Chapter Summaries

Key events

• Shrek’s Xuan Zi discovers that Chen Mo possesses a rare mental-type Ultimate Martial Soul and decides he should be brought to Shrek. A masked observer also recognizes Chen Mo’s power and notices Xuan Zi.
• Expecting a direct clash, Shrek instead finds the Sun Moon team entrenched behind a layered Soul Tool defense, maintained by Ma Rulong. Their attacks fail to break through.
• Chen Mo directs Xiao Hongchen to fire a Class 6 Soul Guidance Ray through a small opening in the fortification. Xiao misses He Caitou, but the shot reveals how dangerous the weapon is.
• Ma Xiaotao launches her strongest attack as the Sun Moon team drops its shield. Chen Mo hits her with a mental shock, redirecting her strike into her own teammates. He Caitou, Bei Bei, and Wang Dong are eliminated; Ma Xiaotao is unable to continue, and Ling Luochеn must help contain her erupting evil fire.
• Dai Yueheng fights on while Huo Yuhao is left as Shrek’s only other active member. Ma Rulong defeats Dai with the Class 8 Tyrant Tiger Soul Refining Blade, which Jing Hongchen had given him. The Sun Moon team wins decisively.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Mo proves to be the Sun Moon team’s tactical centerpiece: he coordinates Xiao Hongchen’s aim and uses mental attacks to turn Shrek’s strength against itself.
• Ma Rulong shows his own combat power, defeating Dai Yueheng despite Dai’s formidable White Tiger transformations.
• Xiao Hongchen is embarrassed by his missed shot, drawing teasing from Meng Hongchen and criticism from Ma Rulong.
• Ma Xiaotao’s aggressive confidence backfires after Chen Mo disrupts her attack; she then loses control of her evil fire.
• Shrek’s teamwork falters: He Caitou is left exposed, and Ma Xiaotao’s redirected attack eliminates three teammates.
• Dai Yueheng and Huo Yuhao, half-brothers, are the last Shrek players left standing, highlighting their shared family connection amid the team’s collapse.

Significant themes

• Preparation and tactics over reputation: Shrek’s long dominance cannot compensate for the Sun Moon team’s coordination, defensive technology, and planning.
• Technology versus martial power: Soul Tools enable the Sun Moon team to withstand attacks and defeat even powerful martial-soul combatants.
• Overconfidence and team failure: Shrek’s assumption that it can force a straightforward fight contributes to its defeat.
• Ambition and rivalry: Xuan Zi’s intention to claim Chen Mo for Shrek underscores the competition between the academies and the value placed on rare talent.

Plot points and events

• Shrek loses the team battle to Sun Moon, leaving its members demoralized. Spectators who backed Shrek angrily accuse the team of incompetence and losing them money.
• Ma Xiaotao snaps back at the crowd. Her anger stirs the dangerous evil fire within her, but Ling Luochен calms her with ice and leads her away. Dai Yueheng also leaves ashamed after failing to impress his parents and represent the Star Luo Empire.
• In the rest area, Wang Yan questions Huo Yuhao about why he could not use his soul skills. Huo Yuhao explains that Chen Mo’s martial-soul suppression blocked them. Wang Yan is astonished to learn that Yuhao’s body martial soul has an ultimate mental attribute.
• Dai Huabin blames Yuhao for the loss, but Wang Yan stops the argument and reminds the team that two rounds remain. He expects Shrek to have an advantage in the individual battles. Though uneasy about Xuan Zi’s covert strategy, Wang Yan cooperates because winning would grant him access to the Sea God Pavilion’s library.
• The individual elimination round begins with Dai Yueheng facing Sun Moon’s Mi Jia. Sun Moon plans to wear Dai down before sending in captain Ma Rulong. Chen Mo predicts that Ma Xiaotao will not fight again, suspecting her unstable evil fire makes further combat too dangerous.
• As Dai and Mi Jia battle, Huo Yuhao quietly uses Spiritual Sharing and Spiritual Detection to support Dai, hiding his soul rings from the crowd. He asks Wang Dong, Bei Bei, and He Caitou to watch for anyone noticing.

Character developments and interactions

• Ma Xiaotao shows how strongly defeat and public criticism affect her; her anger risks triggering her evil fire. Ling Luochен acts as her stabilizing presence.
• Dai Yueheng shifts from confidence and determination to shame after the team defeat, then enters the next match determined to redeem himself.
• Huo Yuhao accepts blame despite the suppression being beyond his control, then covertly helps Dai Yueheng. Wang Dong defends him, while Dai Huabin openly scapegoats him.
• Wang Yan balances concern for his students with his own ambition: he dislikes the covert plan but supports it for the chance to pursue his scholarly dream.
• Chen Mo remains calm and strategic, using his knowledge of Ma Xiaotao’s condition to anticipate Shrek’s lineup.

Significant themes

• Victory versus fairness: Shrek’s pursuit of the championship involves covert assistance and compromises Wang Yan’s principles.
• Public pressure and shame: The crowd’s abuse intensifies the team’s distress, while Dai Yueheng’s defeat feels personal and national.
• Hidden vulnerabilities: Ma Xiaotao’s power carries a dangerous cost, and Huo Yuhao’s unusual martial soul can be neutralized by an opponent’s suppression.
• Teamwork amid blame: Despite internal accusations, Yuhao and his companions work together to support Shrek’s next match.

Plot points and events

• With Huo Yuhao’s support, Dai Yueheng begins anticipating Mi Jia’s movements, even with his eyes closed, and defeats him. The crowd shifts from jeering at Shrek to cheering for them.
• Xiao Xiafeng challenges Dai Yueheng but is eliminated within five minutes. His account—that Dai Yueheng could track him no matter how he dodged—makes Chen Mo suspicious.
• Chen Mo notices Huo Yuhao and his teammates watching from the public stands instead of Shrek’s private viewing room. Using his Three-Flower Pupils, he sees traces of spiritual power linking Huo Yuhao to Dai Yueheng and realizes Shrek is secretly assisting the fighter.
• The Sun Moon team becomes furious. Chen Mo argues that merely complaining will not work because the Organizing Committee is biased toward Shrek; they need undeniable evidence.
• Jing Hongchen reveals Soul Guidance Mental Detectors that can locate abnormal spiritual wavelengths. Chen Mo says the Blade of Life’s Watch can make spiritual power visible. Jing takes charge of the plan.
• Jing Hongchen pressures the reluctant Organizing Committee—eventually pointing a cannon at them—and gets the match suspended so detectors can be installed around the arena.

