Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• Xiao Ran, a modern college graduate reborn into the world as an orphan, breaks up a scuffle among village children and learns that the day is the village’s Martial Soul Awakening ceremony.
• He joins village chief Old Jack and Tang San on the way to the Spirit Hall branch, where the soul master Su Yuntao will conduct the awakenings.
• Most children awaken weak martial souls and have no soul power. Tang San awakens Blue Silver Grass but reveals innate full soul power, surprising Su Yuntao.
• Xiao Ran’s turn produces an unusual, double-sided martial soul: one half resembles the radiant Ginga Spark, the other the shadowy Dark Spark. Su Yuntao cannot identify it and assumes it is a strange-looking club.
• Xiao Ran tests at innate rank-three soul power—enough to become a Soul Master—but remains uncertain what his martial soul is or what it can do.

Character developments

• Xiao Ran is irreverent and boastful, but his jokes mask anxiety about repeating his former life of hardship. He recognizes Tang San from the stories he knows and hopes his own awakening will give him a better future.
• Tang San appears composed throughout his awakening. His Blue Silver Grass seems unimpressive, but his innate full soul power marks him as exceptional.
• Su Yuntao is practical and experienced, yet both Tang San’s result and Xiao Ran’s unfamiliar weapon puzzle him.
• Old Jack acts as a caring, respectful guide to the village children, especially Xiao Ran and Tang San.

Significant themes

• Second chances and ambition: Xiao Ran sees reincarnation and awakening as an opportunity to escape his former life’s misery.
• Appearances versus potential: Tang San’s supposedly weak grass and Xiao Ran’s toy-like weapon may conceal far greater significance than others recognize.
• Fate and uncertainty: Xiao Ran knows the world’s stories, but his own strange awakening leaves his future unclear.

Character interactions

• Xiao Ran bullies the rowdy children into scattering, then jokes privately about his former life.
• Old Jack escorts Xiao Ran and Tang San and exchanges respectful greetings with Su Yuntao.
• Su Yuntao guides the children through the ceremony, encouraging them while bluntly dismissing weak results.
• Xiao Ran greets Tang San with admiration; Tang San responds politely. After Tang San’s awakening, Xiao Ran privately mocks Su Yuntao’s assumption that Blue Silver Grass is useless.
• The children laugh at Xiao Ran’s strange martial soul, while Su Yuntao examines it without being able to identify it.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• After the martial-soul awakening, Su Yuntao tells Old Jack that Tang San and Xiao Ran can both become soul masters, and that one of them has full innate soul power. Old Jack is thrilled and encourages them to pursue the profession.
• At home, Xiao Ran investigates his unusual Dark Silver Spark martial soul. It brands the back of his hand, then reveals two dolls: Ultraman Ginga and Dark Lugiel.
• Xiao Ran transforms into Ginga, but remains ordinary human size. A system notice explains that his ability, Spark Doll Sealing, lets him turn defeated, helpless soul beasts into dolls. He cannot unlock Ginga’s giant form until level 70, and lacks enough soul power to summon Dark Lugiel. Even so, Ginga’s basic power makes him much stronger.
• Three months later, Xiao Ran and Tang San travel to Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy as work-study students. At the gate, a gatekeeper mocks their poverty and martial souls. Tang San knocks him down and restrains him.
• Yu Xiaogang arrives, verifies their enrollment certificate, and takes them inside. In his office, he offers to teach Tang San after deducing that Tang San has twin martial souls from his full innate soul power and Blue Silver Grass.
• Tang San accepts Yu Xiaogang as his teacher. Xiao Ran tries to join them, hoping to stay close to Tang San, but Yu Xiaogang dismisses him as too weak and refuses to take him as a student.

Character developments

• Xiao Ran discovers the nature and limits of his extraordinary martial soul. His excitement at gaining Ginga’s power is tempered by the long wait for his giant form and his inability to use Dark Lugiel yet. He remains energetic, irreverent, and eager to attach himself to Tang San’s path.
• Tang San shows a quick temper when the gatekeeper insults them, then gains a mentor after Yu Xiaogang recognizes the significance of his hidden second martial soul.
• Yu Xiaogang presents himself as a modest, knowledgeable scholar, but is strongly focused on recruiting Tang San and is dismissive of Xiao Ran.
• Old Jack takes pride in the boys and helps them reach the academy, though he is startled by their confrontation at the gate.

Significant themes

• Potential versus prejudice: The gatekeeper judges the boys by their poverty and seemingly unimpressive martial souls, while the chapter reveals that both possess unusual potential.
• Power and its limits: Xiao Ran’s abilities are impressive but restricted by his current level, emphasizing the effort and time required to grow stronger.
• Recognition and mentorship: Tang San’s hidden talent earns him Yu Xiaogang’s attention, while Xiao Ran’s lesser-known abilities go unrecognized.
• Ambition and belonging: Both boys seek a place in the world of soul masters, but their first experience at the academy is marked by hostility and unequal treatment.

Character interactions

• Old Jack encourages both boys and escorts them to the academy.
• Xiao Ran fills the journey with chatter while Tang San quietly cultivates.
• Tang San responds physically to the gatekeeper’s insults; Xiao Ran jokes about Tang San’s dramatic entrance.
• Yu Xiaogang steps in, checks the boys’ credentials, and focuses his attention on Tang San’s twin martial souls.
• Xiao Ran’s attempt to become Yu Xiaogang’s student is rejected, leaving him behind as the Master takes Tang San to register.

Key events

• After being shoved aside by Gangzi, Xiao Ran is upset and dismisses Gangzi’s teaching, then joins Tang San at Dorm Seven.
• The dorm’s self-appointed boss, Wang Sheng, challenges the newcomers. Tang San defeats him with fighting techniques, and Wang Sheng accepts Tang San as the new boss.
• Xiao Wu arrives and challenges Tang San under the dorm’s “strongest person is boss” rule. She wins with her Waist Bow and becomes the dorm’s strongest resident.
• Xiao Wu has no bedding and takes the large bed Xiao Ran had prepared for himself and Tang San. Tang San agrees to share it with her, leaving Xiao Ran to move elsewhere.
• That evening, Xiao Ran decides to visit Gangzi’s office again, hoping to stay close to both Gangzi and Tang San.

