Chapter Summaries

Plot points and events

• At the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, Tang San studies the rare Immortal Herbs. He warns that each herb must be chosen and prepared according to the person; the wrong one could be deadly.
• Bai Jin jokes with Dugu Bo and the others, while Tang San considers using the herbs to strengthen himself. Zhu Zhuqing is told to wait until she has obtained her third Soul Ring before choosing an herb.
• Bai Jin discovers a tracking insect near the valley. The group suspects the Ghost Face Society is following them for the Blue Silver Emperor’s blood and the garden’s herbs.
• The group leaves the valley to find Zhu Zhuqing a suitable Soul Ring and deal with their pursuers. Tang San plans to assess everyone’s compatibility before anyone takes an Immortal Herb.
• In Sunset Forest, the group encounters signs of a Shadow Leopard. Bai Jin frames the hunt as a lesson for Zhu Zhuqing: she should not merely win, but “win beautifully.”

Character development and interactions

• Tang San shows careful judgment and responsibility, prioritizing his companions’ safety over quick gains. Bai Jin trusts him to manage the herbs, easing the pressure he feels.
• Bai Jin remains playful but dependable, taking charge of the danger while leaving planning to Tang San. His confidence reassures the group.
• Zhu Zhuqing is determined to earn her Soul Ring on her own terms. Dai Mubai recognizes that supporting her means becoming strong enough to stand beside her, not taking over her path.
• Dai Mubai begins to rethink what it means to protect Zhu Zhuqing; Xiao Wu quietly supports Tang San, while the others respond to Bai Jin’s banter and authority.

Significant themes

• Caution and responsibility: Great power and rare opportunities require knowledge, patience, and careful preparation.
• Growth through self-reliance: Zhu Zhuqing’s challenge is to forge her own path, while Dai Mubai must grow without overshadowing her.
• Trust and complementary roles: Bai Jin handles threats, Tang San plans, and the group relies on each other’s strengths.
• Preparation amid danger: The promise of Immortal Herbs is tempered by an active threat from the Ghost Face Society and the risks of the forest.

Plot and key events

• In Sunset Forest, Zhu Zhuqing identifies a roughly 2,700-year-old Shadow Leopard as the target for her third Soul Ring. Though Dai Mubai worries, Bai Jin insists she must face the challenge herself.
• Zhu Zhuqing fights the leopard, but three Ghost Face Society Soul Masters interfere, using a censer to enrage it. The group responds: Tang San directs the others, Ning Rongrong boosts Zhu Zhuqing’s speed, Xiao Wu cuts off an enemy, and Dai Mubai holds the attackers back.
• When the leopard traps Zhu Zhuqing, Bai Jin briefly slows its paw with his power. She uses the opening to kill it herself and successfully absorbs its Soul Ring, reaching Level 31.
• Zhu Zhuqing reveals her new Third Soul Skill, Netherworld Slash, a rapid three-part claw attack.
• Bai Jin captures the intruders and learns they were hired from Slaughter City to obtain Tang San’s Blue Silver Emperor blood and the location of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. The unknown buyer offered the Ghost God Guide. Dugu Bo takes the captives for questioning.
• The group resumes its journey toward the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, now aware that a larger threat is pursuing them.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhu Zhuqing demonstrates independence, composure, and growing combat skill. She admits her real fear is being too slow, and earns her breakthrough through her own effort.
• Dai Mubai restrains himself from intervening, respecting Zhu Zhuqing’s need to fight for herself; his concern remains evident.
• Bai Jin supports without taking over: he gives Zhu Zhuqing only the brief help needed to survive, then encourages her. He also protects the group, captures the attackers, and urges Tang San to grow strong before pursuing answers.
• Tang San takes charge during the ambush. The mention of his bloodline deeply unsettles him, while Xiao Wu also reacts to the reference to bloodline.
• Ning Rongrong contributes a crucial speed boost and jokingly asks for recognition; Bai Jin rewards her too. The group’s banter briefly eases the tension.
• Dugu Bo takes the captives, taking the threat to Tang San—and the intrusion near his Medicine Garden—seriously.

Significant themes

• Growth through self-reliance: Zhu Zhuqing must face danger and earn her advancement herself.
• Support without taking away agency: Bai Jin and the others help at critical moments without replacing her effort.
• Strength and answers: Tang San is urged to become powerful enough to uncover who is targeting him.
• A widening threat: The attempt to obtain Tang San’s blood and locate the well suggests a larger conspiracy beyond the immediate forest encounter.

Key plot points and events

• Returning to Dugu Bo’s Medicine Garden at night, Tang San decides the Shrek students are ready to absorb Immortal Herbs. He assigns each one a herb suited to their Martial Soul or needs:
  • Dai Mubai receives the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum.
  • Oscar gets the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid.
  • Ma Hongjun takes the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower to control his Evil Fire.
  • Ning Rongrong receives the Aromatic Silk Beauty.
  • Zhu Zhuqing gets the Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone to stabilize her recent breakthrough.
• Xiao Wu touches the Lovesick Heartbreak Red, which responds to her sincere feelings for Tang San. She keeps the flower rather than eating it; Tang San understands the moment but says nothing.
• Tang San takes the opposing Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and Infernal Delicate Apricot, then enters the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well to temper his body. Enduring extreme pain, he breaks through to Level 35 and emerges with stronger meridians, muscles, bones, and resistance to poison.
• The other Shrek students absorb their herbs through the night. Ning Rongrong’s Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda glows with the hint of an eighth tier, surprising Bai Jin.

Character developments

• Tang San demonstrates resolve and trust in his companions, risking severe pain to grow stronger. His breakthrough confirms the transformation’s success.
• Xiao Wu reveals the depth of her devotion through the Lovesick Heartbreak Red, while remaining protective and anxious about Tang San.
• Zhu Zhuqing remains quiet and focused after her Soul Ring breakthrough; her herb further refines her already controlled, elusive aura.
• Dai Mubai, Oscar, Ma Hongjun, and Ning Rongrong each begin a tailored physical or Martial Soul transformation. Ma Hongjun’s absorption is especially volatile, while Ning Rongrong’s appears particularly remarkable.
• Bai Jin supports the group with teasing humor but watches their development closely. He recognizes that accelerating their growth may alter the future, yet accepts the consequences.
• Dugu Bo remains outwardly gruff, but Tang San’s survival and transformation impress him.

