Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xing confronts Dark Hummingbird inside the Ice Fortress after the Evil Soul Master attempts to justify his actions by claiming he was forced into the Holy Spirit Cult.
• Dark Hummingbird begs for mercy, but Chen Xing reminds him that he personally killed his daughter, Long Bing. Chen Xing rejects his excuses and executes him with the Starblazer’s Starfarer Judgment.
• The Starblazer overwhelms Dark Hummingbird, severing his wings, repeatedly striking him, and finally destroying him with an Overclocked Particle Beam, leaving no remains.
• Chen Xing proceeds deeper into the fortress and encounters Dark Blood Demon, one of the Holy Spirit Cult’s Four Heavenly Kings.
• Recognizing Dark Blood Demon as the murderer of Tang Ziran and Lang Yue in the original timeline, Chen Xing decides that he must die despite those events not occurring in this life.
• Dark Blood Demon recounts his tragic childhood and claims that poverty, persecution, and survival forced him to become an Evil Soul Master.
• Chen Xing challenges him by asking how many people he has killed. Dark Blood Demon admits he has murdered thousands or more, prompting Chen Xing to condemn him for treating himself as the only victim.
• Dark Blood Demon transforms using Martial Soul Avatar: Blood Demon Wraith and attacks. Chen Xing responds with the Starblazer, whose attacks ignore Dark Blood Demon’s curses because Chen Xing’s Wish Power grants Curse Immunity. The battle continues at the chapter’s end.

Character Development

• Chen Xing demonstrates a firm moral code. Although he acknowledges that both enemies suffered, he refuses to accept suffering as an excuse for murdering innocents.
• His attitude becomes increasingly uncompromising toward Evil Soul Masters, whom he views as people who abandoned even the limited moral restraints of institutions such as Shrek and the Tang Sect.
• Chen Xing also shows growing confidence in the Starblazer’s power, taking satisfaction in defeating a powerful enemy and immediately moving on to the next target.
• Dark Hummingbird is revealed as manipulative and cowardly. He uses his tragic past to seek sympathy but becomes terrified when Chen Xing reminds him of his daughter’s murder.
• Dark Blood Demon presents himself as a victim of circumstance, but his casual admission that he has killed countless people exposes his lack of remorse. When confronted, he becomes defensive and enraged rather than accepting responsibility.

Significant Themes

• Suffering does not excuse evil: The chapter repeatedly rejects the idea that a painful past absolves someone of responsibility for murder.
• Victims and accountability: Chen Xing forces the villains to consider the suffering of the people they killed, emphasizing that every victim also had loved ones and a life of their own.
• Manipulation versus genuine remorse: Both Evil Soul Masters use tragic personal histories to gain sympathy, but neither meaningfully takes responsibility for their actions.
• Justice and retribution: Chen Xing acts as an uncompromising executioner, believing certain criminals have forfeited their right to live.
• Moral contrast: Chen Xing acknowledges that Shrek and the Tang Sect may be hypocritical, yet he sees the Evil Soul Masters as having discarded even the appearance of moral restraint.

Character Interactions

• Dark Hummingbird tries to bargain with Chen Xing using money, resources, and his tragic history. Chen Xing listens but ultimately rejects the plea, specifically invoking Long Bing’s death.
• Chen Xing and Dark Blood Demon engage in a longer ideological confrontation. Dark Blood Demon expects sympathy after telling his life story, but Chen Xing instead questions the scale of his crimes.
• Their exchange shifts from conversation to combat when Chen Xing declares that Dark Blood Demon’s death is the only remaining consequence.
• During the fight, Dark Blood Demon is shocked that his curses have no effect, while Chen Xing confidently reveals the Starblazer’s immunity through his Wish Power.

Plot points

• Chen Xing kills the Dark Blood Demon with the Starblazer, following his defeat of the Dark Hummingbird. The Overclocked Particle Beam erases the demon completely.
• He heads deeper into the ice fortress to confront Ha Luosa, the Nether Emperor and a level-99 quasi-god.
• Ha Luosa calmly accepts the deaths of his subordinates, saying the cult can replace them, but challenges Chen Xing to prove his strength.
• In the ensuing battle, Ha Luosa’s speed and precise, soul-eroding sword strikes damage the Starblazer. Pom Pom analyzes his fighting style and recommends ranged attacks.
• Ha Luosa summons his Underworld King projection. Chen Xing counters with the Starblazer’s golden power—identified by Ha Luosa as will—and presses the attack, cracking the projection.
• Ha Luosa unleashes Death Withering, a wave that corrodes even space. Chen Xing answers with the Overclocked Particle Beam, which overwhelms the attack and tears through its gray-white light.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Xing remains relentless after defeating two Kings and shows confidence in the Starblazer’s unusual power. He relies on Pom Pom’s tactical analysis, then continues attacking despite Ha Luosa’s overwhelming techniques.
• Ha Luosa is revealed as emotionally detached and indifferent to the deaths of his men. His composure gives way to alarm as Chen Xing’s power damages his signature skill and defeats his ultimate attack.
• Chen Xing and Ha Luosa begin with a measured exchange, but their encounter quickly becomes a contest of strength and will. Ha Luosa is intrigued by Chen Xing’s power before growing increasingly shocked by it.

Significant themes

• Relentlessness in the face of death: Chen Xing’s declaration that his “Trailblaze fears no death” captures his refusal to yield.
• Will as power: The Starblazer’s strength is presented as something distinct from Soul Power or mental power, rooted instead in will.
• Dehumanization and disposability: Ha Luosa’s matter-of-fact acceptance of his subordinates’ deaths reflects the Holy Spirit Cult’s disregard for individual lives.

Key plot points and events

• After defeating him, Chen Xing gives Ha Luosa a chance to speak. Ha Luosa recounts a childhood marked by abandonment and the accidental massacre of an orphanage when his innate domain awakened. He later chose to keep killing, growing stronger with every death.
• Chen Xing acknowledges Ha Luosa’s suffering but rejects it as an excuse for his crimes. Ha Luosa accepts responsibility and asks to be killed; Chen Xing destroys him with the Starblazer’s Orbital Annihilation Pulse.
• Na’er reports that her forces have eliminated the Evil Soul Master followers at the Ice Fortress. Chen Xing leaves the ruined Holy Spirit Cult headquarters, but vows to challenge Shrek and the Tang Sect as well.
• At Spirit Pagoda headquarters, Ghost Emperor learns that the Holy Spirit Cult’s headquarters has been destroyed. He conceals the news from Qiangu Dongfeng, who suspects something is wrong and remains focused on using their alliance to bring down Shrek and Yun Ming.
• In the following two years, Chen Xing resumes training. Na’er joins the Spirit Pagoda, while the Holy Spirit Cult’s activity across the continent declines. She sends her Ferocious Beast subordinates to support Chen Xing, who generally keeps them concealed.
• Two years later, Chen Xing tells Tang Wulin he is taking him to Shrek.

