
• Tang Ya’s brief hope collapses when Zhongli Wu tightens his control over her. Her vulnerability is made worse by the cult’s willingness to treat her as expendable.
• Zhongli Wu reveals his ruthless priorities in private, instructing Gu Mingyuan to sacrifice Tang Ya if it serves the Holy Son.
• Huo Yuhao grows in strength and shows more foresight: he recognizes that a weaker Soul Bone could prevent him from taking a better one later. Tian Meng approves of his long-term thinking.

Significant themes

• Coercion and sacrifice: Tang Ya is trapped between Shrek’s failed rescue and the cult’s tightening control, while Xuan Zi must choose what can be saved.
• The value of life and power: Zhongli Wu treats people according to their usefulness, whereas Xuan Zi’s choice is driven by concern for Tang Ya and the danger to innocents.
• Patience and planning: Huo Yuhao’s decision to preserve the Soul Bone reflects the importance of thinking beyond immediate gains.

Key plot points and events

• Huo Yuhao stores away a five-thousand-year Soul Bone, no longer disappointed after Tian Meng explains that his future Soul Bones should generally be far older or exceptionally well suited to him.
• Yu Xiaogang, envious of Yuhao’s extraordinary advantages, interrupts Tian Meng’s advice by promising to help Yuhao find immortal herbs.
• He explains that these rare treasures can improve cultivation and physical aptitude—and may even evolve a Martial Soul. Tian Meng, initially dismissive, listens closely.
• Yu Xiaogang claims credit for finding and assigning the herbs that helped the Shrek Seven Devils, describing their effects on each of the group. He also recounts confronting Dugu Bo with the Trinity Martial Soul Fusion Skill, presenting himself as the central hero while omitting the others’ contributions and the defeat.
• Huo Yuhao is deeply impressed, especially by the herb that enhanced Yu Xiaogang’s Purple Demon Eyes. Tian Meng agrees that immortal herbs could be more valuable than hunting Soul Beasts.

Character developments and interactions

• Huo Yuhao becomes excited about both his future Soul Bones and the prospect of finding herbs that could strengthen him or evolve his Martial Soul.
• Yu Xiaogang reveals his bitterness over his past misfortunes and envy of Yuhao’s luck. He regains a sense of authority by impressing Yuhao, exaggerating his achievements and taking credit for others’ work.
• Tian Meng shifts from teasing Yu Xiaogang to listening seriously once he hears that herbs can evolve Martial Souls. His own experience with heavenly treasures makes him endorse the plan.
• Yu Xiaogang competes with Tian Meng for Yuhao’s attention; Yuhao’s admiration boosts Yu Xiaogang’s confidence and sense of superiority.

Significant themes

• Luck, talent, and opportunity: Yu Xiaogang contrasts his own frustrated potential with Yuhao’s exceptional starting advantages.
• Power beyond conventional training: Soul Bones and immortal herbs offer transformative benefits alongside Soul Rings and cultivation.
• Self-presentation and credit: Yu Xiaogang’s embellished account shows how pride and insecurity shape the stories people tell about their past.
• Mentorship and influence: Both Yu Xiaogang and Tian Meng guide Yuhao, while vying to be the more valuable source of knowledge.

Plot points and events

• In Huo Yuhao’s Sea of Spirit, he eagerly asks Yu Xiaogang where to find the legendary immortal herbs. Yu Xiaogang admits only that they were in the Sunset Forest; he cannot recall the precise location.
• Tian Meng mocks Yu Xiaogang for his vague memories and for being left behind by Tang San instead of reaching the Divine Realm. Yu Xiaogang is deeply angered, but Huo Yuhao intervenes to calm them.
• Yu Xiaogang saves face by describing the herbs’ appearances and effects, though his old memories are muddled and unreliable.
• At a Holy Spirit Cult branch altar, the leaders depart after confirming Tang Ya is confined within the Sun Moon Empire. A deal with Xuan Zi means Shrek will not actively pursue the Cult for a year, giving the Cult a chance to expand.
• Feng Ling and Zhang Peng consider using Ma Xiaotao as another hostage to win further concessions from Shrek.
• The Cult’s leaders do not question Gu Mingyuan about how he took over the branch or what happened to its previous steward, suggesting his status protects him. Gu Mingyuan nevertheless remains cautious, orders rare metals sent to Wu Zhu, and prepares to return to the academy.
• Huo Yuhao returns to the academy a week later. Several people who try to attack Gu Mingyuan are disabled and then mysteriously disappear, discouraging further challengers. A week later, the Level Three Soul Engineer Tournament begins.

Character developments and interactions

• Yu Xiaogang is exposed as less knowledgeable than his confident manner suggests. Tian Meng’s jibes strike at his unresolved resentment over Tang San leaving him behind, and he responds with anger before suppressing it to maintain his dignity as Huo Yuhao’s teacher.
• Huo Yuhao remains eager to learn and tries to mediate between his teacher and Tian Meng.
• Tian Meng openly needles Yu Xiaogang, puncturing his pretensions and pressing him to provide useful information.
• Gu Mingyuan recognizes the protection his rank affords him but remains wary, taking precautions and continuing to operate discreetly.
• Holy Spirit Cult leaders prioritize strategic gains over the fate of a low-ranking subordinate, while discussing how to exploit Shrek’s restraint.