Significant themes

• Growth through danger and discipline: Tang San’s ordeal and the students’ herb absorption show that strength demands risk and perseverance.
• Care expressed in different ways: Dai Mubai quietly comforts Zhu Zhuqing; Xiao Wu worries over Tang San; Bai Jin offers reassurance through humor.
• Love and sincerity: The Lovesick Heartbreak Red responds not to power but to Xiao Wu’s genuine feelings.
• Fate versus choice: Bai Jin rejects passive submission to destiny and chooses to prepare the children for whatever conflicts lie ahead.

Character interactions

• Tang San guides each student personally, while Bai Jin and Dugu Bo trade barbed remarks around the preparations.
• Xiao Wu and Tang San share a wordless moment over the flower, then she rushes to support him after his ordeal.
• Bai Jin reassures Tang San before he enters the spring and jokes with him afterward; Dugu Bo examines him and reluctantly acknowledges the result.
• Bai Jin observes and comments on each student’s transformation, ending with a teasing prediction that Ning Rongrong’s apparent progress will upset someone the next day.

Key plot points

• The Immortal Herbs’ effects transform the Shrek students through a night of cultivation.
• Dai Mubai reaches level 40 and becomes ready to hunt for his fourth Soul Ring. Oscar rises to level 35, Ma Hongjun to level 35, and Zhu Zhuqing to level 34. Xiao Wu advances to just short of level 34 but keeps the Lovesick Heartbreak Red unused.
• Ning Rongrong’s Aromatic Silk Beauty evolves her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda—a breakthrough that overturns her sect’s long-standing limit. She reaches level 36.
• Ning Fengzhi, Sword Douluo Chen Xin, and Bone Douluo Gu Rong arrive and witness the transformation. Ning Fengzhi is deeply moved and grateful to Bai Jin, though Bai Jin deflects his attempt to bow.
• The group decides to publicize the new pagoda through Rongrong’s tournament battles rather than hide it. Bai Jin argues that she must learn to handle being targeted.
• Tang San recommends a suitable Soul Beast for Dai Mubai’s fourth ring. The group chooses Shattered Stone Ridge and prepares to leave.

Character developments and interactions

• Ning Rongrong shows growing resolve: despite her emotional reaction to the breakthrough, she promises to train harder and accepts the possibility of becoming a target.
• Ning Fengzhi sees that his sheltered daughter has begun to mature, and understands why Bai Jin values life among the Shrek group.
• Bai Jin continues to guide the students with blunt humor and confidence, while refusing formal thanks or deference. His teasing keeps the group’s celebrations lively.
• Dai Mubai is eager for his fourth ring and shares a renewed, hopeful look with Zhu Zhuqing; she meets his gaze rather than turning away.
• Ma Hongjun’s Evil Fire becomes controlled Phoenix Flame, giving him greater command of his power. The others joke with him, and the shared laughter lifts the mood.
• Dugu Bo, though initially protective of his garden, recognizes that the herbs have found worthy recipients and helps advise the group.

Significant themes

• Transformation and potential: The herbs bring out strengths suited to each student, while Rongrong’s evolution reshapes her sect’s future.
• Growth through hardship: Rongrong’s willingness to face attention and danger reflects the group’s increasing maturity.
• Found family and camaraderie: Teasing, trust, and shared purpose distinguish Shrek’s informal bonds from the rigid formality of powerful institutions.
• Facing the spotlight: The group accepts that greater strength also brings greater danger, and chooses preparation over concealment.

Key plot points and events

• Shrek returns to Sunset Forest to find Dai Mubai a fourth Soul Ring. Tang San tracks down a roughly 4,800-year-old Star-Patterned Tiger at Shattered Stone Ridge.
• The team works together to defeat it: Dai Mubai takes the lead, while Tang San, Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, Xiao Wu, and Ma Hongjun support him with binding, attacks, boosts, and control of the battlefield.
• Three Ghost Face Society Soul Masters ambush Ning Rongrong, but Bai Jin effortlessly throws them aside without interrupting the hunt.
• Dai Mubai withstands the tiger’s final attacks and defeats it. After a difficult absorption, he reaches level 41 and gains his fourth Soul Skill, White Tiger Meteor Shower.
• A message from Qian Daoliu summons Bai Jin back to Spirit City within three days. Bai Jin decides to leave after dinner.
• At a celebratory meal, the group relaxes while Ning Fengzhi discusses the political consequences of Ning Rongrong’s new Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda with Chen Xin and Gu Rong.
• Before leaving, Bai Jin tells Tang San to prepare for the Ghost Face Society without relying on him, asks Xiao Wu to keep Tang San from carrying every burden alone, and gives Tang San a map of safe forest routes and training areas.

Character developments

• Dai Mubai proves his growth through discipline and teamwork, not just strength. He earns his fourth ring and gains confidence as a Soul Ancestor.
• Ning Rongrong demonstrates battlefield maturity, maintaining her support role even during an attempted ambush. Her transformed pagoda also makes her increasingly important to her sect and the wider political landscape.
• Tang San recognizes that he must become capable of confronting the Ghost Face Society and the secrets connected to his Blue Silver Emperor blood himself.
• Xiao Wu remains protective of Tang San, while keeping her own secrets hidden.
• Bai Jin continues to act as Shrek’s powerful protector and mentor, but makes clear that the students must eventually stand on their own.
• Dugu Bo gruffly looks after Tang San and the group despite pretending to be annoyed by them.

Significant themes

• Teamwork over individual glory: Dai Mubai succeeds because each teammate contributes at the right moment.
• Growing independence: Bai Jin’s departure signals that Shrek must face future dangers with less direct protection.
• Responsibility and hidden burdens: Tang San carries growing pressure, while Xiao Wu understands that she, too, has secrets she cannot yet share.
• Power and political consequences: Ning Rongrong’s new martial soul evolution could reshape her sect’s position and attract attention from Heaven Dou and Spirit Hall.
• Care beneath sternness: Bai Jin, Dugu Bo, and the others express concern through blunt advice, practical help, or teasing.

Character interactions

• Tang San coordinates the Soul Beast battle, while Ning Rongrong’s precise boosts and the others’ attacks create the opening Dai Mubai needs.
• Bai Jin’s dry humor lightens the tension, and his intervention protects Ning Rongrong from the ambush without taking over the main fight.
• Tang San and Bai Jin share a serious conversation about self-reliance; Bai Jin then entrusts Xiao Wu with helping keep Tang San grounded.
• The dinner’s teasing and banter reinforce the group’s closeness, while the farewell exchanges with Ning Rongrong and Tang San show both affection and confidence in their future growth.