Character developments and interactions

• Dai Yueheng gains an apparent advantage through Huo Yuhao’s covert assistance, defeating both Mi Jia and Xiao Xiafeng.
• Mi Jia initially feels ashamed of losing, but perks up when Xiao Xiafeng is defeated just as quickly.
• Chen Mo shifts from puzzlement to investigation, identifies the cheating, and proposes a strategy to expose it rather than retaliate impulsively.
• Jing Hongchen backs Chen Mo’s plan, supplies the detectors, and uses intimidation to force the officials to act.
• Huo Yuhao and Shrek’s teammates behave furtively in the stands, prompting Chen Mo’s suspicions.
• The Sun Moon team reacts with anger, while the Organizing Committee resists intervention until Jing forces the issue.

Significant themes

• Fair play versus institutional favoritism: Shrek’s covert aid and the officials’ apparent bias threaten the competition’s legitimacy.
• Evidence and accountability: Chen Mo insists on proving the misconduct publicly rather than relying on accusation.
• Power and spectacle: The crowd’s allegiance changes with the momentum of the fight, while political pressure—not impartial procedure—ultimately secures the investigation.

Key plot points and events

• During the third individual match, the Sun Moon team asks the Organizing Committee to install support soul tools around the arena. Wang Yan suspects they may have discovered Shrek’s plan, but reassures himself that spiritual power cannot be detected.
• Dai Yueheng returns fully refreshed after resting and using a Milk Bottle soul tool. He faces Ma Rulong again, determined to avenge his earlier defeat.
• Ma Rulong gains the upper hand, so Huo Yuhao secretly uses Spiritual Sharing and Spiritual Detection to assist Dai Yueheng.
• The newly installed Mental Detectors reveal the spiritual-power links as golden threads stretching from the stands to Dai Yueheng. The referee halts the match, exposing Shrek’s cheating.
• Huo Yuhao realizes they have been caught and flees to Shrek’s private lounge with Wang Dong, Bei Bei, and He Caitou.
• Jing Hongchen returns the Blade of Life’s Watch to Chen Mo, praising it for revealing spiritual power. Chen Mo knows Electrolux—not the knife—made the threads visible, and keeps the knife in reserve in case Shrek challenges them.
• The referees recognize the cheating but hesitate to act because of Shrek’s ties to the Star Luo Imperial Family. As they prepare to clear the arena and defer the decision to the emperor, Chen Mo takes a loudspeaker and announces that he has something to say.

Character developments and interactions

• Wang Yan grows uneasy about the Sun Moon team’s precautions, then panics when the golden threads appear and understands that Huo Yuhao’s support has been exposed.
• Huo Yuhao shifts from covertly aiding Dai Yueheng to urgently escaping once detected. The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm warns him, and he alerts his teammates.
• Dai Yueheng enters overconfident, believing his strength and Huo Yuhao’s help will let him defeat the Sun Moon team, but Ma Rulong initially forces him onto the defensive.
• Jing Hongchen and Chen Mo work together to expose Shrek’s tactic. Jing praises the supposed tool, while Chen calmly conceals Electrolux’s role and prepares for the next move.
• The referees know Shrek has cheated but are reluctant to rule without the emperor’s authority.

Significant themes

• Fairness versus favoritism: The detection system exposes Shrek’s hidden assistance, while political ties complicate enforcement.
• Confidence and miscalculation: Shrek assumes its spiritual-power tactic is undetectable; that certainty proves fatal.
• Deception and countermeasures: The Sun Moon team’s apparent technical solution masks a deeper intervention, and Chen Mo keeps his role—and the knife’s true limitations—concealed.

Plot points and events

• Huo Yuhao returns to Shrek’s rest area in panic, convinced the Sun Moon team has discovered his cheating. Wang Yan tries to calm him by claiming Shrek’s reputation and ties to the tournament organizers will protect them.
• Chen Mo publicly accuses Shrek of cheating, drawing the spectators’ attention to the golden threads that appeared during the match. Wang Yan counters by accusing the Sun Moon team of trying to frame Shrek.
• Jing Hongchen escalates the confrontation by appearing with nine Level 9 Soul Tools, including a cannon aimed at the arena. He demands that the organizers punish Shrek, threatening a disaster if they refuse.
• Emperor Xu Jiawei learns of the scandal and is furious that Shrek was caught cheating despite the Star Luo Empire’s support. He orders Chief Referee Huang Jinxu to suppress the matter.
• Huang tries to undermine the evidence, but Jing explains that the Blade of Life’s Watch can reveal otherwise invisible spiritual power, making the golden threads visible. He offers to demonstrate.
• At the chapter’s end, Xuan Zi finally intervenes, unleashing his pressure and angrily defending Shrek against the accusation.

Character developments and interactions

• Huo Yuhao is frightened and guilt-ridden, while Wang Yan moves from reassurance to desperate, self-serving denial.
• Chen Mo openly challenges Shrek; Jing Hongchen backs the accusation with a show of force and a technical explanation of the evidence.
• Huang Jinxu is caught between powerful rivals and the emperor’s order, reluctantly attempting to protect Shrek despite the visible evidence.
• Xu Jiawei prioritizes keeping Shrek’s championship hopes alive and shielding the Star Luo Empire’s political interests.
• Xuan Zi’s sudden arrival shifts the confrontation from a public dispute toward a direct clash of authority and power.

Significant themes

• Corruption and favoritism: The organizers and emperor attempt to protect Shrek because of its prestige and political value.
• Truth versus reputation: Shrek’s long-standing status is used to deflect scrutiny, even as evidence accumulates.
• Escalation and coercion: Jing Hongchen’s armed threat turns a cheating scandal into a potential mass-casualty crisis.
• Hypocrisy: Wang Yan accuses others of framing Shrek while trying to conceal the team’s wrongdoing.

