Chapter Summaries

Plot points and events

• Yu Luomian abandons the match and confronts Yu Xiaogang (“Gangzi”), accusing him of wasting Yu Tianheng’s Soul Ring slot by choosing an area-attack skill that does not suit Tianheng.
• Gangzi refuses to admit fault, insisting that his theory and choice are correct. Yu Luomian argues that the decision serves the Shrek team—and Tang San—at Tianheng’s expense.
• Yu Luomian slaps Gangzi twice, knocking away his mask and revealing his badly disfigured face. Disgusted, he throws Gangzi aside.
• Liu Erlong attacks her father in anger, but Emperor Xue Ye intervenes. Sword Douluo and Keqing add their pressure, stopping the fight.
• Tang San appears to defend his teacher, yet describes the damage to Tianheng’s talent as an established fact, further undermining Gangzi in everyone’s eyes.

Character developments and interactions

• Yu Luomian shifts from anger over Tianheng’s lost potential to openly accusing Gangzi of self-serving favoritism. His public assault escalates the family conflict.
• Yu Xiaogang stubbornly clings to his “Invincible Theory” despite the criticism, leaving him isolated and humiliated.
• Liu Erlong fiercely defends Gangzi, even turning on her father with lethal intent; only imperial intervention stops her.
• Yu Tianheng begins to doubt his admired uncle and reconsider Gangzi’s judgment.
• Yu Tianxin despises Gangzi and privately hopes his advice will further weaken Tianheng, improving Tianxin’s own chances of becoming family head.
• Tang San feigns concern for Gangzi while effectively admitting the harm done to Tianheng. His thoughts reveal that he wants Gangzi discredited and is already considering how that might justify killing him later.
• The confrontation takes place before powerful political and martial figures, whose intervention prevents it from becoming a full-scale battle.

Significant themes

• Loyalty versus self-interest: Yu Luomian claims Gangzi sacrificed Tianheng to benefit Tang San and Shrek; Tang San, in turn, uses Gangzi’s disgrace for his own purposes.
• The cost of bad counsel: Tianheng’s future and family standing are endangered by a decision that others see as poorly suited to him.
• Public image and hypocrisy: Gangzi’s hidden face is exposed, while Tang San maintains a façade of sincerity despite his manipulative intentions.
• Family rivalry and power: Tianxin sees Tianheng’s setback as an opportunity to gain the family leadership.

Plot and events

• Tang San tries to turn Yu Luomian against Yu Xiaogang by calling him an unfilial disciple, but Yu Luomian sees through—or at least suspects—the manipulation and slaps Tang San, knocking loose two teeth. Hei Ranbai intervenes, and Yu Luomian apologizes under pressure.
• Tang San privately vows to destroy the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, imagining he could use Evil Soul Masters to do the work for him.
• Liu Erlong attacks Yu Luomian after he kicks Xiaogang. Yu Luomian secures King Xue Ye’s permission to handle the dispute as a family matter, then activates his Martial Soul Avatar and beats her.
• Flender rushes to Liu Erlong’s defense, but Yu Luomian’s lightning attack overwhelms him. Ma Hongjun goes to help his injured teacher.
• Yu Luomian recounts the support he has given Liu Erlong and accuses her of betraying the clan: she handed the clan-funded Blue Tyrant Academy to Shrek, refuses to direct its graduates toward the clan, and rejects her Yu surname and family ties.
• Yu Luomian has moved the fight several kilometers from the Royal Hunting Ground to keep the family argument private. However, a soldier’s loudspeaker and Communication Soul Tool broadcast his words back to the grounds and across Heaven Dou City.

Character developments and interactions

• Tang San presents himself as defending filial duty, but his private reaction reveals a vindictive streak and plans for collective revenge. Hei Ranbai protects him despite his role in provoking the conflict.
• Yu Luomian is furious with Liu Erlong but also claims to have indulged and materially supported her because of her talent. His blows and public-facing politeness contrast with his resentment and harsh family reprimands.
• Liu Erlong remains fiercely loyal to Xiaogang and openly defies her father, believing he caused her mother’s death and forced her separation from Xiaogang. Yu Luomian sees her choices as rejection of the family that funded her.
• Flender overcomes his fear of intervening to defend Liu Erlong, but is badly defeated. The confrontation shows his devotion while emphasizing the gap between their strength and Yu Luomian’s.
• Xue Ye allows Yu Luomian to settle the matter as a family affair. Yu Luomian tries to shield the clan from scandal, but the accidental broadcast makes his private accusations public.

Significant themes

• Family loyalty versus personal freedom: Yu Luomian treats support and blood ties as obligations; Liu Erlong rejects those claims in favor of her own identity and attachments.
• Manipulation and hypocrisy: Tang San condemns others while secretly plotting revenge, and the chapter repeatedly contrasts polite appearances with hostile motives.
• Power and humiliation: Physical force settles disputes, while the broadcast threatens to turn private family shame into public scandal.

Key plot points and events

• Yu Tianheng and Yu Tianxin draw their match, but Yu Tianxin earns respect for holding his own despite being two levels weaker. Thunder Academy ultimately loses because it has fewer Soul Ancestors.
• A scandal involving Liu Erlong, Yu Tianheng’s unreturned love, and Gangzi’s role in costing Yu Tianheng a Soul Ring spreads through Heaven Dou City, further damaging Shrek’s reputation.
• After Yu Luomian slaps Tang San, Hanami secretly takes Tang San to the inn where Yu Luomian is staying. They beat him while he is asleep; Tang San joins in by kicking him. Yu Luomian returns home bruised but claims he fell, unwilling to risk provoking the powerful attacker he suspects was a Titled Douluo.
• Shrek’s next opponent is Spirit Hall Academy Second Team. Yan challenges Tang San, hoping to avenge his earlier losses and impress Hu Liena. Though wary of Yan’s Soul King rank and fire-based attacks, Tang San accepts after Hei Ranbai offers to fight in his place. The match begins with Yan’s rock-and-lava attack burning away Tang San’s Blue Silver Grass entanglement; Tang San counters with Parasitism.