Key plot points and events

• Bai Jin arrives late at Spirit City’s training ground to coach Spirit Hall’s Golden Generation: Yan, Xie Yue, and Hu Liena.
• He effortlessly defeats their opening attacks without releasing his Martial Soul, exposing their weaknesses. Yan’s fire is forced back, Xie Yue’s blades are subtly redirected, and Hu Liena’s mental charm fails against Bai Jin’s formidable consciousness.
• Bai Jin spends the following day teaching rather than simply overpowering them: Yan practices controlling his distance and temper, Xie Yue learns to vary his predictable precision, and Hu Liena explores ways to use mental abilities beyond direct charm.
• A letter from Xue Qinghe reports Ghost Face Society remnants near the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena and the start of registration for the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament. Bai Jin and Qian Daoliu recognize that the tournament and its surrounding conflicts are approaching.
• Bai Jin’s Soul Power edges closer to a breakthrough from level seventy-five to seventy-six, though he does not yet advance.

Character developments and interactions

• Bai Jin proves both an overwhelming fighter and an effective teacher. His teasing manner masks sharp insight; he identifies each student’s flaws and delivers criticism in a way that keeps them listening. He also treats Qian Daoliu with irreverent familiarity, which startles the onlookers but does not anger the Great Enshrined.
• Yan begins as hotheaded and eager to challenge Bai Jin, but the humiliating defeat makes him more cautious. He remains proud and argumentative, though he starts confronting how his temper and predictable attacks undermine his strength.
• Xie Yue approaches combat thoughtfully and coordinates with Hu Liena, but learns that his steadiness can make his movements readable.
• Hu Liena shows courtesy and perceptiveness. Bai Jin’s advice prompts her to reconsider her reliance on eye contact and charm, and she becomes more focused when the tournament is mentioned.
• Qian Daoliu observes Bai Jin’s teaching with approval and provides the three-day assignment, while Bai Jin insists one day is enough for the beating—if not the lessons.

Significant themes

• Talent requires discipline: Raw power and a prestigious title cannot replace control, adaptability, or sound judgment.
• Humility through defeat: Bai Jin’s overwhelming demonstrations force the Golden Generation to recognize how vulnerable they could be in a real fight.
• Teaching through challenge: Humor and blunt criticism make difficult lessons memorable, while practice turns defeat into improvement.
• Rising stakes and competition: The tournament, the Ghost Face Society remnants, and the growth of rival young Soul Masters signal that Spirit Hall’s next generation will soon face serious tests.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Yan, Hu Liena, and Xie Yue continue training under Bai Jin, whose challenge is to touch him before the incense burns out. They already work together more effectively than the day before.
• Bai Jin counters their coordinated attack with ease, identifying each student’s weakness: Hu Liena relies too much on opponents looking at her, Xie Yue’s attacks are too predictable, and Yan is too obvious.
• The trio combines their abilities to create the beginnings of Demon Charm, a disorienting technique that impresses Qian Daoliu.
• Bai Jin briefly activates Unlimited Void, freezing their attack and overwhelming their senses. He warns that even a second of hesitation could mean death in real combat.
• A message from Xue Qinghe reports Ghost Face Society remnants near the Great Soul Arena and the start of Elite Tournament preregistration. Bai Jin plans to let the younger fighters handle matters unless they get into serious trouble.
• Qian Daoliu observes that Bai Jin’s Soul Power has advanced toward Level 75. Bai Jin jokes that he, too, has paid a price for the training.

Character developments

• Yan is gradually learning to use his fire strategically rather than letting it reflect his temper, though he remains impulsive and loud.
• Hu Liena has moved past her resentment and responds to failure with determination, asking to try again.
• Xie Yue is becoming more deliberate, though Bai Jin pushes him to vary his clean, predictable strikes.
• Bai Jin remains playful and provocative, but his demanding instruction is purposeful: he wants the Golden Generation to develop judgment, not merely obedience.
• Qian Daoliu recognizes that Bai Jin is preparing the students for dangerous challenges beyond tournament matches.

Significant themes

• Growth through discomfort: The students’ frustration and repeated defeats expose their weaknesses and drive improvement.
• Judgment over raw talent: Bai Jin emphasizes reading a fight and knowing where to strike, rather than relying on power or polished techniques.
• Preparation for real danger: The training frames the tournament and surrounding threats as more than ordinary competition.
• The cost of growth: The students endure painful lessons, while Bai Jin’s own power also changes through the encounter.

Character interactions

• Bai Jin teases and criticizes the three students, provoking them while offering precise guidance.
• The siblings, Hu Liena and Xie Yue, coordinate closely, with Yan supporting their combination; their teamwork produces the early form of Demon Charm.
• Hu Liena’s call prompts Xie Yue’s move, and Yan uses the resulting mist and shadows to conceal his attacks.
• Qian Daoliu watches the training, questions Bai Jin about the incoming news, and acknowledges his role in shaping the Golden Generation.

Key plot points and events

• Shrek arrives at Blue Tyrant Academy to review the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament’s pre-registration rules. Grandmaster stresses that eligibility checks—and the tournament’s use of the Great Soul Arena—may create security risks because remnants of the Ghost Face Society could be involved.
• Grandmaster assigns each team member a role: Tang San coordinates tactics, Dai Mubai leads attacks, the support members protect themselves, Ma Hongjun controls his fire, Zhu Zhuqing watches the rear, and Xiao Wu stays near Tang San.
• Bai Jin sends a message urging Shrek to compete normally and win rather than avoid trouble. A note from Heaven Dou Spirit Hall Deacon Lu Heng says verification will take place that evening, with observers from the Crown Prince’s Mansion and Heaven Dou Royal Academy; Ghost Face Society remnants may be present.
• At the Great Soul Arena, Shrek reunites with Qin Ming, now a teacher at Heaven Dou Royal Academy, and encounters the Imperial Fighting Team. Both teams recognize how much the other has improved, especially Dai Mubai.
• Qin Ming warns that suspicious groups have gone backstage. A figure wearing half a White Ghost Mask appears in the second-floor corridor and gestures toward Tang San, making the registration event feel like a challenge or threat.

