Chapter Summaries

• The Lan Sisters seize control: Although the match is now two-on-two, Lan Luoluo and Lan Susu have the advantage. Their hair-based Martial Soul Fusion Skill floods much of the arena, trapping Lu Yi and forcing Zhou Sichen into desperate evasions. The sisters have committed so much Soul Power that they will not be able to use the fusion skill again later, but they are willing to risk it for a place in the Finals.
• Cao Jinxuan recognizes the trap: From the sidelines, Cao realizes that Huang Chutian deliberately baited him into trading away Time Lock, his team’s only strong single-target restraint. That left Lu Yi unable to stop either sister before they activated their fusion skill. Cao regrets the mistake, but by the time he understands the opponents’ strategy, the match has already turned against his teammates.
• Lu Yi breaks free: The hair engulfs Lu Yi, forming a huge cocoon that the sisters tighten around him. But smoke and the smell of burning begin to rise from within. Lu Yi then bursts through the strands with a pillar of fire, revealing a previously unseen fire-based Soul Skill. The Lan Sisters—and the senior Academy officials watching—are stunned.
• Lu Yi stops hiding: Officials note that Lu Yi has displayed far more Soul Skills than his two Soul Rings should allow, including abilities that seem unrelated to his Wand Martial Soul. Lu Yi realizes his unusual powers will now attract attention, but decides he no longer wants to conceal them. He uses Disillusionment to become nearly invisible, hiding his Soul Rings and masking his Soul Power as he slips into the sisters’ web. From behind them, he announces the end of the match and prepares to cast Stupefy.
  Character developments and interactions: Cao shifts from confidence to painful self-reproach as he understands how Huang’s baiting strategy worked. Huang, though eliminated, enthusiastically supports his teammates and has helped set the trap. Zhou remains on the defensive, protecting his Beast Spirits while the hair assault overwhelms the arena. Lu Yi moves from cautious concealment to openly revealing his capabilities, while the Lan Sisters’ confidence gives way to alarm.
  Significant themes: The chapter emphasizes preparation and strategic deception: the Lan team’s detailed knowledge of their opponents, combined with Huang’s deliberate sacrifice, gives them an early edge. It also explores the cost of hidden power—Lu Yi must choose between staying obscure and using everything necessary to fight effectively—and marks a turning point as he decides to reveal more of himself.

Key plot points and events

• Lu Yi defeats Lan Luoluo and Lan Susu by revealing unfamiliar abilities, including a fire Soul Skill and invisibility. His Martial Soul Fusion Skill collapses, but he holds Lan Luoluo at wand-point and secures her surrender.
• Lu Yi revives Lan Susu with a spell. The sisters’ teammate Huang Chutian accepts that Lu Yi’s unpredictable powers overwhelmed their carefully planned strategy.
• In the adjacent arena, Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong use their Martial Soul Fusion Skill, Golden Road, against Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu. It seals the pair and their Martial Souls, giving Huo Yuhao’s team the win.
• The semifinals establish the afternoon final: Lu Yi’s team will face Huo Yuhao’s. Dean Yan Shaozhe is astonished by the day’s unusual number of fusion skills and by Lu Yi’s range of abilities.
• Wang Dong immediately takes Huo Yuhao to recover, determined to be ready for the final.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Yi shows both tactical ingenuity and restraint: after winning, he offers Lan Luoluo a chance to surrender with dignity and reassures her about Lan Susu.
• Lan Luoluo is baffled by Lu Yi’s previously unknown abilities, but accepts defeat; Lan Susu wakes still believing the fight is underway.
• Cao Jinxuan enthusiastically celebrates Lu Yi’s victory, while Zhou Sichen is swept into the celebration.
• Huo Yuhao is moved to tears by defeating Dai Huabin, whose defeat resolves some of Huo Yuhao’s pent-up anger. Wang Dong supports him but is already focused on their next match.
• Wang Dong is determined to redeem herself against Lu Yi and regrets that Golden Road’s long cooldown makes using it again before the final unlikely. She believes its sealing effect may be even stronger than Lu Yi’s red lightning.

Significant themes

• Hidden strength and uncertainty: Lu Yi’s concealed abilities and Golden Road’s surprising effects overturn expectations and carefully laid plans.
• Victory and emotional release: Huo Yuhao’s win is not merely competitive; it brings relief after a personal grudge.
• Rivalry and preparation: The finalists’ differing needs—Huo Yuhao’s recovery and Wang Dong’s desire for redemption—set up a tense final.

Key plot points and events

• The freshman assessment final pits Lu Yi’s team against Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao in a barrier-free arena, watched by a large crowd of teachers.
• Before the match, both teams acknowledge that friendship will not hold them back. Huo Yuhao intends to support his teammates while keeping his hidden abilities secret.
• Tian Meng warns Huo Yuhao that Lu Yi’s spiritual power is strong enough to make Soul Shock risky. Huo Yuhao resolves to fight seriously, though he remains reluctant to harm his friend.
• Lu Yi reviews his opponents’ strengths and decides Huo Yuhao’s Spiritual Detection is the main obstacle to his attacks. He considers using Confundus Charm, but avoids testing it on Wang Dong because of the seal in her mind.
• Once the match begins, Huo Yuhao’s team advances while Lu Yi distracts them with spells and apparently vanishes. Huo Yuhao joins forces with Wang Dong to extend Spiritual Detection and spots signs of Lu Yi’s position.

Character developments

• Huo Yuhao shifts from treating the match as relatively low-stakes to committing himself fully after Tian Meng challenges his softheartedness. He still struggles with the idea of hurting Lu Yi.
• Lu Yi shows careful tactical preparation and recognizes that Huo Yuhao’s detection is the greatest threat to his team.
• Tian Meng acts as Huo Yuhao’s forceful mentor, urging him to prioritize his ambitions and seize opportunities.