Key plot points and events

• Jing Hongchen demonstrates that his blade can make spiritual power visible. Two Titled Douluos test it, and their spiritual power appears in distinct colored lines, lending credibility to the Sun Moon Team’s accusation that Shrek cheated.
• Jing challenges Shrek to have Huo Yuhao publicly use his Spiritual Detection Sharing skill. He stakes his team’s withdrawal on the test’s outcome and threatens to fire his Level 9 Fixed Soul Guidance Cannon if Shrek refuses.
• Referee Huang Jinxu rejects Wang Yan’s objection, while Chen Mo argues that refusing the test would look like an admission of guilt. Under pressure from the crowd, the officials, and the cannon, Wang Yan finally tells Huo Yuhao to demonstrate his skill.
• Huo Yuhao recreates the earlier conditions, linking golden threads to Dai Yueheng and referee Cheng Gang. Cheng Gang confirms that the skill lets him perceive the platform and its surroundings in three dimensions.
• The spectators turn against Shrek, demanding an investigation. Xuan Zi arrives, strikes Wang Yan, and publicly blames him for the cheating, stripping him of his substitute-teacher position and ordering him to face punishment after the tournament.

Character developments and interactions

• Huo Yuhao is shocked that the Sun Moon Team knows about his skill. Suspicion makes him briefly view even his close teammates, including Wang Dong, as possible spies. Frightened and cornered, he ultimately obeys Wang Yan.
• Wang Yan struggles between defending Shrek’s reputation and protecting everyone from the cannon. He loses control under pressure, authorizes the test, and is then made the public scapegoat by Xuan Zi.
• Jing Hongchen controls the confrontation through evidence, a high-stakes challenge, and the cannon threat. He presents the test as a chance for Shrek to clear its name.
• Huang Jinxu abandons any appearance of favoring Shrek, prioritizing the crowd’s safety and the investigation.
• Xuan Zi restores Wang Yan’s hope by arriving, then immediately condemns him—shifting blame onto the substitute teacher rather than addressing the wider accusation.

Significant themes

• Truth and public proof: The demonstration turns suspicion into apparent confirmation and rapidly changes public opinion.
• Coercion and power: The test is framed as voluntary proof, but the cannon, official ruling, and hostile crowd leave Shrek little real choice.
• Reputation and scapegoating: Shrek’s century-spanning prestige collapses in moments, while Xuan Zi tries to contain the damage by blaming Wang Yan.
• Distrust and betrayal: Huo Yuhao’s sudden suspicion of his teammates shows how accusations can fracture even close relationships.

Plot points and events

• Xuan Zi blamed the cheating entirely on coach Wang Yan. After Wang tried to protest, Xuan Zi silenced him, and the tournament issued its ruling:
  • Shrek’s two earlier victories were annulled.
  • Dai Yueheng received a ten-year ban; Huo Yuhao was barred from individual matches.
  • Wang Yan was expelled and permanently banned from tournament participation.
  • The individual round was canceled, and Sun Moon and Shrek would decide the winner in a two-two-three format.
• Jing Hongchen objected to the lenient punishment, but the Organizing Committee promised a substantial gift to the Sun Moon Empire. He accepted, judging that Shrek’s damaged reputation mattered more than further penalties.
• The tournament paused for five hours while the arena’s protective barrier and spiritual-power defenses were reinforced. Jing advised on the work for a steep fee, and competition resumed at 3 p.m.
• Sun Moon sent Ma Rulong and Lin Xi out for the opening match. Shrek, shaken by the scandal and without Wang Yan’s guidance, struggled to prepare.

Character developments and interactions

• Xuan Zi protects Shrek by sacrificing Wang Yan, while Wang Yan is left stunned and unable to defend himself.
• Jing Hongchen reins in his team’s anger, arguing that Shrek’s reputational damage already serves their interests. He also returns Chen Mo’s Blade of Life’s Watch and warns him to guard it.
• Ling Luochén takes responsibility for rallying Shrek. Her initial appeal to the team’s pride backfires when Ma Xiaotao points out that the academy has just cheated. Ling eventually threatens to forfeit, provoking the team into reacting and regaining some fighting spirit.
• Huo Yuhao feels guilty about being caught, though his thought is that he should have been more careful.
• Ma Xiaotao remains volatile, with black flames appearing as Ling helps stabilize her. Despite Ling’s concerns about her Evil Fire, she insists on fighting for Shrek’s honor and claims the first match alongside Li Yan.

Significant themes

• Reputation and institutional honor: Jing considers Shrek’s public disgrace a more lasting injury than losing students or imposing additional penalties.
• Scapegoating and accountability: Shrek’s leadership shifts blame onto Wang Yan, while the penalties fall unevenly across the team.
• Morale under pressure: The team’s shame and loss of guidance nearly paralyze them; Ling has to provoke them into action.
• Honor versus wrongdoing: Ma Xiaotao’s determination to fight for Shrek’s honor sits uneasily beside the team’s recent cheating scandal.

Summary

Plot and key events

• As Shrek delays choosing its next contestants, the Sun Moon team realizes that the earlier expulsion of Shrek’s teacher Wang Yan has left the team without its usual guidance.
• Shrek eventually sends out captain Ma Xiaotao and Xu Sanshi. Xu Sanshi’s attempt to use his displacement skill against Ma Rulong backfires: the Sun Moon team anticipated it, and Ma Rulong knocks Xu out of the match immediately.
• Ma Xiaotao attacks Ma Rulong with powerful fire-based skills. He withstands her assault with Lin Xi’s support and a soul-tool weapon, but Ma Xiaotao grows determined to win for Shrek’s honor.
• Ma Xiaotao turns her attention to Lin Xi, the Sun Moon team’s support fighter, and unleashes a devastating attack. Her flames darken as she loses control, and her evil fire erupts, marking her transformation into an Evil Soul Master.
• Lin Xi is trapped in the inferno. His defensive shields break one by one, but an ice-extreme divine crystal embedded in the Level Seven defensive soul tool Chen Mo gave him releases a freezing force that repels the evil flames. Lin Xi survives.

Character developments and interactions

• Ma Xiaotao shifts from confident, forceful captain to a desperate fighter, and her resolve to protect Shrek’s reputation triggers the eruption of her dangerous evil fire.
• Xu Sanshi is quickly eliminated after his predictable tactic is countered.
• Lin Xi appears to be in mortal danger but is saved by Chen Mo’s preparation and the crystal hidden in his soul tool.
• Chen Mo and Jing Hongchen remain calm while the Sun Moon team panics, confident Lin Xi has protection. Chen Mo jokes with Meng Hongchen, who blushes at his teasing prediction about her future.
• Ma Rulong recognizes Ma Xiaotao’s strength, then reacts with alarm when she targets Lin Xi. The referee and officials also realize the attack may be fatal, while the Sun Moon team’s apparent lack of concern confuses them.