Character developments and interactions

• Tang San shows calm confidence and skill in his fight with Wang Sheng, but becomes shy around Xiao Wu. He is reluctant to fight her or share a bed, yet ultimately goes along with her wishes.
• Xiao Ran admires Tang San, is immediately smitten with Xiao Wu, and is repeatedly sidelined by her assertiveness. Though resentful, he avoids confronting her and accepts the loss of the bed.
• Xiao Wu is cheerful, quick, confident, and commanding. She easily defeats Tang San and takes charge of the dorm, while Wang Sheng readily recognizes her victory.
• Wang Sheng shifts from bullying the newcomers to respecting Tang San after being beaten; he then explains the dorm’s rules and encourages the fights.
• Xiao Ran’s resentment toward Gangzi remains, but his decision to visit again suggests he still intends to pursue a connection with him.

Significant themes

• Strength and status: Dorm leadership is settled through combat, with both Tang San and Xiao Wu earning authority by winning.
• Martial ability and identity: The contrast between Tang San’s Blue Silver Grass and his effective fighting techniques complicates assumptions about a “weak” Martial Soul.
• Comedic rivalry and awkwardness: Xiao Ran’s jealousy and Tang San’s shyness contrast with Xiao Wu’s boldness, making the shared-dorm arrangement a source of humor and tension.

Plot points and events

• Xiao Ran asks Yu Xiaogang (whom he calls “Grandmaster”) to take him as a disciple, hoping Xiaogang will investigate his unusual Dark Silver Spark martial soul. Xiaogang dismisses it as a weak, nearly useless martial soul and initially refuses.
• Xiao Ran keeps returning and studies martial-soul theory outside Xiaogang’s office. After five days, Xiaogang accepts him as a nominal disciple, insisting Xiao Ran follow his training and soul-ring plans.
• At the academy cafeteria, older students mock Xiao Ran and Tang San for their supposedly worthless martial souls. Xiao Ran stops Tang San from intervening and challenges their leader, Wang Zhuang.
• When Wang attacks, Xiao Ran transforms into Ultraman Ginga using the Dark Silver Spark. The transformation amazes the crowd and convinces Xiaogang that the martial soul may be a mutation.
• A system prompt grants Xiao Ran the “Leo Kick” technique. He learns it immediately, dodges Wang’s attack, and knocks him into a crater. After checking Wang is not seriously injured, Xiao Ran returns to his meal.
• Newly enthusiastic about studying Xiao Ran’s martial soul, Xiaogang eagerly offers him more food and asks to examine it.

Character developments and interactions

• Xiao Ran is persistent, irreverent, and confident. He conceals how much he knows about his martial soul, uses humor to needle Xiaogang, and demonstrates that his apparent weakness is misleading.
• Yu Xiaogang shifts from dismissing Xiao Ran to accepting him reluctantly, then becomes excited when he sees the transformation. Xiao Ran’s teasing and demands also reverse their usual teacher-student dynamic.
• Tang San is initially ready to defend himself and Xiao Ran from the mockery, but Xiao Ran’s question—whether a supposedly “trash” martial soul makes Tang San trash—gives him pause.
• Wang Zhuang relies on his stronger soul power and intimidating Armored Bear martial soul, but Xiao Ran defeats him with a newly acquired technique. The onlookers, including Tang San and Xiao Wu, are stunned; Xiao Wu also scolds Xiao Ran for wrecking the ground.

Significant themes

• Appearance versus potential: A martial soul that looks weak may hide extraordinary abilities.
• Persistence and self-belief: Xiao Ran refuses to accept Xiaogang’s judgment or the academy’s mockery.
• Status and strength: The students judge others by their martial souls and soul power, while Xiao Ran overturns those assumptions through action.
• Comic role reversal: The supposed disciple ends up commanding his teacher, while the confident bully is left defeated.

Plot points

• After his battle, Xiao Ran’s Soul Power rises to level six, and he unlocks the Galaxy Spark Spear.
• Yu Xiaogang asks to examine Xiao Ran’s Martial Soul. Xiao Ran taunts him and demands that he polish his shoes first; when Yu refuses, Xiao Ran threatens to leave.
• Tang San intervenes on Yu’s behalf. Yu reveals he accepted Xiao Ran only as a nominal disciple, then loses his temper when Xiao Ran mocks his low rank and challenges him to fight.
• Yu attacks with Luo Sanpao, and Tang San tries to restrain Xiao Ran with Blue Silver Grass. Xiao Ran transforms into Ultraman Ginga, breaks free, and uses the Spark Lance to redirect Luo Sanpao’s foul-smelling attack onto Yu, who faints.
• Tang San fires a Silent Sleeve Arrow. Xiao Ran destroys it, then makes Tang San surrender it and take Gold Soul Coins from Yu’s pocket. Xiao Ran spares them; Tang San tends to his teacher.
• The next day, Xiao Ran heads alone to the Soul Hunting Forest to test his new ability to turn defeated Soul Beasts into dolls. Yu and Tang San are also headed there so Tang San can obtain his first Soul Ring. After brushing off a hunter’s warning, Xiao Ran encounters a Netherworld Wolf.

Character developments and interactions

• Xiao Ran grows more confident as his power and abilities increase. He openly mocks Yu, refuses to accept his authority, and easily defeats both Yu’s attack and Tang San’s weapon, though he chooses not to seriously injure them.
• Yu Xiaogang proves defensive and prideful when challenged. His claim to be a great teacher clashes with his admission that he took Xiao Ran on only because of his connection to Tang San.
• Tang San remains loyal to Yu and reacts angrily to Xiao Ran’s disrespect. He escalates from verbal defense to an attempted attack, but is forced to surrender his hidden weapon before returning to care for Yu.
• The exchange between Xiao Ran and Yu is openly antagonistic; Tang San sides with Yu, deepening the conflict among the three.

Significant themes

• The chapter contrasts claimed authority with demonstrated ability: Yu asserts a teacher’s credit and status, while Xiao Ran challenges the gap between his rhetoric and rank.
• Loyalty and respect are contested: Tang San treats loyalty to a teacher as a duty, while Xiao Ran rejects respect he sees as undeserved.
• Power, self-confidence, and restraint shape Xiao Ran’s actions: he dominates the confrontation but stops short of seriously harming Tang San, then sets out to test his abilities against Soul Beasts.