Significant themes

• Friendship versus competition: The contestants are close, but agree to fight without letting their personal bonds decide the outcome.
• Secrecy and trust: Huo Yuhao and Lu Yi each conceal important abilities, while Huoyuhao’s concern for his friend clashes with the need to compete.
• Preparation and teamwork: Lu Yi studies his opponents, while Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong combine their power to overcome the limits of his detection.

Character interactions

• Yan Shaozhe and Qian Duoduo trade friendly remarks, masking their rivalry and mutual scheming over resources.
• Tian Meng scolds Huo Yuhao for holding back; Huo Yuhao accepts the warning and steels himself.
• Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong combine their powers to extend Spiritual Detection, enabling Huo Yuhao to locate Lu Yi despite his apparent disappearance.
• The chapter ends as Huo Yuhao calls out that he has found Lu Yi, setting up the first direct clash.

Key plot points and events

• Huo Yuhao’s Spiritual Detection locates Lu Yi at long range, and he shares the information with Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao.
• Wang Dong impulsively charges Lu Yi, disrupting Lu Yi’s plan to confuse Xiao Xiao and turn the fight into a four-against-two. Cao Jinxuan and Zhou Sichen instead attack Huo Yuhao and Xiao Xiao.
• Cao Jinxuan’s time-based Soul Skills slow Huo Yuhao and freeze Wang Dong. Lu Yi tries to stun Wang Dong, but Huo Yuhao’s Soul Shock incapacitates Cao Jinxuan, ending the time effect before Lu Yi’s spell can land.
• Xiao Xiao remains disoriented by Lu Yi’s Confundus Charm, leaving Huo Yuhao to defend himself against Zhou Sichen’s summoned beasts while trying to rouse her.
• Wang Dong dodges Lu Yi’s spells and pursues his nearly invisible figure. Lu Yi blinds the arena with Lumos Maxima. Wang Dong loses control of her flight and rises more than ten meters, so the referee declares her out.

Character developments

• Huo Yuhao shows greatly improved mental strength after months of training, using Soul Shock to defeat Cao Jinxuan despite the effects of time distortion.
• Wang Dong has learned to evade Lu Yi’s attacks, but her impatience still leads her into danger. Her charge derails the team’s coordinated strategy, and Lu Yi ultimately exploits her focus on pursuing him.
• Lu Yi adapts quickly when his original plan fails, relying on concealment, spells, and misdirection rather than direct combat. He recognizes that Wang Dong’s impulsiveness makes rigid plans unreliable.
• Xiao Xiao is temporarily confused by Lu Yi’s magic and cannot support Huo Yuhao effectively.
• Cao Jinxuan demonstrates the power of his time-control abilities but is vulnerable to Huo Yuhao’s stronger mental attack.

Character interactions

• Huo Yuhao tries to restrain Wang Dong’s reckless advance and later calls out to Xiao Xiao while fighting off Zhou Sichen’s beasts.
• Lu Yi uses Xiao Xiao’s confusion and Wang Dong’s pursuit to control the pace of the battle, while Wang Dong taunts him to fight openly.
• The referee watches Lu Yi’s unusual tactics with a complicated expression before ruling Wang Dong out.

Significant themes

• Planning versus impulsiveness: Wang Dong’s sudden attack overturns Lu Yi’s setup, illustrating how unpredictable behavior can disrupt carefully laid plans.
• Adaptation and growth: Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong have improved since their earlier encounter with Lu Yi, though their progress does not guarantee victory.
• Unconventional power: Lu Yi’s spells defy the expected rules of Martial Soul combat, leaving Huo Yuhao questioning how his abilities work.
• Perception and deception: Concealment, confusion, time distortion, and blinding light shape the fight, making awareness and control as important as strength.

Plot points and events

• Huo Yuhao struggles against Lu Yi’s two Beast Spirits until Xiao Xiao wakes, but the resonance of her three cauldrons disorients him.
• Lu Yi drops his disguise and reveals that Xiao Xiao is under his influence. Before she can question what is happening, he knocks her and Huo Yuhao unconscious with Stunning Charms.
• The referee declares Lu Yi, Zhou Sichen, and Cao Jinxuan of Freshman Class Nine the champions. The Academy officials are stunned by Lu Yi’s unusual mix of Soul Skills and unconventional tactics.
• Wang Dong, still partly blinded by Lu Yi’s flash attack, confronts him after the match. She accuses him of winning unfairly and demands a fair rematch. Lu Yi insists he used the tactic to avoid hurting a friend and teases her for falling for a move she had seen before.
• Xiao Xiao backs Lu Yi’s claim that he was gentle. Yan Shaozhe praises the finalists’ tactical skill, asks how Lu Yi developed his approach, and accepts his explanation that it is a self-created Soul Skill—while warning him not to rely on shortcuts.
• After the officials leave, Wang Dong renews her challenge, Zhou Sichen praises Lu Yi’s ingenuity, and Lu Yi turns to the waking Cao Jinxuan.

Character developments

• Lu Yi secures the championship through deception, timing, and nonlethal tactics, then confidently defends his choices. His interest in Zhang Lexuan is hinted at when he notices she did not attend.
• Wang Dong is furious and embarrassed by her defeat, especially because the flash still obscures Lu Yi’s face. Her frustration turns into a firm demand for a rematch.
• Xiao Xiao briefly falls under Lu Yi’s influence, but begins to question it before he ends the match. Once awake, she sides with him.
• Huo Yuhao is left vulnerable after Wang Dong’s elimination and is knocked out before he can turn the match around.
• Yan Shaozhe is impressed by Lu Yi but remains uneasy about the victory’s appearance and cautions him to prioritize genuine strength.