Character developments and interactions

• Grandmaster takes a serious, strategic approach, treating the tournament as both a competition and a potential security operation.
• Tang San initially feels responsible for watching everything himself, but accepts Dai Mubai’s reminder that the team must share the burden.
• Dai Mubai shows greater confidence and leadership, while Zhu Zhuqing is noted as having a sharper, more formidable presence.
• Xiao Wu responds playfully to Grandmaster’s instructions, and Ning Rongrong and Oscar trade familiar teasing.
• Flender remains preoccupied with the registration costs, prompting Liu Erlong to rein him in.
• Qin Ming warmly greets his former teachers and cautions Shrek after noticing suspicious activity. Yu Tianheng and Dai Mubai silently size each other up as rivals; Dugu Yan recognizes Tang San from their previous match.
• Bai Jin is absent but influences the team through his advice and message.

Significant themes

• Teamwork and shared responsibility: Each member must fulfill a role rather than rely on Tang San—or any one person—to cover every weakness.
• Competition amid danger: The tournament’s formal procedures conceal possible threats, and Shrek must balance ambition with vigilance.
• Growth and rivalry: The reunion with the Imperial Fighting Team highlights how both groups have developed since their previous encounter.
• Uncertainty and foreshadowing: The masked figure’s gesture hints that the verification event may soon turn into a confrontation.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Shrek undergoes a teamwork evaluation at the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena. Despite their recent, rapid growth, the team coordinates effectively: Dai Mubai leads the attack, Tang San controls the field, Ning Rongrong boosts her teammates, and the others support and flank.
• Their performance impresses the spectators and draws the attention of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy team, who recognize how much Shrek has improved.
• The evaluation is interrupted when the Ghost Face Society launches an attack. Red threads spread through the stands, causing panic and concealing a formation being built beneath the arena.
• Shrek prioritizes protecting civilians while fighting back. Xiao Wu rescues spectators and reaches level 34 during the crisis. Ma Hongjun carefully directs his flames around the crowd, while the rest of the team holds off the attackers.
• A Ghost-Masked figure attacks Tang San with Black Nails. Zhu Zhuqing and Dai Mubai intercept some of them, and Xiao Wu kicks away the rest. Dai Mubai is wounded but stays on his feet.
• Tang San traces the red threads to their underground core. A crack opens in the platform, releasing black-red mist with the cold, bloody presence of Slaughter City. Spirit Hall personnel and the Imperial Fighting Team join the evacuation and defense.
• Tang San can restrain the formation only briefly. Bai Jin arrives through the rain just as the situation escalates.

Character developments

• Tang San applies Bai Jin’s lessons by studying positioning and timing instead of relying on Soul Skills alone. He remains focused on protecting the crowd and identifies the enemy’s formation, but grows increasingly concerned that Xiao Wu is a target.
• Xiao Wu shows quick judgment and exceptional agility while rescuing people, and her Soul Power breaks through to level 34. Tang San’s worry suggests the Ghost Face Society may have a specific interest in her.
• Ning Rongrong demonstrates discipline and precise support, ignoring the crowd’s astonishment at her Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
• Ma Hongjun shows improved control by directing his flames around civilians and targeting only the red threads.
• Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing display trust and coordination under pressure; Dai Mubai keeps fighting despite being injured.
• The Imperial Fighting Team, especially Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan, shifts from observing Shrek to actively joining the defense.

Significant themes

• Teamwork under pressure: Shrek’s training is reflected in how confidently its members rely on one another.
• Growth and discipline: Their increased strength matters because they have also improved their judgment, coordination, and control.
• Protection over pursuit: The team chooses to save spectators rather than chase the Ghost Mask.
• Hidden threats and sacrifice: The apparent attack is a cover for a larger formation, and the team accepts personal risk to prevent harm to others.

Character interactions

• Tang San and Xiao Wu share a close, protective bond: he worries over her, while she reassures him after her breakthrough.
• Shrek’s members communicate through trust and instinct, allowing them to fight without needing constant instructions.
• Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing protect one another’s openings, while Ning Rongrong and Oscar sustain the team from the rear.
• Shrek’s crisis draws the Heaven Dou Royal Academy team and Spirit Hall into cooperation, turning the evaluation into a united defense.

Plot points and events

• In Spirit City, Bai Jin tests the Golden Generation’s progress. Hu Liena and Xie Yue’s Demon Charm has improved, and Yan uses a concealed attack—but Bai Jin stops him with Limitless and counters.
• Bai Jin uses Unlimited Void on the trio for a full second, exposing them to overwhelming sensory information. Rather than collapse, they recover by focusing on what they can still control. Bai Jin praises them.
• During the training, Bai Jin quietly breaks through from Level 75 to Level 76.
• A message from Xue Qinghe reports that a formation node has activated beneath the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena. Shrek and the local Spirit Hall branch are evacuating the crowd. Bai Jin leaves immediately, urging the Golden Generation to keep improving.
• He races to Heaven Dou using a sequence of flying escorts and Shrinking Earth. In the rain, he sees Shrek battling the node: Tang San suppresses it, Xiao Wu rescues spectators, the others defend and support the effort.
• Bai Jin arrives, steadies Tang San with a word of encouragement, and prepares to confront the black-red formation mist himself.

Character developments

• Bai Jin recognizes the Golden Generation’s growth and gives them genuine praise. He is also increasingly serious about the Ghost Face Society’s infiltration of the arena.
• Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan withstand a brief but overwhelming mental assault and learn to recover their judgment under pressure. Their teamwork and resolve improve.
• Tang San has been holding the formation node at bay; Bai Jin’s arrival brings visible relief and renewed confidence.
• Xue Qinghe remains composed while sending urgent information, suggesting he is managing the crisis carefully.

Significant themes

• Composure under pressure: The students learn that resisting mental suppression begins with finding something they can still control.
• Growth through challenge: Bai Jin’s harsh training has helped the Golden Generation become more capable, while their progress also earns his respect.
• Mentorship and perseverance: Bai Jin encourages the students to keep pursuing their own growth, even if they cannot match him.
• Hidden danger and responsibility: The formation node’s presence in a major public venue points to deeper collusion and a wider threat.

