Chapter Summaries

Plot points and events

• In a sanatorium, the Blue-clothed Deacon interrogates the injured Fu Tianming, who led the attack on Mo Fan, and Jia Wenqing. Fu Tianming insists they were not exposed.
• The Deacon orders Fu Tianming to recover, then use his connections to target Mo Fan and lure Mo Xie into a trap. Their intended opportunity is the upcoming Main Campus assessment, where powerful students may attack Mo Fan.
• The Deacon reveals his plan to turn someone Salang loves into a Black Beast Demon, hoping to provoke her. A phone call confirms that accomplices will keep the Judgment Hall occupied while he acts at Pearl Academy during the assessment.
• Later, a mysterious figure enters the hospital room. Fu Tianming and Jia Wenqing mistake him for the Deacon, but recognize his blood-red eyes as the Black Beast Demons attack.
• The figure is Mo Xie, who has trapped the pair in a Sharingan genjutsu. He questions them and learns the Black Vatican intends to capture Mo Fan, use him to draw Mo Xie out, and deliver Mo Xie to the Deacon. They do not know the Deacon’s real name. Mo Xie concludes they are no longer useful.

Character developments

• The Blue-clothed Deacon is shown as cruel, manipulative, and vindictive. Though unable to strike at Salang directly, he plans to torment her through someone she loves.
• Fu Tianming and Jia Wenqing are terrified and powerless: first intimidated by the Deacon, then trapped by Mo Xie’s illusion and compelled to reveal the plot.
• Mo Xie emerges as a calculating and dangerous opponent. He uses deception and genjutsu to extract information, then turns coldly toward the helpless informants.
• Mo Fan is established as the intended bait in the Black Vatican’s plan, despite not appearing in the scene.

Significant themes

• Cruelty and dehumanization: The Deacon’s practice of transforming hated people into Black Beast Demons reflects his desire to control and degrade others.
• Manipulation and revenge: Both sides use people as tools—Mo Fan as bait, and a loved one of Salang’s as a means of revenge.
• Fear and power: The injured men are repeatedly dominated by those with greater physical, magical, or psychological power.
• Appearance versus reality: The apparent attack by the Black Beast Demons is part of Mo Xie’s genjutsu, showing how perception itself can be weaponized.

Character interactions

• The Deacon bullies Fu Tianming and Jia Wenqing, rejecting their suggestions and asserting complete authority.
• In a phone call, the Deacon coordinates with an unseen ally, who promises to distract the Judgment Hall while he targets Pearl Academy.
• Mo Xie reverses the power dynamic with Fu Tianming and Jia Wenqing: he traps them in an illusion, questions them, and discovers the Black Vatican’s plan.

Key plot points and events

• News spreads across Pearl Academy that students Fu Tianming and Jia Wenqing died after jumping from the roof of Jing’an Private Sanatorium. Rumors link their deaths to Mo Fan, whom they had fought the previous night, but witnesses confirm he was at the Azure Sky Hunter Agency and could not have been involved.
• Mo Fan worries that his brother, Mo Xie, may be responsible. At the Dean’s Office, Dean Xiao confirms Mo Fan’s alibi and treats him as a trusted student.
• Mo Fan asks to use his Beast Fighting Competition reward to train in the Three-Step Tower. He wants to grow stronger because the Black Vatican may target his brother and could act during the upcoming Main Campus assessment. Dean Xiao approves his request for entry in two days.
• Outside the office, Mo Xie admits that he killed Fu Tianming and Jia Wenqing because they were Black Vatican members who had infiltrated Pearl Academy. He warns Mo Fan to stay cautious.
• Later, Ai Tutu asks Mo Xie for help with a group of foreign magic users harassing her over an alleged insult to their “young master.” Mo Xie presents his Judgment Hall credentials, and the group leaves. He suspects the incident may be more complicated than Ai Tutu realizes.

Character developments and interactions

• Mo Fan remains indifferent to campus gossip, but his concern for Mo Xie drives him to seek answers and commit to intensive training. His fear of future threats becomes a clear motive for getting stronger.
• Mo Xie is revealed to have killed the two students as Black Vatican members, showing his willingness to act decisively against the organization while keeping his brother informed. He also uses his Judgment Hall status to defuse the confrontation involving Ai Tutu.
• Dean Xiao trusts Mo Fan’s alibi and supports his choice to train.
• Zhao Manyan briefly teases Mo Fan about his notoriety and mentions his own plans to train with Zhaoting.
• Ai Tutu is playful and flirtatious with Mo Xie, clinging to him during the confrontation and teasing him afterward. Mo Xie responds with bemusement but agrees to help her.

Significant themes

• Rumor versus truth: Students quickly blame Mo Fan, but his verified alibi contradicts the gossip.
• Threat and vigilance: The Black Vatican has infiltrated the academy, making the coming assessment dangerous.
• Strength and responsibility: Mo Fan chooses training not for prestige, but to protect himself and support his brother.
• Hidden motives: The foreign group’s interest in Ai Tutu, and Mo Xie’s wary reaction, suggest dangers beyond the immediate confrontation.

Key plot points and events

• Dean Xiao warns Green Campus students that the Main Campus is unforgiving. Students who have not reached the Intermediate Mage level are barred from its assessment; they must reach that level within three years or leave Pearl Academy without claiming to be its students.
• The announcement upsets students who are excluded, and many leave in humiliation or frustration. Chen Renjie protests that he is close to advancing, but his companions try to comfort him.
• Mo Xie overhears Guoguo tell her carefree boyfriend that she has reached the Intermediate level and wants to end their relationship, since they have grown apart.
• Xu Zhaoting and Zhang Lulu celebrate being able to stay together, though their conspicuous affection irritates the many single students around them.
• Dean Xiao then reveals that the students who remain have already qualified for the Main Campus. Their assessment is a mission: capture alive a Shadow Demon Beast that escaped from military custody and deliver it to the academy’s Iron Cage for Summoned Beasts. The winner—or each member of a team of up to five—earns a chance to cultivate in the Three-Step Tower.