Themes

• Strategy versus straightforward strength: Lu Yi wins by exploiting distraction and surprise rather than overpowering his opponents.
• Fairness and friendship: The characters disagree over whether a trick is acceptable when used to win without seriously harming friends.
• Reputation versus results: Lu Yi earns the title, but the officials recognize that the victory may not look heroic or conventional.
• Teasing as camaraderie: The post-match argument is heated, but its playful tone suggests an ongoing friendship beneath the rivalry.

Character interactions

• Lu Yi manipulates Huo Yuhao and Xiao Xiao to end the match, then restores them afterward.
• Wang Dong and Lu Yi trade accusations and jokes, with Lu Yi provoking her while claiming benevolent motives.
• Xiao Xiao intervenes on Lu Yi’s behalf, frustrating Wang Dong further.
• Zhou Sichen defends Lu Yi’s tactical victory, while Yan Shaozhe and Du Weilun address the team as Academy leaders.

Plot points and events

• Lu Yi hosts a grilled-fish dinner with the freshman assessment’s top teams, Tang Ya, and Bei Bei. Tang Ya recruits Wang Dong into the declining Tang Sect. Xiao Xiao, Zhou Sichen, Cao Jinxuan, and Lu Yi all decline.
• Tang Ya and Bei Bei discuss their plans to learn Soul Tools. Huo Yuhao sees them as a promising path, while Wang Dong dislikes them; the others have limited interest. Lu Yi plans to learn only the basics, privately intending to use that knowledge to pursue alchemy and create artifacts that do not require Soul Power.
• The next day, Shrek announces the assessment rankings: Dai Huabin’s team is third, Wang Dong’s is second, and Lu Yi’s team is champion. The academy names Lu Yi captain, while Huo Yuhao is again undervalued because of his Soul Ring.
• Lu Yi’s team members are all selected as Core Disciples. Huo Yuhao misses selection but still receives Core Disciple benefits.
• The chapter ends with the class assignments: Lu Yi, Zhou Sichen, and Cao Jinxuan will study under Wang Yan, with Zhou Yi as assistant teacher—a prospect that immediately troubles them.

Character developments and interactions

• Tang Ya’s recruitment efforts show her determination to revive the Tang Sect; she is pleased to secure Wang Dong, though she accepts the others’ refusals without pressure.
• Wang Dong readily joins the Tang Sect, while Xiao Xiao declines partly because she worries about being surrounded by couples. Lu Yi keeps his true ambitions private.
• Huo Yuhao remains focused on Soul Tools, while Wang Dong’s rejection of them highlights their contrasting outlooks.
• Lu Yi’s success earns him public recognition, but the academy’s treatment of Huo Yuhao—excluding him from captaincy and Core Disciple status despite his role—reinforces the gap between merit and perceived potential.
• Zhou Sichen and Cao Jinxuan celebrate their victory alongside Lu Yi, even as Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu glare at them.

Significant themes

• Tradition versus change: The Tang Sect’s hidden weapons have lost ground to Soul Tools, prompting Tang Ya and Bei Bei to adapt.
• Different paths to power: Characters weigh conventional Soul Tools against Lu Yi’s secret interest in alchemy, which may bypass Soul Power limitations.
• Recognition and prejudice: Huo Yuhao’s abilities are repeatedly underestimated because of his Soul Ring, while Lu Yi’s performance gains him status.
• Friendship, loyalty, and romance: The group’s bonds shape their choices, from Wang Dong’s commitment to the Tang Sect to Xiao Xiao’s reluctance to feel like a third wheel.

Key events

• After the championship assembly, Director Du Weilun awards Lu Yi, Zhou Sichen, and Cao Jinxuan a Ten-Thousand-Year Voidlight Demon Leopard left-leg Soul Bone. It can boost speed and grant an offensive Soul Skill.
• Zhou Sichen and Cao Jinxuan are astonished by the prize, while Lu Yi stays composed. He explains that he once personally retrieved a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Bone, which helps Du Weilun understand why Lu Yi was unusually capable and had received an Inner Court recommendation.
• Du Weilun warns the trio to keep the Soul Bone secret and not let it damage their friendship. They agree that Lu Yi deserves it, since he turned the tide in key matches, but Lu Yi says its abilities would suit his teammates better.
• To prevent resentment, Lu Yi proposes that each teammate own an equal share: whoever takes the Soul Bone pays the other two 30% of its market value. Zhou Sichen buys it, promising to get it appraised and pay them fairly.
• Their teacher Mu Jin gives the champions an additional prize: a pair of leg-mounted Soul Tool Thrusters that improve speed and agility. He approves their handling of the Soul Bone and cautions them to behave in class under their future teacher, Zhou Yi. He also advises them to keep the Thrusters out of her sight.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Yi shows confidence about his unusual past and demonstrates practical fairness, choosing a clear payment arrangement rather than relying on friendship alone. He willingly yields the Soul Bone despite his teammates’ insistence that he deserves it.
• Zhou Sichen initially wants the Soul Bone but publicly acknowledges Lu Yi’s contributions. He ultimately accepts the purchase arrangement and uses humor to ease the tension.
• Cao Jinxuan is tempted by the prize but refuses to claim it unfairly, especially since he was effectively “asleep” during the Finals. He supports Zhou Sichen’s purchase.
• Du Weilun recognizes Lu Yi’s exceptional nature but avoids discussing sensitive details in front of the others. He emphasizes secrecy and solidarity.
• Mu Jin expresses pride in his students, along with sadness that they will soon leave his class. His final warning reflects his awareness of Zhou Yi’s strict reputation.

