Chapter Summaries

Fu Wanli defeated Zhang Gao by outlasting his body-hardening skill, then lost to Xiang Yuanyou after refusing to surrender. His teammates carried him from the arena unconscious and bloodied.

• Fu Wanli explained that Zhang Gao could not beat him before the ten-minute match limit, then repeatedly attacked until Zhang Gao surrendered as his defensive skill faded.
• Fu Wanli celebrated his victory by declaring that [Phantom Assassin] was number one in the world, while the spectators suspected he was provoking them.
• Fu Wanli faced Xiang Yuanyou, whose threads cut through his armor and bound him.
• Fu Wanli refused to surrender, so Xiang Yuanyou whipped him unconscious while sealing his mouth with threads.
• Qin Siyang and the others carried the bloodied Fu Wanli from the arena and thought he had deserved it.

Southern Glory defeated Central Glory 3-0 and advanced to the finals undefeated, with Hu Chan shocking spectators by defeating Wei Guanchen. As Western Glory and Beizhen battled for the other finals spot, Choi Chan-hoon and Xiao Zhigang worried that Southern Glory might win the championship.

• Zhao Sifang defeated Central Glory's third- and second-ranked freshmen before losing to Wei Guanchen, who had embarked on the Path of the Believer.
• Hu Chan defeated Wei Guanchen, and Southern Glory swept Central Glory 3-0 to reach the finals undefeated.
• Feng Renjie celebrated Southern Revival University's improved reputation after Nanrong University became the championship favorite, while Yang Kai mocked his pride.
• Qin Siyang and his teammates heard spectators praise Southern Glory's freshmen and learned that Western Glory and Beizhen were tied 1-1.
• Choi Chan-hoon warned Xiao Zhigang that Southern Glory could win the tournament and help the Zhao Family recover financially, while Xiao insisted Western Glory would defeat Southern Glory if it reached the finals.

Western Glory defeated Beizhen to secure a place in the final while Qin Siyang and Hu Chan arranged for the evidence identifying Osses as [Muse] to reach Secretary-General Gu Weiyang. Before Gu could announce his decision, Ulit killed Osses in the stands and declared him a wanted criminal and traitor.

• Western Glory defeated Beizhen 2-1, setting up a final against Southern Glory.
• Hu Chan told Qin Siyang that Yu Guardian had recovered the evidence identifying Osses as [Muse] and that a trap had exposed Jin Shengyu as a traitor.
• Hu Chan delivered his report and the evidence to Gu Weiyang, who reviewed them and made two shielded phone calls without publicly announcing a decision.
• Ulit killed Osses in the Three Harmonies Church section of the stands.
• Ulit declared Osses the Snake Cards Wanted Criminal [Muse] and said he had killed him for betraying humanity.

Ulit killed his younger brother Osses in public after Gu Weiyang pressured him to act on evidence identifying Osses as the wanted criminal [Muse]. Gu credited Ulit with exposing the criminal and praised him, leaving Hu Chan and Qin Siyang shaken by Gu’s influence and Ulit trapped in the memory of their private conversation.

• Ulit killed Osses in the Venue and declared that his brother deserved to die.
• Qin Siyang and Hu Chan realized Gu Weiyang had arranged for Ulit to kill Osses, while the audience struggled to understand Ulit’s actions.
• Gu Weiyang presented the evidence, credited Ulit with helping humanity, and led the audience in applauding him.
• Hu Chan told Qin Siyang that he had supplied the evidence but did not want attention drawn to him, and both men feared Gu’s power.
• Ulit sat beside Osses’s body, unable to face what he had done, and recalled Gu telling him that Hu Chan had identified Osses as [Muse] and asking, “What do you think?”

After Ulit killed Osses, the Championship Tournament continued, but Xiao Zhigang’s rule changes left Nanrong University at a major disadvantage against Western Glory University. Zhao Longfei confronted Yan Mohui about the rigged final, and Yan warned that Secretary-General Gu might use the Four Major Mining Companies’ troubles to reshape power in Zone 5.

• Qin Siyang and Hu Chan discussed how quickly the audience moved on after Ulit killed Osses, and Qian Wendao announced that the tournament would proceed as usual.
• Qian Wendao revealed that the final would provide no armor and allow students to use their own God-Hunting Artifacts, giving Western Glory University a likely advantage over Nanrong University.
• Fu Wanli asked his teammates to lend him artifacts, and Zhao Sifang explained that even Tier Three Armor might not protect him from Western Glory’s Tier Four equipment.
• Zhao Longfei accused Yan Mohui of letting Xiao Zhigang rig the championship, but Yan said the Four Major Mining Companies were desperate to secure the title amid political turmoil.
• Yan Mohui warned Zhao Longfei that Secretary-General Gu could exploit the crisis around the Four Major Mining Companies to reshape power in Zone 5.