Character developments and interactions

• Dean Xiao shifts from a harsh, intimidating warning to his familiar, kindly manner once the weaker students have left, revealing that the ordeal was also a test of resolve.
• Mo Xie reflects on Guoguo’s breakup, believing that ambition and effort matter in a relationship. He is also concerned about Ding Yumian, who has become difficult to reach and whose explanation that she is busy cultivating does not convince him; he plans to investigate after the assessment.
• Chen Renjie is devastated by his exclusion, while his companions offer reassurance.
• Guoguo chooses to end her relationship after reaching the level her boyfriend has not pursued. Xu Zhaoting and Zhang Lulu, by contrast, are delighted that they can continue at Pearl Academy together.

Significant themes

• Perseverance and discipline: Cultivation becomes tedious, and progress depends on sustained effort.
• Strength, merit, and harsh competition: Dean Xiao’s warning frames advancement as something earned, not granted, and portrays the Main Campus as a ruthless environment.
• Ambition and relationships: Guoguo’s decision highlights how different priorities can pull a couple apart.
• Misleading appearances and tests: What first seems like a cruel rejection is followed by an unexpected qualification and a dangerous, competitive mission.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Dean Xiao announces that the Main Campus assessment is a Military mission, not a student free-for-all. The winning team earns five places in the coveted Three-Step Tower, but students receive no clues about the mission.
• Mo Xie suspects the target is a domesticated shadow beast, which has a strong appetite for beef, and considers searching near beef-processing plants.
• He reviews his greatly increased magical strength: his Lightning, Fire, and Ice Elements have reached Intermediate Level 3, while his Space, Shadow, and Summoning abilities are at Intermediate Level Two.
• Mo Xie forms a team with Mo Fan, Xu Zhaoting, and Zhao Manyan. He explains that the real danger is the Black Vatican, who may act during the assessment and are targeting him. He intends to use himself as bait while the others investigate and help the team pursue first place.
• He warns the group to travel in pairs or larger groups. Xu Zhaoting asks to add Zhang Lulu; Mo Xie agrees, assigning her to gather information about rival teams rather than join the dangerous investigation.
• Mo Xie secretly places a silver-dragon mark on Xu Zhaoting. His newly discovered Space ability lets him teleport to marked locations and track them, though he can currently use it only over short distances.
• Mo Xie asks Leng Lingling of the Azure Sky Hunter Agency to help locate the shadow beast.
• At home, Ai Tutu invites Mo Xie and his brother to join her and Mu Nujiao’s all-girl team. Mo Xie declines because his team is already full. Mu Nujiao then offers to make him egg fried rice, prompting him to privately admire how considerate she is.

Character developments and interactions

• Mo Xie is more powerful and confident, but Ling’s absence weighs on him; he misses her after realizing she is asleep and cannot respond. He takes charge of the team and covertly protects Xu Zhaoting with his tracking mark.
• Zhao Manyan is frightened by the prospect of confronting the Black Vatican, but commits to the team out of loyalty to his friends.
• Xu Zhaoting remains serious about the threat and asks to include Zhang Lulu; Mo Xie supports the request while limiting her exposure to danger.
• Leng Lingling eagerly agrees to help, glad to have something more engaging than schoolwork.
• Ai Tutu is disappointed when Mo Xie refuses her team invitation. Mu Nujiao is quietly hopeful and caring, while Mo Xie’s thoughts show growing appreciation for her.

Significant themes

• Duty and camaraderie: The friends accept a dangerous mission together, with Zhao Manyan’s decision emphasizing loyalty.
• Preparation and hidden danger: The assessment’s public objective masks the Black Vatican threat, requiring caution and investigation.
• Protection and trust: Mo Xie takes responsibility for his teammates and quietly creates a way to monitor Xu Zhaoting.
• Ambition alongside risk: The team aims for first place and the Three-Step Tower, even as the mission may expose them to a deadly enemy.

Plot points and events

• Mo Xie captures the Shadow Demon Beast in a beef warehouse, binding it with ice chains and marking it with a Silver Dragon imprint.
• A message warns him that Xu Zhaoting is in danger. Mo Xie and the beast vanish just before Shen Mingxiao’s group arrives. Shen is frustrated, while Luo Song concludes that the unknown captor’s Ice Element is far stronger than his own.
• At a riverside factory, members of the Black Vatican prepare an ambush. They expect Xu Zhaoting to come looking for the Shadow Demon Beast’s location and insist he must be captured alive.
• Xu arrives with Zhang Lulu after recognizing the Black Vatican’s distinctive stench from the Bo City disaster. He sends Lulu to wait for Mo Xie, then enters the factory alone.
• The cultists spring their trap, surrounding Xu with Black Beast Demons. He fights back with Lightning magic, then summons a Wind Disk tornado as the chapter ends.

Character developments and interactions

• Mo Xie demonstrates control and confidence in capturing the beast, but immediately abandons the scene when he learns Xu is in danger.
• Xu Zhaoting is driven by his hatred of the Black Vatican and determination to investigate them, despite the danger. He acts protectively toward Zhang Lulu, telling her to stay behind and wait for Mo Xie.
• Zhang Lulu is worried about Xu and confused by his sudden determination, but follows his instructions.
• Shen Mingxiao is angry that someone beat him to the Shadow Demon Beast; Luo Song’s assessment unsettles him.
• The Black Vatican agents coordinate carefully, using the beast demons to seal off the factory and capture Xu alive.