Significant themes

• Fairness and friendship: The Soul Bone tests the group’s sense of equity, and Lu Yi’s proposal gives everyone a valued share without turning the reward into a source of conflict.
• Humility and restraint: Lu Yi declines a prize he could claim and cautions against overvaluing a single resource.
• Secrecy and responsibility: The adults stress that rare Soul Bones can attract danger, so the students must handle their reward discreetly.

Key plot points and events

• After the championship, Lu Yi agrees to buy the speed-enhancing Soul Tool from Zhou Sichen and Cao Jinxuan for 60% of its market value; they plan to have it appraised with the Soul Bone.
• Back in Class One, teacher Wang Yan holds elections for the class monitors.
• Wu Feng objects to Huo Yuhao’s Control System nomination on the grounds of his low cultivation. Lu Yi challenges her, arguing that a nomination should be decided by a vote, and Zhou Sichen joins in.
• Dai Huabin wins the Power Attack System election, defeating Zhou Sichen and Wang Dong.
• Lu Yi wins the Control System election alongside Cao Jinxuan as the leading candidates; Huo Yuhao receives only Wang Dong’s vote.
• After class, Wang Yan asks Lu Yi to examine an old book, reflecting his interest in Lu Yi’s knowledge of Ancient Writing.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Yi speaks up for Huo Yuhao despite their strained relationship and is elected Control System class monitor. Wang Yan also sees him as a useful research assistant.
• Zhou Sichen backs Lu Yi and hopes to become class monitor, but is disappointed when Dai Huabin wins. His confidence in the championship’s prestige proves misplaced.
• Huo Yuhao is hurt by Wu Feng’s criticism and receives little support in the election. He accepts the result calmly, saying he has already served as class monitor.
• Wang Dong votes for Huo Yuhao and is upset that Xiao Xiao and Huo Yuhao did not do the same. Xiao Xiao explains she followed Huo Yuhao’s own vote for Lu Yi.
• Dai Huabin asserts himself in the argument and wins the Power Attack post, using his victory to dismiss Zhou Sichen.
• Wang Yan manages the heated debate without personal rebukes, then privately turns to Lu Yi for help with his research.

Significant themes

• Merit, popularity, and authority: The elections show that reputation and cultivation matter, but do not guarantee support.
• Loyalty and independence: Lu Yi defends Huo Yuhao, while the students’ ballots reveal that teammates do not always vote according to expected loyalties.
• Rivalry and status: Dai Huabin’s contempt and Zhou Sichen’s ambition fuel tension within the class.
• Learning as responsibility: Lu Yi’s election brings little routine work, but Wang Yan’s request points toward a different role built on his specialized knowledge.

Key plot points and events

• Wang Yan commissions Lu Yi to translate an ancient book, paying him 1,000 Gold Soul Coins per book. Lu Yi accepts eagerly, hoping to save enough to buy the costly Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife.
• Zhou Yi enters Freshman Class One and immediately imposes discipline. She sends tardy students outside to stand as punishment and throws Huang Chutian out the window when he protests.
• She dismisses Dai Huabin as class monitor for failing to maintain order. When he challenges her, she uses her Soul Emperor power to force him to his knees.
• Zhou Yi appoints Zhou Sichen as the new class monitor, bypassing a vote.
• She then singles out Lu Yi, criticizes his championship performance as cowardly and underhanded, and uses the opportunity to imply that other teachers have misled him. Lu Yi calmly challenges her definition of honorable combat, exposing the contradiction in her training methods.

Character developments

• Lu Yi is practical and financially motivated, but he remains composed when publicly insulted and is willing to defend his tactics with reason.
• Zhou Yi establishes herself as an authoritarian teacher who relies on intimidation and force. Her criticism of Lu Yi also reveals her rivalry with, or contempt for, his previous instructors.
• Zhou Sichen unexpectedly becomes class monitor and accepts the responsibility while concealing his surprise.
• Dai Huabin is forced to submit to Zhou Yi’s authority, though he remains resentful.
• Huang Chutian acts impulsively by protesting and is swiftly punished.

Significant themes

• Authority and discipline: Zhou Yi asserts control through fear, physical force, and unilateral decisions.
• Pragmatism versus idealism: Lu Yi questions the idea that honorable combat means ignoring one’s strengths or refusing to use effective tactics.
• Teaching and rivalry: Zhou Yi presents herself as the teacher who can improve Lu Yi while disparaging the guidance he has already received.
• Ambition and self-reliance: Lu Yi’s translation work reflects his determination to fund his own goals.

Character interactions

• Wang Yan offers Lu Yi paid work, and Lu Yi accepts enthusiastically.
• Zhou Yi intimidates the class, removes Dai Huabin from leadership, and appoints Zhou Sichen in his place.
• Zhou Yi confronts Lu Yi over the championship; rather than submit, he answers her accusations with a pointed critique of her teaching methods.

Plot points and events

• After Zhou Yi criticizes Lu Yi’s tournament victory as “cutting corners,” Lu Yi publicly challenges her. He argues that he followed the rules, conserved Soul Power, and that unconventional tactics are justified when survival is at stake.
• Lu Yi’s reasoning turns Zhou Yi’s own argument against her, leaving her unable to respond. Humiliated and already resentful after losing a wager involving Lu Yi, she threatens to have him and Huang Chutian removed from Class One.
• Before Lu Yi can act on the chance to leave, Zhang Lexuan arrives. She tells Zhou Yi that if she does not want to teach the class, she can step down. Though Zhou Yi demands to know who she is, Zhang calmly claims she is a prospective teacher and offers to take over.
• Zhang’s quiet but unmistakable threat unnerves Zhou Yi, who withdraws and goes to speak with Director Du. Zhang then asks Lu Yi to bring the dismissed students back, including the student Zhou Yi threw out the window.
• Zhang announces that she will serve as Class One’s assistant homeroom teacher for the year, introducing herself as an Inner Court member and inviting the students to call her “Teacher Zhang.”

