Chapter Summaries

The Shrek team tracked the Reaper's Hand Bandit Group through the Ming Battle Mountain Range after Wang Yan found signs that their leader had taken a Wenlan Tree core. As Ma Xiaotao led the Inner Court students toward the bandits' cave, Xuan Zi urged the reserve team to join them, prompting the students to remember the deadly Star Dou Great Forest incident and question whether his negligence had caused it.

• Wang Yan agreed with Xuan Zi that Shrek should be able to defeat the Evil Soul Masters and led the team toward the Star Luo Empire.
• In the Ming Battle Mountain Range, Wang Yan found damaged Wenlan Trees and evidence that the Reaper's Hand leader might have taken a tree core.
• The team followed footprints, torn cloth, and blood traces until Dai Yueheng spotted a cave, and Wang Yan assigned Ma Xiaotao's group to attack.
• The Inner Court students put on Shrek Guardian uniforms and prepared to assault the bandits while the Outer Court students stayed in reserve.
• Xuan Zi told the reserve team to join the attack, and the Inner Court students recalled the deaths of eight companions during the Star Dou Great Forest tragedy and wondered if Xuan Zi's absence had caused it.
• Ma Xiaotao called the team to move out, confident that the bandits posed no serious threat.

Ma Xiaotao led the Shrek team into the cave, where they overwhelmed the bandits until their hidden leader triggered explosions using the corpses. The blast left the team in grave danger, and Xuan Zi rushed to the cave after sensing that the Shrek students had been harmed.

• Ma Xiaotao ordered the team into the cave and led them in an attack on the bandits.
• Dai Yueheng and Ling Luochеn slaughtered enemies while Ma Xiaotao told Ling Luochеn to conserve her strength.
• The bandit leader spoke from deeper in the cave and announced that the team would enjoy a fireworks display.
• Gongyang Mo and Ling Luochеn warned everyone to defend themselves as bandits and corpses began swelling.
• The bodies exploded, filling the narrow cave with blasts and corpse fragments and leaving Ma Xiaotao, Dai Yueheng, and the others scrambling to survive.
• Xuan Zi sensed the danger, flew toward the cave, and vowed to kill whoever had harmed his Shrek students.

Xuan Zi and Shrek's reserve team reached the cave and found the main team dead or grievously wounded after the Death Messenger's attack. Xuan Zi pursued the attacker in a rage, but his unleashed pressure further endangered the survivors as Wang Yan pleaded with him to stop.

• Xuan Zi found Xixi, Yao Haoxuan, and Chen Zifeng among the cave's casualties, with Xixi still alive but beyond saving.
• Wang Yan arrived with Bei Bei, Xu Sanshi, Jiang Nannan, He Caitou, Xiao Xiao, Wang Dong, and Dai Huabin, and they froze at the bloody scene.
• The Death Messenger mocked Shrek's Inspection Corps and emerged from the cave's depths as Xuan Zi vowed revenge.
• Xuan Zi released a crushing wave of soul power, and Xixi died under the pressure while other wounded Shrek members suffered.
• Wang Yan urgently asked Xuan Zi to rein in his cultivation before it killed the survivors.

Xuan Zi pursued the Death Messenger after protecting the others from his Corpse Explosion, while Wang Yan searched the cave and found the survivors. Dai Yueheng was still alive but severely injured, and Dai Huabin hid his delight at the damage to his rival’s cultivation behind a show of concern.

• Xuan Zi hesitated to attack the controlled bodies, giving the Death Messenger time to trigger Corpse Explosion and escape.
• Xuan Zi activated his Martial Soul Avatar and chased after the Death Messenger while Wang Yan led the others deeper into the cave.
• Wang Yan found the badly wounded Ling Luochеn and sent Wang Dong and Xu Sanshi to carry her outside.
• Wang Yan discovered Dai Yueheng unconscious beside Dai Huabin and confirmed that Dai Yueheng was still alive.
• Wang Yan warned that Dai Yueheng’s injuries had damaged his foundation and might leave him unable to improve his cultivation, and Dai Huabin concealed his delight by professing loyalty to his brother.