Significant themes

• Revenge and trauma: Xu’s memories of the Bo City disaster fuel his pursuit of the Black Vatican.
• Loyalty and protection: Xu tries to keep Zhang Lulu out of harm’s way, while Mo Xie rushes to help him.
• Danger and uncertainty: Xu walks into a carefully prepared ambush, leaving his fate unresolved.
• Power and rivalry: The unknown strength of Mo Xie’s Ice magic shocks Shen Mingxiao and suggests a widening gap among the academy’s mages.

Plot points and events

• Zhang Lulu rushes into the factory before Mo Xie arrives, determined not to leave Xu Zhaoting alone.
• The Black Vatican ambush is led by Hui Yi and his fellow Gray-robed Cultists. Zhang Lulu’s Water Shield disrupts their attack, making her a target.
• Xu Zhaoting saves Lulu from the demons but is badly slashed across the chest. As he collapses, Mo Xie arrives, summoned by the Silver Dragon Mark.
• Mo Xie’s Mind Control blasts the attacking Black Beast Demons across the factory. He treats Xu Zhaoting with a healing potion, then sends him and Lulu to the hospital on Xiao Qing.
• Mo Xie turns back to confront the five cultists, promising to make them suffer.

Character developments

• Zhang Lulu shows courage and loyalty by entering the dangerous factory and trying to protect Zhaoting, despite being outmatched.
• Xu Zhaoting risks his life to save Lulu. His injuries and admission that he feels unable to protect her reveal his vulnerability and devotion.
• Mo Xie arrives just in time, demonstrates formidable new power, and shifts from rescue to a cold, vengeful pursuit of the cultists.

Character interactions

• Lulu’s arrival distracts Zhaoting, but she also saves him momentarily with her Water Shield.
• Zhaoting shields Lulu from the demons and is wounded; she cradles him and begs him to stay conscious.
• Mo Xie reassures them through action: he drives off the demons, treats Zhaoting, and sends both to safety before facing the cultists.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and self-sacrifice: Lulu risks entering the factory, and Zhaoting takes a potentially fatal blow for her.
• Protection and helplessness: The mages’ vulnerability against a swarm contrasts with Mo Xie’s overwhelming power.
• Timely rescue and vengeance: Mo Xie’s arrival prevents further harm, but his promise to torture the cultists signals a darker, retaliatory turn.

Summary: “The Instinct to Kill”

Key plot points and events

• The five Gray-robed Cultists order their Black Beast Demons to attack Mo Xie, but their confidence collapses when his summoned Ice-Scratch Demon Tiger, Little White, reveals its Warrior-Level power.
• Hui Yi orders some demons to distract Little White while the others attack Mo Xie. Mo Xie kills the attackers with a series of lethal abilities: fire magic, telekinetic force, and ice pillars.
• Realizing they are outmatched, the cultists flee in different directions. Mo Xie pursues them and kills three in succession: Hui Wu with his thrown blade Yama, Hui Si with an extended Thunder Whip, and Hui San by crushing him with supernatural force.
• Hui Yi and Hui Er escape farther, but Mo Xie stops them with Giant Shadow Nail: Gemini, which immobilizes both their bodies and minds and prevents them from casting Magic. Mo Xie approaches, intending to make them suffer.

Character developments

• Mo Xie shifts from appearing confident to displaying overwhelming, brutal power. His eerie smile and cold composure contrast with the violence of his attacks; he treats his victims’ deaths as numbered tallies.
• Hui Yi begins as the cultists’ decisive leader, but his plans fail once he discovers Mo Xie’s true strength. He abandons the fight and flees.
• The cultists move rapidly from arrogance to terror, recognizing that their target is far more dangerous than they were told.
• Little White establishes itself as a powerful presence, freezing the front line of demons and forcing the cultists to reassess the battle.

Significant themes

• Predator and prey: The cultists arrive expecting to capture Mo Xie, only to become the hunted.
• Power and fear: Little White’s aura and Mo Xie’s combat abilities turn the attackers’ confidence into panic.
• Cruelty and vengeance: Mo Xie’s deliberate, graphic killings suggest he wants more than simply to stop the cultists; he intends to punish them.
• Control and helplessness: The cultists’ attempts to fight or flee are repeatedly overridden by Mo Xie’s magic.

Character interactions

• Hui Yi commands the cultists and their demons, then orders a split strategy against Little White and Mo Xie.
• Mo Xie’s power forces the cultists into retreat; his cold taunts and stare intensify their fear.
• As Mo Xie kills the fleeing men, the survivors react with disbelief and horror—Hui San calls him a devil.
• Mo Xie finally confronts Hui Yi and Hui Er, immobilizing them and promising that escape will not spare them from suffering.

Plot points

• In a deserted factory, Mo Xie interrogates two Gray-robed Cultists held in place by his Giant Shadow Nail. He tortures Hui Er to death while demanding an answer to a seemingly meaningless math question.
• Mo Xie uses his scarlet eyes and three black tomoe to make Hui Yi reveal the Blue-clothed Deacon’s real name, then burns him alive. He counts the deaths as “four” and “five,” suggesting this is part of a larger tally.
• Afterward, Mo Xie is drawn into a vision of the Queen of the Spider Lily. She urges him to stop, saying she dislikes what he is doing and that it is not who he truly is. The vision snaps him out of his violent state.
• Mo Xie leaves the factory and visits Xu Zhaoting in the hospital. Xu is alive but unconscious; Zhang Lulu is asleep beside him.
• Tang Yue calls with news that the Black Vatican is targeting Mo Xie. He tells her he has killed several cultists and gives her the Blue-clothed Deacon’s real name, allowing the authorities to pursue him.
• Despite Tang Yue urging him to rest, Mo Xie contacts Xiao Fan and arranges to use the Shadow Demon Beast as bait at the Beast-Taming Iron Cage. He plans to move in two hours and continue hunting the remaining cultists.

