Chapter Summaries

After recovering from the battle with the Sea God, Zhou Fan and Lin Qianqian returned to Haicheng with their companions and went back to school. As Zhou Fan and Lin Qianqian shared the wild fruit she had gathered, they sensed that something was wrong.

• Lin Qianqian brought Zhou Fan wild fruit, and he ate some to regain his strength.
• Zhao Qiu and the others arrived by warship, and the group returned safely to Haicheng.
• Gu Ning and Gu Yu stayed to care for the injured Li Qing, while Luo Luodong and Yuan An escorted Lin Hai to the Southern District Esper Bureau.
• Zhou Fan praised Jiaoxin, Deidara, and the others for their help, then sent them back to their base and returned to school.
• Zhou Fan and Lin Qianqian ate the remaining wild fruit in their dorm before noticing that something felt off.

After eating a Shadow Vine Fruit by mistake, Zhou Fan struggled to control the desire it stirred in him and tried to keep Lin Qianqian at a distance. Lin Qianqian used Sealing Tags and Healing Talismans to help him, but seeing her reignited the flames, and he pulled her into his arms.

• Zhou Fan realized his flushed, restless state came from a Shadow Vine Fruit disguised as a cherry fruit.
• Zhou Fan warned Lin Qianqian to stay away and spent half an hour under cold water trying to suppress the fruit's effects.
• Zhou Fan went to his room and used natural energy to hold the effects steady, but it could not cool them down.
• Lin Qianqian brought Sealing Tags and Healing Talismans into Zhou Fan's room and used them to reduce the effects.
• Zhou Fan saw Lin Qianqian, lost control, and pulled her into his arms.

After the Shadow Vine Fruit’s effects overwhelmed Zhou Fan, Lin Qianqian tried to soothe him, but their embrace turned into a kiss that deepened their feelings and tested her boundaries. She stopped his hand, then decided to let him go further just this once.

• Zhou Fan pulled Lin Qianqian close while struggling to keep control under the Shadow Vine Fruit’s effects.
• Lin Qianqian stayed and embraced Zhou Fan, explaining that closeness could gradually ease the fruit’s effects.
• Zhou Fan kissed Lin Qianqian, and she chose not to resist as they held each other.
• Zhou Fan moved his hand upward, but Lin Qianqian caught his wrist and saw how fiercely the fruit still affected him.
• Lin Qianqian’s hesitation ended, and she told Zhou Fan, “Just this once...”

Lin Qianqian tried to help Zhou Fan purge the Shadow Vine Fruit’s effects, but their intimacy grew until he nearly went too far. She stopped him and left, insisting the encounter meant nothing, though both knew they would remember it.

• Lin Qianqian told Zhou Fan she was only helping him purify the Shadow Vine Fruit’s effects as they became intimate.
• Zhou Fan’s desire intensified, and Lin Qianqian’s resistance weakened as he touched and kissed her.
• When Zhou Fan tried to go further, Lin Qianqian bit his neck, regained control, and pushed him away.
• Lin Qianqian told Zhou Fan the fruit’s effects were mostly gone and demanded he forget the encounter and tell no one.
• Lin Qianqian returned to her room, locked the door, and replayed the night in her thoughts.

After completing the punishment quest with Zhou Fan, Lin Qianqian received three rewards and a King-Level Chest, while learning that their next comparison would be in a year. Zhou Fan gained a large number of special emotion points from Lin Qianqian and came within 20,000 points of being able to exchange for the Rinnegan.

• Lin Qianqian completed the punishment quest and received Paper Shikigami Spatial Return, a permanent Protection Gem, and a Mind Pearl.
• Lin Qianqian learned she had failed the leg and rear armor bonus challenges but earned a King-Level Chest for allowing Zhou Fan to stroke her front armor.
• Lin Qianqian learned that the next comparison would take place in one year, then struggled to stop thinking about Zhou Fan and beat up a doll to vent.
• Zhou Fan waited for his reaction to settle and received 13,140 special emotion points from Lin Qianqian, bringing his balance to 980,000.

Zhou Fan bought the limited-time bundle, gaining three powerful abilities and a bonus Water Release technique. After spending the night thinking about Lin Qianqian, he shared a quietly awkward breakfast with her the next morning.