After Xuan Zi returned, Wang Yan reported that four members of Shrek's main team had died and three were badly injured, but Xuan Zi insisted the reserve team should compete in the Soul Master Tournament and use Ma Xiaotao as their lead. Meanwhile, Qin Xiao prepared to absorb the Silver Moon Wolf King's soul ring and advance to the Soul Ancestor realm.

• Wang Yan found Ma Xiaotao sitting unresponsive and ordered Jiang Nannan to help her out of the cave.
• Xuan Zi returned and learned that four main-team members were dead and three were seriously injured, then blamed himself for failing to protect them.
• Wang Yan urged Xuan Zi to take the injured students and the reserve team back to Shrek Academy and withdraw from the Soul Master Tournament.
• Xuan Zi refused to withdraw, arguing that Ma Xiaotao could lead the reserve team and that the tournament might help restore her senses.
• Qin Xiao stood over the fallen Silver Moon Wolf King as Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen urged him to absorb its soul ring.

Qin Xiao obtained his fourth soul ring and discussed the Sun Moon Academy team’s ambitions for the tournament. Two days later, Xuan Zi returned to Shrek with Dai Yueheng and Ling Luochеn gravely injured and revealed that a Soul King had killed four students and gravely injured three.

• Qin Xiao absorbed a thousand-year soul ring and gained Mental Chaos, then explained its effects and his Group Weakening skill to the others.
• Ma Rulong asked how Qin Xiao had advanced so quickly, and Qin Xiao attributed his cultivation to pills and an unusual constitution.
• Elder Ma said the academy hoped the team would reach the top four, while Xiao Hongchen aimed for second place and Qin Xiao predicted they would win the championship.
• Xuan Zi returned to Shrek Academy with Dai Yueheng and Ling Luochеn gravely injured, and admitted to Yan Shaozhe that his carelessness had let a Soul King kill four students and gravely injure three.
• Yan Shaozhe was stunned by Xuan Zi’s account and struggled to believe that a Soul King had defeated members of the Main Team.

After Elder Zhuang treated Dai Yueheng and Ling Luochеn, he warned that their injuries would permanently limit their cultivation, prompting Xuan Zi to seek help from the Medicine Immortal or the Clear Sky Sect. Xuan Zi then announced his resignation, and Yan Shaozhe and the other elders urged him to stay while Mu En weighed the consequences.

• Yan Shaozhe learned that Ma Xiaotao’s severe injury affected her mind, and he angrily confronted Xuan Zi for risking her recovery.
• Elder Zhuang treated Dai Yueheng and Ling Luochеn at the Sea God’s Pavilion and said their lives were safe, but Ling Luochеn could reach Titled Douluo at best while Dai Yueheng would remain a Soul Emperor.
• Xuan Zi proposed asking the Medicine Immortal Douluo to heal them, then suggested seeking immortal herbs at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well through the Clear Sky Sect.
• Mu En agreed to invite the Medicine Immortal respectfully and warned Xuan Zi not to force her or demand the Clear Sky Sect’s secrets.
• Xuan Zi announced that he would resign from all his positions, and Yan Shaozhe and the other elders immediately tried to persuade him to stay.

Mu En delayed Xuan Zi's punishment and ordered him to escort Shrek Academy's tournament competitors to Star Luo City, while Shrek prepared to explain its weakened team as the result of fighting evil soul masters. Xu Jiawei learned that Shrek's main team had suffered devastating losses, but White Tiger Duke Dai Hao still celebrated news that both his sons had made the roster.

• Xuan Zi offered to resign, but Mu En postponed a decision on his punishment and gave him a chance to redeem himself by escorting the competitors to Star Luo City.
• Yan Shaozhe proposed publicizing the attack on Shrek's main team, and Mu En agreed to describe the enemies as several Soul Saints while concealing Xuan Zi's failure.
• Xu Jiawei and Xu Jiujiu learned that Shrek had sent only nine people to Star Luo City, mostly substitutes, because several main-team members had died or been severely injured.
• Xu Jiawei learned that Dai Yueheng had been gravely injured and might never advance beyond the Soul Saint realm.
• At the border, Dai Hao celebrated with his generals after hearing that both Dai Yueheng and Dai Huabin had secured places on Shrek Academy's tournament team.