Character developments and interactions

• Hanami’s fierce protectiveness toward Tang San leads her to take revenge on Yu Luomian. Tang San is moved by her care and eagerly participates once he understands what is happening.
• Yu Luomian values his reputation and avoids exposing his humiliation, while Yu Yuanzhen recognizes that his explanation is implausible.
• Hei Ranbai again offers to shield Tang San, but Tang San chooses to face Yan himself, determined to prove his strength and relying on an unrevealed trump card.
• Yan’s pride and desire to impress Hu Liena fuel his challenge to Tang San.

Significant themes

• Family loyalty and revenge: Hanami’s maternal devotion prompts a secret retaliation on Tang San’s behalf.
• Pride and reputation: Yu Luomian hides the beating rather than admit vulnerability.
• Loyalty and self-sacrifice: Hei Ranbai is ready to take Tang San’s place, while Tang San insists on confronting the challenge himself.
• Public scandal and reputation: Rumors spread beyond the tournament, worsening perceptions of Shrek and its associates.

Key plot points and events

• Tang San initially restrains Yan with Blue Silver Grass, but Yan burns through it with his magma-based Soul Skills.
• Tang San counters with Blue Silver Holy Storm, then secretly summons his second Martial Soul—the Clear Sky Hammer—while the storm continues.
• When the storm fades, Tang San strikes Yan with the hammer, surprising him and the spectators. Yan realizes Tang San has Twin Martial Souls.
• Yan challenges the hammer again, but Tang San knocks him down twice. Xie Yue tries to concede the match on Yan’s behalf; Yan gets back up rather than surrendering.
• The Clear Sky Hammer’s appearance alarms the crowd, who associate the Clear Sky Sect with Evil Soul Masters. Salas moves to intervene, but Ning Fengzhi persuades him to investigate Tang San’s background before acting.

Character developments and interactions

• Tang San reveals a major part of his power and heritage, using the Clear Sky Hammer alongside his Blue Silver Grass. Though he resents Tang Hao, he recognizes the value of the hammer’s technique.
• Yan is physically outmatched but refuses to concede while Hu Liena is watching. The chapter explains that he has held back in cultivation because he hoped to impress her by competing with her as an equal—an approach that has left him behind.
• Hu Liena cares about Yan as a comrade and is distressed to see him hurt, though her feelings are not romantic.
• Xie Yue acts to protect Yan by attempting to concede for him.
• Ning Fengzhi intervenes diplomatically to prevent Salas from rushing to judgment; Sword Douluo backs him with a warning stare.
• The Shrek team is stunned by Tang San’s hidden talent. Dai Mubai reacts with intense admiration, prompting Tang San to check uneasily behind himself.

Significant themes

• Hidden identity and prejudice: Tang San’s revealed lineage triggers immediate hostility because of the crowd’s association of the Clear Sky Sect with Evil Soul Masters.
• Talent versus restraint: Yan’s desire to win Hu Liena’s approval has undermined his progress, illustrating the self-defeating cost of shaping one’s growth around another person.
• Power and perception: The Clear Sky Hammer transforms how others see Tang San, from a skilled opponent into an extraordinary—and politically suspicious—figure.

Key plot points and events

• Sasuke subtly alters Yan’s thinking, making him more likely to dodge Tang San’s hammer rather than meet it head-on.
• Tang San unleashes powerful fire-and-magma attacks, but Yan’s defensive stone fortress cannot withstand the force of Tang San’s Clear Sky Hammer.
• Yan escapes at the last moment. Tang San, unable to control his committed swing, flies out of the arena and embeds his head in a wall.
• The hammer hurtles toward Emperor Xue Ye. Keqing deflects it, but it veers toward the Shrek group. Flender protects Ma Hongjun and is badly hurt by the impact.
• Salas accuses Tang San of attempting to assassinate the emperor and urges Xue Ye to hand him over to Spirit Hall for execution. Xue Ye orders Tang San arrested, though Hei Ranbai’s plea persuades him to spare Tang San torture.

Character developments and interactions

• Yan stays in the fight despite his injuries and survives by choosing to dodge—an outcome prompted by Sasuke’s suggestion.
• Tang San’s powerful but unfamiliar hammer technique backfires spectacularly, turning a fight into a political crisis.
• Hei Ranbai intervenes for Tang San, invoking his father’s past service and using his ability to soften Xue Ye’s anger.
• Flender risks worsening his existing injuries to shield Ma Hongjun.
• Xue Ye and Salas interact as Salas exploits the apparent accident to portray Tang San as a dangerous conspirator; Xue Ye ultimately orders an arrest but moderates the punishment after Hei Ranbai appeals.

Significant themes

• Power without control: Tang San’s strength becomes a liability when he cannot manage the hammer’s momentum.
• Manipulation and perception: Sasuke’s suggestion changes Yan’s decision, while Salas frames an accident as an assassination attempt.
• Loyalty and protection: Hei Ranbai advocates for Tang San, and Flender protects his student at personal cost.
• Political consequences: A mishap in the arena quickly becomes grounds for accusation, arrest, and conflict between powerful factions.

Plot points

• After the accusation surrounding the Evil Soul Master incident, the tournament continues. Emperor Xue Ye avoids labeling all of Shrek as accomplices, and Flender realizes the academy’s powerful allies may have spared its members from arrest.
• With Yan withdrawing from exhaustion, Hei Ranbai steps in to avenge his friend. He summons Mahoraga, who overwhelms the Spirit Hall Second Team and defeats all six opponents, including the Golden Generation.
• Elsewhere, Tang San wakes in an interrogation room with his Soul Power sealed. Salas and Bai Ranmo accuse him of attempting to assassinate Emperor Xue Ye and of aiding an Evil Soul Master.
• Tang San denies the charges, but panics when the scarred prisoner known as Scarface is brought in. Fearing abuse, he immediately offers to confess.
• Under questioning, Tang San denies knowing any Evil Soul Master and reveals that his teacher told him to keep his Martial Soul secret. He also distances himself from his father, Tang Hao, describing him as neglectful and claiming he has not seen him in eight years.
• Salas recognizes Tang San’s identity and talent and privately considers him dangerous, but hesitates to kill him outright. Tang San avoids physical punishment, though Scarface’s intimidating presence leaves him terrified.