Character developments and interactions

• Ha Luosa moves from defending his past through a tragic origin story to admitting that his later killings were choices for which he bears responsibility. His final acceptance is met with Chen Xing’s firm judgment and execution.
• Chen Xing shows compassion without excusing wrongdoing. He also reveals that his opposition extends beyond the Holy Spirit Cult to Shrek and the Tang Sect, whom he views as defenders of a corrupt old order.
• Ghost Emperor masks his fury and hides the destruction of his headquarters from Qiangu Dongfeng, while urgently leaving to deal with the crisis.
• Qiangu Dongfeng recognizes that Ghost Emperor is concealing something, but treats the cult’s troubles as secondary to his own plans against Shrek.
• Na’er demonstrates loyalty and initiative by helping eliminate the cult’s followers, joining the Spirit Pagoda, and placing her subordinates at Chen Xing’s disposal. Chen Xing, meanwhile, keeps those forces discreet.
• Tang Wulin responds enthusiastically to Chen Xing’s summons, but the purpose of their trip—to Shrek—is left for the next chapter.

Significant themes

• Responsibility and choice: A traumatic past may explain Ha Luosa’s path, but does not absolve the repeated choices he made.
• Power and moral corruption: Ha Luosa’s growing strength came through sacrificing others, showing how power can numb its wielder to suffering.
• Political hypocrisy and shifting alliances: Chen Xing condemns established institutions, while Qiangu Dongfeng and Ghost Emperor pursue a tactical alliance despite mutual suspicion.
• Aftermath and concealed conflict: The cult’s defeat brings a temporary lull, but wider struggles involving Shrek, the Spirit Pagoda, and the old order are building.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Xing and Tang Wulin visit Shrek City’s Blacksmiths Association to arrange a meeting with Shrek Academy’s Dean Ya Li about a new partnership.
• President Feng Wuyu recognizes Chen Xing as Divine Craftsman Zhen Hua’s student. Though he remarks on Chen Xing’s Zero Soul Power, he trusts Zhen Hua’s judgment and arranges for the academy to receive them.
• Teacher Shen Yi is sent to escort the brothers. She is immediately flustered by Chen Xing’s appearance, while Tang Wulin notices her reaction and privately jokes about his brother’s charm.
• At the academy gate, Outer Court Dean Cai Yue’er challenges their right to enter. She dismisses the partnership and insults Chen Xing’s Zero Soul Power, declaring that he and Tang Wulin cannot enter the Inner Court. The chapter ends as Chen Xing calmly reiterates their purpose and Cai Yue’er questions whether he is worthy of Zhen Hua’s name.

Character developments

• Chen Xing remains composed and diplomatic despite being judged for his Zero Soul Power. He prioritizes the meeting and avoids provoking Cai Yue’er, mindful that he has come partly to help Tang Wulin get a fourth soul ring.
• Tang Wulin is protective of Chen Xing and angry at Cai Yue’er’s contempt, but restrains himself at Chen Xing’s request.
• Feng Wuyu shifts from skepticism to cooperation, accepting Zhen Hua’s judgment and helping the visitors.
• Shen Yi is struck by Chen Xing’s appearance and struggles to maintain professional composure.
• Cai Yue’er comes across as arrogant and obstructive, using her authority to belittle the visitors.

Significant themes

• Reputation and merit: Chen Xing’s Zero Soul Power invites prejudice, while his connection to Zhen Hua earns him access and respect.
• Restraint and diplomacy: Chen Xing and Tang Wulin must manage their reactions to insults to keep their larger goal on track.
• Power and institutional gatekeeping: Cai Yue’er’s intervention highlights tensions over who controls access to Shrek’s Inner Court.
• Appearance and attraction: Shen Yi’s immediate infatuation provides comic contrast to the meeting’s political friction.

Character interactions

• Chen Xing’s respectful manner wins Feng Wuyu’s cooperation.
• Tang Wulin quietly supports Chen Xing but follows his lead in staying calm.
• Shen Yi’s flustered attention to Chen Xing is noticed by Tang Wulin.
• Cai Yue’er’s hostility toward Chen Xing and the delegation turns a routine escort into a confrontation, leaving their access—and the meeting with Ya Li—uncertain.

Plot points and events

• Cai Yue’er insults Chen Xing as unworthy of Shrek and threatens to dismiss Shen Yi if she takes Chen Xing and Tang Wulin into the Inner Court.
• Chen Xing challenges her authority, then summons his Mecha, Starblazer. Cai Yue’er’s attacks fail to harm it; Chen Xing repeatedly strikes her with the flat of its blade, saying each blow is for Shen Yi, Tang Wulin, and her insults.
• Ya Li arrives and stops the fight. She acknowledges that Cai Yue’er provoked the confrontation but criticizes Chen Xing for excessive violence. Cai Yue’er leaves, resentful.
• Ya Li approves cooperation with Chen Xing and permits him and Tang Wulin to visit both courts, asking Shen Yi to guide them. Chen Xing’s priority, however, is to take Tang Wulin to the Golden Ancient Tree.
• As they head toward the Inner Court, a young teacher named Zhou blocks their way.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Xing shifts from ignoring Cai Yue’er to forcefully defending himself, Shen Yi, and Tang Wulin. He submits politely to Ya Li but privately doubts her ability to run Shrek effectively.
• Cai Yue’er is exposed as arrogant and willing to use her rank and Soul Power to intimidate others. Though publicly chastened, she leaves harboring malice toward both Chen Xing and Ya Li.
• Ya Li shows compassion and fairness: she treats Cai Yue’er’s injuries, holds her accountable for provoking the incident, and offers Chen Xing support.
• Shen Yi is shaken by Cai Yue’er’s threat and stunned by Chen Xing’s retaliation, but continues guiding the visitors.
• Tang Wulin is bewildered by Chen Xing’s actions and quietly asks him not to kill Cai Yue’er; Chen Xing reassures him.