Character interactions

• Bai Jin’s teasing exchanges with Yan contrast with his serious instruction during Unlimited Void; his praise afterward matters precisely because it is rare.
• Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan respond differently to the mental pressure—by breathing, gripping their weapon, or focusing on a fist—but reform their ranks together.
• Bai Jin reassures the trio before leaving, while Hu Liena’s question about failing to catch up draws an encouraging, playful answer.
• At the arena, Bai Jin’s praise recognizes Shrek’s teamwork, and his words to Tang San help steady him before the final confrontation.

Plot points and events

• At the Great Soul Arena, the Ghost Face Society activates a formation whose red lines threaten spectators while its Soul Saint leader hides beneath a ghost-mask illusion.
• Bai Jin directs the team to protect the crowd, hold back the Society’s fighters, and keep Tang San focused on finding the Formation Core. The others coordinate effectively: Ning Rongrong supports them, Oscar supplies sausages, Ma Hongjun burns away the red lines, and Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing contain enemies.
• Using his Six Eyes and spatial techniques, Bai Jin exposes and restrains the hidden Soul Saint. Tang San locates the Core; Bai Jin briefly stuns the enemy and precisely severs the formation’s roots without damaging the arena.
• The captive refuses to reveal who hired him. Lu Heng’s team seals his Soul Power as the danger passes.
• The crisis pushes several Shrek members to new levels. Salas arrives with Spirit Hall forces after the battle, and Bai Jin cheekily assigns them the cleanup while claiming the credit.

Character development and interactions

• Bai Jin demonstrates not just overwhelming power but calm battlefield leadership, dividing tasks and protecting spectators while defeating the main threat. His teasing remarks keep his companions steady and puncture the enemy’s bravado.
• Tang San helps identify the Core and follows Bai Jin’s instructions under pressure, gaining a clearer understanding of how a capable fighter controls a battlefield.
• The Shrek team works as a coordinated unit and grows stronger: Xiao Wu reaches level 34, Zhu Zhuqing 35, Tang San 36, Ma Hongjun and Oscar 36, Ning Rongrong 37, and Dai Mubai 42.
• Qin Ming and Yu Tianheng see Bai Jin in a new light; Yu Tianheng openly doubts that he is “only” a Soul Saint. Dai Mubai shares that disbelief.
• Bai Jin and Salas end on a comic note: Bai Jin turns Spirit Hall’s late arrival into an opportunity to make them handle the aftermath.

Significant themes

• Teamwork under pressure: Bai Jin’s strength matters, but the others’ coordinated roles protect the crowd and make the victory possible.
• Composure and leadership: Bai Jin transforms a chaotic crisis into a controlled sequence of tasks.
• Growth through adversity: The battle draws out the team’s training and Immortal Herb gains, advancing their readiness for the Elite Tournament.
• Power with precision: Bai Jin defeats the enemy and destroys the formation without unleashing indiscriminate force.

Plot points and events

• After Bai Jin stops the Ghost Face Society’s attack on the Great Soul Arena, Bishop Salas promises a full investigation. Bai Jin warns him not to limit it to Spirit Hall’s Heaven Dou branch and orders compensation for the injured Soul Masters.
• The surviving attackers’ fragment of a formation core reacts to Tang San’s Blue Silver Grass and carries the aura of Blue Silver Emperor blood. Bai Jin also finds a black card marked with Slaughter City’s emblem, which he gives to Xue Qinghe to keep from Salas. The buyer behind the attack remains unidentified.
• Shrek returns to Blue Tyrant Academy exhausted. Three days later, the school is officially renamed Shrek Academy, with Flender made its dean.
• The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect visits. Ning Fengzhi is delighted by Ning Rongrong’s Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda and offers to cover the arena’s repair costs—though he jokingly says the expense will come out of Bai Jin’s training fees.
• Shrek completes its pre-registration for the Elite Tournament, listing Dai Mubai, Tang San, Xiao Wu, Oscar, Ma Hongjun, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing. Grandmaster warns that strong rivals await and that the team must turn recent progress into consistent strength.
• Bai Jin reveals the Ghost Face Society will strike again: it wants Blue Silver Emperor blood, access to the Gate to Slaughter City, and disruption of the tournament. He announces grueling special training beginning that night.

Character developments and interactions

• Bai Jin uses his standing to pressure Salas, protect the injured, and preserve evidence. His teasing with Xue Qinghe suggests a close familiarity beneath their public roles. He remains irreverent, but takes the threat seriously and pushes Shrek toward preparation.
• Xue Qinghe handles the aftermath smoothly and accepts the black card, while showing a more relaxed, exasperated side around Bai Jin.
• Tang San recognizes the Blue Silver Emperor aura in the formation fragment and understands that he is personally connected to the attackers’ goals. He stays focused on both the threat and Shrek’s growth.
• Flender becomes dean of the renamed Shrek Academy; the moment stirs his pride and emotion. Grandmaster sets high expectations for the team, while Ma Hongjun dreads Bai Jin’s training and Dai Mubai welcomes the prospect of winning.
• Ning Rongrong’s Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda brings her father joy. The sect’s visit also brings playful exchanges with Bai Jin over the arena’s repair bill.
• Xiao Wu and Dai Mubai respond to the looming danger with resolve, while the rest of the team faces the coming training with mixed enthusiasm.

Significant themes

• Responsibility and accountability: Bai Jin insists that Spirit Hall investigate fully and compensate those harmed.
• Found family and shared ambition: Shrek’s new name and tournament registration mark its growth into a more serious, unified team.
• Preparation amid danger: The Elite Tournament is both an opportunity and a likely target for the Ghost Face Society.
• Humor alongside tension: Banter and candy soften the mood, but the bloodied aftermath and looming conspiracy remain unresolved.

Key plot points and events

• Bai Jin begins the team’s pre-tournament training by having four teammates hunt Ning Rongrong while Tang San and Oscar defend her. The exercise is designed to prepare Shrek for opponents targeting its support player, especially now that Ning Rongrong’s Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda makes her an even more valuable target.
• In the first round, the attackers nearly reach Ning Rongrong. Zhu Zhuqing sneaks behind her, and Bai Jin intervenes at the last moment. Ning Rongrong realizes she had trusted the visible threat and overlooked the danger behind her.
• Ning Rongrong asks to try again. In the second round, she moves more actively and uses her pagoda’s boosts on herself as well as Tang San, lasting fifteen breaths.
• Bai Jin then makes Tang San the target. Instead of immediately spreading Blue Silver Grass across the field, Tang San uses his perception and movement to protect himself, lasting twenty breaths and showing greater decisiveness.
• The team trains through the day. That evening, word arrives that Shrek and Heaven Dou Royal Academy will hold a public warm-up registration in three days.

