Chapter Summaries

After recovering from their injuries and returning to Blackstone Town, Qian Renchuan parted ways with Liu Erlong’s group, giving her a Jade Pendant that granted access to his protection. In town, he stopped at a crowded bookshop advertising Grandmaster Xiaochuan’s books for one Copper Soul Coin.

• Qian Renchuan demonstrated that his Diamond Tyrant Body strengthened his skin and muscles and automatically recoiled against close-range attacks, sending Huo Yuhao flying.
• Ivan, Huo Sisi, Liu Erlong, and the others awoke to find their severe injuries completely healed and thanked Qian Renchuan for his pills.
• The group rested overnight, then traveled for several days toward Blackstone Town while Liu Erlong’s students hunted their remaining Soul Rings along the way.
• At the edge of town, Liu Erlong invited Qian Renchuan to visit Blue Tyrant Academy, and he gave her a Jade Pendant promising her access to his help throughout Spirit Hall’s territory.
• Qian Renchuan and his companions entered Blackstone Town and found a crowd queued outside a bookshop selling Grandmaster Xiaochuan’s two books for one Copper Soul Coin each.

Qian Renchuan discovered that Qian Xunji had published his Martial Soul books across the continent for one Copper Soul Coin, earning Spirit Hall the gratitude of commoner Soul Masters. Watching their reactions, Huo Yuhao reconsidered what he had believed about Spirit Hall and felt pride in belonging to it.

• Qian Renchuan saw commoner Soul Masters praise his books, including a Soul Master who said the advice had revealed why he had been stuck at level twenty for ten years.
• A Spirit Hall deacon declared that Qian Renchuan had written the books to help poor Soul Masters and announced that each would cost just one Copper Soul Coin.
• Huo Sisi and Ivan realized that Qian Renchuan had truly written the books, and Huo Yuhao asked him whether it was true.
• Qian Renchuan confirmed that he had written both books and sent Ivan to buy copies so they could inspect them.
• As Huo Yuhao listened to commoners praise Spirit Hall, he regretted having believed Shrek Academy's condemnation of it and felt proud of the faction he had joined in this life.

In Blackstone Town, Huo Yuhao began reading Qian Renchuan’s books on martial souls and was astonished by their profound theories. He suspected that Qian Renchuan had been chosen by a Deity and given a divine legacy.

• Huo Yuhao admired Qian Renchuan’s talent and reflected on Shrek Academy’s treatment of commoners.
• Ivan returned with books, and Qian Renchuan gave two copies to Huo Yuhao.
• Qian Renchuan’s group checked into a hotel in Blackstone Town, where Qian Renchuan went to bathe and Huo Yuhao settled into his room.
• The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm proposed using Spirit Hall experts to force Bingbing to become Huo Yuhao’s Second Soul Ring, but Huo Yuhao calmly promised they would have a chance later.
• Huo Yuhao read Fundamentals of Martial Soul, and the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm was shocked by the depth of its theories.
• Huo Yuhao concluded that Qian Renchuan surpassed even his former First-Level God self and wondered whether a Deity had chosen his big brother and passed on divine knowledge.

After wondering whether Qian Renchuan was a deity’s heir or a fellow reborn person, Huo Yuhao decided to test him by asking about the second awakening of body martial souls. He asked Qian Renchuan directly, leaving the question unanswered.

• Huo Yuhao speculated that Qian Renchuan might have been chosen by a deity, and the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm suggested that Qian Renchuan could also have been reborn.
• Huo Yuhao decided to test Qian Renchuan’s knowledge of body martial souls and their second awakening, then cultivated through the night.
• The next morning, Huo Yuhao found Qian Renchuan still asleep and went to his room after he finally opened the door.
• Huo Yuhao praised Qian Renchuan’s martial soul theory books and asked whether he had heard of a second awakening that could let body martial souls attain sainthood in the flesh.

Huo Yuhao explained the Second Awakening of Body Martial Souls to Qian Renchuan, while concluding that Qian Renchuan did not know about it and was not reborn. The chapter then shifted to Nuoding Academy, where Yu Xiaogang looked down on the work-study students training on the field.

• Qian Renchuan feigned confusion when Huo Yuhao asked about the Second Awakening, and warned him not to trust an unknown book.
• Huo Yuhao and the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm concluded that Qian Renchuan knew nothing about the Second Awakening and was not someone reborn.
• Huo Yuhao explained that a Body Martial Soul could awaken again through resonance with its master's spirit, meridians, and Soul Power, and described how Qian Renchuan's Skin Martial Soul might change.
• Qian Renchuan asked Huo Yuhao to find the book and organize its instructions, then escorted him out before returning to sleep.
• Yu Xiaogang watched the work-study students exercising at Nuoding Academy and felt disdain for them.