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Yi remains calm under Zhou Yi’s authority and confidently defends his approach. His willingness to speak up earns mixed reactions: Xiao Xiao worries but admires his courage, Wang Dong thinks he is reckless, and even Dai Huabin briefly respects him before reverting to disdain.
• Zhou Yi tries to establish control by targeting Lu Yi, but her anger and humiliation undermine her authority. She backs down when she realizes Zhang is someone dangerous to oppose.
• Zhang Lexuan appears gentle and courteous, yet her composure and hidden power command immediate respect. She protects the students and takes over the class without openly explaining her status.
• Zhou Sichen and Cao Jinxuan hesitate over whether to follow Lu Yi out, while the class reacts with surprise and growing enthusiasm to Zhang’s arrival.

Significant themes

• Rules, tactics, and survival: Lu Yi argues that practical, unconventional methods can be valid, especially when a Soul Master’s life is at stake.
• Authority and accountability: Zhou Yi’s position does not shield her from being challenged, and her attempt to impose authority through intimidation falters.
• Power beneath appearances: Zhang’s soft manner contrasts with the danger and influence she quietly conveys.
• Solidarity and second chances: Zhang’s first action is to bring the excluded students back into class, signaling a more welcoming approach.

Key plot points and events

• Inspired by Lu Yi’s performance in the Finals, Zhang Lexuan researches his Martial Soul and decides his unusual abilities need specialized training.
• She asks Yan Shaozhe to let her teach Lu Yi’s first-year class. Yan recognizes Lu Yi’s clever, unconventional techniques but doubts Shrek’s teachers can understand them well enough to guide him. Zhang insists she wants to address his weaknesses—not teach him her own techniques.
• Zhang approaches Director Du Weilun, who hesitates to disrupt the newly assigned staff: Wang Yan has applied to lead the class, and Zhou Yi’s position is sensitive because her husband works in the Soul Tool Department. Zhang offers to serve as an assistant instead.
• On her way to observe Lu Yi’s class, Zhang sees a student thrown out a window and finds Zhou Yi using her Martial Soul to intimidate the class. She realizes why Du had warned her about changing the staff.
• Du later reprimands Zhou Yi for her temper. Zhou, intimidated after learning Zhang is the Inner Court’s chief disciple, asks for another teaching assignment. With no vacancies, Du assigns her to lead upper-year Soul Hunting trips. Zhou objects, but Du insists she accept.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhang Lexuan shifts from recovering and inactive to seeking a meaningful role. Her confidence in Lu Yi grows, and she shows practical insight by identifying his needs: strength, attack speed, and accuracy.
• Yan Shaozhe praises Lu Yi’s ingenuity but remains cautious about his long-term prospects and teaching needs. He ultimately lets Zhang pursue her plan.
• Du Weilun is caught between Zhang’s request, Wang Yan’s application, Zhou Yi’s appointment, and departmental harmony. After Zhou’s misconduct is exposed, however, he takes a firmer stance and gives her an unwanted duty.
• Zhou Yi goes from domineering in class to subdued and anxious once confronted with the consequences of her behavior and Zhang’s status.
• Lu Yi is not directly involved in the staff dispute, but his performance motivates Zhang’s efforts and prompts debate about how best to develop his unusual abilities.

Significant themes

• Recognizing and nurturing talent: Lu Yi’s unconventional skills call for tailored instruction rather than routine training.
• Authority and accountability: Zhou Yi’s position and teaching style are challenged when her conduct is witnessed.
• Institutional politics and unity: Du weighs fairness and departmental relations against responding to the teachers’ needs and behavior.
• Humility before exceptional ability: Zhou’s perspective changes sharply once she realizes how far Zhang has surpassed her.

Key plot points and events

• After Zhou Yi resigns as assistant homeroom teacher, Zhang Lexuan takes her place. Wang Yan is surprised that a powerful Soul Douluo is serving under him, but Zhang says he should handle ordinary lessons while she focuses on combat training.
• Zhang’s demanding practical classes rapidly improve the students. She criticizes their mistakes directly but also offers more praise as their performance improves.
• After a successful training session, she praises Dai Huabin, Lu Yi, and Huo Yuhao for their teamwork. Dai takes particular pride in hearing his name first.
• Zhang asks Lu Yi to stay behind and tests his ability to attack her. She repeatedly interrupts his slow, obvious spellcasting, demonstrating that stronger and faster opponents could stop or evade him.
• Lu Yi recognizes that his attacks have a visible tell and take too long to cast. Zhang advises him to conceal his intent and address the spells’ limited speed. He resolves to improve.
• Lu Yi then surprises Zhang with a Stunning Charm, briefly dazing her for five seconds before she recovers.

Character developments

• Zhang Lexuan discovers that she enjoys teaching and takes pride in her students’ rapid progress. Though gentle outside class, she becomes exacting during combat practice.
• Lu Yi gains a clearer understanding of his combat weaknesses and commits to correcting them. His playful confidence remains, and he is willing to test his magic even against Zhang.
• Dai Huabin remains proud and competitive, interpreting the order of Zhang’s praise as evidence that he is her favorite.
• Huo Yuhao finds that Zhang’s encouraging, disciplined approach motivates him differently from Zhou Yi’s more pressuring style.
• Wang Yan grows more respectful of Zhang after seeing her modesty and effectiveness.