Character developments and interactions

• Mo Xie shows a frightening, increasingly ruthless side in the factory, treating his captives with calculated cruelty. The Queen’s intervention reveals that this violence conflicts with his sense of self, but he chooses to keep pursuing the Black Vatican.
• Hui Er and Hui Yi are terrified and powerless before Mo Xie. Hui Er dies under torture; Hui Yi gives up the Deacon’s name under magical compulsion and is then burned alive.
• The Queen of the Spider Lily addresses Mo Xie with unexpected tenderness, acting as a conscience or emotional anchor that briefly restores his composure.
• Tang Yue expresses genuine concern for Mo Xie and is excited by the intelligence he provides. Her offer of a reward briefly lifts his spirits.
• Xu Zhaoting and Zhang Lulu appear only briefly: Xu remains in critical condition but survives, while Zhang stays by his bedside.

Significant themes

• Vengeance and moral deterioration: Mo Xie’s hunt for the cultists pushes him toward cruelty and risks changing who he is.
• Conscience and restraint: The Queen’s plea suggests a struggle between Mo Xie’s violent impulses and his former self.
• Duty versus rest: Though exhausted and urged to stop, Mo Xie prioritizes finishing the hunt.
• Fear and power: The cultists’ terror underscores how completely the balance of power has shifted in Mo Xie’s favor.

Key plot points and events

• A blue-cloaked man, a powerful enemy, learns that his subordinates have disappeared and suspects Mo Fan has captured the Shadow Demon Beast. He hears that Mo Fan has publicly announced a midnight meeting at the Beast-Taming Iron Cage.
• His ally is exposed as a Blue-clothed Deacon when the Judgment Hall attacks. The ally suspects Mo Fan uncovered his identity through a subordinate, despite a Forget Worm meant to prevent the name from being revealed. (Mo Fan’s Sharingan Genjutsu bypassed and even controlled the worm.)
• The ally promises to hold off the Judgment Hall for two hours and orders the blue-cloaked man to capture Mo Fan before then. The man accepts and heads out.
• Mo Fan’s provocative campus-forum post—featuring a photo of the Shadow Demon Beast under the Ghost Wolf Beast’s control—spreads widely. Students converge on the remote Beast-Taming Iron Cage, hoping to seize the beast.
• Mu Nujiao and Ai Tutu watch from hiding. Mu worries about Mo Xie, who has been missing and not answering her messages, and suspects the post may be part of a larger plan.
• Mo Fan and Zhao Manyan arrive at the plaza, where a huge crowd has gathered. Mo Fan cheerfully acknowledges the spectators.

Character developments and interactions

• The blue-cloaked man shifts from confidence to alarm when his ally is exposed, then turns his fear into aggression and resolves to attack Mo Fan.
• The exposed deacon is forced onto the defensive and chooses to buy time for his ally, showing his determination to keep their plan alive.
• Mu Nujiao reveals personal concern for Mo Xie, while holding back from contacting him because she feels she has no right to question him.
• Ai Tutu questions Mo Fan’s judgment and speculates that the post is a prank; Mu remains cautious and waits to see what happens.
• Mo Fan and Zhao Manyan arrive openly despite the crowd, with Mo Fan appearing relaxed and self-assured. The gathering also draws attention to the mystery of Mo Xie’s whereabouts.

Significant themes

• Bait and counter-traps: Mo Fan’s public challenge appears designed to lure enemies and students into the open.
• Secrecy and exposure: The Forget Worm fails to protect the deacon’s identity, showing that the enemy’s safeguards can be turned against them.
• Trust and unspoken concern: Mu’s worry for Mo Xie is clear, but her doubts about her own standing keep her from reaching out.
• Performance and misdirection: Mo Fan’s cheerful, boastful public image may conceal a deliberate strategy.

Key plot points

• Mo Fan faces a crowd gathered around the captured Shadow Demon Beast. To create the chaos his brother wanted, he delivers a seemingly heartfelt apology for taking everyone’s Cultivation Resources at the Freshman Assembly.
• His apology briefly wins over some students, but Mo Fan reveals his real plan: he will give the beast away at random, making its recipient a target in the scramble to enter the Three-Step Tower.
• He singles out Bai Cangfeng, offering him the beast as an apology for striking him with lightning. The crowd immediately surges toward Bai and the creature.
• The fight escalates as Wang Liting’s Bone Gnawing Demon attacks rivals and Guan Yi’s Thunderbolt strikes it down. Zhao Manyan joins the disorder by unleashing Raging Waves: Repel, flooding the square; other Water Element students follow, and the crowd turns on them.
• With the melee threatening serious injury, Dean Xiao orders the Night Ruler Array activated. It plunges the area into darkness and suppresses the students’ ability to cast magic.
• Mo Xie discovers that the Shadow Element array does not hinder him—in fact, it strengthens him. With this key stage of the plan achieved, he slips away in the darkness.

Character developments and interactions

• Mo Fan pretends to be remorseful, but uses the apology to manipulate the crowd and spark a brawl. His apparent generosity toward Bai Cangfeng is really a way to shift the danger onto him.
• Zhao Manyan supports Mo Fan’s plan, first by joining the fight and then by encouraging the Water Element students to eliminate rivals.
• Bai Cangfeng is stunned by Mo Fan’s public “gift,” recognizing that accepting the beast makes him a target.
• Mu Nujiao and Ai Tutu see through Mo Fan’s uncharacteristic display of sincerity and suspect he is acting strangely.
• Dean Xiao, prompted by Zhou Zhenghua’s concern that students may die, intervenes with the array.