Character developments and interactions

• Hei Ranbai takes responsibility for Shrek’s retaliation and proves decisively stronger than the Spirit Hall team through Mahoraga.
• Tang San shifts quickly from denial to desperate self-preservation, even implying that his teacher may have intended to make him an Evil Soul Master. He also disowns his father to protect himself.
• Salas and Bai Ranmo use accusations and psychological pressure to extract information, while Scarface’s mere presence becomes their most effective threat.
• Flender is reminded how much Shrek depends on its influential allies.

Significant themes

• Power and protection: Shrek’s political and personal connections help shield it from collective punishment.
• Fear and self-preservation: Tang San’s ideals and pride collapse under the threat of humiliation and abuse.
• Loyalty versus betrayal: Hei Ranbai acts to avenge a friend, while Tang San readily implicates his teacher and distances himself from his father.
• Public justice and political maneuvering: The interrogation blends genuine accusations with the authorities’ suspicion of Tang San’s potential.

Key plot points

• After learning Tang San’s Twin Martial Souls have been exposed and he is imprisoned, Gangzi is eager to rescue him. Hei Ranbai warns that his father is already handling the matter, so Gangzi holds back.
• Gangzi decides to travel to Spirit City and obtain Bibi Dong’s Twin Martial Soul Cultivation Method for Tang San. He intends to help Tang San master his powers and later publish the method as part of his own theory.
• Gangzi arrives in Spirit City, which has become a prosperous destination for Soul Masters, partly thanks to Bai Ranmo’s promotional essay.
• At Spirit Hall’s gates, guards doubt Gangzi’s claim that he is an old friend of the Pope. The captain agrees to ask Bibi Dong, but Gangzi is left waiting in the sun.
• Gangzi’s frail condition is revealed: Soul-Breaking Grass has drastically shortened his lifespan and left his body nearly ninety years old, despite his being under sixty.
• Meanwhile, Bibi Dong is secretly consuming souls to increase her strength. She expects to approach level 99 within six months, but has been politically sidelined by Qian Daoliu and the Qian family.

Character developments and interactions

• Gangzi remains driven by his ambition to establish his reputation, but frames his journey as a way to help Tang San. He still believes Bibi Dong may have had a good reason for avoiding him in the past.
• Hei Ranbai acts as a voice of restraint, persuading Gangzi not to interfere with Tang San’s rescue.
• The guards treat Gangzi dismissively, judging him by his appearance and refusing to take his claimed connection to Bibi Dong seriously.
• Bibi Dong is growing stronger in secret but has little practical authority within Spirit Hall, forcing her to avoid an open clash with Qian Daoliu.

Significant themes

• Ambition and self-interest: Gangzi’s desire to help Tang San is intertwined with his wish for fame and recognition.
• Appearance and status: The guards’ contempt shows how quickly people judge others by their looks and perceived importance.
• Power and political control: Bibi Dong holds the title of Pope but lacks real influence, while her growing strength may eventually change the balance.
• Irony and comedy: Gangzi imagines himself as a respected scholar and old friend of the Pope, yet is left sweating outside Spirit Hall while its leadership remains unaware of him.

Key plot points and events

• Spirit Hall’s balance of power has shifted: Grand Enshrined Qian Daoliu now controls most of its authority, leaving Bibi Dong as a largely ceremonial Pope. Bai Ranmo’s influence helped convince Qian Daoliu that Bibi Dong might be cooperating with Evil Soul Masters or seeking Spirit Hall’s destruction.
• Bibi Dong has learned to tolerate disrespect from Bai Ranmo’s followers after being punished for attacking one of them. When the Guard Captain tells her Yu Xiaogang—called “Gangzi”—has come to see her, she reacts with sudden excitement.
• Gangzi enters Spirit Hall and waits to meet Bibi Dong, imagining the life they might have shared if they had eloped years earlier. He casts himself as a misunderstood genius and fantasizes that their son would have become a legendary Dragon God Douluo.
• Bibi Dong arrives in her imposing Pope’s robes, though her sinister presence contrasts with the reverence her office once inspired. The former lovers exchange guarded greetings and begin speaking about their past and present.

Character developments

• Bibi Dong is politically diminished and closely watched, but still outwardly projects authority. Her feelings for Gangzi remain intense: his concern affects her more deeply than the care shown by anyone else, including Qian Renxue and Hu Liena. She hides this vulnerability behind a cold façade.
• Gangzi is revealed as self-important and delusional, romanticizing his past with Bibi Dong and exaggerating his own abilities. Nevertheless, he deliberately uses sentimental language to appeal to her affection.
• Qian Daoliu has taken control of Spirit Hall’s practical power, motivated by suspicion of Bibi Dong and concern about the Evil Soul Masters’ threat.
• Bai Ranmo’s influence is evident in Spirit Hall’s personnel and the restrictions placed on Bibi Dong.

Significant themes

• Power and political control: Bibi Dong retains the title of Pope but has little real authority.
• Manipulation and distrust: Both the institution’s leaders and Gangzi shape their actions around suspicion, surveillance, and self-interest.
• Illusion versus reality: Gangzi’s grand fantasies about his imagined family and legacy clash with his low reputation and present circumstances.
• Unreturned or distorted affection: Bibi Dong’s feelings are sincere, while Gangzi appears to treat them as something he can exploit.

Character interactions

• The Guard Captain openly disrespects Bibi Dong, underscoring her loss of authority; she restrains herself because he is protected by Bai Ranmo.
• Bibi Dong’s excitement at hearing Gangzi’s name contrasts with the cold manner she uses to maintain appearances.
• Gangzi greets her with concern and an “affectionate” gaze. Bibi Dong responds emotionally but conceals it, believing Spirit Hall’s powerful figures are watching her.