Plot points

• Xiao Ran defeats a hundred-year Netherworld Wolf with Ultraman Ginga’s lance, then seals it into a Spark Doll. The system rewards him by unlocking Dark Lugiel and raising his soul power to level seven.
• Nearby, Yu Xiaogang is advising Tang San to hunt a weak, ten-year Lone Bamboo. Xiao Ran mocks the advice and tests whether he can fuse with a Soul Beast doll.
• Fusing with the Netherworld Wolf turns Xiao Ran into a powerful upright wolf. He confronts Yu Xiaogang and Tang San, dodges their attacks, frightens them, and escapes after demonstrating a potent claw technique.
• The system unlocks Multi-Fusion Mode, allowing Xiao Ran to fuse with two Soul Beast dolls at once. It also urges him to reach level ten and obtain a soul ring.
• Back at the academy, Xiao Ran taunts Tang San. Tang San later reports him to Yu Xiaogang, who takes the matter to the principal.
• The principal expels Xiao Ran, accepting Yu Xiaogang’s account that Xiao Ran attacked first. Xiao Ran protests the injustice, leaves the academy, and heads for Holy Soul Village determined to grow stronger.

Character developments and interactions

• Xiao Ran gains confidence from his new abilities but discovers that controlling a Soul Beast fusion is physically exhausting. He mocks Yu Xiaogang’s advice and Tang San’s restraint, then responds to his unfair expulsion with anger and renewed resolve.
• Tang San follows Yu Xiaogang’s guidance and attacks alongside him, but remains cautious and patient despite Xiao Ran’s provocations. He later seeks Yu Xiaogang’s help against Xiao Ran.
• Yu Xiaogang presents himself as a protective mentor, yet his confidence collapses when Xiao Ran’s wolf form overwhelms him. He then uses his influence to have Xiao Ran expelled.
• The encounter underscores the antagonism among Xiao Ran, Tang San, and Yu Xiaogang: Xiao Ran ridicules their judgment, while they regard him as a threat and ultimately act against him.

Significant themes

• Strength and ambition: Xiao Ran believes power is essential to survival and commits to becoming stronger after leaving the academy.
• Unfair authority and favoritism: The principal accepts Yu Xiaogang’s version of events, allowing connections and status to outweigh Xiao Ran’s defense.
• Power and its limits: Xiao Ran’s fusion gives him a major advantage, but its strain shows that his new abilities still require greater strength and control.
• Mentorship and judgment: Yu Xiaogang’s advice and protective role are contrasted with Xiao Ran’s scorn for what he sees as poor judgment and hypocrisy.

Key plot points and events

• Xiao Ran returns to Holy Soul Village exhausted and sleeps through the night. With Spirit Hall’s financial support ending after his Martial Soul awakening, he stays to cultivate.
• A few months later, he reaches Soul Power level ten, though he complains that solo training without combat is slow.
• In Nuoding City, he overhears people gossiping about his expulsion from the academy and his battles with a senior student and Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang. He confirms his identity, then leaves to seek work.
• Ning Rongrong, accompanied by a level-39 Soul Elder, tracks him down. She explains that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect wants to recruit him because of his unusual Martial Soul and surprising combat record.
• Xiao Ran recognizes the sect’s influence but rejects the idea of joining on ordinary terms. He demands help obtaining a suitable First Soul Ring, nominal membership without routine duties, and freedom from obligations except when the sect faces real need.
• Ning Rongrong agrees to help with the Soul Ring but says her father must approve the other terms. She acknowledges that Xiao Ran may not be suited to conventional rules.

Character developments and interactions

• Xiao Ran grows from an isolated student into a more confident and calculating negotiator. He understands his current limitations, evaluates the attendant’s strength rather than provoking a fight, and bargains assertively for independence alongside sect resources.
• Ning Rongrong begins condescendingly, calling Xiao Ran a bumpkin, but gradually takes his potential and arguments seriously. Her pride and temper show when he refuses what she considers a prestigious offer; she ultimately responds with more thoughtfulness.
• Ning Rongrong’s attendant is protective and skeptical, warning her about her manners and dismissing Xiao Ran as arrogant. Xiao Ran’s conditions leave him with little to say.
• Their negotiation turns from an insulting encounter into a tentative recruitment discussion, though the final agreement remains subject to Ning Fengzhi’s approval.

Significant themes

• Independence versus obligation: Xiao Ran wants the benefits of belonging to a powerful sect without surrendering control of his life.
• Talent and leverage: His unusual abilities give him bargaining power despite his youth and lack of status.
• Pride and respect: Xiao Ran refuses an offer that feels like charity, while Ning Rongrong must move beyond her initial superiority to engage with him seriously.
• Potential and investment: The sect views Xiao Ran as a promising asset, while he argues that giving him room to develop will ultimately benefit them.

Plot points and events

• Xiao Ran, Ning Rongrong, and her guard Ye Fan travel from Nuoding City to the Soul Hunting Forest to find a Soul Beast. Xiao Ran jokes about Ye Fan’s Martial Soul, the Ruinous Army Sword.
• They encounter a thousand-year Shadowblade Nether Leopard. It attacks Ning Rongrong, and Ye Fan intervenes. Xiao Ran uses his Netherworld Wolf transformation to knock the beast back, while Ye Fan wounds it with his first two Soul Skills.
• Xiao Ran finishes the leopard and decides to absorb its thousand-year Soul Ring, despite the system warning that doing so at level ten is extremely dangerous. Ning Rongrong tries to help by channeling the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda’s power toward him.
• Xiao Ran endures severe pain as the ring’s energy tears through him, but dark-purple gas disperses the beast’s lingering resentment. He passes out after the system confirms the absorption succeeded.
• Five days later, Xiao Ran wakes in an unfamiliar room. He discovers that he has reached level twelve and gained new abilities and equipment.

Character developments and interactions

• Xiao Ran remains brash and playful, but his decision to attempt an exceptionally risky absorption shows his appetite for bold gambles. He survives and emerges stronger.
• Ning Rongrong is initially nervous about the beast and openly questions Xiao Ran’s decision, but she uses her Martial Soul to support him during the dangerous absorption.
• Ye Fan is protective of Ning Rongrong and warns Xiao Ran about the risks. Once the leopard threatens her, he fights decisively; afterward, he grudgingly acknowledges Xiao Ran’s achievement.
• Xiao Ran’s teasing creates a comic contrast with Ye Fan’s serious demeanor, while the crisis brings the three into a more cooperative role.

Significant themes

• Risk and ambition: Xiao Ran knowingly defies conventional limits to pursue rapid growth.
• Loyalty and protection: Ye Fan and Ning Rongrong act to protect one another and support Xiao Ran when he is in danger.
• Unconventional power: Xiao Ran’s special Martial Soul and the system allow him to overcome rules that would normally make absorbing the Soul Ring impossible.