Yan Mohui warned Zhao Longfei that the United Government might be preparing to eliminate potential threats, then advised him to protect Southern Glory’s students in the Championship Tournament final. The final opened with Western Glory’s Tao Mufei overwhelming Southern Glory’s Le Zixiao through his superior God-Hunting Artifacts, leaving Qin Siyang stunned by the disparity in wealth.

• Yan Mohui told Zhao Longfei he would not join the United Government and voiced suspicions about its powerful agents and possible moles.
• Yan Mohui warned Zhao Longfei to prevent Southern Glory’s students from suffering unnecessary casualties because Western Glory’s artifact advantage made victory unlikely.
• The Championship Tournament final began, with Southern Glory and Western Glory sending their eighth-ranked third-year students to compete first.
• Tao Mufei used his superior equipment to batter Le Zixiao and break his Tier Three Armor without using an ability.
• Qin Siyang realized that Western Glory’s students had access to wealth and resources far beyond what he had expected.

Tao Mufei defeated four Southern Glory opponents with the help of his God-Hunting Artifacts, leaving Duan Chongfang to face Western Glory’s remaining students. Duan Chongfang turned Wang Xugong’s opening attack against him and seized control of the match.

• Tao Mufei defeated Le Zixiao, and Zhao Longfei conceded on Le Zixiao’s behalf.
• Tao Mufei swept aside Nanrong University’s three substitutes, then fought Zhu Changxiu to a draw that eliminated both of them.
• With Duan Chongfang the only third-year student left on Southern Glory’s team, he took the stage to face Wang Xugong.
• Wang Xugong attacked Duan Chongfang with an electric net and a scorching hammer, but Duan Chongfang ended up holding the hammer while Wang was trapped in the net.

Duan Chongfang crushed two Western Glory opponents, while Qin Siyang helped the abandoned Wang Xugong recover. Yu Yongxing then began bombarding Duan Chongfang with powerful artifacts, leaving the match unresolved.

• Duan Chongfang defeated Wang Xugong with a hammer after trapping him in his own electrified net, and Wang Xugong surrendered.
• Western Glory students and the Wang Family left Wang Xugong injured and unattended, but Qin Siyang took him back to the stands and gave him medicine.
• Duan Chongfang returned after half an hour and swiftly forced another Western Glory student to surrender.
• Yu Yongxing began the next match by setting up two Tier Four Artifacts and bombarding Duan Chongfang with volleys of fire.

Yu Yongxing pinned Duan Chongfang down with a relentless barrage of Tier Four Artifacts, leaving Southern Glory fearing a draw and the loss of the third-year point. After nearly nine minutes, Yu abandoned his safe strategy and went on the offensive, hoping to defeat Duan outright.

• Yu Yongxing kept Duan Chongfang at range with multiple Tier Four Artifacts and summoned transparent snakes to restrain him.
• Duan Chongfang was gradually overwhelmed, as bullets battered and deformed his armor while the snakes weighed down his movements.
• Qin Siyang, Fu Wanli, and the other Southern Glory students worried Duan Chongfang would be forced into a draw and cost their third-years the point.
• Ban Dingyuan told Zhao Sifang that Western Glory had hidden the full extent of its Tier Four Artifact arsenal.
• After nearly nine minutes, Yu Yongxing abandoned his plan to run out the clock and attacked Duan Chongfang directly, determined to win.

Duan Chongfang turned Yu Yongxing’s Tier Four guns against him, forcing him to surrender just before time ran out. After the referee declared Duan Chongfang the winner, Yu Yongxing wondered whether refusing to surrender would have been worth the risk, while Duan Chongfang left the arena unmoved by the cheers.

• Yu Yongxing shed his right-arm armor and attacked Duan Chongfang with a vortex, but Duan Chongfang struck him, blasted off his arm, and caught him as he flew.
• Duan Chongfang used Yu Yongxing as a shield against the Tier Four gunfire and turned Yu Yongxing’s exposed, wounded side toward the firing artifacts.
• Yu Yongxing surrendered rather than risk being struck by his own artifacts, and the referee declared Duan Chongfang the winner after the timer expired.
• Yu Yongxing asked Duan Chongfang whether he would have killed him if he had not surrendered, and Duan Chongfang said Yu Yongxing’s artifacts would have killed him.
• Duan Chongfang left the arena while the Southern Glory members cheered for his victory.

Duan Chongfang prepared to face Xie Daoqing in the decisive match between Southern Glory and Western Glory, borrowing Qin Siyang’s armor and healing medicine. Trapped in an Eagle Claw Cage, he urged Xie Daoqing to detonate his Tier Four artifacts so he could test whether they could break the cage.