• Zhou Fan bought the Totsuka Blade, Yata Mirror, and Kotoamatsukami with emotion points.
• The system rewarded Zhou Fan with the Water Release · Water Mirror Technique for purchasing the entire bundle.
• Zhou Fan tried to sleep but kept thinking about Lin Qianqian and their kiss.
• Zhou Fan and Lin Qianqian got up at the same time, greeted each other, and ate breakfast together.
• Zhou Fan and Lin Qianqian reached for the same steamed bun, and she quickly pulled her hand back when their hands brushed.

Lin Qianqian acted unusually shy around Zhou Fan after their encounter the previous night, and Zhao Qiu spotted the bite mark she had left on Zhou Fan. Gu Yu returned to Xinghai University and asked Zhao Qiu to show her around, but he failed to understand her hint.

• Lin Qianqian instinctively pulled away when she touched Zhou Fan, then asked whether he had plans for the day.
• Zhao Qiu came over for breakfast, washed the dishes, and noticed a bite mark on Zhou Fan's neck.
• Lin Qianqian felt guilty when Zhao Qiu teased that she had bitten Zhou Fan, and Zhou Fan blamed the mark on his fight with the Blood Society.
• Gu Yu arrived after returning from Haicheng with Gu Ning and the stabilized director, Li Qing, and said she had come to see Zhao Qiu.
• Gu Yu asked Zhao Qiu to show her around Xinghai City, but he suggested she use a campus map until she insisted that she wanted him to come with her.

Zhou Fan pushed Zhao Qiu to spend the day showing Gu Yu around Xinghai City, hoping the two would grow closer. Zhao Qiu returned exhausted but happy after they exchanged bracelets, leaving Zhou Fan optimistic about their relationship.

• Zhou Fan and Lin Qianqian watched Gu Yu visit Zhao Qiu, and Zhou Fan guessed that Gu Yu liked him.
• Zhao Qiu said he did not want to go out alone with Gu Yu and invited Zhou Fan and Lin Qianqian to join them.
• After both friends declined, Zhou Fan insisted Zhao Qiu take Gu Yu around Xinghai City and sent them off together.
• Zhao Qiu returned that evening and told Zhou Fan they had visited several attractions and shared lunch and dinner.
• Zhao Qiu showed Zhou Fan the bracelet Gu Yu gave him and said they had exchanged gifts.

After the Blood Society mission, Gu Yu and the others returned to Heavenfire University while Zhou Fan stayed at Xinghai University. Zhou Fan met with [Dawn] to review the mission and told its members they still needed to become stronger.

• Li Qing declined treatment for a replacement arm at Xinghai University, and he, Gu Ning, and Gu Yu departed on the Gale Eagle.
• Gu Yu invited Zhao Qiu to visit Heavenfire City, and Zhao Qiu watched her leave before Zhou Fan teased him about missing her.
• The Southern District Esper Bureau summoned the city's bureau directors to discuss Haicheng's traitorous director and report the case to the Superpower General Bureau.
• Zhou Fan visited [Dawn]'s base, where Jiaoxin, Duan Fei, Deidara, and Zhao Qiu gathered for a meeting.
• Zhou Fan reviewed the Sea Battle mission and told [Dawn]'s members that they were not strong enough.

Zhou Fan assessed Dawn’s members and decided that Duan Fei should learn the Eight Gates Technique to strengthen himself beyond his curse ritual. The chapter ended with Zhou Fan taking Duan Fei to train and assigning Deidara to build his physique in the Gravity Training Room.

• Zhou Fan explained that Duan Fei’s curse ritual could be countered by fifth-tier Espers and left him vulnerable if his abilities were exposed.
• Zhou Fan offered to teach Duan Fei the Eight Gates Technique, which Duan Fei accepted eagerly because his immortal body could withstand its strain.
• Zhou Fan told Deidara and Jiaoxin they were not suited to the Eight Gates Technique and should keep developing their own abilities.
• Zhou Fan ordered Deidara to begin basic conditioning in the Gravity Training Room.
• Zhou Fan took Duan Fei to teach him the Eight Gates Technique.

Zhou Fan taught Duan Fei the Eight Gates Technique while Zhao Qiu watched, and Duan Fei quickly opened four gates. The chapter ended with Duan Fei and Zhao Qiu sparring, where Zhao Qiu won using the Life Shackles.