Key plot points and events

• Xiao Ran recovers at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect after surviving the absorption of a thousand-year Soul Ring at a remarkably low level.
• Ning Fengzhi summons him to meet the sect master and two powerful elders, Sword Douluo Chen Xin and Bone Douluo Gu Rong.
• At their request, Xiao Ran reveals his Martial Soul, the Dark Silver Spark. Its transformation fuses him with the Martial Soul in an unprecedented way, astonishing all three.
• Bone Douluo tests Xiao Ran’s stability with a heavy pat; Xiao Ran withstands it by quickly circulating his Soul Power.
• Ning Fengzhi invites Xiao Ran to join the sect. Xiao Ran accepts as a guest elder, asking to remain independent and receive cultivation resources.
• Ning Fengzhi agrees and gives him a sect token. Xiao Ran plans to cultivate at the sect for six years; the chapter ends with that period passing.

Character developments

• Xiao Ran shows confidence, quick thinking, and a strong preference for independence. Though he downplays his talent, his unusual Martial Soul and composure impress the elders.
• Ning Fengzhi proves pragmatic and welcoming, choosing to accommodate Xiao Ran’s conditions rather than restrict a promising talent.
• Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo move from curiosity to respect after witnessing Xiao Ran’s transformation and resilience.
• Ning Rongrong greets Xiao Ran warmly, reinforcing their friendly connection.

Significant themes

• Exceptional talent can challenge established expectations, especially Xiao Ran’s thousand-year Soul Ring and extraordinary Martial Soul.
• Mutual respect and flexibility make cooperation possible: Xiao Ran joins the sect without surrendering his autonomy.
• First impressions are tested through both spectacular displays and practical demonstrations of ability.

Character interactions

• Ye Fan escorts Xiao Ran from his recovery quarters to the sect master’s hall, where Ning Rongrong welcomes him.
• Ning Fengzhi and the elders question Xiao Ran about his Soul Ring and Martial Soul, then evaluate his abilities firsthand.
• Xiao Ran negotiates his role directly with Ning Fengzhi; Bone Douluo challenges his boldness, while Ning Fengzhi accepts his terms.

Key plot points and events

• At age twelve, Xiao Ran reaches Soul Power level 28 after six years of training with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. He has absorbed powerful Soul Rings and gained paired light- and darkness-based skills.
• The system explains that Ginga and Dark Lugiel began as separate Martial Souls but fused into the Dark Silver Spark. Its two forms grant matching skills, and a later evolution will unlock stronger Ginga and fused forms.
• Xiao Ran leaves the sect for Suotuo City, expecting Tang San and Xiao Wu may also be headed there.
• Near the city, he finds a young Soul Master draining a merchant’s life force and Soul Power. The attacker, Shadow Ghost Face, underestimates Xiao Ran despite recognizing his strength.
• Xiao Ran transforms into Dark Lugiel. He absorbs Shadow Ghost Face’s attacks, defeats his second Soul Skill with Dark Star Barrage, and then absorbs the energy of the enemy’s Black Mist Ghost Domain. This strengthens his dark skills and resistance and raises his Soul Power by one level.
• Xiao Ran finishes the fleeing attacker with Falling-Light Rending Blade, leaves him pinned unconscious against a wall, and continues toward Suotuo City.

Character developments

• Xiao Ran is confident in his growing power and learns more about the unusual fused nature of his Martial Soul.
• His ability to absorb dark energy proves especially effective against darkness-based opponents, giving him a major advantage as well as a further increase in strength.
• Shadow Ghost Face shifts from arrogant confidence to fear and disbelief as Xiao Ran turns his attacks against him and overwhelms his domain.

Significant themes

• Light and darkness in balance: Xiao Ran’s fused Martial Soul unites Ginga and Dark Lugiel, making the two opposing forces parts of one identity.
• Power and adaptation: Xiao Ran’s strength comes not only from force but from absorbing and converting an enemy’s abilities.
• Arrogance and reversal: Shadow Ghost Face’s confidence collapses when he confronts an opponent stronger than himself.
• Justice and intimidation: Xiao Ran stops the attacker, but leaves him exposed as a warning to others.

Character interactions

• Xiao Ran consults the system to clarify his Martial Soul and its future potential.
• He informs Ning Fengzhi that he is leaving the sect before setting out.
• He confronts Shadow Ghost Face, trades taunts with him, and counters each attack with growing dominance.
• After defeating the Soul Master, Xiao Ran chooses not to finish him, instead leaving him for the city’s people to find.

Plot points and events

• Xiao Ran reaches Soul Power level 29 and heads to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt for a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast and a new Soul Ring.
• After easily defeating or driving off two weaker beasts, he camps for the night. A poisonous mist and a swarm of butterflies lead him to a powerful Yin-Yang Illusion Butterfly.
• Xiao Ran transforms into Ultraman Ginga, then Dark Lugiel, and uses their attacks and defenses against the butterfly. Its poison, speed, and relentless assaults overwhelm him; the system estimates his chance of victory at only 1.2%.
• Near death, Xiao Ran triggers the system entry “A Miracle Born from Despair” and receives a temporary trace of Ultraman Saga’s power, restoring his strength.
• Empowered by Saga Plasma, he returns to Galaxy Form and fires a sequence of attacks that traps and destroys the butterfly. A pitch-black Soul Ring remains.

Character development

• Xiao Ran begins confident and eager, treating the forest hunt as an opportunity for a valuable Soul Ring.
• His bravado gives way to fear and helplessness as the butterfly’s attacks overpower him. His near-death experience marks a sharp change from playful confidence to genuine desperation.
• The crisis reveals his persistence: even badly injured, he keeps resisting, and once restored, he immediately turns the fight around.

Significant themes

• Overconfidence and danger: Xiao Ran’s casual attitude toward the hunt contrasts with the lethal threat posed by the forest.
• Despair and sudden hope: The system’s intervention arrives at the brink of death, making the title’s “miracle” literal.
• Adaptation and perseverance: Xiao Ran changes forms and tactics as his earlier approaches fail.
• Power and survival: The fight emphasizes the vast gap between Xiao Ran and a formidable Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast—and the extraordinary power needed to overcome it.

Character interactions

• Xiao Ran exchanges no dialogue with other people; the central conflict is his battle with the Yin-Yang Illusion Butterfly.
• He taunts and challenges the butterfly, while it repeatedly changes tactics—from poisonous powder to wind blades and high-speed attacks.
• The system interacts with Xiao Ran by assessing his odds and then granting him Saga Plasma when he reaches a life-threatening crisis.