• Qin Siyang lent Duan Chongfang Tier Four Armor and healing medicine so he could recover for the final match.
• After resting for half an hour, Duan Chongfang faced Xie Daoqing in the arena, with the championship winner to be decided between them.
• Xie Daoqing trapped Duan Chongfang inside a tough golden Eagle Claw Cage, which Duan Chongfang could not cut through.
• Xie Daoqing revealed that he had prepared three Tier Four grenades and offered Duan Chongfang the chance to surrender.
• Duan Chongfang said Xie Daoqing would need four Tier Four artifacts to kill him and told him to detonate one first.

Duan Chongfang endured Xie Daoqing’s attacks until his Tier Four Armor was destroyed, but refused to concede. He challenged Xie Daoqing to either attack and risk killing him or face him again in a tiebreaker, leaving Xie Daoqing furious and unwilling to take the bait.

• Duan Chongfang refused Xie Daoqing’s offer to concede, and Xie Daoqing detonated an Artifact Energy Conversion Device that badly damaged his Armor.
• Xie Daoqing used a second device, destroying most of Duan Chongfang’s Armor and leaving him bloodied, while Qin Siyang mourned the loss of the Tier Four Armor he had received from Li Tianming.
• Duan Chongfang told Xie Daoqing that he would not concede even without his Armor.
• Duan Chongfang warned that a draw would force a tiebreaker and argued that Xie Daoqing would be unable to repeat his strongest attack after sacrificing his Tier Four equipment.
• Xie Daoqing refused to take down the cage and fight with his sequence abilities, and Duan Chongfang taunted him for not daring to attack.

Xie Daoqing tried to kill Duan Chongfang with an explosive device, but Duan survived and revealed that he had reached sequence level seven. Duan defeated Xie and secured the first point for Nanrong University, leaving the arena with his trump card exposed.

• Xie Daoqing dwelled on his father's criticism and decided to kill Duan Chongfang to prove his ability to make important decisions.
• Xie shoved an Artifact Energy Conversion Device into Duan's cage and retreated as it exploded.
• Duan survived the blast, struck Xie, and revealed his sequence level seven strength.
• Xie surrendered, and the referees declared Duan the winner and awarded Nanrong University's third-year team the first point.
• Duan humiliated Xie before leaving the arena and regretted that he had exposed his trump card.

After Duan Chongfang single-handedly defeated Western Glory University’s third-year team, spectators and Nanrong’s students realized he might have reached sequence level seven. The remaining matches still looked difficult, and Ban Dingyuan told Qin Siyang that Nanrong’s championship hopes depended on him.

• Qin Siyang considered how rare it was to reach sequence level seven along the Path of the Believer and concluded that Duan Chongfang’s breakthrough explained his victory.
• Spectators praised Duan Chongfang’s comeback and argued that he deserved the [Five Good Student] award.
• Choi Chan-hoon and Xiao Zhigang suspected Duan Chongfang had reached sequence level seven and discussed finding help to kill Qin Siyang if Duan turned against them.
• Shi Tao and Ban Dingyuan discussed how difficult it would be to defeat Western Glory’s second-year team, especially Huan Ruoyu, whose father could provide powerful artifacts.
• Ban Dingyuan slapped Qin Siyang on the shoulder and said Nanrong’s chance of winning the Championship Tournament depended on him.

The second-year final came down to Ban Dingyuan and Huan Ruoyu after Shi Tao defeated four Western Glory opponents. Huan Ruoyu revealed a collection of artifacts tailored to counter Ban Dingyuan, who conceded before the fight began, leaving the second-year match a draw.

• Duan Chongfang defeated four opponents and gave Southern Glory an early lead in the third-year battle.
• Wang Xunian defeated Miao Lujun, then advanced through three more opponents before facing Shi Tao.
• Shi Tao used a practiced armor-stripping technique to defeat three Western Glory students and tie the second-year competition.
• Ban Dingyuan and Huan Ruoyu began their deciding bout by discussing their past sparring matches and Huan Ruoyu's need to win for his father's reputation.
• Huan Ruoyu showed Ban Dingyuan four attack artifacts and a High-Temperature Ring designed to counter him, so Ban Dingyuan conceded.

Huan Ruoyu defeated Ban Dingyuan by forfeit after explaining how his [High-Temperature Ring] worked, leaving him questioning why his father had given him the artifact. With the third-year and second-year matches finished, the tournament turned to the first-years, whose hidden trump cards had the spectators anticipating their fight.