Significant themes

• Deception and manipulation: Mo Fan’s apology and gift are tactics disguised as kindness.
• Competition and self-interest: The chance to enter the Three-Step Tower quickly turns students against one another.
• Chaos as strategy: Mo Fan deliberately exploits the crowd’s greed and rivalries to create a distraction.
• Power and opportunity: The Night Ruler Array is a threat to most students but an advantage for Mo Xie because of his Shadow Element.

Key plot points and events

• The Night Ruler Array divides the students’ battlefield into isolated pockets of darkness. It suppresses ordinary students’ magic but leaves Dark Creatures unaffected, making them harder to fight.
• Song Xia reveals that she marked the Shadow Demon Beast with magic and can track it, giving Bai Cangfeng’s group a way to pursue it.
• Mo Xie checks in with Mo Fan, warns him that Black Vatican members and Black Beast Demons will exploit the array, and urges him to protect himself. Mo Fan vows not to let them escape; his Shadow Element gives him an advantage in the darkness.
• Two Black Vatican students plan to harass Mo Xie and drain his Magic Energy. They discover that two Black Beast Demons have been pinned to a tree by invisible-looking nails. One student is caught in Mo Xie’s scarlet, three-tomoe gaze and apparently compelled to kill his companion; Mo Xie then kills the remaining student and both demons.

Character developments and interactions

• Bai Tingting rejects Bai Cangfeng’s offer of protection, choosing instead to rely on Song Xia. She does not hate her cousin, but wishes he would change his attitude.
• Bai Cangfeng is hurt and resentful at Tingting’s distance, and blames Mo Xie for influencing her.
• Song Xia shows both confidence and warmth: she tracks the beast, teases and affectionately embraces Bai Tingting, and intervenes to ease the tension between the cousins. Zhuang Lifeng remains devoted to her, though she has already rejected him.
• Mo Xie recognizes Bai Tingting from the earlier demon incident and, knowing of her family connection to him, decides to keep an eye on her. He and Mo Fan coordinate against the Black Vatican.
• Mo Fan is determined to confront the threat, while Mo Xie demonstrates lethal control over enemies in the darkness.

Significant themes

• Darkness as both hazard and advantage: The array endangers ordinary students while empowering Mo Xie and Mo Fan’s Shadow Element.
• Family bonds and strained relationships: Bai Tingting’s changed relationship with Bai Cangfeng contrasts with the closer, carefully concealed connection between her and Mo Xie.
• Hidden threats and manipulation: The Black Vatican uses the confusion to move among the students, while Mo Xie’s mysterious gaze can control an enemy before striking.
• Trust and protection: Tingting chooses Song Xia’s support over her cousin’s, revealing that care alone cannot repair a relationship without changes in behavior.

Key plot points and events

• Leng Qing coordinates a citywide operation against the Black Vatican. With the group’s members nearly exposed, she heads toward Pearl Academy after Night Hawk reports finding a target in Jiangbei and activates a Light Shine marker. She also promises Tang Yue to protect Mo Xie, who is pursuing another hidden Blue-clothed Deacon.
• At Pearl Academy’s Dark Maze, Song Xia’s group follows the Shadow Demon Beast and runs into a huge pack of Black Beast Demons. Bai Cangfeng attacks with Wind magic, provoking the creatures, while Zhuang Lifeng’s Plant magic fails to block them completely. The group is forced to retreat.
• A Black Beast Demon threatens Bai Tingting, but Mo Xie appears and saves her. He urges the others to leave, then stays behind to face the swarm.
• Mo Xie’s Crimson Flame Fist proves unaffected by Night Ruler’s suppression. He burns through the Black Beast Demons, leaving a heap of charred remains, then disappears into the night. Song Xia returns, witnesses his power, and is captivated.

Character developments and interactions

• Leng Qing shows confidence as a leader and protective concern for Mo Xie, whom she regards as a younger brother. She entrusts Night Hawk with the mission while pursuing her own target.
• Mo Xie acts decisively and selflessly: he rescues Bai Tingting, sends the others to safety, and single-handedly clears the monster swarm. His extraordinary fire magic is highlighted.
• Bai Tingting is frightened and vulnerable during the attack, but her affection for Mo Xie is evident when he saves her. She worries about him even as she leaves.
• Song Xia takes charge during the crisis and prioritizes the group’s safety. After seeing Mo Xie fight, her practical concern turns into strong admiration and attraction.
• Bai Cangfeng recklessly provokes the monsters, then feels conflicted when Mo Xie saves his cousin: he resents Mo Xie but recognizes the debt.
• Zhuang Lifeng tries to contain the creatures with Plant magic, but the spell is insufficient against their numbers.

Significant themes

• Courage and self-sacrifice: Mo Xie stays behind so the others can escape.
• Power under pressure: His flames remain devastating even in an environment that suppresses other magic.
• Trust and responsibility: Leng Qing relies on Night Hawk and worries about Mo Xie’s dangerous plans.
• Admiration and attraction: Mo Xie’s rescue and strength deepen Bai Tingting’s attachment and awaken Song Xia’s romantic interest.