Dai Hao celebrated learning that his sons were Titled Douluos, while Qin Xiao visited the Starlight Auction House in search of a specific carving knife. After rejecting two knives, he learned the auction house had a ranked carving knife to show him.

• Dai Hao drank with his generals and began to entertain thoughts sparked by their praise of his family's strength.
• Qin Xiao set out for the auction house, and Meng Hongchen joined him while Xiao Hongchen secretly followed before returning to the hotel.
• Qin Xiao used a million-Gold-Soul-Coin Black Card to enter the Starlight Auction House with Meng Hongchen.
• Qing Ya showed Qin Xiao two carving knives, but he rejected both as unsuitable.
• Qing Ya revealed that the auction house had a carving knife ranked ninety-ninth in the Carving Knife Rankings.

Qin Xiao bought the cursed Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife and awakened Electrolux, offering him a mutually beneficial arrangement. After Electrolux accepted, he began purifying the knife, which fought back with a monstrous azure face.

• Qing Ya showed Qin Xiao and Meng Hongchen the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife and explained its cursed history and the deaths of its thirty-seven owners.
• Qin Xiao decided to buy the knife for a hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins, and Meng Hongchen paid for it before taking him back to the hotel.
• Xiao Hongchen found Meng Hongchen outside her room and was surprised to learn she had spent a hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins on Qin Xiao's carving knife.
• Qin Xiao summoned Electrolux in his spiritual space and offered him a dwelling in gold of life, borrowed power, and help rebuilding his body in exchange for assistance.
• Electrolux accepted Qin Xiao's terms, released his mental power, and began purifying the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife as it resisted with an azure, monstrous face.

Qin Xiao purified and fused the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife, gaining the Eye of Life and a greatly strengthened body. The day before the Soul Master Tournament, Xuan Zi admitted that three replacement Shrek students had died during a mission, leaving Wang Yan suspecting that Xuan Zi might be deliberately weakening Shrek.

• Electrolux purified the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife, named it the Blade of Life's Watch, and helped Qin Xiao fuse it into an Eye of Life.
• The fusion strengthened Qin Xiao's body, expelled medicinal toxins, and gave him powerful self-healing abilities and the prospect of using Electrolux's power.
• Electrolux departed for his own spiritual world, while the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm and Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion remained with Qin Xiao.
• Jing Hongchen visited Qin Xiao, gave him a ranked carving knife, and claimed he had come to Star Luo City to see an old friend.
• Xuan Zi told Wang Yan and the Shrek participants that three students he had taken to investigate evil soul masters had died after being caught in a grand array and subjected to Corpse Explosion.
• Wang Yan blamed Xuan Zi for leading the students into danger and wondered whether he had joined the Holy Spirit Cult to weaken Shrek.

Wang Yan and the students discussed Shrek Academy’s weak tournament prospects with Xuan Zi, whose past failures had left them wary of him. Xuan Zi stormed off to prove he could improve their situation, while Princess Xu Jiujiu arrived at the Star Luo Imperial Palace and found Emperor Xu Jiawei troubled.

• Wang Yan and the students recoiled from Xuan Zi, who insisted he had never betrayed Shrek Academy and reminded them that Mu En had refused his resignation.
• Wang Yan explained that Ma Xiaotao remained muddleheaded and that Shrek’s weakened team might fail to reach the final sixteen against teams filled with stronger Soul Masters.
• Angered by the team’s poor prospects, Xuan Zi vowed to change the situation and left to prove himself.
• Bei Bei worried about Xuan Zi, but Xu Sanshi warned him to stay away because Xuan Zi’s companions were the ones who suffered.
• Princess Xu Jiujiu entered the Star Luo Imperial Palace and asked her troubled brother, Emperor Xu Jiawei, what was wrong.

Xu Jiawei and Xu Jiujiu discussed Shrek Academy’s absence from the Soul Master Tournament and the sale of the Spirit Devouring Fierce Blade before Xuan Zi arrived at the palace. Xuan Zi asked Xu Jiawei to give Shrek a semifinal spot, despite admitting that Shrek had no replacement team members available.