Significant themes

• Respect and authority: Cai Yue’er’s position does not justify humiliating others; Ya Li argues that Shrek should earn respect rather than enforce it through status.
• Protection and retaliation: Chen Xing acts in defense of his companions, but Ya Li warns that his response went too far.
• Power and responsibility: The confrontation contrasts Cai Yue’er’s institutional authority with Chen Xing’s overwhelming Mecha strength—and the need to use power with restraint.

Chapter Summary: “Child of Nature”

Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xing and Tang Wulin continue touring Shrek Academy with Teacher Shen Yi.
• They encounter Teacher Zhou, who is jealous of Chen Xing’s apparent closeness to Shen Yi. He warns Chen Xing to stay away from her, but Chen Xing dismisses him as a petty troublemaker. Tang Wulin confronts Teacher Zhou before Shen Yi intervenes to prevent the situation from escalating.
• At Sea God Lake, Shen Yi shows them Sea God Pavilion and the enormous Golden Ancient Tree at its center. Tang Wulin feels an unexplained familiarity toward the tree.
• Chen Xing secretly reveals that he has prepared Concealment Rings, powerful soul tools capable of hiding their presence even from a Limit Douluo. He gives one to Tang Wulin and takes him to the Golden Ancient Tree that night.
• Using AI Pom-Pom to detect threats and guide them past patrols, Chen Xing and Tang Wulin infiltrate the Inner Court undetected.
• Near the Golden Ancient Tree, Tang Wulin’s Blue Silver Emperor Martial Soul reacts uncontrollably. Chen Xing encourages him to stop suppressing it.
• The tree responds by sending a beam of green light into Tang Wulin, forming his fourth soul ring: the special “Child of Nature” soul ring. His Blue Silver Emperor gains a green-gold aura.
• Chen Xing detects a distant ripple in the sky and realizes that Tang Hao, identified as the Plane Lord, has noticed the event.
• Once Tang Wulin finishes absorbing the soul ring, Chen Xing quickly leads him out of the Inner Court.
• After their escape, a Shrek student senses that the Golden Ancient Tree’s aura seems weaker, hinting that the academy may soon discover what happened.

Character Development

• Chen Xing remains calm, calculating, and protective of Tang Wulin. He ignores Teacher Zhou’s provocation and focuses on securing his brother’s future. His long-term planning is demonstrated by the Concealment Rings, which he spent years developing.
• Tang Wulin shows both loyalty and growing independence. Although confused by Chen Xing’s secret mission, he trusts his brother completely. He successfully accepts the Golden Ancient Tree’s power and obtains the Child of Nature soul ring.
• Shen Yi appears embarrassed by Teacher Zhou’s behavior and attempts to protect Chen Xing and Tang Wulin, suggesting discomfort with Zhou’s possessiveness.
• Teacher Zhou is introduced as jealous and antagonistic toward Chen Xing because of his interest in Shen Yi.
• Tang Hao/ the Plane Lord becomes aware of Tang Wulin’s transformation, establishing that the event may have consequences beyond Shrek Academy.

Significant Themes

• Brotherly protection and trust: Chen Xing risks discovery to obtain a crucial opportunity for Tang Wulin, while Tang Wulin follows his guidance without hesitation.
• Destiny and hidden identity: Tang Wulin’s instinctive connection to the Golden Ancient Tree suggests a deeper heritage and relationship with its power.
• Preparation versus danger: Chen Xing’s careful planning and advanced technology allow him to seize the opportunity before it disappears, despite the danger of being detected.
• Nature and inheritance: The Child of Nature soul ring links Tang Wulin to the Golden Ancient Tree and emphasizes his special connection to natural life energy.
• Consequences of forbidden action: Although the mission succeeds, the weakened aura of the Golden Ancient Tree and Tang Hao’s awareness indicate that the academy and powerful outside forces may respond.

Character Interactions

• Teacher Zhou confronts Chen Xing and orders him to stay away from Shen Yi, while Tang Wulin defends Chen Xing.
• Shen Yi mediates the conflict and apologizes to Chen Xing before continuing the tour.
• Chen Xing guides and reassures Tang Wulin throughout the nighttime infiltration, encouraging him to accept the Golden Ancient Tree’s power.
• Tang Wulin’s interaction with the tree is largely spiritual rather than verbal, as his Blue Silver Emperor responds to it and receives the Child of Nature soul ring.
• The chapter ends with Shrek students beginning to notice the tree’s weakened aura, creating suspense over whether Chen Xing and Tang Wulin’s intrusion will be exposed.

Plot points and events

• Chen Xing and Tang Wulin leave Shrek Academy after Chen Xing secretly takes a “fortuitous opportunity” from the Golden Ancient Tree, weakening its effect slightly but causing no lasting damage.
• Chen Xing learns that Shrek Academy and the Tang Sect are organizing an expedition to Dragon Valley, a dragon graveyard. He plans to join because its dragon energy could benefit both Tang Wulin and Na’er, and prepares for the trip.
• Half a month later, Chen Xing and Tang Wulin watch the expedition party encounter remnants of the Holy Spirit Cult. The cultists gain the upper hand against the poorly coordinated Shrek and Tang Sect disciples.
• At Chen Xing’s signal, Na’er arrives and swiftly kills the cult’s leader and the rest of its group. She introduces herself as a core disciple of the Spirit Pagoda, though the others are unfamiliar with her.
• As the rescued disciples crowd around Na’er, Chen Xing tells Tang Wulin to stay hidden and walks toward her. Qiangu Zhangting, the Spirit Pagoda expedition leader, watches jealously, believing himself in love with Na’er. The chapter ends as Chen Xing reaches her and offers his hand.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Xing is calculating and self-assured: he conceals his actions at Shrek, plans the Dragon Valley trip, and lets the battle unfold before calling in Na’er.
• Tang Wulin is curious about Chen Xing’s actions and the Golden Ancient Tree, but trusts his brother and eagerly agrees to the expedition because of its connection to his Golden Dragon King.
• Na’er reveals overwhelming power and calm control in battle. She searches for Chen Xing afterward rather than engaging much with the disciples surrounding her.
• Qiangu Zhangting is introduced as possessive and jealous, intent on getting close to Na’er and threatened by Chen Xing’s arrival.
• Chen Xing and Tang Wulin share a trusting, older-brother/younger-brother dynamic; Chen Xing also coordinates with Na’er by communicator and directs her intervention.

Significant themes

• Power and strategic restraint: Chen Xing waits for the opposing sides to weaken one another before bringing Na’er into the fight.
• Family and mutual support: The Dragon Valley journey is framed as a way to help both Tang Wulin and Na’er.
• Hidden identities and concealed motives: Chen Xing keeps his knowledge and actions private, while Na’er’s claimed affiliation prompts questions.
• Jealousy and possessiveness: Qiangu’s sudden infatuation contrasts with Na’er’s lack of interest in him.