• Zhou Fan explained the Eight Gates Technique to Duan Fei and had his Shadow Clone teach him while he drank iced black tea with Zhao Qiu.
• Zhao Qiu reminisced about Xia Qingran, and Zhou Fan decided he might visit her in the Imperial Capital to check on her Ice Spirit Body.
• Duan Fei quickly opened the first four gates, impressing Zhou Fan with his talent and physique.
• Zhao Qiu returned from a call with Gu Yu, and Duan Fei challenged him to spar.
• Zhao Qiu fought Duan Fei with three Life Shackles locks and knocked him flying, claiming victory over Duan Fei's Eight Gates Technique.

Zhao Qiu and Duan Fei learned the Eight Gates Technique and trained against each other and Zhou Fan, growing stronger. Then Qin Lin called to say Xia Qingran’s sealing was complete but something unexpected had happened, leaving Zhou Fan worried and preparing to visit.

• Zhou Fan told Duan Fei he would need to open the fifth gate to challenge powerful opponents, then encouraged Zhao Qiu to learn the Eight Gates Technique to refine his Life Shackles.
• Zhao Qiu learned the basics in under an hour and opened the second, third, and fourth gates, though he could not reach the fifth.
• Zhao Qiu and Duan Fei trained and sparred throughout the day, with Duan Fei making progress and gaining endurance from his Immortal Body.
• Duan Fei invited Zhou Fan to spar, and Zhou Fan opened the Seventh Gate and beat both him and Zhao Qiu in the ring.
• Qin Lin called Zhou Fan and told him Xia Qingran’s sealing was complete but that something unexpected had happened.

After Qin Lin told Zhou Fan that something had happened to Xia Qingran, he rushed from Xinghai City to the Imperial Capital to check on her. He found Qingran in her room transformed into a little girl and realized she was the child he had mistaken for her younger sister.

• Lin Qianqian offered to go with Zhou Fan, but he went ahead alone to the Imperial Capital.
• Zhou Fan used the Flying Thunder God Technique and Kamui to reach the Xia Family residence within minutes.
• Qin Lin told Zhou Fan that Xia Qingran was upstairs in her room, and he hurried to see her.
• Zhou Fan found a little girl who looked like Xia Qingran and waited with her, thinking she was Qingran's younger sister.
• When Zhou Fan recognized Xia Qingran's familiar scent, she confirmed that she was the little girl in the room.

Zhou Fan discovered that Xia Qingran had become a little girl after the Xiaoyang Fruit suppressed her Ice Spirit Body, though she said the change was temporary. After she invited him to stay the night and offered to take him to the Qin Family Secret Grounds the next day, she asked him to play a game with her.

• Zhou Fan recognized the little girl as Xia Qingran and teased her about calling him Big Brother Zhou Fan.
• Xia Qingran explained that the Xiaoyang Fruit had successfully suppressed her Ice Spirit Body, but its power had also changed her body.
• Xia Qingran told Zhou Fan that she expected to recover after integrating the powers of the Xiaoyang Fruit and her Ice Spirit Body.
• Zhou Fan explained that Xia Qingran's mother had called him about the accident, prompting him to rush over.
• Xia Qingran invited Zhou Fan to stay the night and said her mother could take him to the Qin Family Secret Grounds the next day.
• Xia Qingran asked Zhou Fan to help her play a game, and he agreed.

After winning a late-night game with Xia Qingran, Zhou Fan urged her to rest and learned from Qin Lin that the Xiaoyang Fruit’s power and Qingran’s Ice Spirit Body needed to be balanced in the Qin Family Secret Grounds. Qin Lin asked Zhou Fan to protect and support Qingran there and in the future, and he agreed before they went to sleep.

• Zhou Fan and Xia Qingran won their game, and Zhou Fan persuaded her to stop playing and get some rest.
• Qin Lin told Zhou Fan that he and Xia Qingran could enter the Qin Family Secret Grounds the next morning.
• Qin Lin explained that Qingran needed to strengthen her Ice Spirit Body until it balanced the Xiaoyang Fruit’s power, without becoming stronger than it.
• Qin Lin asked Zhou Fan to help protect Qingran in the Secret Grounds and support her in the future, and Zhou Fan promised he would.
• Qin Lin returned to her room, and Zhou Fan went to sleep in the room the Xia Family had prepared for him.

Zhou Fan arrived at the Qin Family estate to enter the Ice Spirit Secret Grounds with Xia Qingran, but Qin Tie objected to an outsider entering the family’s inheritance site. He offered to approve Zhou Fan’s entry if Zhou Fan proved his strength.