Significant themes

• Effective teaching can be strict without being domineering: Zhang’s criticism and encouragement inspire rather than intimidate.
• Combat ability depends not only on power but also on timing, concealment, judgment, and adaptability.
• Recognition matters to students, though Dai’s eagerness to be singled out also reveals his pride.
• Magic and Soul Master combat do not perfectly align: Lu Yi’s spells have tactical limits when used against fast, powerful opponents.

Character interactions

• Wang Yan and Zhang establish a respectful division of teaching responsibilities.
• Zhang’s feedback pushes the students to improve, while her praise reinforces their teamwork.
• Zhang coaches Lu Yi through a practical demonstration, interrupting his attacks to expose their weaknesses.
• Lu Yi turns the lesson around by catching Zhang off guard with a Stunning Charm, ending their exchange on a playful note.

Key plot points and events

• As vacation begins, teacher Wang Yan reminds students that they must pass a promotion exam next term and that anyone below level twenty needs a Second Soul Ring. Huo Yuhao, already at the level-twenty bottleneck, has delayed obtaining his ring for reasons tied to the Ice Empress.
• Wang Yan tells Lu Yi he is pausing their translation work. Their research into a book on Body Martial Souls revealed that a Second Awakening may require extreme physical and mental hardship. Wang Yan is troubled by the possibility of putting Huo Yuhao through such trials.
• Wang Yan pays Lu Yi ten thousand Gold Soul Coins for his work and promises to credit him when the book is published. Their joking exchange shows they have become friends as well as teacher and student.
• Back in the dorm, Lu Yi continues building a broom from twigs and salvaged Soul Tool parts. He declines Zhou Sichen’s invitation to visit during the break, saying he plans to go to Star Luo City.
• Lu Yi carves a series of spells into the broom. A panel identifies it as a poorly made Flying Broomstick. Though the enchantment consumes substantial Soul Power, Lu Yi is excited to test it and heads outside. He mounts it on a second-floor railing as Zhou Sichen watches, ending the chapter on the verge of a potentially dangerous trial.

Character developments and interactions

• Wang Yan is weighed down by the harsh requirements for awakening Huo Yuhao’s Body Martial Soul, but Lu Yi encourages him by pointing out the book’s discovery of a method for increasing Soul Ring age. Wang Yan’s gratitude and humor reflect his close rapport with Lu Yi.
• Lu Yi remains inventive, practical, and teasing. He uses his reward and research experience to pursue an unconventional magical invention, while keeping his travel plans secret.
• Zhou Sichen invites Lu Yi to spend the break with him and jokes that Lu Yi must have a sweetheart in Star Luo City. His curiosity turns to alarm when Lu Yi prepares to ride the broom.
• Huo Yuhao is eager but apprehensive about what comes next; the chapter hints that his eventual Ice Empress-related ordeal will bring the suffering Wang Yan fears.

Significant themes

• Ambition versus compassion: Wang Yan wants to help Huo Yuhao develop but hesitates to subject him to dangerous trials.
• Inventiveness and experimentation: Lu Yi applies magic in a new way, creating a low-quality but potentially useful flying item from cheap materials.
• Friendship and humor: Lu Yi and Wang Yan’s banter, and Zhou Sichen’s teasing invitation, lend warmth to the characters’ relationships.
• Foreshadowing: Huo Yuhao’s delayed Soul Ring and Lu Yi’s secret trip set up future developments, while the broom’s first test leaves the outcome uncertain.

Key plot points and events

• Lu Yi tests his newly made Flying Broomstick. It flies without consuming Soul Power, though it is slow, awkward, and uncomfortable; its main strength is durability.
• While flying invisibly through light rain, Lu Yi is summoned by Mu En to Sea God Island.
• Mu En examines the broomstick. Lu Yi explains that it flies through the rider’s belief and does not require Soul Power.
• Recognizing the invention’s potential, Mu En reveals that he is Bei Bei’s great-grandfather, Zhang Lexuan’s master, and the Sea God Pavilion Master, titled the Dragon God.
• Mu En offers Lu Yi any reward within his power if the broomstick can enable other people to fly.

Character developments

• Lu Yi shows excitement and ingenuity, while remaining respectful and quick-witted around Mu En. He conceals his recognition of the old man and plays along with Mu En’s teasing.
• Mu En emerges as curious and humble despite his status: he admits he cannot explain the broomstick’s workings and responds with genuine excitement to its possibilities. His old injury keeps him confined to a reclining chair.

Significant themes

• Innovation and possibility: A crude, imperfect invention may still have revolutionary potential.
• Access to power: Flight is normally rare or dependent on great strength, but the broomstick may make it available without Soul Power.
• Curiosity and humility: Mu En’s willingness to ask questions helps uncover the invention’s importance.
• Belief and imagination: The broomstick’s flight depends on the rider believing they can fly.

Character interactions

• Mu En summons Lu Yi, praises his progress, and probes both his cultivation and his invention.
• Lu Yi answers Mu En’s questions and gives him the broomstick to inspect.
• Mu En’s excitement turns into a serious offer of patronage, conditional on whether the broomstick can carry others as well as Lu Yi.

Key events

• Mu En seals Lu Yi’s Soul Power, and Lu Yi successfully demonstrates that he can fly on his broom without it.
• Zhu Song arrives on an urgent assignment. Mu En asks Lu Yi to teach him, promising that if Zhu Song can fly, Mu En will honor his offer to Lu Yi.
• Zhu Song’s first attempts fail. Mu En doubts the broom’s promise and explains that a tool usable without Soul Power could reshape combat and challenge the Sun Moon Empire’s dominance in Soul Tool technology.
• Lu Yi recalls that his first flying lesson involved summoning a broom by saying “Up.” Zhu Song repeats the exercise until the broom jumps into his hand, then mounts it and takes off.
• Mu En is impressed and predicts that Lu Yi will soon become famous across the continent.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Yi shows confidence, practical insight, and persistence. Rather than accept failure, he remembers an overlooked lesson and adapts his teaching. He is also keenly aware of the opportunity Mu En’s promise represents.
• Zhu Song is initially skeptical and embarrassed, but follows Lu Yi’s instructions and perseveres. His obedience and tactical discipline help him learn quickly once Lu Yi finds the right method.
• Mu En shifts from disappointment to renewed hope. He respects Lu Yi’s judgment and recognizes the broom’s potential as more than a personal convenience.