Plot and events

• Chen Xing poses as a Tang Sect disciple and greets Na’er, prompting Qiangu Zhangting to shove him and loudly challenge him. Tang Sect and Shrek disciples rally against Zhangting, but the opening of Dragon Valley interrupts the confrontation.
• Inside Dragon Valley, Chen Xing’s assistant identifies two regions: an outer Surface Secret Realm and a deeper realm accessible only to those with a special bloodline. Chen Xing gives Tang Wulin a Concealment Ring and sends him deeper to seek the Mountain Dragon King, reminding him to use the excavation tool he provided.
• Chen Xing and Na’er stay in the Surface Secret Realm. When the factions discover a valuable Dragon Pearl, Shrek and Tang Sect claim it together, excluding the Spirit Pagoda. Zhangting attacks, and the clash escalates into a three-way fight.
• Chen Xing secretly uses Wish Power to create an illusion around the platform, making each faction perceive the others as enemies and intensifying the violence. Wounded and surrounded, Zhangting begs Na’er for help. She watches impassively, with Chen Xing beside her, as he realizes she will not rescue him.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Xing remains calculating: he engineers Zhangting’s public humiliation, uses the resulting hostility, then manipulates the battle through illusion while arranging Tang Wulin’s separate mission.
• Na’er cooperates with Chen Xing in the scheme. Her cold refusal to aid Zhangting underscores her distance from him and her apparent alignment with Chen Xing.
• Qiangu Zhangting reveals his jealousy, arrogance, and reliance on force. His confidence collapses into fear when he is isolated and injured.
• Tang Wulin trusts Chen Xing’s guidance and heads into the deeper realm in search of the promised opportunity.
• Shrek and Tang Sect disciples act as allies over the Dragon Pearl, but become trapped in the increasingly brutal conflict with the Spirit Pagoda.

Significant themes

• Jealousy and possessiveness: Zhangting’s anger at Na’er’s simple friendliness toward Chen Xing exposes his entitlement.
• Manipulation and perception: Chen Xing turns existing factional distrust into open violence by controlling what the fighters believe they see.
• Power and alliance: Shrek and Tang Sect cooperate to claim the treasure, while the Spirit Pagoda’s insistence on dominance provokes conflict.
• Trust and abandonment: Tang Wulin follows Chen Xing’s instructions, while Zhangting’s plea to Na’er goes unanswered.

Summary

Key plot points and events

• During the battle in Dragon Valley, Qiangu Zhangting is killed by a Tang Sect disciple. Chen Xing secretly manipulates the surrounding chaos with illusions, while he and Na’er record selected footage.
• Two days later, the leaders of Shrek, the Tang Sect, and the Spirit Pagoda arrive outside Dragon Valley. Na’er emerges injured and tells Qiangu Dongfeng that Shrek and Tang Sect disciples attacked and killed Zhangting. She gives him a damaged recording that appears to support her account but omits crucial context.
• A wounded Tang Sect disciple then produces a crystal ball recording of an earlier event: Zhangting and Spirit Pagoda members ambushed Tang Sect disciples, and a Tang Sect senior died helping a companion escape with the evidence.
• The two conflicting records convince each faction that the others are responsible. Qiangu Dongfeng threatens Shrek and the Tang Sect, but backs down when Long Yeyue and Zang Xin stand together.
• After the leaders leave, Chen Xing reveals to Tang Wulin that Na’er’s recording showed a real event, while the crystal-ball footage was fabricated through illusion. Chen Xing’s deception has turned the factions into bitter enemies.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Xing emerges as a calculating strategist, engineering events and manipulating evidence to provoke conflict between the factions. He treats the outcome with unsettling calm.
• Na’er helps carry out the deception, feigning grief and withholding the truth from Qiangu Dongfeng.
• Qiangu Dongfeng is devastated by his grandson’s death and furious at Shrek and the Tang Sect. Despite his rage, he recognizes that an immediate fight would be costly.
• Long Yeyue and Zang Xin defend their organizations and unite against Qiangu Dongfeng’s threats, strengthening the Shrek–Tang Sect alliance.
• Tang Wulin is shocked to learn how thoroughly Chen Xing arranged the crisis, calling the plan ruthless.

Significant themes

• Manipulation and unreliable evidence: Selective and fabricated recordings shape everyone’s understanding of events.
• Revenge and escalating conflict: Zhangting’s death becomes fuel for factional hatred.
• Loyalty and sacrifice: The Tang Sect disciple dies to get evidence to Elder Zang.
• Moral ruthlessness: Chen Xing’s successful plan depends on deception and deliberately deepening the factions’ mistrust.

Plot points and events

• Na’er reports that Qiangu Dongfeng has asked Federation leaders for a Level-Twelve Fixed-Installed Soul Guidance Cannon, intending to destroy the Tang Sect as well as Shrek. Chen Xing tells her to monitor him and wait for the factions to weaken one another—but insists Shrek and the Tang Sect must survive so they can keep the Spirit Pagoda occupied.
• Chen Xing privately frames this as the second stage of his plan. His larger ambition is to clear the continent’s conflicts and eventually take Na’er, Tang Wulin, and the restored Astral Express into the Sea of Stars.
• Qiangu secures the cannon by promising an unnamed contact all the resources of Shrek and the Tang Sect.
• Conflict among the Spirit Pagoda, Tang Sect, and Shrek escalates from insults to violence, including attacks on Tang Sect shops and Shrek students. The Spirit Pagoda also recruits Federation parliamentarians and seeks to strip its rivals of their seats. Chen Xing welcomes the escalation, while Na’er’s standing within the Pagoda continues to improve.
• Two months later, Chen Xing attends his Red-Class Mecha Engineer promotion ceremony with Zhen Hua, Mu Ye, and Tang Wulin. The three rival factions are all present, and their representatives openly confront one another over the Dragon Valley incident. The chapter ends as Qiangu suppresses his anger, leaving the confrontation unresolved.

Character developments

• Chen Xing is increasingly calculating: he plans to exploit the factions’ conflict while carefully ensuring Shrek and the Tang Sect are not destroyed. He also remains focused on his ambitions beyond the continent.
• Na’er acts as Chen Xing’s informant within the Spirit Pagoda and is gaining influence there. Her quiet exchange of looks with Chen Xing shows their closeness and coordination.
• Tang Wulin is excited to witness Chen Xing’s major professional milestone.
• Qiangu Dongfeng is driven by the death of his grandson and commits to a ruthless campaign against Shrek and the Tang Sect.