Chapter summary

Key plot points and events

• Bibi Dong coldly insists that Yu Xiaogang address her as “Pope,” while privately lamenting that Spirit Hall and the Qian family forced her to treat him this way. She secretly intends to destroy Spirit Hall, then take Xiaogang—and Hu Liena—to the Divine Realm.
• Xiaogang asks Bibi Dong how she overcame the danger of cultivating two Martial Souls. He wants the method for his disciple, Tang San, who also has Twin Martial Souls.
• Bibi Dong initially refuses, but changes her mind when she realizes Tang San could become a powerful ally against Spirit Hall. She prepares to explain the method in secret.
• Bai Ranmo barges in with Tianyue and Qian Renxue. He mocks Xiaogang and orders guards to take him to the Dungeon for “Ideological Education” under One-Eyed Dragon.
• Bibi Dong objects that Xiaogang is Spirit Hall’s guest, but Bai Ranmo reminds her that she is only a figurehead. Qian Renxue’s hostile presence prevents Bibi Dong from intervening.
• As Xiaogang is taken away, Bibi Dong warns Bai Ranmo that she will destroy Spirit Hall at any cost if Xiaogang is harmed.

Character developments

• Bibi Dong maintains a cold public façade toward Xiaogang but reveals deep affection and resentment toward the forces controlling her. Her willingness to help Tang San shows she is seeking allies for her secret plan.
• Xiaogang is frightened of the Dungeon because of past abuse, though he has developed an incongruous fondness for its “classroom” atmosphere.
• Qian Renxue, having advanced through the first two of her Angel Nine Trials, reacts angrily to Xiaogang’s presence and Bibi Dong’s apparent willingness to share Spirit Hall secrets.
• Bai Ranmo uses his authority to humiliate Xiaogang and assert control over Bibi Dong.

Character interactions

• Bibi Dong and Xiaogang perform a hostile Pope-and-visitor exchange that conceals their former romance and her loyalty to him.
• Bibi Dong considers sharing her cultivation method with Xiaogang because of Tang San’s potential, but Qian Renxue and Bai Ranmo interrupt.
• Bai Ranmo openly belittles both Xiaogang and Bibi Dong, while Qian Renxue’s threat keeps Bibi Dong from defending Xiaogang physically.

Significant themes

• Private loyalty versus public power: Bibi Dong’s love for Xiaogang conflicts with her constrained role as Pope.
• Abuse of authority and humiliation: Bai Ranmo’s treatment of Xiaogang and dismissal of Bibi Dong show how power is used to intimidate.
• Revenge and resistance: Bibi Dong’s vow to destroy Spirit Hall frames her private affection as part of a larger rebellion.

Plot points and events

• Bai Ranmo brings the captured Gangzi back before Bibi Dong, Qian Renxue, and Tianyue. He has Gangzi’s mask removed, revealing a badly disfigured face that disgusts everyone present.
• Under questioning—and a series of slaps—Gangzi admits he came to ask Bibi Dong for the Twin Martial Soul Cultivation Method.
• Tianyue angrily condemns Bibi Dong for considering giving Spirit Hall’s confidential knowledge to Gangzi. Bibi Dong insists the method is her own work and has nothing to do with Spirit Hall.
• Bibi Dong threatens Tianyue and begins to clash with Qian Renxue. Qian Renxue uses her Holy Sword against Bibi Dong’s Death Spider Emperor form, trading several blows.
• Qian Renxue asserts that Bibi Dong has no authority over the Worship Hall and that Bai Ranmo could take the papal throne if he wanted. Bai Ranmo further humiliates Bibi Dong by claiming the method was developed collectively by Spirit Hall’s theoretical scholars, not by her alone.

Character developments

• Qian Renxue openly rejects her mother’s authority and demonstrates that she is willing to physically confront her. Her resolve comes from years of distancing herself emotionally from Bibi Dong and prioritizing Bai Ranmo and the Worship Hall.
• Bibi Dong grows increasingly enraged and humiliated. Though she claims to care for Qian Renxue and insists the cultivation method is her own, her past cruelty has left their relationship deeply damaged.
• Bai Ranmo remains mocking and politically confident, using Gangzi’s confession to expose Bibi Dong’s judgment and undermine her authority.
• Tianyue speaks bluntly and fearlessly against Bibi Dong, showing little deference to her rank.
• Gangzi initially postures as defiant but quickly gives in under pressure.

Character interactions

• Qian Renxue threatens Bibi Dong for insulting Bai Ranmo and later fights her when she threatens Tianyue.
• Tianyue openly accuses Bibi Dong of betraying Spirit Hall’s interests.
• Bai Ranmo controls the interrogation, humiliates Gangzi, and challenges Bibi Dong’s claim to authorship of the cultivation method.
• The confrontation exposes the gulf between Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue: Bibi Dong sees herself as a remorseful mother, while Qian Renxue treats her as an adversary.

Significant themes

• Estranged family and failed reconciliation: Bibi Dong’s private apologies cannot undo the harm she caused, and Qian Renxue no longer regards her as a mother.
• Power and legitimacy: The dispute over the cultivation method and the papal throne highlights competing claims to authority and credit.
• Loyalty versus personal ties: Qian Renxue prioritizes the Worship Hall and Bai Ranmo over her biological mother.
• Humiliation and coercion: Gangzi is forced to confess, while Bibi Dong is repeatedly challenged and stripped of authority in front of others.