Chapter Summary: Unlocking a New Soul Skill—The Three Beauties of Shrek, Here I Come!

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Ran uses the remaining power of Ultraman Saga to absorb the ten-thousand-year Yin-Yang Butterfly Soul Ring. The system estimates a 91% success rate, but the absorption succeeds almost immediately because his Dark Silver Spark power perfectly matches the ring’s Yin-Yang attributes.
• The absorption reaches a 99.9% fusion rate and raises Xiao Ran’s Soul Power to Level 32.
• The Soul Ring unexpectedly produces an External Soul Bone: the Yin-Yang Butterfly Wings, consisting of one white wing and one black wing. The wings allow flight and possess the skill Butterfly Wing Storm.
• Xiao Ran obtains several new abilities and rewards:
  • Galaxy Form’s third Soul Skill:

Galaxy Solace

• Dark Lugiel Form’s third Soul Skill:

Dark Spark Wave

• Spark Doll:

Yin-Yang Illusion Butterfly

• Ultraman Gaia’s beam technique:

Photon Stream

• After another terrifying roar echoes through the Star Dou Great Forest, Xiao Ran flies away using his new wings and escapes to a nearby town.
• The next morning, he examines his updated status. His build now includes two purple Soul Rings, one black ten-thousand-year ring, twin Martial Souls, and the rare External Soul Bone.
• Learning that Galaxy Solace can heal injuries, purify dark influence, calm berserk states, and fill beings with love, Xiao Ran begins entertaining inappropriate plans involving powerful and beautiful women.
• The system warns him that abusing the Dark Silver Spark’s master-servant contract could result in soul backlash or retaliation from powerful enemies, including Xiao Wu’s protective companions. Xiao Ran remains overconfident and decides to grow stronger first.
• He chooses to enroll at Shrek Academy, hoping to reunite with—or pursue—Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, and Liu Erlong.
• At Shrek’s entrance, Xiao Ran pays the registration fee and passes the initial Soul Power test with a displayed Level 31. Li Yusong accepts him despite joking about his Dark Silver Spark resembling a short stick.
• On the training ground, Xiao Ran encounters Xiao Wu, Tang San, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing. Zhao Wuji arrives shortly afterward to administer the next test.

Character Developments

• Xiao Ran: Becomes significantly stronger and more confident after acquiring a ten-thousand-year Soul Ring, an External Soul Bone, multiple skills, and a new Spark Doll. His arrogance increases along with his power, and he begins viewing his abilities as tools for controlling or attracting others. He also shifts his immediate goal from merely surviving and improving to actively joining Shrek and pursuing its female students.
• Xiao Wu: Reacts with immediate surprise and suspicion upon seeing Xiao Ran, suggesting unresolved tension from their past at Nuoding Academy.
• Tang San: Remains protective of Xiao Wu and distrustful of Xiao Ran. He demands an explanation for Xiao Ran’s previous actions but receives only a dismissive response.
• Ning Rongrong: Greets Xiao Ran warmly and appears pleased by their reunion, creating a contrast with Xiao Wu’s guarded reaction.
• Zhu Zhuqing: Says nothing during the encounter but observes the situation quietly.
• Li Yusong: Conducts Xiao Ran’s entrance examination and is surprised by his Soul Power, though he accepts him into the next stage of testing.
• The System: Serves as both guide and warning voice, explaining Xiao Ran’s new abilities while cautioning him against abusing them.

Significant Themes

• Power gained through risk: Xiao Ran’s dangerous absorption of a ten-thousand-year Soul Ring demonstrates the rewards and dangers of pursuing overwhelming strength.
• Transformation and uniqueness: The Yin-Yang Butterfly Wings symbolize Xiao Ran’s balance between light and darkness and further distinguish him from ordinary Soul Masters.
• Power and temptation: His healing, control, and emotional-influence abilities tempt him toward unethical uses, while the system warns of consequences.
• Overconfidence versus consequences: Xiao Ran believes his growing strength makes him nearly invincible, but the warnings about Spirit Hall, soul backlash, and powerful Soul Beasts suggest that his recklessness may eventually endanger him.
• Reunion and unresolved conflict: His arrival at Shrek brings him face-to-face with former acquaintances, especially Xiao Wu and Tang San, reviving past disputes and creating future tension.
• Ambition and desire: Xiao Ran’s decision to attend Shrek is motivated both by the desire to improve his strength and by his romantic—or exploitative—interest in the academy’s female students.

Important Character Interactions

• Xiao Ran and the system discuss the Soul Ring’s absorption rate, the effects of his new skills, and the dangers of using the Dark Silver Spark to control others.
• Xiao Ran jokes and boasts about his new powers, while the system repeatedly counters his fantasies with warnings.
• At Shrek, Xiao Wu reacts defensively to Xiao Ran’s appearance and pulls Tang San into the confrontation.
• Tang San demands answers about Xiao Ran’s past conduct, but Xiao Ran refuses to explain himself seriously.
• Ning Rongrong welcomes Xiao Ran and explains that she left the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to study at Shrek, leading Xiao Ran to treat their reunion as a fortunate coincidence.
• Zhu Zhuqing remains quiet and observant as the tension develops.
• The chapter ends with Xiao Ran entering Shrek’s next round of testing under Zhao Wuji.

Plot points and events

• Shrek’s vice dean, Zhao Wuji, sets the new students a one-stick-of-incense combat test and reveals himself as a seven-ring Soul Sage.
• Tang San, Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing coordinate attacks. Xiao Ran hangs back to study Zhao Wuji, then uses well-timed energy attacks to open gaps and help restrain him.
• Xiao Ran’s provocative spear thrust makes Zhao Wuji retreat, drawing an angry response. Zhao then uses Gravity Amplification to pin most of the group down.
• Tang San’s Blue Silver Grass catches Xiao Ran’s ankle, but Xiao Ran breaks free by spinning his spear, claiming centrifugal force lets him overcome the gravity field. The group resumes its assault until Zhao Wuji activates his Martial Soul Avatar.
• The time limit expires. Flender, Shrek’s dean, confirms that everyone has passed and announces Zhao Wuji will pay for dinner—and for the damaged training ground.
• At dinner, Xiao Ran sits with Zhu Zhuqing and Dai Mubai, teasing both of them with conspicuous friendliness. The chapter ends with Xiao Ran returning to his room, where his system issues its daily reward.