Yu Xiaogang discovered that Nuoding Academy was replacing his Ten Core Competencies of Soul Masters with books that refuted his theories, and he confronted Dean Li. The chapter ended with Yu Xiaogang realizing the academy was burning every copy of his book.

• Yu Xiaogang saw students unloading new textbooks titled Ten Laws of Martial Soul Evolution and Fundamentals of Martial Soul.
• Yu Xiaogang read Ten Laws of Martial Soul Evolution and found it directly attacking his theories and accusing him of deceiving the world for fame.
• Yu Xiaogang demanded to know where the books came from and learned that Dean Li was at the Back Mountain.
• Yu Xiaogang confronted Dean Li, who explained that the Heaven Dou Empire's higher authorities had arranged the textbook change.
• Dean Li showed Yu Xiaogang that the books burning in the pit were copies of Ten Core Competencies of Soul Masters.

Yu Xiaogang blamed Bibi Dong for Spirit City’s rebuttal books, tore up his copies, and set out for Spirit City to confront her. Meanwhile, Spirit Hall distributed hundreds of thousands of cheap copies across the continent, alarming the nobles and leaving Xue Ye’s court searching for a response.

• Dean Li told Yu Xiaogang that the books were well argued and came from Spirit City, prompting Yu Xiaogang to suspect Bibi Dong had arranged the campaign against him.
• Yu Xiaogang tore the books to shreds, packed his belongings into the Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges, and left to confront Bibi Dong in Spirit City.
• Spirit City completed hundreds of thousands of copies of the two books and distributed them across the continent for one Copper Soul Coin per set.
• The nobles feared the books would give Commoner Soul Masters the knowledge to grow stronger and raise Spirit Hall’s influence among them.
• Xue Ye called a meeting in the imperial palace’s Council Hall and asked the Heaven Dou Empire’s leaders what countermeasures they had.

The two empires and major soul master factions reacted to Spirit Hall’s release of martial soul books, while Qian Renchuan’s reputation grew across the continent. Nearly half a year after her mother’s death, Dugu Yan saw a huge queue outside a bookshop and asked what people were buying.

• Xue Ye ordered the Heaven Dou Empire to grant subsidies and free academy tuition to commoner soul masters, and the Star Luo Empire issued similar benefits.
• Ning Fengzhi told Chen Xin and Gu Rong that Spirit Hall’s books threatened the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and Chen Xin’s suggestion to destroy the books was rejected.
• Great soul master factions began regarding Qian Renchuan as a major threat, while commoner soul masters increasingly saw him as a guiding light.
• Nearly half a year after Madam Dugu’s death, Dugu Yan walked through Heaven Dou City with Chunhua and noticed a long line outside a bookshop.
• Chunhua told Dugu Yan that the shop was selling books, and Dugu Yan asked what had drawn so many buyers.

Dugu Yan learned that Qian Renchuan had written two popular, inexpensive martial-soul books and recognized his name from her mother's letter. At Blue Tyrant Academy, Liu Erlong heard that the books were transforming soul-master education and faced pressure to consider adopting them too.

• Chunhua told Dugu Yan that two books from Spirit City were selling across Heaven Dou City for one Copper Soul Coin, and Dugu Yan asked her to buy them.
• Chunhua read the books' titles and identified Qian Renchuan as their author, prompting Dugu Yan to recall her mother's letter and the Jade Pendant linking him to her family's past.
• Liu Erlong returned to Blue Tyrant Academy after the group's successful soul hunt and received the two books from the dean of studies.
• The dean of studies told Liu Erlong that the books were spreading across the continent, selling cheaply, and prompting the two empires to give money to commoner soul masters.
• The dean of studies reported that academies in Heaven Dou City had replaced their theory textbooks with the books, leaving Liu Erlong surprised by their influence.

Liu Erlong discovered that Qian Renchuan had written Fundamentals of Martial Soul and approved replacing Blue Tyrant Academy’s textbooks despite the conflict with Yu Xiaogang’s work. As Qian Renchuan and Huo Yuhao parted in Blackstone Town, Huo Yuhao gave him notes on Martial Soul Second Awakening and resolved to return to Spirit City and protect his brother.

• Liu Erlong opened Fundamentals of Martial Soul, recognized Qian Renchuan as its author, and found the book more comprehensive than Yu Xiaogang’s work.
• Liu Erlong ordered Blue Tyrant Academy to replace its textbooks with the two new books, then praised Qian Renchuan as a true genius.
• At a junction in Blackstone Town, Huo Yuhao gave Qian Renchuan his detailed notes on Martial Soul Second Awakening.
• Qian Renchuan ruffled Huo Yuhao’s hair and told him to return to Spirit City if he needed help.
• Huo Yuhao resolved to find Qiu'er, return to Spirit City, and protect Qian Renchuan, believing his brother might fall before reaching his full potential.