Significant themes

• Innovation and possibility: A simple broom may offer a new form of flight independent of Soul Power.
• Persistence and learning: Zhu Song’s breakthrough comes when Lu Yi revisits a seemingly pointless beginner exercise.
• Power and social change: Tools that ordinary people can use could alter warfare and challenge established technological powers.

Key plot points and events

• At the start of the break, Lu Yi and his friends leave Shrek Academy. Xiao Xiao travels with Zhou Sichen and Cao Jinxuan, Wang Dong returns to the Clear Sky Sect, and Huo Yuhao has already slipped away. Lu Yi heads alone toward Star Luo City.
• Rather than hire a carriage, Lu Yi uses his Flying Broomstick, conceals himself with a Disillusionment Charm, and protects himself from the wind with a Bubble-Head Charm. Though the flight is uncomfortable, a Cushioning Charm lets him cover nearly two thousand li in a day.
• He reaches Star Luo City the following evening. Its immense walls and crowded streets combine ancient architecture with Soul Guidance technology. The city is also promoting the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Fighting Tournament, which begins in just over two months.
• Lu Yi goes to the Starlight Auction House, hoping to buy the cursed Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife before its price rises. He presents a card with 100,000 Gold Soul Coins, but learns that the auction house requires a review before admitting him to an auction. The process takes at least fifteen days and usually up to a month.

Character developments

• Lu Yi is cautious about accepting Mu En’s offer of a favor: he does not know what the Flying Broomstick is worth to Mu En or what reward would suit him. He remains practical and self-reliant, choosing rapid travel and carefully planning his auction purchase.
• Lu Yi’s companions part ways amicably, each following a different destination for the break. Their departure marks a temporary shift from Academy life to individual journeys.

Significant themes

• Independence and resourcefulness: Lu Yi relies on his own magic, equipment, and planning rather than conventional transport or help.
• Value and uncertainty: Lu Yi weighs the worth of Mu En’s favor and tracks his finances closely as he prepares for a major purchase.
• Technology and history: Star Luo City’s mix of ancient buildings and modern Soul Guidance infrastructure reflects a society shaped by both tradition and innovation.
• Anticipation and opportunity: The upcoming tournament and Lu Yi’s planned auction purchase establish important events on the horizon.

Character interactions

• Lu Yi and his friends exchange farewells at the Academy gate before separating for the break.
• Mu En’s promise of one favor remains unresolved, while Zhang Lexuan gives Lu Yi only a brief caution about traveling.
• At the auction house, the receptionist initially mistakes Lu Yi for a child accompanying adults, then explains the wealth requirements and application review once he clarifies that he intends to participate.

Key plot points and events

• Lu Yi learns that the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife will be auctioned in two days, but the auction house won’t reveal its bidding tier. He pays a steep fee to register, despite resenting the expense.
• While wandering the city, he discovers the Nine Treasures Pavilion and uses the card Ning Tian gave him to gain honored-guest status.
• The Pavilion arranges a high-tier VIP pass for the Starlight Auction House, allowing him into auctions up to Tier Two, and provides him with a luxurious suite. Lu Yi is impressed by the attentive service and reflects on how wealth and status shape people’s behavior.
• Relaxing in his room, he checks his Magic Library panel and reviews his progress: his Charms and defensive magic are nearing wizard level, his Transfiguration is advanced, but his Potions remain at beginner level because he lacks practical success. He wonders whether studying Necromancy with Elder Yi would appear on the panel.

Character development and interactions

• Lu Yi is resourceful and adapts quickly: after paying an expensive fee at the auction house, he uses Ning Tian’s card to secure better access and lodging through the Pavilion.
• He is frustrated by the cost and secrecy surrounding the auction, but his mood improves once the Pavilion responds to his VIP status.
• The Pavilion attendant initially dismisses Lu Yi as a cheeky child, then immediately becomes deferential after seeing the card. Their interaction highlights how status changes the treatment Lu Yi receives.
• Lu Yi’s review of his studies shows both substantial progress and clear limitations, particularly his inability to advance in Potions without successful brewing.

Significant themes

• Wealth and status: The VIP card transforms Lu Yi from an unwelcome visitor into an honored guest, illustrating the influence of privilege.
• Practical achievement versus theory: Lu Yi’s Potions rank reflects demonstrated results rather than knowledge alone.
• Progress and limits: His growing magical abilities are balanced by restrictions, especially around living beings and Soul Power.
• Adaptability: Lu Yi uses available connections and resources to overcome obstacles while pursuing his goal of acquiring the carving knife.

Plot points and events

• Two days after his previous visit, Lu Yi returns to Starlight Auction House with his black VIP card and is escorted to Hall Ten, where his black mask and front-row seat mark him as the auction’s most important guest.
• The hall’s lots—mostly Soul Tools, rare metals, pills, and herbs—attract little interest from him.
• The final lot is the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife, a cursed weapon whose past thirty-seven owners, including powerful Soul Engineers, all met grim ends. The auction house discloses the danger but still tries to promote it.
• Although others are deterred and bidding stalls, Lu Yi waits to avoid drawing attention or inviting someone to raise the price. He eventually bids the starting price of 100,000 Gold Soul Coins and wins immediately.