Key plot points

• The Shadow Demon Beast, apparently under someone’s control, is escorted toward the Beast-Taming Iron Cage by four Black Beast Demons. Its Silver Dragon Mark lets Mo Xie track it through Night Ruler’s domain.
• Mo Xie continues pursuing the beast while marking a tree so he and Mo Fan can find each other again. He is also trying to secure first place in the assessment and win access to the Three-Step Tower, especially after Xu Zhaoting’s injury.
• Mo Xie finds what seems to be the sleeping Shadow Demon Beast in a familiar forest, then realizes the scene is an illusion and a trap.
• A huge gate drops shut, sealing him inside the reinforced Beast-Taming Iron Cage. Mo Xie tests the bars and uses Palm Thunder to blast through several trees, but remains trapped.
• The Blue-clothed Deacon reveals himself. He admits he used the Shadow Demon Beast to lure Mo Xie into the cage and threatens to turn him into a Cursed Beast Demon, hoping to torment Salang.
• Mo Xie is relieved to learn the attack was not ordered by Aunt Ye. His relief gives way to fury as he condemns the Deacon and prepares to face him.

Character developments and interactions

• Mo Xie shows confidence and resourcefulness: he relies on the Silver Dragon Mark to track the beast, leaves a signal for Mo Fan, and quickly recognizes the trap. His concern about Aunt Ye’s possible involvement gives way to certainty—and anger—once the Deacon speaks.
• The Blue-clothed Deacon is revealed as the mastermind behind this ambush. He is cruel, boastful, and eager to use Mo Xie as a weapon against Salang.
• Mo Xie and the Deacon meet directly for the first time in this confrontation. The Deacon treats Mo Xie as a captive; Mo Xie answers with defiance and open hostility.

Significant themes

• Deception and perception: An illusion exploits Mo Xie’s familiarity with the forest, showing that even a skilled hunter can be caught off guard.
• Manipulation and control: The Shadow Demon Beast’s puppet-like behavior and its use as bait reflect the Black Vatican’s willingness to control people and creatures alike.
• Loyalty and moral certainty: Mo Xie’s worry about Aunt Ye’s involvement underscores his trust in her; discovering the Deacon acted independently strengthens his resolve against the Black Vatican.

Plot points and events

• The Blue-clothed Deacon summons four Cursed Beast Demons—humans tortured into monstrous creatures—and brings in twenty ordinary Black Beast Demons to attack Mo Xie inside the Beast-Taming Iron Cage.
• Mo Xie recognizes that the Cursed Beast Demons are powerful Warrior-level opponents, while the Deacon is an Advanced Mage with the Shadow Element. He realizes he may have underestimated the trap but stays composed.
• Mo Xie asks how the Deacon plans to escape the cage, then reveals he has his own way out. He claims he deliberately drew the Deacon out to kill him and avenge the suffering inflicted on the victims.
• As the monsters charge, Mo Xie summons Little White, Xiao Qing, and Little Thunder. Little White and Xiao Qing unleash a blizzard that halts the attackers.
• The Deacon is stunned to see Mo Xie use Dimensional Summoning and realizes he can wield multiple elements. He also recognizes Little Thunder as a rare elemental spirit and begins coveting it.

Character developments and interactions

• Mo Xie remains calm despite being outnumbered, concealing his concern and confronting the Deacon with confidence. His anger at the Cursed Beast Demons’ suffering—and the possibility that Xu Zhaoting might have suffered the same fate—drives his desire for revenge. His abilities prove far greater than the Deacon expected.
• The Blue-clothed Deacon shifts from smug cruelty to surprise and then renewed greed. He orders the demons to attack Mo Xie, but his interest in Little Thunder suggests he sees the confrontation as an opportunity to advance his own position.
• The Cursed Beast Demons embody the Deacon’s brutality: tortured and transformed through hatred, they are controlled by him and directed to attack Mo Xie.
• Mo Xie and the Deacon trade taunts and challenges; the Deacon assumes Mo Xie is trapped, while Mo Xie insists he has planned for a way out.

Significant themes

• Cruelty and dehumanization: The Black Vatican creates Cursed Beast Demons by torturing people until their resentment transforms them.
• Revenge and compassion: Mo Xie’s anger comes not only from personal hatred but from empathy for the victims and concern for Xu Zhaoting.
• Hidden strength and misjudgment: The Deacon repeatedly underestimates Mo Xie, whose unexpected abilities change the balance of the fight.
• Greed and ambition: The Deacon’s fascination with Little Thunder reveals that power and status remain central to his motives.

Plot points and events

• Black Tiger learns that the Judgment Hall has nearly destroyed the Black Vatican’s presence in the Demon Domain. He agrees to withdraw if he cannot finish Mo Xie within ten minutes, but decides to end the fight quickly.
• Using the Psychic Element, Black Tiger casts Rage and Fearlessness on the Cursed Beast Demons and Black Beast Demons, making them more aggressive and removing their fear of Mo Xie’s companions.
• The four Cursed Beast Demons engage Mo Xie’s three summoned beasts while another charges Mo Xie with twenty Black Beast Demons:
  • Little White battles one strengthened demon, initially struggling against its reckless aggression.
  • Xiao Qing fights another with agile flying and wind blades.
  • Little Thunder harasses his opponent with lightning and evades attacks by retreating into his small world.
• Black Tiger interrupts Mo Xie’s attempt to cast a lightning spell with Mind Shock, then the Cursed Beast Demon closes in and strikes at him.

Character developments

• Black Tiger drops his earlier patience and reveals how effectively he can use the Psychic Element to strengthen his forces and disrupt Mo Xie’s magic. Under pressure to escape, he becomes more ruthless.
• Mo Xie recognizes the threat of Black Tiger’s psychic abilities, but is caught off guard when his spell is interrupted.
• Little White responds to being pushed back by drawing on his pride and battle spirit, spreading his Cold Aura to make the ground more favorable for him.
• Xiao Qing demonstrates aerial agility and skill with wind attacks, while Little Thunder uses his lightning and unusual ability to evade attacks to keep his opponent at a disadvantage.