Character developments

• Xiao Ran proves observant, resourceful, and unusually confident. He contributes through timing and improvised tactics, but his irreverent humor and flirtatious provocations also create friction.
• Zhao Wuji begins as an overconfident examiner but is impressed by Xiao Ran’s perception and the students’ teamwork. He is eventually forced to use his Martial Soul Avatar.
• Tang San remains protective of Xiao Wu and competitive with Xiao Ran. His attempt to hinder Xiao Ran during the gravity attack hints at their hostility.
• Xiao Wu is protective of Tang San and irritated by Xiao Ran, whom she blames for Zhao Wuji’s reprimand.
• Zhu Zhuqing fights effectively with the group but remains reserved, including when Xiao Ran tries to engage her at dinner.
• Ning Rongrong supports the team with buffs and is amused by Xiao Ran’s banter. Flender establishes himself as the academy’s practical, authoritative dean.

Significant themes

• Teamwork and individual ingenuity: The students coordinate their abilities, while Xiao Ran’s independent observation and unconventional physics-inspired tactic help them adapt.
• Competition and trust: The test reveals cooperation among the students but also the tension between Xiao Ran and Tang San.
• Irreverence toward authority: Xiao Ran’s jokes and Zhao Wuji’s rough test give the chapter a comic tone, even during a serious trial.
• Belonging and merit: Passing the test earns the group a place at Shrek, whose stated promise is to produce exceptional Soul Masters.

Character interactions

• Xiao Ran and Zhao Wuji trade taunts as Xiao Ran repeatedly surprises the powerful examiner.
• Tang San and Xiao Wu act protectively toward one another, while Tang San’s move against Xiao Ran sharpens their rivalry.
• Xiao Ran and Zhu Zhuqing cooperate in combat, but her cool response at dinner contrasts with his attempts to get closer.
• Dai Mubai challenges Xiao Ran’s presence at his and Zhu Zhuqing’s table; Xiao Ran answers with teasing politeness, entertaining Ning Rongrong.
• Xiao Wu blames Xiao Ran for the damage and leaves with Tang San, while their silent exchange suggests unresolved tension.

Key plot points and events

• Xiao Ran receives rewards for excelling in the entrance test: his Galaxy Spark Spear gains beginner Psychic Spear Control and Spear Flight, and he obtains a device that can store Soul Rings. His first attempt at riding the spear goes badly, nearly impaling him.
• At dawn, Flender gathers the students, including senior students Oscar and Ma Hongjun, and announces that Yu Xiaogang—Grandmaster, an authority on Martial Soul theory—will oversee their training.
• Yu Xiaogang recognizes Xiao Ran from their past conflict at Nuoding Academy and demands that he be expelled. Xiao Ran challenges his judgment by revealing his three Soul Rings: two purple rings and a black, ten-thousand-year ring. The group is stunned, and Yu Xiaogang’s theories appear inadequate to explain Xiao Ran’s strength.
• Flender refuses to expel Xiao Ran over a personal grudge. Yu Xiaogang reluctantly accepts him, but says he will personally manage every aspect of Xiao Ran’s training. The students are ordered to assemble early the next morning, with lateness punished by running around Suotuo City.
• Later, Xiao Ran tells Ning Rongrong he is unconcerned about Yu Xiaogang’s plans, believing Grandmaster sees him as both a threat and a valuable curiosity.
• Alone, Xiao Ran plots to use his mental advantage and Galaxy Solace to persuade Xiao Wu to sacrifice herself, then transfer her soul into her Copy and conceal what happened. He prepares to leave that night.

Character developments and interactions

• Xiao Ran grows more confident, flaunting his extraordinary rings to silence Yu Xiaogang. He remains irreverent toward authority and begins scheming to obtain Xiao Wu’s hundred-thousand-year Soul Ring.
• Yu Xiaogang shifts from outrage and contempt to reluctant acceptance after Xiao Ran’s display, though he insists on controlling the boy’s cultivation and training. His clash with Xiao Ran revives their unresolved hostility.
• Flender mediates the confrontation and protects Xiao Ran’s place at Shrek, prioritizing the academy’s standards over Yu Xiaogang’s personal grievance.
• Ning Rongrong questions Xiao Ran’s confidence about Yu Xiaogang; Xiao Ran reassures her, while hinting that Grandmaster regards him as a rare opportunity.
• Tang San objects when Yu Xiaogang agrees to let Xiao Ran stay, while Xiao Wu reacts with astonishment to Xiao Ran’s black ring. Oscar and Ma Hongjun are introduced as friendly senior students.

Significant themes

• Power versus established theory: Xiao Ran’s unusual Soul Rings directly challenge Yu Xiaogang’s convictions.
• Ambition and manipulation: Xiao Ran treats Xiao Wu’s sacrifice as a means to gain power and plans to hide the consequences.
• Authority and personal conflict: Shrek’s leadership must balance Yu Xiaogang’s grievance against the academy’s acceptance of exceptional “monsters.”

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Xiao Ran visits Xiao Wu at night, pretending to apologize and offering a gift. Once she lets him in, he uses Galaxy Solace to control her.
• He takes the controlled Xiao Wu to a forest and makes her sacrifice her body for her Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring. He stores the Ring rather than absorbing it, since he is not ready to do so. Her sacrifice raises his Soul Power from level 31 to 33, but produces no Soul Bone.
• The system preserves Xiao Wu’s soul essence and creates a duplicate of her. Xiao Ran fuses the duplicate with his Dark Silver Spark, restoring Xiao Wu afterward. When she wakes in her room, she is confused; Xiao Ran controls her again and sends her to sleep. The system assures him she will remember neither the control nor what happened just before it.
• During a lesson, Xiao Ran challenges Yu Xiaogang’s claim that the Yin-Yang Illusion Butterfly has no Ten Thousand Year specimens. He reveals a Ten Thousand Year External Soul Bone from one, stunning the class.
• Yu Xiaogang privately tells Tang San to take the Soul Bone from Xiao Ran. Tang San hesitates, but Yu reveals a Thunder Dragon Jade Pendant that can disrupt an opponent’s Soul Power and proposes using it in an ambush. They plan to act during a trip to the Star Dou Great Forest the next morning.