Plot points and events

• Bai Ranmo mocks Bibi Dong’s faith in Gangzi’s “Ten Core Competencies,” arguing that Spirit Hall’s scholars—not Gangzi’s theories—helped her overcome the danger of her twin martial souls. He renames her “Er Bidong” and kicks Gangzi aside.
• Gangzi’s stomach, upset by the white radishes he ate, warns that another Thunderous Fart is coming. Bai Ranmo grabs him and flees, using a soul skill to pull Tianyue along. Qian Renxue escapes with several guards.
• Bai Ranmo deliberately shuts the conference-room door, leaving Bibi Dong inside with Gangzi. Gangzi’s explosive, foul-smelling attack overwhelms her despite her efforts to disperse it with soul power.
• Outside, Tianyue suggests killing Gangzi. Bai Ranmo instead arranges higher pay and bonuses for prison guards who must endure his attacks. He eventually pays a guard triple to open the door.
• Bibi Dong crawls out in disarray after several more attacks. Her robes and crown are stained, horrifying Qian Renxue. Bibi Dong remains unable to retaliate against Gangzi because he is her beloved obsession.

Character developments and interactions

• Bai Ranmo is openly contemptuous of Gangzi’s theories and Bibi Dong’s judgment. He also shows a cruelly playful streak, trapping Bibi Dong in the room and turning the aftermath into a paid hazard for the guards.
• Bibi Dong is humiliated and enraged, but her fixation on Gangzi prevents her from harming him—even after his attack. Her increasingly unstable attachment is linked to her practice of Evil Soul Master techniques.
• Gangzi is both the butt of Bai Ranmo’s insults and the source of the chapter’s chaos. His radish-fueled flatulence becomes an accidental weapon.
• Tianyue joins in mocking Gangzi and recognizes Bai Ranmo’s deliberate cruelty.
• Qian Renxue watches in uneasy silence, but her complicated feelings about Bibi Dong give way to disgust when she sees her mother’s stained appearance.

Significant themes

• Mockery of false expertise: The chapter challenges Gangzi’s supposed intellectual contribution and suggests Bibi Dong’s success depended on Spirit Hall’s scholars.
• Obsession over reason: Bibi Dong’s attachment to Gangzi overrides self-preservation and judgment.
• Humiliation as comedy: The conflict is resolved through grotesque slapstick, with power, authority, and dignity undone by an absurd bodily mishap.

Plot points and events

• Gangzi is dragged to Spirit Hall’s Heavenly Prison for fouling the Conference Room and attempting to assassinate the Pope. Bibi Dong, furious and unwilling to risk a confrontation with Qian Renxue, does not stop the arrest.
• Bai Ranmo reports Gangzi’s visit and behavior to Qian Daoliu, who is enraged by the disgrace committed inside Spirit Hall.
• Bai Ranmo proposes that he or Qian Renxue replace Bibi Dong as Pope after the Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament. Qian Daoliu eagerly seizes on the chance to retire from administrative work and immediately names Bai Ranmo Pope.
• Bai Ranmo objects that he is only a Soul Emperor and may soon leave for his Divine Trial, making him an impractical choice. Qian Daoliu insists his backing will silence critics.

Character developments and interactions

• Qian Daoliu is exhausted by years of managing Spirit Hall and is desperate to hand the papacy to someone else. His anger over Gangzi’s conduct quickly gives way to enthusiasm for appointing a successor.
• Bai Ranmo remains disgusted by Gangzi but is more focused on punishing him later. He is baffled by Qian Daoliu’s impulsive appointment and unwilling to take on a demanding role he may soon have to abandon.
• Qian Renxue is angry at Gangzi and clearly wants no part of the papacy, discreetly stepping back when the role is discussed.
• Bibi Dong leaves in a foul mood, constrained both by her anger and by the risk of clashing with her daughter.
• Tianyue joins the others in avoiding the revolting scene and jokes about missing a chance to record it.

Significant themes

• Power and responsibility: Qian Daoliu treats the papacy as a burden to escape, while Bai Ranmo sees the practical difficulties of handing it to an underqualified, soon-to-be-absent candidate.
• Family loyalty and internal conflict: Qian Renxue’s anger at Gangzi puts her at odds with Bibi Dong’s lingering attachment to him.
• Irreverent humor: The chapter uses disgust and exaggerated reactions to undercut the grandeur of Spirit Hall’s leadership and turn the appointment into comic chaos.

Plot points and events

• Gangzi is imprisoned again, where One-Eyed Dragon is assigned to give him an “Ideological Education Class.” Even One-Eyed Dragon is repulsed by Gangzi at first, but accepts the job after Guards promise a month of excellent meals. When the Guards bring the “Teaching Materials,” Gangzi is horrified.
• Tang San is released after enduring intense psychological pressure in prison. Hei Ranbai and Xiao Wu come to collect him; Tang San initially focuses on thanking Hei Ranbai before greeting Xiao Wu.
• Tang San learns Shrek’s advancement matches have ended. The team forfeited to Godwind Academy because facing it risked Mahoraga’s life, while Hei Ranbai had fought the other teams alone. The sixteen qualifying teams will soon travel to Spirit City for the Grand Finals.
• Tang San remains furious at Spirit Hall and vows to take the tournament rewards before destroying it. He also doubts Gangzi can secure the Twin Martial Soul Cultivation Method and stops relying on him.
• Hanami visits Tang San and apologizes for his suffering, explaining that her revenge plan against Spirit Hall and Tang Hao led to his imprisonment. Tang San insists he holds no grudge and pledges himself to her cause.

Character developments

• Gangzi is again subjected to prison “education,” now at the hands of One-Eyed Dragon.
• Tang San leaves prison physically trembling but quickly returns to his ambitions and vendettas. He becomes more dismissive of Gangzi and privately considers arranging his death.
• Hei Ranbai has helped secure Tang San’s release and shown apparent brotherly loyalty, though the narration undercuts the sincerity of their bond for comic effect.
• Hanami feels genuine guilt for Tang San’s suffering, while remaining devoted to her revenge against Spirit Hall and Tang Hao.
• Xiao Wu is briefly overlooked during Tang San’s reunion with Hei Ranbai, then warmly welcomed into the reunion.