Qian Renchuan returned to Spirit City and went straight to Spirit Academy, while Qian Xunji launched a furious crackdown after learning that a Spirit Hall archbishop had tried to kill him. Qian Xunji abruptly halted the investigation, and that night he and Bibi Dong erupted into a fierce argument inside the Pope's Palace.

• Qian Renchuan read Huo Yuhao's booklet on awakening a Body Martial Soul and planned to strengthen his Skin Martial Soul with the system's accumulated Soul Power.
• After reaching Spirit City ten days later, Qian Renchuan went straight to Spirit Academy instead of visiting Qian Xunji at the Pope's Palace.
• Qian Daoliu told Qian Xunji that a Red-Robed Archbishop had caused a Beast Tide to try to kill Qian Renchuan, and Qian Xunji ordered Spirit City sealed and searched.
• Spirit Hall's Punishment Knights uncovered and executed over a hundred spies, then sent their heads to the major powers, whose envoys hurried to Spirit City to deny involvement in the assassination attempt.
• Qian Xunji ordered Chrysanthemum Guan to keep searching for the mastermind, but three days later he suddenly ordered the Punishment Knights to stop investigating.
• That night, Qian Xunji and Bibi Dong argued amid terrifying surges of Soul Power inside the Pope's Palace.

After Bibi Dong was stripped of her Saintess title and confined for her role in the attempt on Qian Renchuan, Qian Renxue hurried to find her eldest brother, expecting him to be devastated. She found him in the Back Mountain, but the sight before her left her stunned.

• Qian Xunji issued a decree stripping Bibi Dong of her Saintess position and confining her, then announced a ceremony to choose a new Saint Son and Saintess.
• Qian Renxue learned that Bibi Dong had arranged the assassination attempt on Qian Renchuan and grew furious that she had targeted her eldest brother.
• Qian Renxue went to Qian Renchuan's dormitory to comfort him, but a student told her he had gone to the Back Mountain.
• Qian Renxue reached the Back Mountain expecting to find Qian Renchuan grieving alone, but froze at the scene she saw.

Qian Renxue found Qian Renchuan lounging in comfort while Hu Liena and Xie Yue endured his strenuous training. She came to discuss news from Spirit City, but Qian Renchuan claimed he knew nothing about it.

• Qian Renxue discovered Qian Renchuan relaxing in the Back Mountain while Hu Liena and Xie Yue carried pig iron through squats.
• Qian Renchuan ordered Hu Liena and Xie Yue to resume exercising when they stopped to greet Qian Renxue.
• Qian Renxue sent Li Yan and the girls away so she could speak privately with Qian Renchuan.
• Qian Renxue asked whether Qian Renchuan had heard the news from Spirit City, and he denied knowing anything about it.

Qian Renchuan treated Bibi Dong’s failed assassination attempt as repayment for giving birth to him, helping Qian Renxue let go of her lingering hopes for maternal affection. Yu Xiaogang learned why Bibi Dong had been confined and fled Spirit City, while news spread that Spirit Hall would choose a new Saint Son and Saintess in half a month.

• Qian Renxue told Qian Renchuan that Bibi Dong had lost her position as Saintess and been confined for arranging his assassination.
• Qian Renchuan said he no longer considered Bibi Dong his mother and counted the failed attempt as repayment for his birth.
• Qian Renxue reconsidered her pursuit of Bibi Dong’s approval and felt the burden of her past had lifted.
• Yu Xiaogang heard Spirit City residents say Bibi Dong had arranged the assassination and been stripped of her position.
• Yu Xiaogang abandoned his plan to confront Bibi Dong and left Spirit City, fearing Qian Xunji would punish him.
• News spread that Spirit Hall would hold a ceremony in half a month to choose a new Saint Son and Saintess.

As Spirit Hall prepared to crown Qian Renchuan and Qian Renxue, Qian Renchuan made Hu Liena and Xie Yue pull a carriage while he read. He told Qian Renxue he did not want to become Saint Son because the role would burden him with Hall affairs, though he reconsidered when she offered to handle them.

• Great powers sent lavish gifts and high-ranking delegations to Spirit City ahead of Qian Renchuan and Qian Renxue's coronation.
• Qian Renchuan made Hu Liena and Xie Yue pull him and Qian Renxue in a carriage as part of their training.
• Qian Renxue urged Qian Renchuan to prepare for the ceremony and reminded him that becoming Saint Son would make him Spirit Hall's future successor.
• Qian Renchuan said he would rather avoid the duties of Saint Son, and Qian Renxue offered to manage those duties for him.
• Qian Renchuan brightened at Qian Renxue's offer, then worried it would interfere with her cultivation.