Significant themes

• Preparation versus improvisation: The Sun Moon team counters Xu Sanshi’s familiar tactic, while Chen Mo’s hidden safeguard proves crucial.
• Power and loss of control: Ma Xiaotao’s determination intensifies her strength but also unleashes the evil fire she had been trying to suppress.
• Appearances can mislead: Lin Xi seems doomed, yet the seemingly ordinary soul tool protects him; the calm Sun Moon leaders know something the others do not.

Key plot points and events

• Ma Xiaotao’s evil fire takes control, transforming her into a savage Black Phoenix and putting her opponent, Ma Rulong, at a disadvantage.
• Cai Mei’er urges Shrek’s leaders to abandon the match and get Xiaotao medical help. Xuan Zi and Yan Shaozhe resist at first, unwilling to surrender Shrek’s undefeated record, but Xuan Zi eventually intervenes when Xiaotao is about to unleash another attack.
• Two covert Holy Spirit Cult members recognize Xiaotao as the pure-blooded Black Phoenix they have been seeking as their Holy Maiden. They leave to report that their prophecy—about the Holy Son and Holy Maiden ushering in the cult’s flourishing—may be coming true.
• Xuan Zi knocks Xiaotao unconscious. Lin Xi survives the attack that had threatened him, and Xuan Zi suddenly identifies him as having an “unawakened Ultimate Ice” martial soul, believing it could help save Xiaotao.
• Xuan Zi and Yan Shaozhe try to recruit Lin Xi to Shrek Academy. Jing Hongchen objects, and the dispute escalates into a contest over Lin Xi’s future. Yan Shaozhe proposes a duel, but backs down when Jing deploys his Level 9 soul weapons.
• Lin Xi remains bewildered by the claims about his martial soul, while Jing Hongchen begins to wonder whether he may have abilities he did not know about.

Character developments and interactions

• Xuan Zi moves from panic over Xiaotao’s transformation to decisive intervention, then turns his attention to recruiting Lin Xi.
• Cai Mei’er prioritizes Xiaotao’s safety over Shrek’s reputation and is relieved when Lin Xi’s supposed Ultimate Ice power offers hope for her recovery.
• Yan Shaozhe initially defends Shrek’s record, then enthusiastically tries to persuade Lin Xi with promises of elite training and resources.
• Jing Hongchen protects his student and counters Shrek’s recruitment attempt with force, revealing the rivalry between the academies.
• Lin Xi is caught between competing recruiters and is just as surprised as everyone else by the claim that he has an Ultimate Ice martial soul.
• Ma Xiaotao’s transformation exposes her vulnerability to evil fire and attracts the Holy Spirit Cult’s attention, raising the danger surrounding her.

Significant themes

• Reputation versus responsibility: Shrek’s leaders initially put their undefeated status ahead of Xiaotao’s immediate safety, while Cai Mei’er challenges that priority.
• Power and exploitation: The Holy Spirit Cult sees Xiaotao as a prophesied figure, while both academies treat Lin Xi’s potential as something to secure.
• Uncertain identity and hidden potential: Lin Xi’s supposed Ultimate Ice ability introduces a mystery about his true capabilities.
• Rivalry and institutional pride: Shrek and the Sun Moon academy clash over who is qualified to educate exceptional talent.

Plot points and events

• Shrek’s leaders—Xuan Zi, Yan Shaozhe, and Cai Mei’er—try to take Lin Xi, convinced he has an ultimate-ice martial soul. They see him as a rare talent who could strengthen Shrek and perhaps help Ma Xiaotao purify her flames.
• Jing Hongchen refuses to surrender Sun Moon Academy’s student and threatens to fight. Chen Mo reveals to Meng Hongchen that Shrek mistook the ice produced by Lin Xi’s Level 7 soul tool for a martial-soul awakening.
• As tensions rise, Yan Shaozhe uses the danger to the crowd as leverage. Chen Mo counters that Shrek started the confrontation and would bear responsibility if anyone were harmed.
• Xuan Zi’s Level 98 pressure has no effect on Chen Mo, protected by the Ice Empress and Snow Empress inside the Gulou Ball. When Xuan Zi moves against him, Jing Hongchen fires at Shrek’s students, forcing Shrek’s elders to intervene.
• Ye Yulin, a powerful Titled Douluo and Level 9 soul engineer sent to protect the Sun Moon students, arrives and challenges Xuan Zi to fight away from the spectators. Xuan Zi accepts, while Jing Hongchen watches Yan Shaozhe and Cai Meier.
• Star Luo Emperor Xu Jiawei chooses not to stop the clash, hoping Shrek and Sun Moon will weaken each other.

Character developments and interactions

• Jing Hongchen stands firm against Shrek’s threats and retaliates when Xuan Zi targets Chen Mo, but visibly relaxes when Ye Yulin arrives.
• Chen Mo remains composed under Xuan Zi’s pressure and openly challenges Shrek’s attempt to shift blame onto Sun Moon.
• Meng Hongchen worries about Chen Mo, then understands how Shrek misread Lin Xi’s soul-tool-enhanced ice.
• Ye Yulin steps in to protect the Sun Moon delegation, showcasing his confidence and specialized strength in aerial combat.
• Xuan Zi escalates the dispute from intimidation to a direct fight, while Yan Shaozhe and Cai Meier are left to protect Shrek’s students.
• Wang Dong reacts jealously to the attention Lin Xi receives, privately resolving to reveal his own twin martial souls.

Significant themes

• Power and institutional rivalry: Both academies view gifted students as crucial to their future standing.
• Appearance versus reality: Shrek’s assumptions about Lin Xi’s ice ability trigger the crisis.
• Responsibility and manipulation: The leaders argue over who would be to blame if bystanders were hurt, while each side uses threats and rhetoric to gain advantage.
• Political opportunism: Xu Jiawei treats the confrontation as a chance to weaken two rivals.