• Zhou Fan and Xia Qingran arrived at the Qin Family estate, where Qin Bai confirmed the Secret Grounds were ready.
• Qin Nuannuan embraced the shrunken Xia Qingran and teased her before the group headed to the Secret Grounds.
• Qin Bai explained the Secret Grounds’ rules and gave Zhou Fan a Cold Ice Pearl to let him absorb its icy energy.
• Qin Tie arrived and argued that only people with Qin blood could enter the Secret Grounds, despite Qin Bai’s approval.
• Qin Tie said he would allow Zhou Fan to enter if Zhou Fan proved he was strong enough.

Zhou Fan fought Qin Tie after Qin Tie challenged his qualifications to enter the Ice Spirit Secret Grounds. Zhou Fan matched Qin Tie’s ice attacks and stopped his strongest assault, leaving the contest unresolved.

• Qin Tie challenged Zhou Fan to prove his strength, and Xia Qingran tried to shield Zhou Fan before he insisted on handling the matter himself.
• Qin Tie attacked with ice techniques, but Zhou Fan countered with a Rasenshuriken and a Wood Dragon.
• Qin Tie froze Zhou Fan’s Wood Dragon, and Zhou Fan answered with a wave of fire that pushed back the cold.
• Qin Tie used Twin Dragon Kill, and Zhou Fan’s Water Mirror Technique created two matching ice dragons that destroyed the originals.

Zhou Fan defeated Qin Tie with his Sharingan genjutsu and proved he was strong enough to enter the Ice Spirit Secret Grounds. He entered the Secret Grounds with Xia Qingran after Qin Bai opened the protective restriction.

• Zhou Fan countered Qin Tie's ice attacks and trapped him in Tsukuyomi, forcing him to endure seventy-two hours of pain in the illusion.
• Qin Tie emerged exhausted but charged at Zhou Fan, who immobilized him with Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique.
• Zhou Fan released Qin Tie, who stormed off after conceding the match, while the Qin Family watched in shock at Zhou Fan's victory.
• Xia Qingran checked on Zhou Fan, and Qin Bai opened the Secret Grounds' protective restriction after reminding them to be careful and stay together.
• Zhou Fan and Xia Qingran entered the Ice Spirit Secret Grounds together.

Zhou Fan and Xia Qingran entered the Ice Spirit Secret Grounds so he could absorb its icy energy and she could strengthen her ice spirit body. They journeyed toward Ice Spirit Mountain, learning that the vast realm’s origins remained unknown and that mutant beasts waited beyond the Qin Family’s safe area.

• Zhou Fan used the Cold Ice Pearl to withstand the soul-chilling cold while Xia Qingran explained that she needed to strengthen her ice spirit body to suppress the Xiaoyang Fruit.
• Xia Qingran took Zhou Fan’s hand and led him deeper into the icy realm as they passed energy runes visible beneath the ice.
• Zhou Fan learned that the Ice Spirit Secret Grounds predated the Qin Family’s ice spirit body legacy and that the family still did not know the realm’s true origin or boundaries.
• Xia Qingran told Zhou Fan that mutant beasts lived beyond the Qin Family’s barrier-protected safe area and led him toward Ice Spirit Mountain, where the icy energy was densest.

Xia Chuan warned Qin Bai that the Eastern Family and Bai Family had been meeting unusually often, while the Superpower General Bureau monitored the situation. Meanwhile, Zhou Fan and Xia Qingran left the Qin Family’s safe zone in the Ice Spirit Secret Grounds and struggled through worsening snow and wind.

• Qin Bai, Qin Lin, and Xia Chuan discussed their confidence in Zhou Fan and waited for Xia Qingran and Zhou Fan to emerge from the Secret Grounds.
• Xia Chuan told Qin Bai that the Eastern Family and Bai Family had been in frequent contact and might be planning something, a concern shared by the Superpower General Bureau.
• Qin Bai argued that the two families would not risk a serious conflict with the other powers in the Imperial Capital.
• Zhou Fan and Xia Qingran left the Qin Family’s safe zone and entered terrain split by glowing fissures, with fierce wind and heavy snow.
• Xia Qingran struggled to walk in her tiny form, and she playfully punched Zhou Fan after he joked that her size made the wind feel stronger.