Qian Renchuan considered finding more bond objects to increase his Soul Power and began choosing a promising candidate. The chapter ended with him weighing potential candidates while Hu Liena and Xie Yue ate whale-rubber-laced meals.

• Qian Renchuan refused Qian Renxue's offer to handle his affairs because he wanted her to focus on cultivation, then teased her about carrying him to success until she left in frustration.
• Qian Renchuan reviewed Huo Yuhao's notes on body martial soul second awakenings and checked his System Panel, which showed his accumulated Soul Power had risen above 3,000.
• Qian Renchuan decided that he needed more bond objects, possibly talented newcomers attending the Saint Son Ceremony, to help increase his Soul Power faster.
• Qian Renchuan ended Hu Liena and Xie Yue's carriage-pulling session, gave them candy, and later mixed softened hundred-year whale rubber into their meals.
• Qian Renchuan gathered paper, a brush, and ink and began selecting a potential bond object based on talent, age, and the chance to awaken a martial soul soon.

Qian Renchuan considered potential Bond Objects, but found most of the promising geniuses too young to cultivate. He decided to visit the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well after Spirit Hall’s coronation ceremony to gather Immortal Herbs for Qian Renxue and Huo Yuhao, then ended the chapter laughing with Xie Yue at Hu Liena’s ink-covered face.

• Qian Renchuan wrote down Yan, Ning Rongrong, Feng Xiaotian, Oscar, and Shui Bing'er as potential Bond Objects, but rejected most of them because they were too young to cultivate.
• Hu Liena eagerly helped Qian Renchuan grind ink while he reconsidered how to increase Qian Renxue and Huo Yuhao’s cultivation.
• Qian Renchuan decided to gather Immortal Herbs from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well in Sunset Forest and give them to Qian Renxue and Huo Yuhao for tenfold cultivation returns.
• Qian Renchuan added Dugu Yan to his list, recalling his earlier meeting with Dugu Xin and his wife and the Jade Pendant he had given them.
• Qian Renchuan and Xie Yue laughed when they noticed Hu Liena’s face was covered in ink, and Hu Liena angrily demanded to know why Xie Yue had not warned her.

Dugu Xin brought his daughter Dugu Yan to Spirit City for Spirit Hall’s coronation ceremony, where she hoped to meet Qian Renchuan and ask him to bring her mother back to life. At the hotel, they met Ye Qingcheng and her daughter Ye Lingling, and the two girls quickly became friends.

• Dugu Xin and Dugu Yan entered Spirit City, and Dugu Yan asked when she could meet Qian Renchuan.
• Dugu Yan secretly held the Jade Pendant her mother had left her and hoped Qian Renchuan could bring her mother back to life.
• Dugu Xin warned Dugu Yan to be careful in Spirit City before taking her to the hotel for invited guests.
• Dugu Xin and Dugu Yan met Ye Qingcheng and Ye Lingling at the hotel.
• Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling began whispering together while Dugu Xin and Ye Qingcheng sat nearby and chatted.

Dugu Xin learned that the Clear Sky Sect and Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect masters had come to Spirit City to apologize to Spirit Hall after the assassination attempt on Qian Renchuan. After Tang Zhen privately returned to Qian Xunji, he revealed that the Clear Sky Sect had a clue to the Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor’s whereabouts.

• Dugu Xin learned from Ye Qingcheng that Tang Zhen and Ning Fengzhi had arrived in Spirit City, likely to apologize to Spirit Hall.
• Tang Zhen and Ning Fengzhi apologized to Qian Xunji, disavowed the executed spies, and presented gifts.
• After leaving the Pope’s Palace with Ning Fengzhi, Tang Zhen claimed he had forgotten something and returned alone to speak with Qian Xunji.
• Tang Zhen told Qian Xunji that the Clear Sky Sect had obtained a clue to the Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor’s whereabouts.
• Qian Xunji sprang to his feet and demanded to know where the Blue Silver Emperor was.

Qian Xunji told Bibi Dong that the Clear Sky Sect had revealed the Blue Silver Emperor's location and offered her its Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring. Bibi Dong agreed to attend the coronation ceremony, but Qian Xunji then asked to publicly name her as his children's mother and take her as the Pope's consort.

• Tang Zhen told Qian Xunji where the Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor was, while the Clear Sky Sect planned to use Spirit Hall to eliminate Ah Yin and later rescue Tang Hao.
• Qian Xunji visited the confined Bibi Dong and asked her to attend the Saint Son and Saintess coronation ceremony.
• Qian Xunji offered to kill a Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor for Bibi Dong's future ninth Soul Ring.
• Bibi Dong accepted the offer and agreed to attend the ceremony, hoping the Soul Ring would help her gain strength and escape Qian Xunji's control.
• Qian Xunji asked to announce that Bibi Dong was the mother of his three children and formally take her as the Pope's consort.