Character developments

• Xiao Ran gains power and demonstrates his willingness to deceive and exploit Xiao Wu for his own goals. He also hides the consequences by controlling her again.
• Xiao Wu is manipulated into sacrificing herself and later returns without knowing what happened, leaving her vulnerable to Xiao Ran’s deception.
• Tang San shows reluctance to attack Xiao Ran, but remains involved in the plan after Yu Xiaogang pressures him.
• Yu Xiaogang shifts from teacher to schemer, using his knowledge and a clan artifact to plan the seizure of Xiao Ran’s Soul Bone.

Significant themes

• Power and exploitation: Xiao Ran treats Xiao Wu’s life and body as resources to strengthen himself.
• Manipulation and concealed truth: Mind control erases Xiao Wu’s memories, while Xiao Ran’s public claims and displays shape others’ perceptions.
• Ambition and moral compromise: Yu Xiaogang and Tang San consider stealing a Soul Bone for greater power, despite their history with Xiao Ran.
• Knowledge versus authority: Xiao Ran publicly challenges Yu Xiaogang’s expertise with proof of a supposedly impossible Soul Beast specimen.

Character interactions

• Xiao Ran deceives Xiao Wu with an apparent apology, then controls her and commands her sacrifice.
• Xiao Ran and Yu Xiaogang clash in class over the Yin-Yang Illusion Butterfly; Xiao Ran’s Soul Bone display silences the room.
• In private, Yu Xiaogang urges Tang San to target Xiao Ran’s Soul Bone. Tang San questions the morality and feasibility of the plan, but the two ultimately conspire to use the pendant against him.

Plot points and events

• At the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest, Yu Xiaogang takes Tang San and Xiao Ran aside and demands Xiao Ran reveal how he absorbs Soul Rings beyond his level. He threatens to take Xiao Ran’s Soul Bone if he refuses.
• Xiao Ran fights back when Tang San binds him and Yu Xiaogang uses Luo Sanpao’s poisonous gas. After burning free, Xiao Ran’s power rises dramatically. Yu Xiaogang uses a jade pendant to suppress Xiao Ran’s Soul Skills, but Xiao Ran switches forms and attacks with his Galaxy Spark Spear, injuring Yu Xiaogang and knocking Tang San aside.
• Yu Xiaogang begs for mercy. When Zhao Wuji and the others arrive, however, he claims Xiao Ran attacked him and Tang San without cause. Xiao Ran insists he acted in self-defense because Yu Xiaogang tried to take his Soul Bone. Zhao Wuji prepares to fight him.
• To hold Zhao Wuji off, Xiao Ran uses a Soul Skill to compel Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing to come to him. He kisses Xiao Wu and then Zhu Zhuqing, humiliating Tang San and Dai Mubai.
• A powerful presence stirs in the forest. Recognizing the Titan Giant Ape, Xiao Ran assumes it has come for Xiao Wu and flees on his Ginga Lance, leaving the others behind.

Character developments and interactions

• Xiao Ran is confident, combative, and willing to use overwhelming force against threats. He also uses his powers to control others and provoke his rivals, but retreats when the Titan Giant Ape appears.
• Yu Xiaogang shifts from threatening Xiao Ran to pleading when defeated, then immediately casts himself as the victim before Zhao Wuji.
• Tang San helps Yu Xiaogang attack Xiao Ran but is badly beaten. He awakens in time to see Xiao Ran kiss Xiao Wu and reacts with helpless fury.
• Zhao Wuji initially trusts Yu Xiaogang’s accusation and prepares to attack Xiao Ran, but is restrained by the danger to the three women.
• Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ning Rongrong are compelled by Xiao Ran’s Soul Skill; Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing are kissed, while Ning Rongrong is approached before the forest disturbance interrupts.
• Dai Mubai is enraged by Xiao Ran’s treatment of Zhu Zhuqing and vows revenge.

Significant themes

• Power and coercion: Xiao Ran’s superior strength lets him defeat his attackers and control the situation, including other characters’ actions.
• Betrayal and self-preservation: Yu Xiaogang’s threat and later false accusation reveal his willingness to manipulate others to protect himself.
• Humiliation and revenge: Xiao Ran’s taunts and kisses intensify Tang San’s and Dai Mubai’s anger, setting up future conflict.
• Danger in the forest: The Titan Giant Ape’s arrival abruptly shifts the scene from personal conflict to a larger threat.

Plot points and events

• Xiao Ran travels to Sunset Forest to retrieve the Blue Silver Emperor’s right-leg soul bone, which he finds hidden in a cave and takes.
• On his way out, he meets Xue Qinghe—the disguised Qian Renxue—and an elderly attendant. Xiao Ran claims he is a prospective student who lost his pet cat. Xue Qinghe judges him unusually talented and gives him a Crown Prince’s Token, allowing him to enroll at Heaven Dou Royal Academy without entrance exams.
• At an inn, Xiao Ran absorbs the hundred-thousand-year soul bone. It greatly boosts his physical and spiritual power, grants flight, and provides powerful healing.
• A system draw rewards him with Ultraman Tiga’s Zeperion Ray. Now able to fly, he heads for the academy.
• At the academy gates, a guard insults him because of his dirty clothes. Xiao Ran presents the token, and the guard quickly changes his attitude. Xiao Ran proceeds to the Education Committee hall, where three senior officials await; the chapter ends as he enters.

Character developments

• Xiao Ran is opportunistic and theatrical, inventing a story to gain access to the academy and concealing his knowledge of Qian Renxue’s identity. His new soul bone substantially expands his abilities, especially by enabling flight.
• Xue Qinghe/Qian Renxue appears prudent and politically minded: she supports Xiao Ran not out of personal familiarity, but because she recognizes his unusual potential and hopes he may become an asset to the empire.
• The attendant and academy guard defer to authority—the attendant praises Xue Qinghe’s judgment, while the guard’s hostility vanishes once Xiao Ran shows the token.

Significant themes

• Power and advancement: The soul bone and system reward give Xiao Ran a rapid increase in strength and mobility.
• Deception and political calculation: Xiao Ran hides what he knows and uses a fabricated story; Xue Qinghe likewise sees their encounter in terms of future influence.
• Status and privilege: The Crown Prince’s Token overrides ordinary admissions procedures and transforms the guard’s treatment of Xiao Ran.

Character interactions

• Xiao Ran presents himself to Xue Qinghe as a stranded student, while Xue Qinghe offers him direct admission and the token.
• The attendant questions the decision, prompting Xue Qinghe to explain her strategic assessment of Xiao Ran.
• At the academy, Xiao Ran confronts an insulting guard, then gains respectful treatment by revealing the token.