Significant themes

• Power politics and manipulation: Chen Xing intends to profit by letting rival groups exhaust one another.
• Escalating factional conflict: Personal grievances and political maneuvering turn rivalry into open violence.
• Long-term ambition: The struggle on the continent is presented as a preliminary obstacle to Chen Xing’s dream of exploring the Sea of Stars.

Character interactions

• Chen Xing and Na’er coordinate by communicator, balancing his strategy with her access inside the Spirit Pagoda.
• Chen Xing’s supportive circle—Zhen Hua, Mu Ye, and Tang Wulin—accompanies him to his promotion ceremony.
• At the ceremony, Qiangu, Zang Xin, and Long Yeyue trade accusations over Dragon Valley and competing evidence, exposing how little trust remains between the three factions.

Key plot points and events

• Qiangu Dongfeng arrives with Na’er, his hostility apparent, prompting Shrek’s Long Yeyue and Tang Sect leader Zang Xin to warn him that they will resist any attempt to cause trouble.
• Chen Xing recognizes that the Tang Sect, Shrek, and Spirit Pagoda have all come partly because of him. He intends to prove that he cannot simply be claimed or recruited by any faction.
• Zhen Hua announces Chen Xing’s promotion to Red-Class Mecha Engineer. Though the crowd doubts he can achieve it with Zero Soul Power, Chen Xing presents a mecha blueprint he says he designed over three years.
• Using Wish Power and his World-Painting Brush, Chen Xing manifests the crimson Starblazer Youth Edition 2.0 through Imagenesis. Its power and quality astonish the room; Zhen Hua confirms the creation worked.
• Zhen Hua and Mu Ye both claim credit for Chen Xing as their student, before settling on “our student.” Other observers praise his ability, while Liu An privately feels relieved he once failed to attack him.
• Chen Xing turns to the three factions and openly says they did not come merely to observe the ceremony. He begins by addressing Zang Xin about the Tang Sect’s previous attempt to meet him, setting up a confrontation over their intentions.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Xing displays confidence and control, using his achievement to strengthen his position before the factions. He also recognizes Na’er’s convincing performance and understands the political stakes of the gathering.
• Na’er hides behind Qiangu Dongfeng but exchanges an amused, knowing look with Chen Xing, signaling that her apparent role is an act.
• Zhen Hua and Mu Ye show pride in Chen Xing; their playful dispute over who can call him a student highlights their shared investment in him.
• Tang Wulin openly cheers Chen Xing on and takes pride in his success. Mu Xi likewise insists she knew Chen Xing was exceptional, while her father, Mu Chen, remains impressed and conflicted.
• A Ruheng recognizes the mecha’s connection to Body Sect combat methods and realizes it is more than a conventional Red-Class design—a Secret-Art Tactical Mecha—deepening his sense of Chen Xing’s extraordinary talent.
• Zang Xin, Long Yeyue, and Qiangu Dongfeng remain wary and tense as Chen Xing directly challenges the unspoken purpose of their visit.

Significant themes

• Talent beyond conventional limits: Chen Xing’s Zero Soul Power does not prevent him from producing a mecha that surpasses expectations.
• Recognition and independence: Chen Xing uses public proof of his skill to resist being treated as an asset for powerful factions.
• Power revealed through action: Skepticism gives way to awe once the Starblazer appears, shifting the balance of the gathering.
• Deception and performance: Na’er’s act and Chen Xing’s calculated public display show how appearances can serve strategic ends.

Plot points and events

• Chen Xing bluntly rejects recruitment offers from the Tang Sect, Shrek, and the Spirit Pagoda. When Qiangu Dongfeng offers him power and resources, Chen Xing pointedly reminds him that his son has just died.
• Chen Xing declares that, despite having Zero Soul Power, he will not join any faction and warns them not to threaten him or those around him, invoking his red Mecha, the Starblazer. The crowd applauds his defiance.
• The faction leaders depart: Long Yeyue and Zang Xin leave without pressing further, while Qiangu Dongfeng exits with barely restrained fury. Na’er secretly exchanges a wink with Chen Xing.
• Zhen Hua officially certifies Chen Xing as a Red-Class Mecha Engineer. Chen Xing then tells his teachers he plans to let the three factions weaken one another and take their resources afterward.
• He reveals that Na’er is a core Spirit Pagoda disciple who can monitor Qiangu Dongfeng. Chen Xing leaves with Tang Wulin, determined to begin preparations the next day.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Xing displays confidence, sharp wit, and strategic ambition, refusing to be controlled by any faction. He views their conflict as an opportunity to advance his own plans.
• Na’er supports him from within the Spirit Pagoda, concealing her amusement and signaling their close understanding.
• Zhen Hua and Mu Ye recognize the scale of Chen Xing’s ambition and agree to hear him out; Mu Ye responds with encouragement.
• Tang Wulin proudly applauds Chen Xing and follows him home, while the gathered allies and bystanders show their support.

Significant themes

• Independence and self-determination: Chen Xing rejects powerful institutions and defines his own path.
• Power beyond conventional measures: His Zero Soul Power contrasts with his Mecha and growing influence.
• Factional conflict and opportunism: Chen Xing plans to exploit the struggle among the three great organizations.
• Loyalty and trust: His silent exchange with Na’er and the support of his companions underscore their bonds.
  The chapter closes by presenting the Starblazer as only the beginning of Chen Xing’s larger ambition: accumulating Wish Power, activating the train, and setting out toward the stars.

Key plot points and events

• Six months after Chen Xing’s warning, he tells Blacksmiths Association president Feng Wuyu that the Federation plans to destroy Shrek City in two hours with two Level-Twelve shells: Eternal Heaven, targeting Shrek Academy, and Godslayer: Heaven and Earth Annihilation, targeting Tang Sect Headquarters.
• Chen Xing says his teacher sent him to warn and evacuate the blacksmiths. He insists Feng evacuate only the Association’s people, arguing there is no time—and Shrek and the Tang Sect may not believe an outsider. Feng accepts and orders an emergency evacuation.
• Chen Xing and Tang Wulin use upgraded Concealment Rings to infiltrate the Tang Sect treasury. Guided by Chen Xing’s AI, they open its hidden entrance and take its entire hoard: rare metals, manuals, Soul Bones, weapons, and other valuables.
• After receiving Na’er’s message that Qiangu Dongfeng has ordered both shells into position, Chen Xing rushes with Tang Wulin to Shrek Academy. They enter its even richer treasury and begin collecting its wealth.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Xing is calm and decisive about the imminent attack, but also opportunistic: he intends to strip both institutions of their resources before the destruction. He frames the theft as redirecting wealth toward his own project, the Astral Express, rather than leaving it to preserve Shrek and the Tang Sect’s power.
• Feng Wuyu is shocked and torn between warning the major institutions and obeying Chen Xing’s urgent instructions. He ultimately prioritizes evacuating the Blacksmiths Association.
• Tang Wulin initially questions whether robbing the treasuries is too ruthless. Chen Xing challenges him to consider how Shrek and the Tang Sect use their accumulated wealth; Wulin accepts the reasoning and helps gather the treasures.