Character developments

• Ning Rongrong recognizes that being the team’s support core makes her a priority target. She responds by taking responsibility for her own defense rather than relying entirely on her teammates.
• Tang San begins moving beyond his habit of observing and holding back. He acts more decisively, protects himself, and earns recognition as a captain.
• Oscar adapts by preparing sausages in advance and moving rather than remaining in a fixed defensive position.
• Zhu Zhuqing remains composed and persistent, testing the team’s defenses with repeated, precise attacks.
• Bai Jin uses blunt, humorous instructions and controlled interventions to expose weaknesses while pushing the students to improve.

Significant themes

• Strength through confronting weakness: The training deliberately exposes Shrek’s vulnerabilities, making the experience uncomfortable but productive.
• The risks of being essential: A powerful support role can make a team member indispensable—and an obvious target.
• Adaptability and initiative: Ning Rongrong and Tang San improve by acting for themselves instead of relying only on familiar roles or defensive plans.
• Leadership under pressure: Tang San’s willingness to protect himself and respond in the moment marks progress toward becoming a stronger captain.

Character interactions

• Tang San and the others reassure Ning Rongrong, but she ultimately insists on learning to protect herself.
• Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing develop a hint of mutual respect as Ning Rongrong begins anticipating and evading her attacks.
• Bai Jin teases the students while coaching them, and his brief intervention saves Ning Rongrong from a simulated hit without ending the lesson.
• Dai Mubai openly accepts Tang San’s leadership, reinforcing Tang San’s growing authority within the team.

Plot points and events

• Three days later, the Imperial Fighting Team visits Shrek at the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena. Qin Ming reunites with Flender and Grandmaster, while Flender immediately gets the visiting academy to pay the venue fee.
• Bai Jin proposes a four-on-four, three-minute flag match. Shrek fields Tang San, Dai Mubai, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing against Yu Tianheng, Dugu Yan, Shi Mo, and Yu Feng. Bai Jin imposes limits on signature moves, while Oscar and Ma Hongjun are kept on the sidelines.
• The match tests both teams’ coordination: Yu Feng tries to reach the flag, Zhu Zhuqing intercepts him, and Shi Mo shields Yu Tianheng as Dai Mubai charges. Ning Rongrong’s Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda boosts Shrek’s fighters, and Tang San uses Blue Silver Grass to redirect Dugu Yan’s poison.
• Dai Mubai’s fourth Soul Ring helps break the Imperial team’s defensive line. Yu Tianheng unleashes Thunder Dragon Claw, but Tang San pulls Dai Mubai aside and Zhu Zhuqing’s quick move sends the flag to Tang San. Shrek wins.
• Afterward, the rivals promise to meet again at the Elite Tournament. Grandmaster notes that the battle has strengthened Dai Mubai’s foundation and helped him reach Level 43.

Character developments and interactions

• Dai Mubai relishes Yu Tianheng as a worthy, direct opponent. The match helps stabilize his recent breakthrough and deepen his Soul Power.
• Tang San shows improved judgment against poison and restraint by fighting without Hidden Weapons. He and Dugu Yan exchange pointed remarks about their respective skills.
• Yu Tianheng’s frustration at losing is tempered by respect for Shrek, especially Tang San and Dai Mubai.
• Bai Jin directs the match with casual authority, jokes about the participants, and teases Dai Mubai afterward. Dugu Yan’s mention of her grandfather suggests Bai Jin is known to Poison Douluo.
• Oscar’s interest in Ye Lingling prompts Ning Rongrong’s jealousy, while Flender’s focus on fees and Bai Jin’s insistence on the bill provide comic interludes.

Significant themes

• Rivalry and mutual respect: The teams compete fiercely but treat the match as preparation for the tournament.
• Teamwork and adaptability: Shrek wins through coordinated support, timing, and clever tactics rather than a single fighter’s strength.
• Growth through challenge: The contest consolidates Dai Mubai’s advancement and reveals how both teams have improved.
• Humor amid competition: The instructors’ banter and the students’ teasing lighten the intensity of the match.

Plot points and events

• After Shrek’s victory over the Imperial Fighting Team, visitors flood the academy with invitations, gifts, and requests to learn about Ning Rongrong’s Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda. Flender pretends to value peace and quiet while exploiting the attention, and Bai Jin teases him.
• Elephant Armor Academy arrives for an exchange match, clearly interested in Ning Rongrong. Grandmaster agrees, seeing the match as useful preparation for the Elite Tournament.
• In a three-on-three bout, Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ma Hongjun face Huyan Li and two Diamond Mammoth Soul Masters. The opposing team targets Ning Rongrong, but Shrek uses coordinated attacks: Zhu Zhuqing finds a weakness at an opponent’s joint, Ma Hongjun burns into it, and Ning Rongrong boosts her allies while evading Huyan Li’s charge.
• Shrek protects its Support Soul Master for the full thirty breaths. Ning Rongrong reaches level 38 during the match, making her strength—and Shrek’s status—hard to ignore.
• Afterward, Tang San discovers a fragment of a Soul-Guided Surveillance Device. Bai Jin recognizes traces linking it to earlier suspicious fragments, concluding that someone is monitoring Shrek’s Support Soul Master, Tang San’s Blue Silver Grass, and the team’s roster.

Character developments and interactions

• Ning Rongrong feels both pride and anxiety about her newly awakened Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, knowing it could make her a target. In the match, she shows greater independence, resisting the urge to rely on Tang San and using her powers strategically. Zhu Zhuqing’s praise for her contribution means more to her than compliments about her looks, status, or Martial Soul.
• Zhu Zhuqing and Ma Hongjun work effectively with Rongrong: Zhuqing identifies and repeatedly attacks a weak point, while Ma Hongjun concentrates his flames there.
• Huyan Li begins confidently but takes the match seriously after Shrek frustrates his team’s attack. He acknowledges the Pagoda’s reputation, while his teacher worries about Rongrong’s level.
• Bai Jin continues to joke with Rongrong and the others, but turns sharply serious after identifying the surveillance fragment. His response suggests he intends to act against whoever is spying on Shrek.