Significant themes

• The force of resolve: Little White refuses to yield, turning a difficult fight into a contest of pride and determination.
• Teamwork and complementary abilities: Each summoned beast uses its distinctive strengths, even as the opponents’ psychic enhancements complicate the battle.
• Control and disruption: Black Tiger’s Psychic Element shifts the balance not just by increasing aggression, but by removing fear and preventing Mo Xie from casting spells.
• Pressure and urgency: The ten-minute deadline and the collapsing Black Vatican operation push Black Tiger toward a decisive, dangerous attack.

Character interactions

• Black Tiger receives an urgent update from a fellow deacon, then negotiates for ten more minutes to defeat Mo Xie.
• Black Tiger’s psychic spells alter the demons’ behavior and turn them against Mo Xie’s group with renewed ferocity.
• Little White, Xiao Qing, and Little Thunder each confront a separate Cursed Beast Demon, while Mo Xie faces the remaining demon and its Black Beast Demon support.
• Black Tiger exploits Mo Xie’s interrupted spell to give the charging demon an opening for a close-range attack.

Key plot points and events

• The Cursed Beast Demon attacks Mo Xie, but he dodges its first strike and blocks the next with Yama, revealing the demon’s exceptional strength.
• Mo Xie uses Mind Control to knock the demon back, then devastates the Black Beast Demons with powerful Fire and Lightning spells.
• Black Tiger tries to interrupt Mo Xie’s casting with Mind Shock, but Mo Xie’s Air Shield blocks it. Mo Xie taunts him and counters with Thunderbolt: Wild Dance.
• A barrage of violet-black lightning obliterates the Black Beast Demons and eventually kills the Cursed Beast Demon, leaving the battlefield shattered and blood-soaked.
• Black Tiger reveals his Curse Element and casts Fear Haze. Instead of trapping Mo Xie, however, Black Tiger himself is caught in a spell and collapses into darkness, where a sinister pair of red eyes appears.

Character developments

• Mo Xie demonstrates quick reflexes, tactical adaptability, powerful magic, and confidence. His strong Mental Strength lets him resist Black Tiger’s interference, while his spell mastery and violet-black Lightning overwhelm even a Warrior-level demon.
• Black Tiger shifts from contempt to shock and unease as Mo Xie exceeds his expectations. His final attempt to use Fear Haze backfires, leaving him vulnerable.
• The Cursed Beast Demon proves tougher than ordinary Black Beast Demons, surviving one Thunderbolt before being focused down by repeated strikes.

Significant themes

• Power and mastery: Mo Xie’s advanced spell tiers and elemental strength turn the tide decisively.
• Adaptation and counterplay: He changes spells mid-cast to defeat Black Tiger’s interruption and protects himself with a timely shield.
• Overconfidence and reversal: Black Tiger believes his curse attack has succeeded, only to become its apparent victim.
• Destructive spectacle: The escalating magic transforms the fight into a scene of overwhelming devastation.

Character interactions

• Mo Xie and the Cursed Beast Demon clash directly, with Mo Xie first defending himself and then overpowering it.
• Black Tiger repeatedly tries to disrupt and intimidate Mo Xie; Mo Xie responds by blocking his Psychic attack and mocking him.
• Black Tiger’s Fear Haze appears to reverse onto its caster, leaving the confrontation on a cliffhanger as Mo Xie—or another force—seems to turn the curse against him.

Plot points and events

• Black Tiger casts Fear Haze on Mo Xie, but Mo Xie’s three-Tomoe Sharingan turns the illusion back on him. Black Tiger breaks free, only to be struck by Mo Xie’s Heaven-Shaking Fierce Fist. He escapes the direct blow with Shadow Escape but is badly burned.
• Black Tiger retaliates with Evil Spider Trap · Soul Erasure, a Curse Element spell that sends a supernatural spider and its soul-erasing silk after Mo Xie.
• Mo Xie’s Sharingan appears to distort and absorb the silk, then destroys the spider entirely. The spell’s destruction severely injures Black Tiger’s soul.
• Black Tiger realizes his Shadow, Psychic, and Curse magic are ineffective against Mo Xie, leaving his three Cursed Beast Demons as his main remaining weapons.
• One demon attacks Mo Xie with a claw-shaped blade and wounds his arm. Mo Xie freezes its legs with Ice Vine, then fires Ice Bullets that explode inside it. Already weakened by Little Thunder’s lightning, the demon dies.

Character developments

• Mo Xie remains strikingly calm under pressure and gains confidence in the Sharingan’s ability to counter Black Tiger’s Curse magic, though he is unsure how it works. He adapts quickly, combining his own magic with Little Thunder’s help.
• Black Tiger shifts from confidence to fear and frustration as his strongest techniques fail and his soul is damaged. He is forced to depend on his Cursed Beast Demons.
• Little Thunder continues to support Mo Xie, warning him of the demon’s surprise attack and having already weakened it with lightning.

Significant themes

• The Sharingan’s growing power and ability to counter unfamiliar magic.
• Adaptability and tactical thinking in combat, especially when a fighter’s primary abilities are neutralized.
• The contrast between Black Tiger’s increasingly desperate aggression and Mo Xie’s composure.

Character interactions

• Mo Xie turns Black Tiger’s Fear Haze against him, then dismisses Black Tiger’s Curse magic after destroying his trap.
• Black Tiger attempts to overwhelm Mo Xie with increasingly dangerous spells, but each effort worsens his position.
• Little Thunder’s warning helps Mo Xie survive the demon’s attack, and Mo Xie finishes the creature with Ice magic after its initial strike wounds him.