Key plot points and events

• After the clash, Sun Moon Team members question Lin Xi about his supposed twin martial souls and “ultimate ice” ability. Lin Xi insists he has only one ordinary support-type martial soul; Chen Mo explains that Shrek’s claims caused the misunderstanding.
• Watching Ye Yufei’s soul tools challenge Xuan Zi, a mysterious black-robed old man recognizes that they can let a Level 93 Titled Douluo contend with a Level 98 Super Douluo and resolves to reconsider their power.
• Ye Yufei deploys five Level 9 soul tools as a deterrent and attacks with eight Level 8 fixed-installation cannons. Xuan Zi struggles to approach, while missed shots and falling debris threaten Star Luo City.
• Emperor Xu Jiawei intervenes, ordering both sides to stop before the city is devastated. The argument then shifts to Lin Xi: Shrek claims he belongs with them because ultimate-martial-soul users traditionally study there, while Jing Hongchen rejects Shrek’s attempt to treat students as property.
• When Xuan Zi threatens to take Lin Xi by force, Ye Yufei reveals a Level 9 weapon, the Sun Moon Divine Needle, capable of a city-destroying strike comparable to a Limit Douluo’s full-power attack. The threat forces Shrek to back down.
• The tournament is suspended because the arena has been wrecked. The black-robed observer concludes that soul tools are becoming the dominant force of the age.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Xi is bewildered by Shrek’s false claims and tries to reassure his teammates that he has no hidden ice or second martial soul.
• Ye Yufei demonstrates that advanced soul tools can counter even a vastly stronger Soul Master, using restraint and intimidation as much as direct firepower.
• Xuan Zi is furious at being stopped, but the Sun Moon Divine Needle makes him reconsider. Yan Shaozhe persuades him to retreat by reminding him of Shrek’s previous heavy losses.
• Jing Hongchen firmly defends Lin Xi and exposes the weakness in Shrek’s argument, while Xu Jiawei tries to prevent the dispute from destroying his city.
• The black-robed old man shifts from skepticism toward respect for soul tools.

Significant themes

• Technology reshapes power: Soul tools allow a lower-ranked fighter to threaten a much stronger opponent.
• Deterrence and escalation: The threat of catastrophic destruction, rather than a decisive victory, ends the confrontation.
• Students as people, not property: The dispute over Lin Xi exposes the academies’ competing claims and Shrek’s willingness to bargain for him.
• The chapter’s central idea is captured by Chen Mo’s remark: “Truth lies in cannons.”

Plot points and events

• The Star Luo Emperor, Xu Jiawei, reviews the damage caused by the previous battle between Ye Yufei and Xuan Zi. He rejects a minister’s suggestion to make Shrek and the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy pay, judging Shrek impossible to collect from and Sun Moon too dangerous to antagonize. He pays the compensation himself.
• After three days of repairs, the Tournament resumes. Cai Mei’er and Xuan Zi have returned to Shrek with Ma Xiaotao, whose transformation into an Evil Soul Master has forced the team’s leadership to change. Yan Shaozhe takes charge.
• Yan repeatedly tries to persuade Lin Xi to join Shrek, despite Lin Xi’s angry refusals. Jing Hongchen intervenes, orders Yan away, and makes clear that Lin Xi belongs with the Sun Moon team.
• Sun Moon wins the second match of the two-two-three contest. Meng Hongchen’s cold-poison tactics prove decisive against Shrek’s lineup.
• For the deciding match, Jing Hongchen selects Xiao Hongchen, Meng Hongchen, and Chen Mo. Yan Shaozhe chooses Ye Ling and Bai Shan—Shrek Inner Court Soul Kings who can use a Martial Soul Fusion Skill—along with Huo Yuhao, whose support skills can aid them.

Character developments and interactions

• Xu Jiawei’s frustration with the Tournament’s financial and political burdens deepens; he feels trapped between two powerful academies.
• Lin Xi remains firm in rejecting Shrek, while Yan Shaozhe persists with shameless optimism. Jing Hongchen protects Lin Xi and drives Yan away.
• Huo Yuhao envies the attention Lin Xi receives from Yan Shaozhe and is chosen for the deciding match mainly for his support abilities.
• Wang Dong and Dai Huabin are resentful at being passed over. Wang Dong privately plans to reveal his second martial soul after returning to Shrek; Dai Huabin fears missing a chance to improve his prospects of inheriting the White Tiger Duke title.

Significant themes

• Power and political leverage: The Star Luo Empire cannot freely punish either academy, particularly with Sun Moon’s formidable weaponry.
• Loyalty and belonging: Lin Xi’s refusal to join Shrek contrasts with Yan Shaozhe’s belief that Shrek should claim him.
• Ambition and recognition: Wang Dong and Dai Huabin’s frustration reflects their desire to prove themselves and secure their futures.
• Competition and strategy: Both teams select fighters based on complementary abilities and the importance of winning the decisive match.

Key plot points and events

• The final match of the tournament begins: Shrek faces the Sun Moon Team in the deciding round of their two-two-three team battle.
• Huo Yuhao tries to connect his teammates with Spiritual Detection and Sharing, but Chen Mo’s martial-soul suppression immediately disrupts both abilities.
• Chen Mo supports his team with battlefield-wide awareness and illusion-breaking abilities. Xiao Hongchen attacks from range with soul cannons, while Meng Hongchen guards her teammates and confronts Ye Ling in close combat.
• Shrek struggles to withstand the pressure. Huo Yuhao uses a Milk Bottle soul tool to help Bai Shan recover, but the team realizes they will lose if the fight drags on.
• Ye Ling and Bai Shan unleash their Martial Soul Fusion Skill, Starlight Spear. The Hongchen siblings counter with Red Dust Attachment. The two attacks collide, and the blast knocks both pairs out of the arena.
• The Sun Moon siblings appear to have the advantage. Ye Ling and Bai Shan lose consciousness, leaving only Chen Mo and Huo Yuhao on the stage.
• Huo Yuhao fears facing Chen Mo while suppressed, but the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm reminds him that he now has Twin Martial Souls, hinting at a possible reversal.

Character developments

• Chen Mo takes command of the Sun Moon Team’s strategy and remains confident as the match narrows to a duel.
• Huo Yuhao is frustrated by Chen Mo’s suppression and briefly loses confidence, but receives a reminder of an ability he may use to fight back.
• Meng and Xiao Hongchen work effectively as a pair: Xiao provides ranged firepower while Meng protects the team and handles close combat. Their fusion attack helps eliminate Shrek’s two other fighters.
• Ye Ling and Bai Shan recognize that they are being worn down and choose to use their fusion skill rather than continue an unfavorable battle.
• Wang Dong and Dai Huabin quarrel over Shrek’s lineup, but Headmaster Yan Shaozhe reprimands them and restores order.