• Key events: Xiao Ran presents Crown Prince Xue Qinghe’s token at Heaven Dou Royal Academy and demonstrates an extraordinary Soul Ring configuration: two thousand-year rings and one ten-thousand-year ring. Chief Teacher Meng Shenji is impressed and approves his admission. But Fourth Prince Xue Beng insults Xiao Ran, rejects him, and knocks the token away. Xiao Ran leaves rather than escalate the dispute. Once he is gone, Xue Beng orders Poison Douluo Dugu Bo to kill him. Xiao Ran spends the night in Heaven Dou City, then buys an overpriced, misleading map while seeking the route to Spirit Hall. It leads him near the Star Dou Great Forest, where Dugu Bo confronts him with intent to kill.
• Character developments: Xiao Ran remains calm and pragmatic when rejected, though he is frustrated and still boasts of his ambitions to conquer the continent and challenge the Divine Realm. Xue Beng’s outward arrogance conceals unease and a reason for targeting Xiao Ran. Dugu Bo recognizes Xiao Ran’s unusual power but agrees to carry out the assassination. Meng Shenji is eager to recruit Xiao Ran but cannot overcome the prince’s interference.
• Character interactions: Meng Shenji welcomes Xiao Ran on the strength of his talent and token; Xue Beng publicly blocks his admission and threatens Meng Shenji. Afterward, Xue Beng privately instructs Dugu Bo to eliminate Xiao Ran, and Dugu Bo sets off to find him.
• Themes: Exceptional talent attracts both opportunity and danger. Political authority can override merit, while hidden motives complicate apparently simple acts of cruelty. The chapter also contrasts Xiao Ran’s grand ambitions with his comic misfortunes, including being scammed and lost on the road.

Plot points and events

• Dugu Bo corners Xiao Ran and prepares to kill him on Prince Xue Beng’s orders. Xiao Ran stalls him by claiming he can cure the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor poison afflicting Dugu Bo and his granddaughter, Dugu Yan.
• Skeptical but impressed by Xiao Ran’s unusual Soul Rings, Dugu Bo spares him and takes him to his retreat: the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. He demands antidotes and gives Xiao Ran a Poison Pearl, threatening to detonate it if he escapes.
• Xiao Ran offers a plan to transfer the poison into a Soul Bone, and says he can make elixirs to delay Dugu Yan’s symptoms. Once Dugu Bo leaves, Xiao Ran admits he cannot make the elixirs.
• Instead, he uses his transformation to harvest the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and Infernal Delicate Apricot, then consumes them and tempers his body in the well. The herbs grant him new abilities: Ultraman Taro’s Ultra Dynamite and Ultraman Agul’s Agul Stream.
• Xiao Ran uses Ultra Dynamite to destroy the Poison Pearl inside him, escapes through the poison barrier, and takes most of the valuable Immortal Herbs. He flies toward Spirit Hall.
• Dugu Bo returns to find Xiao Ran gone, the well’s herbs plundered, and the Poison Pearl destroyed. Furious, he vows to kill Xiao Ran if they meet again.

Character development

• Xiao Ran shifts from seemingly helpless prisoner to resourceful opportunist, using bluffing, knowledge of the well, and newly gained powers to escape.
• Dugu Bo is revealed as a ruthless but deeply worried grandfather. His concern for Dugu Yan makes him pause, though his trust in Xiao Ran proves misplaced.

Significant themes

• Survival through ingenuity: Xiao Ran compensates for his lower Soul Power with deception and quick thinking.
• Power and exploitation: He turns Dugu Bo’s retreat into a source of strength, taking its rarest treasures for himself.
• Family and vulnerability: Dugu Bo’s love for his granddaughter is the leverage that keeps Xiao Ran alive.
• Trust and betrayal: Dugu Bo gives Xiao Ran a chance to help, but Xiao Ran uses it to escape.

Character interactions

• Xiao Ran taunts and negotiates with Dugu Bo, exploiting the elder’s fear for Dugu Yan’s future.
• Dugu Bo alternates between threatening Xiao Ran and reluctantly sparing him, then leaves him under strict poison-based coercion.
• Their arrangement collapses when Xiao Ran escapes, turning a temporary bargain into a personal feud.

Key plot points and events

• After surviving a near-death ordeal, Xiao Ran arrives in Spirit City, marvels at its grandeur, and decides to join Spirit Hall because his money is running low.
• He enrolls at Spirit Hall Academy. His ten-thousand-year third soul ring impresses the admissions instructor, who places him in Angel Class and tells him that the top seven at the Elite Tournament qualifiers in three months may become Spirit Hall direct disciples—and meet the Pope.
• Xiao Ran trains during the day and secretly tempers his body at night with herbs taken from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. Bibi Dong receives a report about him and notes his unusual black-and-white short-club martial soul, but returns to her work.
• Short of money at an herb shop, Xiao Ran receives help from Hu Liena, who advises him on safer herb combinations and pays for his purchase. He tries to repay her with a meal and flirts with her; she calls him a “smooth talker.”
• On the first day of class, Xiao Ran brings Hu Liena breakfast and ingratiates himself with her. Xie Yue, Yan, and other members of Spirit Hall’s Golden Generation arrive, while Xiao Ran assumes he will become one of their number.

Character developments and interactions

• Xiao Ran is boastful, opportunistic, and openly flirtatious. He is excited by the prospect of meeting Bibi Dong, eager to prove himself in the tournament, and confident about his place among the academy’s elite. He also continues his secret physical training.
• Hu Liena appears capable and knowledgeable about medicinal herbs, and she shows Xiao Ran unexpected generosity. She remains cool and guarded when he flirts, freeing her hand and dismissing his advances with a dry remark.
• Bibi Dong learns of Xiao Ran’s extraordinary soul ring and distinctive martial soul, but shows only brief curiosity before resuming her duties.
• Xiao Ran’s first exchanges with Hu Liena establish a playful mismatch: he treats her generosity as a chance to get closer, while she keeps him at arm’s length.

Significant themes

• Ambition and advancement: Xiao Ran joins Spirit Hall and pursues the tournament’s promise of recognition and access to the Pope.
• Talent and scrutiny: His rare ten-thousand-year soul ring draws attention from academy officials and Bibi Dong.
• Confidence versus self-delusion: Xiao Ran’s grand expectations—especially about meeting Bibi Dong and becoming a Golden Generation member—contrast with how little he has yet achieved.
• Generosity and social boundaries: Hu Liena helps him, but her assistance does not mean she welcomes his flirtation.