Significant themes

• Crisis and urgency: the approaching attack forces characters to make decisions with almost no time to spare.
• Power, wealth, and institutional control: Chen Xing condemns Shrek and the Tang Sect for hoarding resources and maintaining their dominance.
• Moral justification and self-interest: Chen Xing presents the looting as a way to put resources to better use, though his delight in the fortune reveals a personal, opportunistic side as well.

Plot points and events

• Chen Xing and Tang Wulin empty Shrek’s treasury, then go to Sea God Island. At the Golden Ancient Tree, Wulin uses his Blue Silver Emperor to communicate with it and removes its Life Core, which enters his chest.
• Na’er messages Chen Xing that the missiles have launched. He rushes Wulin aboard the Starblazer and escapes as two explosions destroy Shrek Academy and Tang Sect headquarters.
• Shrek City is devastated. Yun Ming dies; Ya Li tries to heal survivors, while Long Yeyue leads students out of underground shelter. Tang Sect leader Cao Dezhi and its four hall masters are killed; the wounded Zang Xin and some others survive.
• The Spirit Pagoda and Federation publicly accuse Shrek and the Tang Sect of colluding with the Holy Spirit Cult, using fabricated evidence to justify their destruction. The Federation rapidly votes to dissolve them, and the Spirit Pagoda takes many of their parliamentary seats.
• Qiangu Dongfeng rewards Na’er with the title of deputy Pagoda Master. Privately, she reports to Chen Xing that Qiangu has taken the bait; Chen tells her to build support within the Pagoda and eventually replace him.
• The Ghost Emperor orders the Holy Spirit Cult to hunt down Shrek and Tang Sect members. With local authorities standing aside, survivors are attacked across the continent. Some disciples betray or abandon their comrades to save themselves.
• As they flee, Tang Wulin asks Chen Xing how many people will die and whether he anticipated the violence. Chen avoids answering directly and challenges Wulin to consider what Shrek and the Tang Sect have actually done for him. The chapter ends as he brings up Cai Yue’er’s treatment of Wulin.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Xing remains composed during the destruction and directs Na’er’s covert political strategy. He also pushes Wulin to question his loyalty to Shrek and the Tang Sect rather than accept their reputation at face value.
• Tang Wulin is shaken by the destruction and concerned for those caught in the violence. He begins to question whether the institutions he viewed as broadly good truly deserve his allegiance.
• Na’er appears publicly loyal to Qiangu, accepts promotion, and secretly works with Chen Xing to undermine him from within.
• Qiangu Dongfeng celebrates Shrek and the Tang Sect’s downfall, unaware that Na’er is working against him.
• The Ghost Emperor exploits the collapse to order a campaign against the organizations’ survivors.

Significant themes

• Power and propaganda: fabricated evidence and political resentment are used to legitimize the destruction of powerful institutions.
• Institutional reputation versus individual conduct: Chen urges Wulin to judge Shrek and the Tang Sect by their actual actions, not their status or history.
• Self-preservation and betrayal: the crisis reveals cowardice and treachery among some members, even as survivors face persecution.
• Political opportunism: while the organizations are being destroyed, the Spirit Pagoda seizes influence and Na’er pursues a hidden plan.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xing explains to Tang Wulin that Shrek and the Tang Sect are not true allies. They seek to preserve their authority, while Chen Xing’s side needs resources; because Shrek obstructs them, it must be pushed aside.
• Although Chen Xing refuses to save Shrek’s major leaders, he distinguishes between the organizations and their innocent or uninvolved members. He decides to rescue Ya Li and other blameless teachers and students from the Holy Spirit Cult.
• Chen Xing equips Tang Wulin with a Concealment Ring and deploys the concealed Starblazer Mecha to search the ruins and eliminate selected targets.
• Chen Xing executes several Shrek figures after witnessing their brutal or selfish behavior:
  • Teacher Zhou steals a student’s Storage Ring and kicks her into the contaminated lake.
  • Yue Zhengyu refuses aid to an injured Tang Sect disciple and takes the disciple’s medicine.
  • Cai Yue’er attempts to kill Shen Yi and is crushed by the Starblazer.
  • Long Yeyue abandons dozens of students to die so that she can escape and preserve herself, prompting Chen Xing to kill her with a beam and an annihilation attack.
• While Chen Xing destroys Holy Spirit Cult pursuers, Tang Wulin locates Ya Li, who is treating an injured student despite being wounded herself.
• Tang Wulin escorts Ya Li and dozens of survivors through the ruins. When they encounter more pursuers, Chen Xing reveals the Starblazer and openly announces that he has come to help them escape.
• Despite the survivors’ doubts about Chen Xing’s hostility toward Shrek, he attacks the Holy Spirit Cult forces and begins protecting the refugees.

Character Developments

• Chen Xing: Becomes more openly ruthless and pragmatic. He separates innocent survivors from corrupt or self-serving Shrek leaders, showing that his opposition is not indiscriminate. He also acts as a judge, killing those whose behavior confirms his distrust of them.
• Tang Wulin: Initially struggles with Chen Xing’s hostility toward Shrek but accepts his brother’s principles. He grows more confident in following Chen Xing’s orders and takes responsibility for rescuing Ya Li and the other survivors.
• Ya Li: Demonstrates compassion and moral integrity by continuing to heal an injured student despite her own injuries. Her willingness to trust Chen Xing, at least provisionally, contrasts with the selfishness of several senior Shrek figures.
• Teacher Zhou, Yue Zhengyu, Cai Yue’er, and Long Yeyue: Their actions during the disaster reveal cruelty, opportunism, hatred, or cowardice. Their deaths serve as judgments on their abandonment of others and their failure to uphold Shrek’s ideals.
• Shen Yi: Nearly killed by Cai Yue’er but is unexpectedly spared when Chen Xing intervenes.