• Xu Jiawei worried that Shrek Academy’s withdrawal could let the Sun Moon Soul Engineer Academy win the tournament and questioned how Shrek had suffered such severe losses to the Evil Soul Masters.
• Xu Jiujiu told Xu Jiawei that a member of the Sun Moon Empire’s team had bought the Spirit Devouring Fierce Blade, and Xu Jiawei welcomed the chance that its curse might eliminate a talented student.
• Xuan Zi appeared in the palace, and Xu Jiawei greeted him respectfully and reassured the guards that he was not an enemy.
• Xuan Zi asked Xu Jiawei for a semifinal spot for Shrek Academy and said he could even accept the runner-up position.
• Xu Jiawei asked whether Xuan Zi had changed Shrek’s roster, and Xuan Zi admitted that there was no one available to replace the team members.

Xuan Zi pressured Xu Jiawei into guaranteeing Shrek Academy a place in the tournament’s top four, forcing Xu Jiawei and Xu Jiujiu to plan how to manipulate the matches. At the opening ceremony, Qin Xiao spotted Shrek Academy’s team and identified several members, including a likely Dai Huabin.

• Xuan Zi demanded that Xu Jiawei arrange for Shrek Academy to reach the top four, and Xu Jiawei reluctantly agreed.
• Xu Jiujiu warned Xu Jiawei that rigging the tournament could damage the Star Luo Empire and undermine its fairness, but Xu Jiawei asked her to help plan the arrangements.
• The All-Continent Soul Master Tournament opened in Star Luo City with Xu Jiawei and other dignitaries addressing the crowd.
• Qin Xiao recognized Bei Bei, Xu Sanshi, and Jiang Nannan among Shrek Academy’s team.
• Qin Xiao suspected that a tall young man on the team was Dai Huabin and vowed to help Huo Yuhao get rid of him.

Qin Xiao watched Shrek Academy arrive at the tournament with only seven young contestants, while Dai Hao realized that Dai Huabin was among them. After the tournament opened and its rules were announced, Shrek learned that Ma Xiaotao could not compete, and its reserve team prepared to face Tianling Advanced Soul Master Academy in the first elimination match.

• Qin Xiao recognized Xiao Xiao, He Caitou, and Wang Dong among Shrek's seven contestants and wondered why the academy's other students were absent.
• Dai Hao spotted Dai Huabin in Shrek's group and asked Xu Jiawei why Shrek had brought only seven contestants.
• Xu Jiawei officially opened the tournament, and the host explained the elimination and round-robin formats.
• Wang Yan told Shrek's reserve team that Ma Xiaotao remained unable to compete, then encouraged Bei Bei and the others before leading them backstage.
• Elder Ma accused Shrek of underestimating the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy and warned Ma Rulong that he would be dismissed if they lost to Shrek's lineup.
• Shrek's team took the arena to face Tianling Advanced Soul Master Academy, and the first elimination match began beneath the protective barrier.

Shrek Academy faced Tianling Advanced Soul Master Academy with a team of mostly Soul Elders and two Soul Grandmasters, but Tianling’s fighters inexplicably fell to their attacks and accidents. Tianling conceded, while Star Luo Emperor Xu Jiawei watched his arranged match-fixing unfold with frustration.

• Bei Bei, Xu Sanshi, Dai Huabin, Jiang Nannan, Wang Dong, He Caitou, and Xiao Xiao entered the match against Tianling Academy, drawing ridicule for their low cultivation.
• Bei Bei charged Tianling’s captain and knocked him unconscious with a seemingly weak punch, shocking Shrek’s team and the spectators.
• Xu Sanshi knocked back a Tianling defender, and Tianling’s Agility Attack Soul Master tripped into his own Auxiliary Soul Master while pursuing Jiang Nannan.
• Dai Huabin knocked out another Tianling Soul Ancestor with a light punch, and the remaining Tianling members conceded.
• Xu Jiawei watched from the city wall and privately cursed Tianling Academy for making their staged defeat look so unconvincing.