Significant themes

• Preparation and teamwork: The Sun Moon Team’s complementary roles and the paired fusion skills shape the battle.
• Overcoming disadvantage: Huo Yuhao’s suppression and fear set up a challenge he may overcome by drawing on his second martial soul.
• Rivalry and legacy: The match is framed as a contest over whether Shrek can preserve its long-standing dominance or the Sun Moon Team can break it.
• Public spectacle and political frustration: The tournament excites the spectators, while Emperor Xu Jiawei privately resents the costs and complications it has brought his empire.

Character interactions

• Wang Dong defends Huo Yuhao against Dai Huabin’s sarcastic criticism, prompting Yan Shaozhe to discipline them both.
• Huo Yuhao and Chen Mo exchange brief, pointed challenges, reflecting their personal rivalry.
• The Hongchen siblings coordinate closely, with Meng shielding Xiao while he attacks.
• Ye Ling and Bai Shan cooperate in their fusion attack; Meng and Xiao answer with their own.
• The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm encourages Huo Yuhao when Chen Mo’s suppression leaves him intimidated.

Plot points and events

• Huo Yuhao, urged on by the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, switches from his Spirit Eyes to his Ice Jade Scorpion and confidently challenges Chen Mo, believing his power-attack martial soul can overcome Chen Mo’s mental abilities.
• Chen Mo’s offensive soul tools are unavailable because Xiao Hongchen took them before the match. Even so, Chen Mo evades Huo Yuhao’s attacks with Three Thousand Thunder Movement, repeatedly outmaneuvering him.
• When Huo Yuhao boasts about his twin martial souls and the Tang Sect, Chen Mo reveals that he, too, has two martial souls—both of them ultimate-level. His Dimo martial soul embodies ultimate light, and his power rises enough to break through to rank forty during the fight.
• Chen Mo uses Light Energy Aggregation: Particle Smash to knock Huo Yuhao out of the arena. The referee declares the Sun Moon Team the winner.
• Xuan Zi rushes in and tries to take Chen Mo and Lin Xi back to Shrek Academy. He knocks aside Cheng Gang and threatens the others, but an elderly man in black robes intercepts him, declaring Chen Mo his disciple.

Character developments

• Chen Mo demonstrates that his apparent dependence on mental abilities is misleading. He reveals extraordinary speed, twin ultimate martial souls, and a powerful unringed light ability; his in-battle breakthrough underscores his rapidly growing strength.
• Huo Yuhao begins the bout confident in his second martial soul but becomes frustrated when he cannot land a blow. Chen Mo’s revelation—and apparent knowledge that Yuhao’s second martial soul was acquired later—leaves him shocked before his defeat.
• Jing Hongchen shifts from worry about Chen Mo’s disadvantage to pride in his talent, then grows wary that Shrek will try to seize him.
• Xuan Zi openly disregards the match’s outcome and the Star Luo officials’ authority, escalating the conflict by attempting to abduct the Sun Moon students.

Significant themes

• Hidden strength and misjudgment: Both fighters conceal important abilities, and assumptions about martial-soul type prove unreliable.
• Preparation and adaptability: Chen Mo wins despite lacking his usual offensive tools, relying instead on movement, restraint, and a sudden reveal.
• Rivalry and institutional power struggles: Chen Mo’s rare talent makes him a target for competing academies, turning a sporting victory into a confrontation over who controls his future.

Character interactions

• The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm encourages Yuhao and helps him evade Chen Mo’s first attack, but Yuhao cannot turn that support into a winning strategy.
• Xiao Hongchen’s decision to take Chen Mo’s soul tools draws criticism from Meng Hongchen and leaves the Sun Moon team concerned.
• Shrek’s lounge cheers Yuhao on, while Dai Huabin remains dismissive.
• After the match, Xuan Zi’s attempt to claim Chen Mo is opposed by Sun Moon representatives and Star Luo officials; the chapter ends with Chen Mo’s black-robed elder stepping in to protect him.

Plot points and events

• Du Busi arrives just as Chen Mo is preparing to call for help, drives Xuan Zi back, and reveals himself as Chen Mo’s master.
• Du Busi explains that Chen Mo is both his disciple and the Body Sect’s Young Sect Master, making Shrek’s attempt to claim him a matter of the Body Sect.
• Xuan Zi offers Chen Mo a place in Shrek’s Sea God Pavilion, then proposes trading Huo Yuhao for him. Du Busi rejects both offers, insulting Huo Yuhao and refusing to surrender his “genius disciple.”
• Xuan Zi insists on taking Chen Mo, partly because Shrek hopes ultimate ice could help suppress Ma Xiaotao’s ultimate fire.
• Du Busi challenges Xuan Zi and reveals his strength as a Level 98 Super Douluo with three hundred-thousand-year soul rings. He throws Chen Mo to Jing Hongchen and attacks.
• Their battle destroys the arena and sends spectators fleeing. The Star Luo emperor orders civilians protected but restrains himself from joining the fight.
• As the duel continues, Xuan Zi begins to lose ground. Du Busi overwhelms him with a relentless barrage of punches aimed at his face.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Mo remains cheeky and defiant, teasing Du Busi and rejecting Shrek outright. His confidence grows once his master arrives to protect him.
• Du Busi shows fierce protectiveness toward Chen Mo and loyalty to the Body Sect, refusing to let Shrek recruit or trade for his disciple. His insults and attack reveal a combative, hot-tempered side.
• Xuan Zi shifts from arrogance to caution when he recognizes Du Busi, but remains determined to take Chen Mo for Shrek. He invokes Shrek’s prestige and strength, then is forced into a losing fight.
• Jing Hongchen watches anxiously as Du Busi’s arrival changes the balance of power.
• Xu Jiawei grows increasingly resentful of Shrek for causing chaos in Star Luo City, though he prioritizes civilian safety over joining the fight.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and belonging: Chen Mo’s identity as the Body Sect’s successor makes Shrek’s recruitment attempt a direct challenge to his existing bonds.
• Institutional rivalry and power: Shrek’s influence clashes with the Body Sect’s claim to its disciple, while the gap between Du Busi’s and Xuan Zi’s strength shapes the confrontation.
• Protection and responsibility: Du Busi defends Chen Mo, while Xu Jiawei focuses on safeguarding civilians amid the destruction.