Significant themes

• Growth through self-reliance: Rongrong begins to move beyond dependence on others, learning to protect herself and contribute directly under pressure.
• Teamwork and trust: Shrek succeeds through coordinated timing and complementary abilities rather than raw strength alone.
• Power and vulnerability: The Pagoda’s rarity brings admiration and strategic value, but also makes Rongrong a target.
• Surveillance and mounting danger: The planted device reveals that Shrek’s opponents may be gathering information beyond ordinary tournament scouting.

Plot and key events

• Blazing Fire and Godwind Academies visit Shrek for exhibition matches, giving both sides a chance to assess potential Elite Tournament opponents.
• Huo Wu challenges Tang San. He avoids meeting her powerful fire attacks head-on, using Blue Silver Grass and agile footwork to adapt. He eventually deflects the edge of her ultimate attack and catches her wrist, winning the match. Huo Wu promises they will fight again at the tournament.
• Feng Xiaotian faces Zhu Zhuqing in an agility contest. Zhu studies his movements and, with Ning Rongrong’s support and a small assist from Tang San, nearly catches him in the air. The match ends in a draw, and Zhu’s Soul Power reaches level 36.
• Ma Hongjun battles Huo Wushuang. Following Bai Jin’s advice, he compresses his Phoenix flames rather than spreading them, landing a powerful counterattack. He breaks through to level 37.
• After the visiting teams leave, Bai Jin reveals a scorched fragment bearing a Ghost Mask mark. Someone used the matches’ confusion to approach Shrek’s registration records. He suspects a threat to the competitors listed for the Elite Tournament.

Character developments and interactions

• Tang San demonstrates adaptability and restraint, relying on his core skills rather than hidden weapons or more powerful abilities. His victory earns Huo Wu’s respect and leaves Feng Xiaotian uneasy.
• Huo Wu is impressed by Tang San’s composure and skill. Her challenge and promise of a rematch establish a competitive interest in him; Xiao Wu reacts jealously.
• Zhu Zhuqing shows patience and tactical growth, using observation rather than simply chasing a faster opponent. Her level-up reinforces her progress.
• Ma Hongjun turns Bai Jin’s advice into a new, more focused use of his fire and reaches level 37. His excitement contrasts with Oscar’s teasing about making dinner.
• Bai Jin mixes jokes with useful coaching and sharp observation, then alerts the group to the suspicious fragment. Grandmaster recognizes Ma Hongjun’s breakthrough and shares concern about the teams’ visit as reconnaissance.

Significant themes

• Adaptation and tactical thinking: The matches reward reading opponents and adjusting technique rather than relying on brute force.
• Growth through challenge: Zhu Zhuqing and Ma Hongjun make clear gains, while the contests reveal how each student is developing.
• Competition and attraction: Huo Wu’s interest in Tang San, Xiao Wu’s possessive response, and Feng Xiaotian’s conflicted attention add personal tensions to the rivalry.
• Threat beneath the spectacle: The exhibition matches are not just friendly tests; the Ghost Mask clue suggests someone is targeting the tournament roster.

Key plot points and events

• Xue Qinghe invites Bai Jin and Tang San to the Crown Prince’s Mansion and reveals that a black-market commission seeks three things: Blue Silver Emperor blood, information on the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, and the Elite Tournament pre-registration roster.
• The roster is being treated as a list of targets. Two clerks who copied it had their memories tampered with, and half their pages were stolen.
• Xue Qinghe traces a planned handover to Bright Moon Tower in Heaven Dou City’s Old Ward. Bai Jin, Tang San, and Xue Qinghe go there at midnight.
• They overhear the Ghost Face Society discussing Ning Fengzhi’s daughter, Tang San’s blood, and using Blue Silver Emperor blood to “steady the Gate” and “feed the path.”
• The group moves to seize the conspirators. Bai Jin and Tang San quickly subdue them, while Bai Jin defeats their Soul Emperor leader. The recovered pages show that Shrek’s roster has been marked, including Ning Rongrong, Tang San, and Xiao Wu.
• Bai Jin gives the pages to Xue Qinghe for investigation but keeps the Soul Emperor, believing he can reveal where the Blood Market will appear next.

Character developments and interactions

• Tang San grows more troubled by the repeated references to Blue Silver Emperor blood and the mysterious “Gate.” He recognizes that the conspiracy may connect to the Formation Core beneath the Great Soul Arena. After witnessing Bai Jin’s decisive violence, he understands that Bai Jin’s joking manner conceals a ruthless resolve against those who cross the line.
• Bai Jin remains irreverent—first asking whether the invitation includes food—but turns serious when Shrek’s students are implicated. He protects Tang San in the fight and insists on interrogating the Soul Emperor himself.
• Xue Qinghe shares intelligence and offers Shrek protection in Heaven Dou City, while maintaining a measured, diplomatic approach.
• Xiao Wu is kept away from the mission to avoid exposing her identity; Tang San reassures her before leaving. Bai Jin tries to reassure her too, joking that Tang San is safe except during training.
• On the journey home, Bai Jin gives Tang San candy and encourages him to ask about his blood. He offers no explanation, only advising Tang San to grow strong enough for the truth when it comes.

Significant themes

• Power and vulnerability: The tournament’s roster turns promising young Soul Masters into targets.
• Secrets and foreshadowing: Blue Silver Emperor blood, the Gate, and the hidden path suggest a larger mystery tied to Tang San.
• Protection and responsibility: Bai Jin and Xue Qinghe act to shield Shrek, while Tang San begins to confront the dangers surrounding him.
• Humor alongside severity: Bai Jin’s jokes soften tense moments, but his response to real threats reveals a firm moral boundary and little mercy for aggressors.

Key plot points and events

• Bai Jin, Tang San, Dai Mubai, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ning Rongrong investigate a Blood Market operation in an abandoned tea warehouse. Oscar and Ma Hongjun remain at Shrek, while Xiao Wu stays behind because the enemy may be targeting unusual bloodlines.
• Tang San detects a group of Ghost Face Society members and a concealed formation resembling the Great Soul Arena’s Formation Core. Bai Jin sees that three black tablets are using blood, Soul Beast remains, and tournament registration forms to draw the Blood Market closer to Slaughter City.
• The team coordinates an assault: Zhu Zhuqing disables a trigger, Tang San binds attackers and studies the formation, Dai Mubai leads the frontline, and Ning Rongrong boosts the group.
• When a Soul Emperor tries to activate the formation, Bai Jin overwhelms the attackers and destroys the tablets with his Hollow Technique: Purple. The captive reveals that buyers in Slaughter City want Blue Silver Emperor Blood.
• The pressure of the battle and the formation’s collapsing aura push Bai Jin to level seventy-seven. Tang San memorizes the formation’s markings, which link this site to the earlier Great Soul Arena structure.
• Back at Shrek, Grandmaster orders the team to focus on the Elite Tournament qualifiers. Their first match is announced: Shrek Academy versus the Heaven Dou Royal Academy Second Team.