Significant Themes

• Pragmatism versus loyalty: Chen Xing argues that political organizations are driven by interests rather than genuine friendship or loyalty.
• Moral judgment in crisis: The disaster exposes people’s true character. Those who exploit or abandon others are treated as deserving death, while compassionate individuals are protected.
• The difference between institutions and individuals: Chen Xing opposes Shrek and the Tang Sect as organizations but is willing to save innocent members.
• Survival and sacrifice: Long Yeyue justifies abandoning students as necessary for rebuilding Shrek, but Chen Xing turns her logic against her, arguing that she too can be sacrificed.
• Power and accountability: Chen Xing’s overwhelming strength allows him to impose his own moral standards, raising questions about whether his executions are justice or personal revenge.
• Redemption and uneasy cooperation: Former enemies are forced into cooperation because of the Holy Spirit Cult’s pursuit, though trust remains limited.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xing and Tang Wulin discuss their opposing relationships with Shrek, establishing the condition that Tang Wulin may help whoever he wishes as long as he does not obstruct Chen Xing.
• Chen Xing gives Tang Wulin concealment equipment and instructions to avoid rescuing figures such as Cai Yue’er, Long Yeyue, Yue Zhengyu, and Teacher Zhou.
• Chen Xing kills Teacher Zhou after witnessing his abuse of a student and later eliminates Yue Zhengyu, Cai Yue’er, and Long Yeyue for similar acts of selfishness or cruelty.
• Tang Wulin finds Ya Li and tells her that Chen Xing sent him. She accepts his help without hesitation.
• Chen Xing finally reveals himself to Ya Li and the survivors, offering protection despite his hostile history with Shrek, then attacks their Holy Spirit Cult pursuers.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Xing and Tang Wulin rescue Ya Li and hundreds of other survivors from the Holy Spirit Cult. Chen Xing refuses thanks, saying he saves only those worth saving.
• News of the rescue spreads, portraying Chen Xing as a hero and benefactor of Shrek and the Tang Sect. Privately, he is pleased: he has gained public acclaim while most of his enemies are already gone.
• Na’er tells Chen Xing that Qiangu Dongfeng and Ghost Emperor have fallen out after Qiangu accuses the Holy Spirit Cult of stealing Shrek’s resources. Chen Xing orders Di Tian to seize them while they are weakened.
• Qiangu and Ghost Emperor fight fiercely, each using powerful signature techniques. Their battle devastates the surrounding area and leaves both gravely injured and nearly out of Soul Power.
• Di Tian intervenes with a demigod-level Dragon God Claw, defeats both men, and takes them to a forest.
• Na’er appears in her true dragon form, revealing silver horns and wings. Qiangu recognizes her and is left stunned, unable to reconcile her identity with her trusted Spirit Pagoda disciple and chosen successor.

Character developments

• Chen Xing demonstrates calculated pragmatism: his rescue is genuinely lifesaving, but he also welcomes the public reputation it earns him.
• Na’er moves from covert adviser to active participant in the conflict, authorizing Di Tian’s capture of the two leaders and revealing her dragon nature.
• Di Tian shows confidence and satisfaction in overpowering opponents he considers beneath Chen Xing.
• Qiangu Dongfeng and Ghost Emperor are reduced from powerful leaders to helpless captives after their destructive rivalry leaves them vulnerable.

Significant themes

• Reputation and self-interest: A heroic act can bring real benefit while also serving strategic purposes.
• Distrust and infighting: Suspicion over the missing resources turns former adversaries against each other, making them easy to defeat.
• Hidden identities and betrayal: Na’er’s revelation shatters Qiangu’s understanding of someone he trusted.
• Power and vulnerability: Even formidable fighters can be undone by exhaustion, internal conflict, and an overwhelming outside force.

Character interactions

• Chen Xing dismisses Ya Li’s gratitude but later discusses the opportunity created by the two leaders’ feud with Na’er.
• Qiangu and Ghost Emperor trade accusations before escalating into a life-or-death battle.
• Di Tian interrupts their duel, captures both, and presents them to Na’er—whose appearance leaves Qiangu in disbelief.

Key plot points and events

• Na’er reveals herself as the Silver Dragon King, the Soul Beast Co-Ruler, and confirms she was never truly allied with Spirit Pagoda Master Qiangu Dongfeng. She tells Qiangu and the Ghost Emperor that her brother, Chen Xing, has already destroyed the Holy Spirit Cult’s main stronghold.
• Na’er kills both men with spatial power, erasing them completely.
• She returns to Spirit Pagoda Headquarters with Di Tian and declares that she is taking control. She kills an elder who challenges her, then purges members who colluded with the Holy Spirit Cult or sheltered Shrek and Tang Sect fugitives.
• Na’er issues orders to place Spirit Pagoda operations under her authority, investigate remaining Holy Spirit Cult ties, and suspend external affairs. No one dares oppose her.
• Meanwhile, Chen Xing leads several hundred Shrek survivors toward Heaven Dou City. A student accuses him of deliberately saving too few people, claiming relatives and loved ones remain in the ruins. Shen Yi defends Chen Xing, but the argument escalates until Chen Xing exits his mecha and confronts the student.

Character developments and interactions

• Na’er openly embraces her identity and authority, acting decisively and mercilessly to seize the Spirit Pagoda. Her stated reluctance to kill many people contrasts with her extrajudicial executions of those she considers threats.
• Qiangu Dongfeng and the Ghost Emperor realize too late that Na’er was not their ally; both plead for survival before she kills them.
• Chen Xing remains focused on leading the survivors and seems unsurprised by Na’er’s report that someone is following the group. His calm is tested when a grieving student accuses him of abandoning others.
• Shen Yi stands up for Chen Xing, but the student rejects her defense as biased, exposing the survivors’ grief and mistrust.

Significant themes

• Power and rule: Na’er replaces Spirit Pagoda’s leadership through overwhelming force and demands obedience.
• Justice versus vengeance: Her purge is framed as removing collaborators and threats, but the lack of trials and mercy makes her rule severe.
• Grief and blame: The student’s accusation reflects the survivors’ trauma and desperation after the destruction of Shrek City.
• Difficult choices in rescue: Chen Xing’s limited evacuation leaves survivors confronting the painful gap between those saved and those left behind.