Significant themes

• Revenge and loyalty: Tang San frames his suffering as service to his mother’s cause and remains committed to destroying Spirit Hall.
• Manipulation and divided loyalties: Hanami’s actions are shaped by Jogo’s control, while Tang San’s loyalty to her coexists with his own plans and grudges.
• Dark comedy: Prison abuse, Gangzi’s repeated misfortune, and the exaggerated “brotherhood” between Tang San and Hei Ranbai are treated humorously.
• Ambition and distrust: Tang San focuses on tournament rewards and power, while losing faith that Gangzi can help him obtain the cultivation method.

Character interactions

• The Guards pressure One-Eyed Dragon into taking Gangzi as a student, using food and the Holy Son’s order as incentives.
• Tang San’s reunion with Hei Ranbai initially eclipses Xiao Wu, but he soon embraces her too.
• Hanami offers Tang San comfort and protection; he reassures her, accepts her cause, and praises her and her allies’ strength.

Key plot points and events

• Tang Hao prepares to accompany Tang San to Spirit Hall, fearing an assassination attempt. His appearance and physical control have mysteriously returned to normal, thanks to Mahito reshaping his body for Sukuna’s future use.
• Before leaving Tang Yuehua, Tang Hao expresses remorse for his past treatment of her. They share a tender reconciliation, and he leaves with the Heaven Dou convoy.
• During the roughly twenty-day trip to Spirit City, Tang San and Hei Ranbai walk together rather than share a carriage with Dai Mubai.
• Hei Ranbai tells Tang San about Slaughter City, Hell Road, and the Asura God’s inheritance. Tang San becomes eager to seek the god’s trials, imagining that godhood will let him defeat Spirit Hall.
• The convoy reaches Spirit City without Spirit Hall attempting to kill Tang San. Ning Fengzhi is puzzled and disappointed that he lost the chance to intervene and earn Tang San’s favor.
• Li Bai suggests Spirit Hall sees no need to act early: its strongest young talents surpass Tang San, and it can eliminate him easily once he is in Spirit City.

Character developments

• Tang Hao shows affection and remorse toward Yuehua and departs determined to protect Tang San. Unaware of Sukuna’s plans, he mistakes his recovery for a blessing from his ancestors.
• Tang Yuehua accepts Tang Hao’s apology and supports his departure.
• Tang San becomes newly ambitious after learning that godhood is possible. He sees the Asura inheritance as a path to power and secretly views himself as a future god, though he hides that ambition from Ranbai.
• Hei Ranbai presents himself as Tang San’s supportive friend, while privately anticipating that Sukuna will take Tang San’s body before he can claim the inheritance.
• Li Bai appears confident in Spirit Hall’s strategic advantage and explains why it has not attacked Tang San.

Significant themes

• Manipulation and hidden motives: Ranbai encourages Tang San while concealing Sukuna’s intention to use his body.
• Ambition and self-image: News of the Asura God intensifies Tang San’s belief that he is destined for greatness.
• Affection and atonement: Tang Hao and Yuehua reconcile before his departure.
• Power and strategic patience: Spirit Hall’s decision not to attack reflects confidence that it can deal with Tang San later.

Character interactions

• Tang Hao and Yuehua exchange apologies and affection before parting.
• Ranbai builds Tang San’s trust by sharing the secret of the Asura inheritance and supporting his plans.
• Tang San privately feels grateful to Ranbai but does not reveal his own ambitions.
• Li Bai discusses Spirit Hall’s motives with Ning Fengzhi, who considers the explanation plausible.

Key plot points and events

• The Heaven Dou and Star Luo convoys arrive in Spirit City for the Grand Finals. The city’s outsiders, influenced by Bai Ranmo’s propaganda, openly sneer at the visiting teams and praise Spirit Hall.
• The tournament has thirty-three teams and five rounds. Three seeded teams receive first-round byes; Shrek’s prospects seem strong if it avoids the toughest opponents.
• Liu Erlong searches frantically for Yu Xiaogang (“Gangzi”). When she cannot find him, Flender suggests that Bibi Dong may be keeping him in Spirit City against his will.
• Convinced by this idea, Liu Erlong storms to Spirit Hall and publicly accuses Bibi Dong of imprisoning Xiaogang. She fights the guards, but Qian Daoliu arrives and crushes her with overwhelming force.
• Qian Daoliu orders Liu Erlong taken away for execution. When Flender rushes in to plead for her, he is also condemned as an accomplice.

Character developments and interactions

• Liu Erlong swings rapidly from grief to fury, acting on Flender’s speculative reassurance as though it were fact. Her devotion to Xiaogang drives her to attack Spirit Hall without considering the danger.
• Flender tries to comfort and protect Liu Erlong, but his attempt to calm her inadvertently fuels her anger. His plea for mercy only gets him accused alongside her.
• Qian Daoliu is portrayed as casually authoritarian and immensely powerful. Annoyed by the disturbance, he dispatches Liu Erlong and Flender with blunt, disproportionate orders.
• Qian Renxue is left with Qian Daoliu’s paperwork when he rushes out to handle the incident, adding a comic note to the confrontation.

Significant themes

• Devotion turning reckless: Liu Erlong’s longing for Xiaogang makes her accept an unverified explanation and take extreme action.
• Power and arbitrary authority: Qian Daoliu’s strength lets him impose punishment without hearing anyone out.
• Satire and comedy: The locals’ exaggerated pride, Flender’s mistaken attempt to help, and Qian Daoliu’s deadpan verdicts undercut the dramatic events.
• Propaganda and social division: Bai Ranmo’s writing has encouraged Spirit City residents to look down on the visiting empires and their teams.