• Ban Dingyuan conceded to Huan Ruoyu, giving Western Glory University’s second-year team a win and tying the overall score at 1-1.
• Huan Ruoyu explained that the [High-Temperature Ring] could burn a Frost Tiger’s paws, and Ban Dingyuan pointed out that he could write a last letter before leaving the Safe Zone.
• Huan Ruoyu put away his artifacts and left the arena while wondering what other purpose his father had intended for the ring.
• The spectators reviewed the earlier matches, including Shi Tao’s four consecutive eliminations, and looked forward to Southern Glory’s first-years competing.
• Choi Chan-hoon questioned Xiao Zhigang about the first-years’ strength, and Xiao Zhigang said he knew their fathers well.

Qin Siyang chose to conserve his strength for a threatened assassination and agreed that Fu Wanli would lead Southern Glory against Western Glory. As Fu Wanli and Sally argued over the starting position, the team joked about romance and spies, while Zhao Longfei saw either of them as an easy target for Western Glory.

• Qin Siyang declined to fight first after Duan Chongfang privately threatened to kill him that night, and he decided to save his strength for the final and the assassination attempt.
• Fu Wanli insisted on fighting despite his injuries, while Sally accused him of hogging her chance to impress Qin Siyang.
• Fu Wanli said he recognized Sally's feelings for Qin Siyang because girls often acted similarly around him, prompting the others to worry about spies in Southern Glory.
• Qin Siyang encouraged Fu Wanli to pursue the girls who liked him, and he stood up for Fu Wanli's romantic hopes when Chu Baxing teased him.
• Zhao Longfei comforted Sally but concluded that Fu Wanli and Sally were both likely to lose against Western Glory's better-equipped freshmen.

Fu Wanli was knocked out by Yu Yongshui’s artifact barrage, while Zhao Sifang fought Yu to a draw despite being stronger. As Hu Chan and Chu Baxing discussed how to overcome Tier Four Armor, Qin Siyang asked whether they had their own methods, and Hu Chan began to reveal that they had.

• Fu Wanli entered the arena confident in his [Phantom Assassin] sequence, but Yu Yongshui defeated him with a barrage of artifacts.
• Qin Siyang dragged the unconscious Fu Wanli away and gave him healing medicine, and Fu soon woke with no memory of the match.
• Zhao Sifang struggled against Yu Yongshui’s artifacts, but neither fighter could break through the other’s defenses, so they agreed to a draw.
• Zhao Sifang complained that he had lost the battle of the dads because Zhao Longteng had not equipped him with enough artifacts, and Zhao Longfei tried to comfort him.
• Hu Chan and Chu Baxing discussed ways to bypass Tier Four Armor, and Qin Siyang privately asked whether they had such methods.
• Hu Chan admitted that he and Chu Baxing had originally had ways to break through Tier Four Armor.

Hu Chan and Chu Baxing were eliminated after drawing with their opponents, leaving Qin Siyang to face Western Glory’s two remaining first-years, Yu Yongyou and Guan Jingyue. Qin Siyang entered the arena to fight Yu Yongyou, whose many layers of protective barriers and shields posed a formidable challenge.

• Qin Siyang learned Hu Chan and Chu Baxing could not use their armor-breaking methods, and he accepted that they would aim for draws.
• Hu Chan drew with Wang Xude, and Chu Baxing drew with Yu Yuanbing, eliminating both Southern Glory fighters.
• Qin Siyang became Southern Glory’s only remaining first-year, while Yu Yongyou and Guan Jingyue remained for Western Glory.
• Spectators and officials debated Qin Siyang’s chances, and Gu Weiyang admired his composure for not entering the arena first.
• Qin Siyang and Yu Yongyou entered the arena, where Yu Yongyou stood behind four or five layers of protective barriers and shields.
• Hu Chan and Chu Baxing discussed Qin Siyang’s strength but had forgotten he had once killed Hua Weiguang through Tier Four Armor.

Qin Siyang faced Yu Yongyou, who relied on his family’s wealth and layers of defensive artifacts to pursue a draw. After taking medicine that boosted his strength, Qin Siyang shattered Yu Yongyou’s first two defenses with single kicks, leaving the fight unresolved as Yu Yongyou demanded to know where he got the medicine.

• Yu Yongyou boasted that his family’s wealth and artifacts would let him hold Qin Siyang to a draw, provoking anger from the Southern Glory students and Xie Daoqing.
• When the match began, Yu Yongyou used the [Demonic Sound Horn] and [Desire Green Bead], but Qin Siyang blocked the sound attack with medicine and kept his distance from the mind-affecting artifact.
• Qin Siyang activated double [Origin Violence], drank another potion that made him glow cyan, and sprinted behind Yu Yongyou.
• Qin Siyang shattered Yu Yongyou’s outer barrier and then his genuine Tier Three shield with a single kick each, shocking the spectators.
• Yu Yongyou asked Qin Siyang where he had bought the medicine and offered to pay three times its price.