• The false accusation: A Shrek student challenges Chen Xing after he kills another student, but Chen Xing cuts the challenger down with a Light Sword. He immediately claims the dead student was an Evil Soul Master infiltrator sent by the Holy Spirit Cult. The frightened survivors accept his explanation, though Ya Li suspects something is wrong. Shen Yi stays silent; Ye Xinglan approves of Chen Xing’s decisiveness, while Xu Xiaoyan unquestioningly believes him.
• The survivors reach safety: Chen Xing urges the group to leave before more spies can attack. Ya Li sets aside her doubts because she cannot confront him and needs to protect the students. They reach Heaven Dou City the following evening, where Zhen Hua has arranged shelter at the Blacksmiths Association. Ya Li and the teachers begin tending to the wounded.
• Zang Xin grows suspicious: Elsewhere, the injured Tang Sect leader examines a dead Shrek disciple whose chest bears a cannon wound and traces of golden energy. Recognizing the energy as similar to Chen Xing’s, he privately suspects Chen Xing may be involved, but keeps quiet for lack of proof.
• Chen Xing equips Tang Wulin: Back at the association, Chen Xing sorts the resources taken from Shrek and the Tang Sect Treasury. He gives Tang Wulin a substantial cache of training materials and reminds him that several Golden Dragon King seals remain to be overcome. Tang Wulin accepts eagerly.
• Na’er moves against Spirit Pagoda dissenters: Na’er tells Chen Xing that several Star Luo branch elders are resisting her purge and plotting a counterattack. After she provides evidence of their abuses, Chen Xing orders a public trial and their execution. Na’er follows his instructions, but Zhou Cheng, the elders’ leader, challenges her authority on the grounds that she is a Soul Beast. The chapter ends as Na’er confronts him.
  Character developments and themes: Chen Xing displays ruthless control, shaping the crowd’s beliefs with a convenient accusation; Ya Li’s unease contrasts with the survivors’ trust. Ye Xinglan values decisive action, while Xu Xiaoyan’s credulity is played for humor. Tang Wulin shows renewed resolve, and Zang Xin’s suspicion hints at future conflict. The chapter explores deception, fear, moral authority, and whether decisive leadership can justify violence.

Key plot points and events

• Na’er exposes Spirit Pagoda elder Zhou Cheng for extorting civilian Soul Masters, taking bribes, slaughtering soul beasts, and murdering witnesses. She executes him and removes the other corrupt elders, sparing only three.
• She orders sweeping reforms: lower Soul Spirit prices, review all Soul Spirits offered for sale, forbid exorbitant fees to civilians, and punish anyone who hunts soul beasts. She also promises alternative Soul Spirit solutions within a year.
• With Chen Xing’s support, Na’er begins work on publicly introducing Artificial Soul Spirits.
• A year later, Na’er attends a Federation Parliament session to announce the Spirit Pagoda’s reforms and the Artificial Soul Spirit initiative.
• Human officials challenge her authority because she is the Silver Dragon King, a soul-beast ruler, rather than a human. Na’er argues that genuine reconciliation requires soul beasts to have a voice.
• She condemns humanity’s destruction of soul-beast habitats and the near-extinction of soul beasts, and accuses the Federation of failing to contain the Holy Spirit Cult and evil Soul Masters. Her final declaration—that soul beasts will act where humans have failed—provokes an uproar.

Character developments

• Na’er moves from reforming the Spirit Pagoda internally to confronting the human-led Federation directly. She remains composed under hostility and presents herself as a representative of soul beasts as well as Pagoda Master.
• Chen Xing acts as Na’er’s adviser and ally, encouraging her to use the parliamentary meeting to announce Artificial Soul Spirits.
• The surviving elders respond to Na’er’s power with fear and agree to implement her reforms.
• Federation leaders and councilors, including Chen Xinjie and other military figures, reveal their suspicion and resistance toward Na’er’s presence.

Significant themes

• Corruption and accountability: Na’er punishes abuses within the Spirit Pagoda and targets systems that exploit civilians.
• Human–soul beast reconciliation: Na’er argues that peace requires both sides to participate in decisions affecting them.
• Environmental destruction and survival: Human expansion and hunting have devastated soul-beast populations and habitats.
• Power, legitimacy, and prejudice: The Federation questions Na’er’s right to lead because she is a soul beast, while she challenges its moral authority and competence.

Character interactions

• Na’er receives Chen Xing’s approval after purging the corrupt elders and consults him again before attending Parliament.
• The three surviving elders submit to her orders and leave to carry them out.
• At Parliament, human officials confront Na’er over her identity and authority; she answers their objections by questioning humanity’s treatment of soul beasts and its failure to control the Holy Spirit Cult.

Plot points

• Na’er presents the Spirit Pagoda’s plan to replace hunted Soul-Beast Soul Spirits with Artificial Soul Spirits, developed by Chen Xing. They would let Soul Masters grow stronger without killing Soul Beasts, could be mass-produced, and would be affordable to ordinary people.
• She says the Spirit Pagoda will work with the Star Dou Great Forest to stop indiscriminate Soul-Beast hunting, threatening lethal punishment for hunters.
• Parliamentarians angrily object, arguing that the Soul Spirit system is traditional, vital to the Federation, and outside a Soul Beast’s authority to change.
• Na’er insists the Spirit Pagoda is independent of Parliament and that her strength qualifies her to lead it. When Guan Yue challenges her, she releases her Silver Dragon King form and overwhelming power, immobilizing the assembly.
• The parliament is forced to accept her decision, though its members leave resentful.
• After the meeting, Na’er calls Chen Xing. He reveals that someone approached Leng Yaolai to have Na’er removed as Pagoda Master—and that Leng is currently under Chen Xing’s foot.

Character developments and interactions

• Na’er remains composed under repeated insults, answering objections with patience and legal authority before using force when challenged. Her calm confidence makes clear she will not yield control of the reform.
• Chen Xing is revealed as the human creator of Artificial Soul Spirits and Na’er’s trusted older brother. He is already acting against efforts to remove her.
• The parliamentarians shift from outspoken resistance to silence under Na’er’s power, but their hostility remains.
• Chen Xinjie and Guan Yue challenge Na’er’s authority; Guan Yue’s confrontation prompts her display of force. Other senior officials also struggle to withstand her aura.

Significant themes

• Ending violence through innovation: Artificial Soul Spirits offer a way to break the cycle of Soul Beast hunting.
• Tradition versus reform: Parliament treats the old system as indispensable, while Na’er argues that a better alternative has arrived.
• Power and legitimacy: Na’er invokes both the Spirit Pagoda’s legal independence and her own strength to defend her authority.
• Political resistance and loyalty: The reform threatens established interests, while Chen Xing’s support gives Na’er a powerful ally.