Character development

• Lu Yi’s training with Electrolux and growing sensitivity to souls let him detect the knife’s persistent malice even through its protective glass. He understands the danger better than the auction staff’s reassuring claims suggest.
• He shows patience and tactical restraint, concealing his eagerness until the bidding has stalled. His limited funds—130,000 Gold Soul Coins—make careful timing essential.
• The auctioneer’s polished manner contrasts with her private eagerness for the knife to sell, since its higher commission would significantly boost her earnings.

Significant themes

• Danger beneath appearances: The auction presents the knife as a rare collectible, but its curse remains harmful even when it is not used.
• Greed and self-interest: The house’s sales pitch and the auctioneer’s commission motivate them to minimize the weapon’s danger.
• Knowledge as an advantage: Lu Yi’s unusual sensitivity gives him insight others lack and helps him judge both the knife and the auction.
• Restraint and strategy: Lu Yi’s patience prevents unnecessary competition and lets him secure the lot at its starting price.

Character interactions

• The staff and hostess treat Lu Yi with special deference because of his VIP status, while other guests watch him curiously.
• The auctioneer tries to persuade the room to bid, then singles out Lu Yi as the likely interested buyer.
• Lu Yi stays silent until the right moment; when he finally raises his paddle, the auctioneer rushes through the countdown and awards him the knife.

Summary

• Auction and mysterious visitor: Lu Yi smoothly buys the cursed Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife from Starlight Auction House. Though its malice intensifies when he handles it, he decides not to risk destroying the weapon while trying to remove the soul inside. He plans to leave the problem to someone more qualified. Before leaving, he sees the auction house temporarily locked down for the arrival of a richly dressed woman and a high-status man in black, apparently a Soul Engineer, who receives an unusually grand welcome.
• Lu Yi is followed: On his way back to the Nine Treasures Pavilion, Lu Yi notices three men tailing him. He suspects they have targeted him because he is a young, unprotected Black Level VIP. He leads them into an empty alley, conceals himself with a Disillusionment Charm, and uses a Muggle-Repelling Charm to keep the shortest pursuer—who is not a Soul Master—at a distance.
• The ambush is exposed: The men reveal that the short one works at the auction house and identified Lu Yi as a wealthy target. He has recruited two Soul Elders to rob him. The larger man wields a chain-hammer Martial Soul, while the leaner man has a venomous snake Martial Soul; both have poor Soul Ring configurations. Once Lu Yi hears their plans, he attacks, swiftly cutting down both men. He then uses Accio to drag the short accomplice back into the alley and begins to attack him with Bombarda, leaving the outcome unresolved.

Character developments and interactions

Lu Yi is excited to acquire the cursed knife but shows caution about experimenting on it, preferring to preserve the weapon. He is also alert and resourceful when followed, using observation and magic to confirm the threat and gain the advantage. Once the trio’s criminal intentions become clear, he acts decisively and shows little sympathy for them.
The short accomplice is nervous and eager to leave, but the two Soul Elders dismiss him and promise him a share of the robbery. Their casual talk about murdering Lu Yi underscores their arrogance; their confidence collapses once he attacks.

Significant themes

The chapter contrasts caution with boldness: Lu Yi avoids a risky experiment on the knife but readily confronts criminals when circumstances favor him. It also highlights predatory greed and abuse of insider knowledge, as the auction-house employee helps his associates target a customer. The strange VIP reception hints at larger forces and events beyond Lu Yi’s immediate concerns.

Key plot points and events

• After winning the Gold of Life at auction, Lu Yi is followed through an alley by three men. He kills them with magic, then uses a powerful Cleaning Charm to erase the blood, remains, and grime before leaving.
• Although he appears composed, Lu Yi is shaken by what he has done. He returns to his suite to wash and then enters the Magic Library to speak with Electrolux.
• Electrolux detects the stain left on Lu Yi’s soul by killing magic. He explains that it should fade if Lu Yi does not kill repeatedly, but could spread if his resolve weakens.
• Lu Yi recounts the attack and admits he regrets using the Exploding Charm, since he had other ways to deal with the men.
• Electrolux reveals that he was once known as the Undead Scourge, but prefers Holy Necromancer. He explains that he fused Necromancy with Light Magic and asks whether Lu Yi still wants to learn Necromancy, despite its reputation.
• Lu Yi accepts, while emphasizing that he is especially interested in the principles behind combining opposing abilities.

Character developments

• Lu Yi proves capable of decisive violence under threat, but the aftermath troubles him. His regret and concern about the moral cost show that he has not become indifferent to killing. He approaches Necromancy thoughtfully rather than blindly chasing power.
• Electrolux reveals his past and his wish to pass on Necromancy. His approval of Lu Yi’s actions is balanced by concern for the state of Lu Yi’s soul. He recognizes Lu Yi’s interest in deeper principles and agrees to teach him.

Significant themes

• Violence and conscience: Defending oneself may be necessary, but it can still leave psychological and spiritual consequences.
• Knowledge versus morality: Electrolux presents Necromancy as an art shaped by its practitioner, not simply as evil because it is forbidden or feared.
• The danger of corruption: Lu Yi’s soul can recover, but repeated killing or weakened resolve could turn a temporary stain into lasting damage.
• Learning through understanding: Electrolux stresses that mastering opposing powers requires personal study and experience, not merely instruction.

Character interactions

• Lu Yi confides in Electrolux about the ambush and his remorse; Electrolux listens patiently, affirms that Lu Yi acted to meet a threat, and explains the spiritual risks.
• Electrolux tests Lu Yi’s willingness to learn Necromancy by disclosing his notorious past. Lu Yi responds without condemning him, asks about the principles behind his work, and respectfully agrees to become his student.