Plot points

• Qian Renxue catches her grandfather, Qian Daoliu, trying to dodge his paperwork by claiming he must interrogate Flender and Liu Erlong. She sends him back to work and takes charge of the captives.
• Bai Ranmo recognizes Flender and Liu Erlong as members of the Golden Iron Triangle and suggests keeping them alive for entertainment rather than killing them. Qian Renxue agrees, especially because the plan may torment Gangzi.
• Bai Ranmo has Gangzi brought from the dungeon to meet Flender and Liu Erlong. All three are restrained and their Soul Power is sealed.
• Bai Ranmo gives Gangzi a choice: leave either Flender or Liu Erlong behind to suffer in his place, or publicly admit that his “Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul” were plagiarized and accept the label “Plagiarizing Master.” If he refuses to choose, all three will be sent back to the Heavenly Prison for further “education.”
• Liu Erlong angrily condemns Spirit Hall and is slapped into a wall by Bai Ranmo’s clone. Flender tries to negotiate, while Liu Erlong urges Gangzi to trust that her clan will rescue them.
• Gangzi denies plagiarism, insisting his theories were inspired by reading in Spirit Hall’s library. The chapter ends with him terrified of returning to the prison and its one-eyed tormentor, but still facing Bai Ranmo’s ultimatum.

Character developments and interactions

• Qian Renxue shows authority and impatience with her grandfather’s excuses. Her resentment toward Bibi Dong and Gangzi deepens, and she welcomes the prospect of humiliating him.
• Qian Daoliu is presented comically as a reluctant bureaucrat who quickly gives in to his granddaughter.
• Bai Ranmo controls the interrogation through mockery, intimidation, and a deliberately cruel choice. His banter with Qian Renxue suggests they share an appetite for seeing Gangzi disgraced.
• Flender remains composed and ingratiating, attempting to bargain for the group’s safety.
• Liu Erlong is fiercely defiant, invokes her clan for protection, and tries to reassure Gangzi, but her anger leaves her vulnerable to Bai Ranmo’s violence.
• Gangzi is physically and emotionally broken by his recent imprisonment. He resists admitting wrongdoing, yet fear of being returned to the Heavenly Prison dominates him. The ultimatum threatens to fracture the Golden Iron Triangle by forcing him to choose between his companions.

Significant themes

• Coercion and loyalty: Gangzi’s choice tests whether he will sacrifice a friend or preserve his pride.
• Truth, credit, and self-justification: His claim that plagiarism was merely “drawing inspiration” contrasts with Bai Ranmo’s demand for a public confession.
• Power and humiliation: Spirit Hall’s captives have little ability to resist, while Bai Ranmo uses ridicule and punishment to control them.
• Comic cruelty: The scene mixes slapstick, insults, and menace, especially in the contrast between the characters’ dire circumstances and Bai Ranmo’s casual enjoyment.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Gangzi is forced to choose who should take his place in Spirit Hall’s Heavenly Prison. He hopes Bibi Dong will rescue him, but Bai Ranmo tells him she hates him for a previous incident and has left him imprisoned for a month.
• When Bai Ranmo begins counting down, Gangzi considers sacrificing his reputation or Liu Erlong, but rejects both. He ultimately names Flender as his substitute.
• Flender is taken away despite having been about to volunteer himself. Before leaving, he entrusts Liu Erlong with the money hidden in Shrek Academy’s dean’s office and asks her to keep the academy running.
• Bai Ranmo releases Gangzi and Liu Erlong but punishes each by removing ten levels of cultivation. Gangzi falls from level 31 to level 21; Liu Erlong also loses ten levels.
• Gangzi discovers that his third Soul Ring has become useless and that he can no longer use his Third Soul Skill. He breaks down in despair.

Character developments

• Gangzi reveals that his pride and self-interest outweigh his loyalty. Though he feels some guilt, he sacrifices Flender rather than risk his own reputation or give up Liu Erlong. Losing ten cultivation levels devastates him.
• Flender shows loyalty to Gangzi and affection for Liu Erlong, but is deeply hurt when Gangzi sends him to prison. His farewell suggests resignation and heartbreak.
• Liu Erlong grieves for Flender, whom she regards as an elder brother, and suffers the same cultivation penalty as Gangzi.
• Bai Ranmo remains calm and taunting, using Gangzi’s countdown-induced panic to expose his selfishness before imposing punishment.

Significant themes

• Self-preservation versus loyalty: Gangzi’s choice exposes the gap between his grand claims and his willingness to sacrifice a friend.
• Pride and insecurity: His fixation on reputation and possessiveness toward Liu Erlong reveal the insecurity beneath his boasts.
• Betrayal and consequences: Flender’s loyalty is repaid with betrayal, while Gangzi’s crimes bring a severe loss of power.
• Power and vulnerability: Gangzi’s sudden fall in cultivation shows how quickly his sense of identity can collapse when his strength is taken away.

Character interactions

• Bai Ranmo pressures Gangzi with a countdown and challenges his hope of being rescued by Bibi Dong.
• Gangzi chooses Flender as his replacement while avoiding his gaze; Flender responds with a silent, wounded look.
• Flender bids Liu Erlong an affectionate farewell, entrusting her with Shrek Academy’s future, and Liu Erlong weeps for him.
• Bai Ranmo mocks the pair’s apparent tragedy before ordering the punishment that leaves Gangzi and Liu Erlong powerless to resist.

Plot and events

• Yu Xiaogang (“Gangzi”) discovers that Spirit Hall’s punishment has reduced his Soul Power by ten levels—though he has now reached level 21 at nearly sixty. Liu Erlong comforts him, and he vows to grow stronger and destroy Spirit Hall.
• Bai Ranmo’s Clones arrive and beat Gangzi. Meanwhile, Flender is sent to the Heavenly Prison, where One-Eyed Dragon subjects him not to physical torture but to forced high-school lessons.
• Gangzi decides Shrek must win the Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament. He plans to study the seven-person fusion skill used by Canghui Academy.
• Back at the hotel, Gangzi tells a carefully embellished version of events, claiming Flender had urged him to take his place in prison. Liu Erlong believes him; Tang San does not.
• After two days of rest, the Grand Finals begin. Shrek expects to advance, though its prospects depend partly on its bracket and its powerhouse, Hei Ranbai.
• The Shrek team watches a major early-round match: Spirit Hall Academy’s Second Team versus the Star Luo Royal Academy. The chapter ends as the contest begins, with Dai Weisi charging Xie Yue and Hu Liena activating her Martial Soul.