Key events

• Du Busi overwhelms Xuan Zi in their aerial duel, using spatial compression and tearing attacks. Xuan Zi counters with his Heaven-Mending ability, but Du Busi ultimately knocks him to the ground.
• Their fight stems from Xuan Zi trying to take Du Busi’s last disciple for Shrek. Xuan Zi insists that Soul Masters with ultimate attributes belong at Shrek, while Du Busi condemns this as arrogant, baseless “tradition.”
• Star Luo Emperor Xu Jiawei repeatedly tries to stop the fighting, but both elders dismiss him. He worries about the destruction and the cost of repairing the arena.
• Xuan Zi threatens to fight to the death, then invokes an old agreement between Shrek and the Body Sect. Du Busi argues that their personal dispute does not violate the agreement, and the two prepare to continue.
• Mu En arrives and uses a dragon of holy light to separate them. He rebukes Xuan Zi and Yan Shaozhe for concealing Shrek’s misconduct and damaging the academy’s reputation.

Character developments and interactions

• Du Busi is shown as fiercely protective of his final disciple and contemptuous of Shrek’s entitlement. He defeats Xuan Zi and is willing to risk serious injury rather than let him succeed.
• Xuan Zi proves both formidable and careless: despite his strength, he has neglected proper cultivation and remains self-righteous about Shrek’s claim to powerful students. Mu En’s arrival leaves him chastened.
• Mu En takes decisive control. Having learned from Wang Yan and Cai Mei’er about the tournament’s events—especially the cheating—he sees Xuan Zi’s behavior as a threat to Shrek’s future and promises to deal with him and Yan Shaozhe after they return.
• Yan Shaozhe is exposed as having known about the misconduct and kept it from Mu En. He and Xuan Zi both lower their heads under their teacher’s reprimand.
• Xu Jiawei is powerless to command respect despite being emperor, underscoring how little authority he holds over the powerful combatants.

Significant themes

• Entitlement versus loyalty: Xuan Zi treats talented students as Shrek’s natural property; Du Busi sees taking his last disciple as a direct attack on him and his sect.
• Power and authority: Strength overrides political status as both fighters ignore the emperor, while Mu En’s moral and institutional authority finally ends the confrontation.
• Accountability and reputation: Mu En condemns not only the cheating but also the secrecy around it, framing Shrek’s conduct as a danger to its hard-earned standing and future.

Plot and key events

• Du Busi recognizes Mu En, Shrek Academy’s Dragon God Douluo, and is astonished that he is still alive.
• Mu En offers to end the confrontation. Du Busi refuses at first, citing Shrek’s attempt to take his disciple and his old grievance over his brother. Mu En releases Limit Douluo-level power, convincing Du Busi to stand down.
• Mu En also silences Xuan Zi when he tries to press the dispute over Chen Mo and Lin Xi. The conflict ends, and Shrek returns to the Academy.
• The tournament is postponed again because the battle between Xuan Zi and Du Busi has wrecked the arena. Xu Jiawei reluctantly approves another repair bill.
• At the Star Emperor Hotel, Chen Mo asks why Du Busi wants to inspect a Level 9 Soul Cannon. Du Busi admits that Ye Yufei’s fight with Xuan Zi changed his opinion of Soul Tools: they let a weaker fighter challenge a much stronger one, and the Sun Moon Divine Needle seemed capable of threatening even a Limit Douluo.
• Chen Mo and Du Busi agree, without spelling it out, that Du Busi is now open to cooperating with the Sun Moon Empire.
• Meng Hongchen invites them to a meeting with Jing Hongchen. She gently teases Chen Mo for hiding his twin ultimate martial souls, while acknowledging why he kept them secret after Shrek’s attempt to claim him.
• At the meeting, Jing Hongchen proposes cooperation between the Sun Moon Empire and the Body Sect. Du Busi immediately accepts.

Character development and interactions

• Du Busi shifts from dismissing Soul Tools to recognizing their strategic value. His past grievance with Shrek remains strong, but he is willing to negotiate with the Empire.
• Mu En demonstrates formidable authority and power. Even Xuan Zi, his junior, obeys him, and Du Busi yields to avoid a direct fight.
• Chen Mo and Meng Hongchen share an increasingly comfortable, affectionate rapport. Meng Hongchen shows both trust in Chen Mo and understanding of his secrecy.
• Jing Hongchen pursues a practical alliance, seeking the Body Sect’s talent and influence; Du Busi responds with striking readiness.

Significant themes

• Power and restraint: Mu En ends a dangerous confrontation through overwhelming strength, then chooses not to escalate it.
• Changing views and technological progress: Soul Tools challenge Du Busi’s assumptions about martial strength and open the door to cooperation.
• Trust and secrecy: Chen Mo’s hidden abilities create mild teasing, but Meng Hongchen understands his reasons.
• Pragmatic alliance: The chapter turns an academy conflict into a possible political and military partnership.

Plot points and events

• At the Body Sect, Jing Hongchen and Ye Yufei propose cooperation with Du Busi. Though initially surprised that he agrees so quickly, they learn he has several demands:
  1. The Sun Moon Empire must help find people with Body Martial Souls.
  2. It must provide the Body Sect with a secluded new home within its territory.
  3. Body Sect members must receive full access to Soul Tool instruction.
  4. The empire must provide annual financial support.
  5. Du Busi personally wants a Level 9 Fixed Soul Guidance Cannon.
• The Sun Moon representatives consider the first four requests likely acceptable but warn that the cannon is a tightly controlled strategic weapon. Du Busi explains that Chen Mo’s praise of Soul Tools has made him curious. Ye Yufei leaves to report the demands to the emperor.
• Back at Shrek Academy, Mu En summons Xuan Zi and Yan Shaozhe to the Sea God Pavilion and calls the other Elders to a meeting. They pass Wang Yan, who is now a librarian after Xuan Zi blamed him for the tournament cheating and removed him from teaching.
• Mu En takes Xuan Zi into a secret chamber and beats him for betraying Shrek’s principles. Under pressure, Xuan Zi confesses to all his tournament misconduct, including an agreement with Xu Jiawei to rig matches. Mu En continues the punishment despite Xuan Zi’s pleas.
• Yan Shaozhe, who knew about and helped conceal Xuan Zi’s actions, waits nervously outside, fearing he will be punished too. Wang Yan hears the beating and privately welcomes Xuan Zi’s comeuppance.