After Shrek defeated Tianling Academy in a transparently staged match, the referee and Xu Jiawei protected the result despite the crowd’s outrage. White Tiger Duke Dai Hao then confronted Dai Huabin, struck him for his disrespect, and learned that Dai Yueheng had been crippled in the Ming Battle Mountain Range.

• The referee declared Shrek the winner after Tianling Academy surrendered, and spectators accused the teams of fixing the match.
• The referee upheld the result on Xu Jiawei’s instructions, prompting spectators and officials to leave in anger.
• Dai Hao visited Dai Huabin’s hotel room, where Huabin mistook him for someone else and insulted him before recognizing his father.
• Dai Hao slapped Dai Huabin, then asked why Shrek had thrown the match and where Dai Yueheng was.
• Dai Huabin described what happened in the Ming Battle Mountain Range, and Dai Hao learned Dai Yueheng might never reach the Soul Saint realm.

Dai Hao learned that Dai Yueheng might be saved by the Medicine Immortal Douluo, while Shrek’s blatant match-fixing fueled public outrage and damaged the tournament’s reputation. As the tournament moved into the round-robin stage and the Star Luo Empire faced mounting losses, Emperor Xu Jiawei summoned the dean of Yunluo Advanced Soul Engineer Academy, a planned accomplice in Shrek’s path to the final four.

• Dai Hao raged at Shrek Academy over Dai Yueheng’s fate, then heard from Dai Huabin that the Medicine Immortal Douluo might be able to heal him.
• Dai Hao left to answer Emperor Xu Jiawei’s summons as rumors spread that Shrek and Tianling Academy had fixed their match with the emperor’s protection.
• Elder Ma told the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy that Shrek had only eight competitors, while Xuan Zi dismissed his students’ anger and threatened to kill anyone who condemned Shrek.
• The tournament’s elimination matches ended amid public curses, and fewer than half of the expanded Star Luo Plaza’s tickets sold for the round-robin stage.
• Xu Jiawei learned that ticket sales and battle reports had failed and that the tournament was losing money, then ordered the dean of Yunluo Advanced Soul Engineer Academy to enter.

Dean Zhang returned Xu Jiawei’s payoff and withdrew Yunluo Academy’s promise to throw its match against Shrek Academy, so Xu Jiawei told Xuan Zi that Shrek would have to advance on its own. Xuan Zi attacked Yunluo Academy and pinned Dean Zhang beneath his foot, leaving the students in danger.

• Dean Zhang returned Xu Jiawei’s two Gold Cards and explained that he feared Yunluo Academy would suffer the same collapse as Tianling Academy if it threw its match.
• Xu Jiawei agreed to let Yunluo Academy compete honestly, then asked his gold-armored guard to summon Xuan Zi while he spoke with Dai Hao about seeking help for Dai Yueheng.
• After Xuan Zi arrived, Xu Jiawei told him that the teams would no longer go easy on Shrek Academy, and Xuan Zi left in anger to find Yunluo Academy.
• Dean Zhang assured Yunluo Academy’s main and substitute teams that they should give their all against Shrek, and the students eagerly anticipated the match.
• Xuan Zi descended on Yunluo Academy, shattered Dean Zhang’s attack, and pinned him beneath his foot as he warned the students not to interfere.

Xuan Zi slaughtered Yunluo Academy’s dean and competing students after they refused to lose to Shrek, then the academy’s team failed to appear for its match. As the crowd accused Shrek and the tournament organizers of fixing the result, Yunluo Academy teachers broke into the arena and revealed that their academy had been attacked.

• Xuan Zi killed Yunluo Academy’s fourteen students, its dean, and a surviving girl, claiming they had defied Shrek’s plan to lose the match.
• Xu Jiawei ordered the tournament to continue despite the sparse crowd, and the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy defeated Tianfeng Academy.
• Shrek Academy was declared the winner by forfeit when Yunluo Academy’s team failed to appear, provoking jeers from spectators and anger among the competing academies.
• Qin Xiao suspected Yunluo Academy’s absence was linked to a powerful soul-power surge he had sensed outside Star Luo City.
• Yunluo Academy teachers broke through the arena cordon and announced that their dean and competing students had been killed in an attack.