Character developments and interactions

• Bai Jin displays the full precision and power of his abilities, while remaining casually confident. His breakthrough reinforces how repeated high-pressure encounters have accelerated his growth.
• Tang San takes an active tactical role, successfully coordinating with the others and recording vital clues. Seeing Bai Jin fight eases some of his anxiety: strength may not solve the mystery, but it can buy time.
• Dai Mubai leads the charge and is jokingly assigned the report because he is captain, despite Tang San directing the operation.
• Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing contribute decisively through support and stealth, respectively. The team’s banter continues even amid danger.
• Xiao Wu resents being left behind but is reassured—unsuccessfully at first—by Bai Jin’s teasing.
• Oscar and Ma Hongjun react with comic envy to Bai Jin’s new level. The announced match then rallies the team, who look forward to making Shrek known.

Significant themes

• Teamwork and trust: The group’s coordinated skills make the operation effective, while Tang San’s growing leadership complements Dai Mubai’s captaincy.
• Power as protection and time: Bai Jin’s strength cannot answer every question, but it can disrupt the enemy’s plans and give the team room to investigate.
• Escalating danger: The Blood Market’s interest in Blue Silver Emperor Blood and the formation’s connection to Slaughter City suggest a wider conspiracy.
• Confidence and competition: The chapter shifts from a dangerous mission to the tournament, ending with Shrek eager to prove itself.

Key plot points and events

• Shrek Academy opens its tournament campaign in humiliating yellow-green uniforms advertising a sponsor. The team jokes about their appearance while the crowd and rival Heaven Dou Royal Academy Second Team mock them.
• Before the match, Tang San predicts a victory in under a minute; Bai Jin jokingly estimates forty-three breaths.
• Shrek overwhelms the Royal Second Team through coordinated combat: Dai Mubai breaks their front line, Tang San controls the battlefield with Blue Silver Grass, Xiao Wu disables their support fighter, Zhu Zhuqing targets a defender, and Ma Hongjun blocks escape routes with fire.
• Shrek wins in forty-two and a half breaths. The crowd’s ridicule turns to cheers, and the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda’s public appearance draws notice from spectators and officials.
• The battle pushes Tang San’s cultivation forward to level thirty-seven. Afterward, Bai Jin notices Platinum Bishop Salas studying Shrek’s roster, smiles at him, and the page closes mysteriously. Bai Jin hints that the children’s victory is followed by adult dealings.

Character developments

• Dai Mubai turns his embarrassment over the uniform into focused aggression and emerges delighted by the win.
• Tang San demonstrates tactical control and restraint, then gains a cultivation breakthrough after exerting himself.
• Ning Rongrong supports the team with calm, powerful boosts; her Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda also becomes a major public revelation.
• Bai Jin remains playful, but his quiet interaction with Salas suggests he is alert to political or personal threats.
• The team’s shared success strengthens its confidence and camaraderie.

Significant themes

• Substance over appearance: Shrek’s ridiculous uniforms invite mockery, but the team’s skill quickly commands respect.
• Cooperation and preparation: Their victory depends on coordinated roles rather than individual strength alone.
• Recognition and scrutiny: A decisive win brings fame, but also draws the attention of powerful observers.
• Humor amid pressure: Banter helps the team handle public embarrassment and tournament tension.

Character interactions

• The Shrek members tease one another about the uniforms, with Bai Jin’s jokes easing the tension.
• Tang San and Dai Mubai coordinate their attacks, while the rest of the team follows a tightly timed plan.
• Ning Fengzhi watches his daughter’s performance with pride.
• Bai Jin gives Tang San candy despite teasing him about the match’s timing, then silently confronts Salas’s scrutiny from across the arena.

Key plot points and events

• After Shrek’s first match, Bai Jin is summoned to the VIP stand, where Emperor Xue Ye, Ning Fengzhi, Bishop Salas, and Crown Prince Xue Qinghe are gathered.
• Salas challenges Bai Jin for failing to report concerns about Tang San and Ning Rongrong’s Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda to Spirit Hall. Bai Jin refuses to answer to Salas, asserting his independence and directing him to investigate through proper channels. Xue Ye defuses the confrontation, and Salas backs down.
• Ning Fengzhi warns Bai Jin that Salas is watching Tang San and that Elephant Armor Sect leader Huyan Zhen has arrived. Elephant Armor Academy is expected to target Rongrong in the next match.
• Shrek’s team reviews its first victory and its tactical mistakes. Tang San devises a plan to draw Elephant Armor’s charge toward Rongrong, split its formation, and attack its weak points.
• Bai Jin senses a trace of black-red Soul Power beneath the arena, apparently linked to a hidden presence gathering energy. He secretly marks the trail and decides to let the enemy continue digging while he investigates.

Character developments and interactions

• Bai Jin remains irreverent and unflappable, using jokes and pastries to needle Salas while firmly protecting his students and allies. He notices the underground threat but keeps the team focused on the tournament.
• Salas shows suspicion toward Tang San and Shrek, but retreats when Bai Jin refuses to be intimidated and Xue Ye intervenes.
• Ning Fengzhi supports Bai Jin and warns him about the coming danger to Rongrong.
• Tang San demonstrates growing tactical flexibility, anticipating how Elephant Armor’s formation may respond and assigning roles to his teammates.
• The Shrek team takes its first-match shortcomings seriously, while Bai Jin’s teasing over pastries keeps their camaraderie lively.
• Xue Qinghe quietly shows consideration for Bai Jin by offering him candy, and shares a brief moment of amusement at his exchange with Salas.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and independence: Bai Jin resists institutional pressure, while protecting his students and allies.
• Strategy and adaptation: Shrek learns from its mistakes and plans to exploit an opponent’s formation rather than meet its strength head-on.
• Hidden threats beneath public spectacle: The tournament’s visible rivalries unfold alongside a secret danger gathering power under the arena.
• Trust and restraint: Bai Jin chooses not to alarm the others, allowing the underground presence to reveal more before he acts.