Character developments and interactions

• Du Busi proves willing to cooperate when his conditions are met, while revealing a new interest in Soul Tools.
• Jing Hongchen and Ye Yufei move from suspicion to negotiation, carefully distinguishing ordinary requests from the politically sensitive cannon demand.
• Mu En acts decisively to defend Shrek’s integrity, confronting Xuan Zi and forcing a full confession.
• Xuan Zi is exposed as having gone beyond what was previously known: he helped arrange match-fixing with Xu Jiawei. His authority over Wang Yan is also reversed by Mu En’s intervention.
• Yan Shaozhe is implicated through his concealment of Xuan Zi’s misconduct, though he is not yet confronted.
• Wang Yan remains resentful toward Xuan Zi and takes satisfaction in seeing him punished.

Significant themes

• Integrity versus victory at any cost: Mu En condemns cheating as a betrayal of Shrek’s tradition of winning through genuine strength.
• Accountability and abuse of authority: Xuan Zi’s attempt to shift blame onto Wang Yan is countered, and he must answer for his own actions.
• Political cooperation and strategic power: The Body Sect’s alliance depends on material and educational support, while the requested Level 9 weapon highlights the limits and risks of sharing military technology.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Mu En convenes the Sea God Pavilion elders to address Xuan Zi’s cheating during the Tournament. Xuan Zi arrives badly beaten and bandaged, and Mu En describes him as the chief architect of the misconduct.
• Though the elders agree Xuan Zi deserves punishment, they argue that Shrek needs his strength. Mu En imposes a comparatively lenient penalty: Xuan Zi is confined to the Sea God Pavilion and barred from meetings for a period.
• The elders discuss Ma Xiaotao, whose evil fire has turned her into an Evil Soul Master. Mu En says restoring her will be difficult; the proposed remedy requires both ultimate ice and ultimate light.
• Since Sun Moon Academy has students with the needed abilities, Yan Shaozhe proposes an exchange program. Shrek would offer expertise in martial-soul cultivation in return for Sun Moon’s knowledge of Soul Tools, while hoping the ultimate-ice student can help Xiaotao. Mu En approves the plan, but warns Yan not to pressure any student into staying.
• Five days later, the Tournament resumes. Star Luo Royal Academy defeats Di’ao Academy and advances to the final against Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy.
• Jing Hongchen celebrates Sun Moon’s progress: the emperor has accepted four of Du Busi’s five conditions for cooperation with the Body Sect, with the remaining condition delayed until the sect relocates. Jing is eager for Sun Moon to win its first Tournament championship.

Character developments and interactions

• Mu En balances accountability with Shrek’s need for powerful guardians, punishing Xuan Zi without removing him from service. He also shows concern for Xiaotao and insists the exchange plan respect students’ choices.
• Xuan Zi is exposed as the central figure in the Tournament cheating and is visibly injured; despite his importance to Shrek, his conduct brings formal consequences.
• Yan Shaozhe shifts from helping with the misconduct to proposing a strategic exchange program that could aid Xiaotao and benefit Shrek. He argues that Sun Moon will have an incentive to participate, though Song Yunzhi questions the plan’s assumptions and duration.
• Song Yunzhi advocates leniency for Xuan Zi to protect the Academy’s strength, then raises practical concerns about whether the exchange can secure the right student and enough time to treat Xiaotao.
• Jing Hongchen is buoyed by both political cooperation with the Body Sect and the prospect of a championship, putting pressure on his team to win.

Significant themes

• Justice versus institutional necessity: Shrek recognizes Xuan Zi’s wrongdoing but tempers punishment because the Academy depends on his strength.
• Pragmatism and ethics: The exchange program is designed to secure help for Xiaotao, raising questions about strategic manipulation; Mu En draws a firm line against coercion.
• Rivalry and cooperation: Sun Moon and Shrek compete in the Tournament while potentially exchanging students and expertise.
• Ambition and political influence: Sun Moon’s sporting success is tied to its broader alliance with the Body Sect and imperial interests.

Plot points and events

• The Star Luo Empire reaches the final for the first time in ten thousand years, facing the Sun Moon Team. Emperor Xu Jiawei is proud of the achievement but worries his team is exhausted while the Sun Moon team is rested and formidable.
• Xu Jiawei reflects on the power of soul tools after seeing Ye Yufei challenge the vastly stronger Xuan Zi. He resolves that the Star Luo Empire must invest more heavily in military soul tools, despite the expense.
• Xu Jiujiu leads an all–Soul King Star Luo lineup, built around her imperial family’s rare Star Crown Martial Soul. The Sun Moon Team gathers around Chen Mo, and he warns his teammates not to underestimate her.
• The match begins. The Star Luo team equips specialized soul tools to resist spiritual attacks, while Xu Jiujiu boosts her teammates and uses Star’s Guard, a dome of light that divides the Sun Moon team and isolates its members. She then targets Chen Mo, while a barrier traps Meng Hongchen.
• Ma Rulong and the others fail to damage the dome. Chen Mo draws the Blade of Destruction’s Watch and cuts through the supposedly absolute defense with one swing, turning the Star Luo team’s carefully planned opening into a crisis.

Character developments and interactions

• Xu Jiawei shifts from focusing on the championship to recognizing the strategic importance of soul-tool development for his empire’s survival.
• Xu Jiujiu demonstrates preparation and tactical skill: she has saved her fourth soul skill for the final and purchased anti-spiritual equipment specifically to counter Chen Mo.
• Chen Mo calmly explains the Star Crown’s capabilities, directs his team, and decisively counters Star’s Guard with his blade.
• Meng Hongchen notices Xu Jiujiu watching Chen Mo and moves beside him, while Xiao Hongchen’s initial arrogance fades after Chen explains the Star Crown’s versatility.
• The Sun Moon teammates coordinate against the barrier but are frustrated when ordinary attacks cannot break it.

Significant themes

• Preparation versus adaptability: Xu Jiujiu’s elaborate plan initially divides and disadvantages the Sun Moon team, but Chen Mo’s unexpected weapon defeats her defense.
• Technology and military power: Xu Jiawei sees soul tools as essential to protecting the Star Luo Empire, though their widespread use would strain its finances.
• Confidence and underestimation: The Sun Moon team must take its opponents seriously, while Xu Jiujiu’s “absolute” defense proves vulnerable to a superior counter.