Significant themes

• Pride and humiliation: Yu Xiaogang’s authority is challenged, especially on the wound of being excluded from the Divine Realm.
• Knowledge versus appearance: His confident teaching persona cannot make up for forgotten or inaccurate information.
• Power and expendability: The Cult’s leaders value Gu Mingyuan’s potential while treating lower-ranking members as replaceable.
• Strategic manipulation: The Cult sees hostages and Shrek’s temporary restraint as opportunities to expand its influence.

Plot points and events

• The Level Three Soul Engineer competition requires contestants to build a long-range attack Soul Tool in three double-hours, judged on power, sustained operation, and Soul Power use.
• Huo Yuhao follows Shen Heng’s practiced design for an Energy-Gathering Ray. Gu Mingyuan, disguised as an ordinary student, builds an Armor-Piercing Cannon.
• Both Soul Tools perform similarly in a single shot. During ten continuous shots, however, Huo Yuhao’s weapon overheats and weakens, while Gu Mingyuan’s remains steady and uses 15% less Soul Power.
• The judges find that Huo Yuhao’s Core Magic Array has imperfect junctions. Gu’s pressure-relief grooves make his design more stable, earning him first place. Huo Yuhao is stunned to learn that small details he overlooked determined the result.
• Meanwhile, Wang Shaojie arranges for the Royal Inspection Team to investigate Gu Mingyuan over several students’ disappearances, concealing his own role in provoking Gu. Gu learns of the plan and secretly prepares a way to leave the academy if necessary.

Character developments

• Huo Yuhao demonstrates discipline and confidence in his practiced technique, but the loss exposes a gap in his attention to fine engineering details.
• Gu Mingyuan displays strong technical skill and composure, remaining unfazed by Wang Shaojie’s hostility and taking precautions against the investigation.
• Wang Shaojie escalates from personal harassment to using family connections and official authority to target Gu.
• Shen Heng acts as Huo Yuhao’s coach, urging him to trust his practice and beat Xuan Ziwen’s student.

Significant themes

• Precision and practical testing: A weapon that works well once may fail under sustained use; tiny design choices can decide success.
• Learning through defeat: Huo Yuhao’s loss reveals a specific weakness he can improve.
• Power and manipulation: Wang Shaojie attempts to turn official institutions into tools for settling a private conflict.
• Hidden identities and vigilance: Gu’s disguise, spiritual probing, and preparations underline the danger surrounding him.

Character interactions

• Shen Heng encourages Huo Yuhao before the contest, then gives him a reassuring nod as he finishes.
• Huo Yuhao and Gu Mingyuan exchange a brief glance; Gu’s disguise draws spiritual scrutiny, but Electrolux protects him from being exposed.
• Nana warns Gu about Wang Shaojie’s inquiries. Gu responds by arranging a possible escape and alerting Vice Cult Master Feng Ling.
• The judges’ comparison of the two contestants’ Soul Tools turns their rivalry into a clear technical lesson for Huo Yuhao.

Key plot points and events

• Gu Mingyuan wins the Soul Tool competition and receives the Flash Space Ring. As he leaves with Xuan Ziwen, the Imperial Inspection Team arrives to question him over several students’ disappearances, citing their prior conflicts with him. Wang Shaojie pushes for Gu’s Soul Power to be sealed.
• Wu Zhu intervenes, revealing himself as an Eight-Ring Soul Douluo and addressing Gu as “young master.” An urgent order then arrives through Feng Ling’s connections, and the inspectors turn their attention to Wang Shaojie instead. Wang leaves under a cloud of suspicion.
• Xuan Ziwen asks Gu what happened. Gu admits Wang had hired people to trouble him and that he arranged for Wu Zhu to meet him, but keeps Wu Zhu’s background vague. Xuan Ziwen accepts this while asking Gu to inform him if trouble arises again.
• Wu Zhu asks whether he should deal with Wang. Gu refuses and sends him back to the Branch Altar to finish modifying a Soul Tool.
• Gu thanks Feng Ling for intervening. She reminds him to report future matters involving the imperial family, given the Cult’s delicate relationship with it.
• Gu proposes that the Cult support an openly operating sect, arguing that a public identity would ease recruitment, trade, and dealings with authorities. He suggests staging a new selection for the Seven Great Sects.

Character developments and interactions

• Gu Mingyuan shows composure under pressure, uses his influence and connections without revealing all his secrets, and favors strategic restraint over retaliation. He turns the incident into an opportunity to propose a broader plan for the Cult.
• Wu Zhu demonstrates his formidable strength and loyalty to Gu, but follows Gu’s order not to pursue Wang.
• Xuan Ziwen supports Gu during the questioning and respects his privacy, while expecting him to communicate future problems.
• Wang Shaojie loses control of the situation he tried to orchestrate and is taken away by the inspectors.
• Huo Yuhao watches the confrontation and is shaken by Wu Zhu’s deference to Gu. Shen Heng sends him back to study his testing errors; Yu Xiaogang dismisses Soul Tools as a lesser path, but Huo Yuhao hesitates rather than immediately accepting that view.

Significant themes

• Power, status, and hidden affiliations: Wu Zhu’s deference reveals that Gu’s position and connections extend beyond what others know.
• Institutional authority and political influence: The investigation is redirected by higher-level intervention, showing how official processes can be shaped by private interests.
• Restraint and strategy: Gu declines revenge and focuses on his work and long-term aims.
• Competing paths of cultivation: Huo Yuhao’s encounter with the Soul Tool world challenges the dismissive judgment he hears about it.
• Legitimacy and public presence: Gu’s proposal suggests that an official sect identity could give the Cult practical advantages and greater standing.