Character developments and interactions

• Gangzi remains self-pitying and deceitful, but turns his anger into an ambition to help Shrek win. His claim that he wants revenge for Flender briefly reassures Liu Erlong.
• Liu Erlong prioritizes her bond with Gangzi and readily accepts his account, despite the lack of evidence.
• Tang San remains skeptical, dismissing Gangzi’s words as unreliable.
• Flender faces a bizarre psychological punishment: One-Eyed Dragon’s lessons, which he finds agonizing.
• Dai Weisi enters the tournament much stronger and more confident than before, thanks to a Soul Bone and Orochimaru’s support. He openly challenges Xie Yue, who responds with a taunt, while Hu Liena prepares to fight.

Significant themes

• Self-interest versus loyalty: Gangzi’s grief over lost Soul Power contrasts with his apparent lack of remorse about Flender’s imprisonment.
• Trust and deception: Liu Erlong chooses to believe Gangzi, while Tang San sees through his polished story.
• Ambition and rivalry: The tournament brings powerful teams into early confrontation, as Spirit Hall and Star Luo both claim dominance.

Plot points and events

• Zhu Zhuyun uses her Third Soul Skill, Netherworld Springfall, to expose Hu Liena to her most painful memory: Bibi Dong publicly strips her of the Saintess title and names Qian Renxue as her successor. Hu Liena’s humiliation and anger leave her briefly stunned.
• Dai Weisi attacks the Spirit Hall team, while Yan protects Hu Liena. Hu Liena and her brother Xie Yue activate Demon Charm, their Martial Soul Fusion Skill. Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun answer with the Hell White Tiger.
• Inside Demon Charm’s red mist, the two fused forms trade heavy blows. The Hell White Tiger struggles against its opponents, but neither side has much strength left.
• Outside the mist, Mitsuki overwhelms the Spirit Hall team. His Sage Mode boosts his combat ability, and he uses sound, terrain control, and lightning attacks to defeat Yan and the others.
• The Hell White Tiger dissolves. Hu Liena and Xie Yue believe their teammates have won, but Mitsuki’s snakes expose their position. Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun escape the mist, and Mitsuki destroys Demon Charm. The Star Luo Royal Academy wins without losing a fighter.

Character developments

• Hu Liena is shown to be deeply wounded by losing the Saintess title and remains determined to defeat Qian Renxue and reclaim what she believes is hers. Her painful memory also leaves her vulnerable in battle.
• Mitsuki demonstrates that his skill and unusual abilities can let him fight well above his Soul Power level. His performance decisively turns the match.
• Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun cooperate effectively with their fusion technique, though it cannot overcome Demon Charm by itself.
• Yan remains devoted to Hu Liena and steps in to protect her, but is quickly defeated by Mitsuki.

Significant themes

• Ambition and loss: Hu Liena’s resentment over losing status fuels her desire for revenge and restoration.
• Power versus position: A prestigious title does not guarantee strength or security; Hu Liena’s standing has been undermined by political forces within Spirit Hall.
• Teamwork and tactical adaptation: The fight turns on coordinated fusion skills, timely interventions, and Mitsuki’s ability to exploit the battlefield.

Character interactions

• Zhu Zhuyun uses Hu Liena’s traumatic memory against her, creating an opening for Dai Weisi’s attack.
• Yan protects Hu Liena, while Hu Liena calls on Xie Yue to form Demon Charm.
• Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun join forces as the Hell White Tiger, facing Hu Liena and Xie Yue’s fusion.
• Mitsuki protects the Star Luo pair from Demon Charm and then defeats the Spirit Hall fighters, prompting Tianyue to dismiss them as an embarrassment and Bai Ranmo to praise Mitsuki’s strength.

Key plot points and events

• The Star Luo Royal Academy team defeats Spirit Hall’s Second Team. Xie Yue and Hu Liena, nearly exhausted after sustaining their Martial Soul Fusion Skill, make a final attack but are thrown from the arena and knocked unconscious.
• The tournament’s public broadcasts bring spectators across Spirit City into the aftermath. Many Star Luo supporters celebrate, while Spirit Hall loyalists are shaken by the loss.
• Bai Ranmo’s clone reframes the defeat as a Spirit Hall victory: he praises the losing team’s courage, dismisses Star Luo’s win as merely beating a “second team,” and suggests Spirit Hall’s stronger first team remains untouched. His followers readily accept the argument, while Star Luo supporters are enraged.
• The elimination loss ends Spirit Hall Second Team’s championship hopes. After waking, Hu Liena resolves to train in Slaughter City so she can defeat Bai Ranmo and Qian Renxue and reclaim what she believes is hers.
• Bibi Dong hears Hu Liena’s plan but doubts she can catch up to Qian Renxue, who has begun the Nine Angel Trials and has the potential to become a god.

Character developments and interactions

• Hu Liena shifts from despair over the humiliating loss to determined ambition, treating the defeat as a reason to intensify her training and pursue revenge.
• Bibi Dong responds with concern and resignation. She understands Hu Liena’s determination but believes the gap between her and Qian Renxue may be impossible to overcome.
• Bai Ranmo’s clone demonstrates how effectively he manipulates public opinion, converting a straightforward loss into a supposed moral and strategic victory for Spirit Hall.
• The spectators divide into celebrating Star Luo supporters, disillusioned Spirit Hall admirers, and Bai Ranmo’s devoted followers. The groups’ arguments expose how deeply the propaganda has shaped people’s loyalties.
• Earlier, Spirit Hall teammates joke about the defeat and recall Tianyue’s past loss to Mitsuki, adding a lighter, teasing note amid the match’s consequences.

Significant themes

• Propaganda and denial: Bai Ranmo’s rhetoric lets his followers preserve their beliefs despite clear evidence of Spirit Hall’s defeat.
• Pride and perspective: The victory means different things to different spectators, revealing how allegiance can distort judgment.
• Ambition, revenge, and unequal potential: Hu Liena’s resolve is fierce, but Bibi Dong’s doubts underline the formidable advantage Qian Renxue’s divine trials give her.