Plot points and events

• Black Tiger orders his remaining Cursed Beast Demons to kill Mo Xie, boosting them with Mind Ripple spells.
• One demon charges Mo Xie with a whirlwind of claw blades. Mo Xie counters with Sky Breaker and survives the impact thanks to his Armor Magic Tool.
• He follows with Earth Brake, but the demon dodges by leaping. Mo Xie traps it in Ice Lock, breaks its limbs, and finishes it with piercing Frost chains.
• Little White battles the strongest demon. Mo Xie uses an enhanced Giant Shadow Nail technique—six shadow swords that pierce the demon’s body and soul—giving Little White the opening to kill it.
• With all the Cursed Beast Demons dead, Mo Xie turns his attention to the Blue-clothed Deacon. The Night Ruler formation collapses, exposing the area and removing Black Tiger’s cover. He flees as Mo Xie calls out to merge with Little Thunder.

Character developments and interactions

• Mo Xie demonstrates quick defensive instincts, tactical adaptability, and increasingly powerful control over fire, ice, and shadow magic. His reaction to the grisome deaths is restrained, though he shows disgust.
• Little White holds its own against the strongest demon and finishes it when Mo Xie’s shadow attack immobilizes it.
• Black Tiger grows increasingly desperate as his demons fall. Realizing the formation has vanished and his identity may be exposed, he abandons the fight and escapes.
• Mo Xie and Little White work in tandem: Mo Xie creates openings and disables enemies, while Little White delivers the killing blows.

Significant themes

• Escalating power and ingenuity: Mo Xie combines different forms of magic and adapts quickly when his attacks fail.
• Teamwork: Coordination between Mo Xie and Little White proves decisive.
• Desperation and retreat: Black Tiger’s confidence collapses as he loses his last hope and is forced to flee.

Key plot points and events

• Black Tiger flees through the Beast-Taming Iron Cage after realizing Mo Xie is far more powerful than he expected. He tries to contact White Wolf, but gets no response and concludes the other Blue-clothed Deacon has been captured.
• Near the cage’s exit, Mo Xie’s summoned beast, Mo Xie, strikes Black Tiger with lightning, blasting off his left arm and disrupting his escape.
• Mo Xie pursues him, enjoying the reversal in their roles: he had once been the hunted, but now Black Tiger is his prey.
• Black Tiger uses Giant Shadow Nail: Rising Thorn, sending a mass of Shadow Sword Nails at Mo Xie. Mo Xie appears trapped, but throws Yama as a distraction and teleports past the attack.
• Mo Xie pierces Black Tiger through the chest with a lightning-wreathed hand, seemingly killing him.

Character development

• Black Tiger shifts from confidence to fear and desperation as his plan collapses. His concern that White Wolf has been captured makes him realize the Black Vatican’s city network may be compromised.
• Mo Xie displays not only overwhelming power but also cold confidence and tactical ingenuity. He savors the hunt, then acts decisively to end it.

Significant themes

• The hunter becomes the hunted: Mo Xie turns the earlier power dynamic against Black Tiger.
• Fear and the collapse of certainty: Black Tiger’s assumptions about what an Intermediate Mage can do prove disastrously wrong.
• Strategy as well as strength: Mo Xie defeats the shadow attack through a calculated feint and teleportation, not brute force alone.

Character interactions

• Black Tiger tries to reach White Wolf for help, but the silence confirms his isolation.
• Mo Xie and Black Tiger engage in a desperate pursuit and counterattack: Black Tiger attempts to escape and then ambush Mo Xie, while Mo Xie anticipates his defenses and closes in for the fatal strike.

Plot points and events

• Mo Xie kills a Black Vatican Blue-clothed Deacon inside the Beast-Taming Iron Cage, using Chidori, the Sharingan, and a teleportation ability to win despite his injuries.
• The battle leaves several monsters and enemies dead. Mo Xie concludes that the Black Vatican’s operation at the academy has been effectively dismantled, though the Judgment Hall will still need to arrest the remaining members.
• Mu Nujiao and Ai Tutu arrive during the aftermath and find Mo Xie wounded beside the corpses. Ai Tutu bombards him with questions, while Mu Nujiao urges her to let him rest.
• More students gather. Bai Tingting uses her Intermediate Healing Sprite magic to remove the curse on Mo Xie’s claw wounds and restore him; an older student opens the cage.
• Dean Xiao confirms that the Black Vatican infiltrated Pearl Academy and publicly credits Mo Xie with defeating its forces and saving the school. He awards Mo Xie’s team first place in the Main Campus assessment for returning the Shadow Demon Beast to its cage.

Character developments and interactions

• Mo Xie reflects on Chidori’s power and limitations, recognizing that the Sharingan helps him aim at high speed and that teleportation can make him difficult to counter. The fight gives him valuable experience, but leaves him exhausted and seriously injured.
• Ai Tutu shows open concern for Mo Xie, while Mu Nujiao is more composed and attentive to the danger around them. Bai Tingting treats his wounds and tries to keep him resting; Mo Xie remains independent and asks instead for help opening the cage.
• Song Xia recalls Mo Xie’s earlier bravery and feels newly attracted to him. The four women’s concern and admiration draw jealous looks from nearby boys.
• Dean Xiao’s praise shifts the crowd’s view of Mo Xie from a wounded student to the hero who stopped the infiltration.

Significant themes

• Courage and protection: Mo Xie risks himself to protect the academy and its students.
• Power and its limits: New abilities are potent but require control, precision, and tactical judgment.
• Recognition and admiration: Mo Xie’s actions earn public respect and deepen others’ personal interest in him.
• Institutional failure and responsibility: Dean Xiao acknowledges that the Black Vatican’s presence reflects a failure to protect the students.