Chapter Summaries

Yan Shaozhe tried to recruit Jiang Hai as his disciple by offering powerful training and rare Soul Rings, but Jiang Hai refused because he remained unwilling to rely on Shrek Academy. After Jiang Hai calmed himself through cultivation, Yan Shaozhe told Ma Xiaotao he would keep showing Jiang Hai goodwill until he changed his mind.

• Yan Shaozhe admitted that he had witnessed Jiang Hai kill Lin Youtian and said he had not stopped him because Lin deserved to die.
• Yan Shaozhe offered to train Jiang Hai and help him obtain Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast and Ferocious Beast Soul Rings, but Jiang Hai refused again.
• Yan Shaozhe allowed Jiang Hai to enter the Inner Court and seek his advice, then left with Ma Xiaotao.
• Jiang Hai explained Huo Yuhao's late return to him, then entered Sea God Lake and began cultivating inside his Bronze Coffin.
• Yan Shaozhe told Ma Xiaotao he intended to win Jiang Hai over with continued goodwill and asked her to keep their conversation secret and bring Jiang Hai food.

Jiang Hai returned to Shrek Academy for the new academic year, where he reunited with Ning Tian, Wu Feng, and Class Three. Sun Yunhai revealed that he had joined the Painting Sect and studied the Art of the Painting God, leaving Jiang Hai curious about how he would perform in the advancement assessment.

• Jiang Hai’s cultivation accelerated after the Bronze Coffin advanced, and he stole a Red-Feathered Swan from Sea God Lake for a meal.
• Ning Tian and Wu Feng met Jiang Hai on his way to class, and Ning Tian asked him to visit her father, Ning Qingdeng, at the Eight Treasures Tower.
• Jiang Hai saw Huo Yuhao and Dai Huabin arguing over Huo Yuhao’s missed registration, while Dai Huabin glared at Jiang Hai with renewed hatred.
• Jiang Hai reunited with Class Three, where Chen Yong and Sun Yunhai welcomed him back.
• Sun Yunhai told Jiang Hai and Ning Tian that he had become Hua Cangsheng’s disciple and learned the Art of the Painting God, and Jiang Hai looked forward to seeing his progress in the advancement assessment.

Mu Jin and Zhu Tianming explained the upcoming advancement assessment and urged Class Three to prepare by watching Classes One and Two face soul beasts. The students gathered at Shrek Academy’s Beast Arena that afternoon, where the other classes’ assessments were due to take place.

• Zhu Tianming explained that Class Three would have to survive for a day in an area with released soul beasts, while teamwork and performance would determine their scores.
• Mu Jin emphasized safety and the need to get used to soul beasts’ killing intent, then encouraged the class to watch the afternoon assessments.
• Mu Jin ordered Jiang Hai, Chen Yong, and Wu Feng to participate in the other classes’ assessment, and Sun Yunhai volunteered to join them.
• Chen Yong teased Sun Yunhai about Nanmen Yun'er, while Wu Feng mocked Chen Yong’s attempt to flirt with her.
• Jiang Hai suggested the friends celebrate together after the assessment, and the group spent the rest of the morning cultivating and preparing.
• After lunch, the students arrived at the Beast Arena District to watch Classes One and Two’s assessments.

Sun Yunhai entered the assessment as a support system soul master and chose to face a thousand-year soul beast under the power attack standard. He defeated a Black-Patterned Demon Leopard with illusions, revealing his newly acquired third soul ring and the strength of his Cloud Painting Technique.

• Mu Jin urged Jiang Hai and the other Class Three participants to outperform Classes One and Two, and Sun Yunhai volunteered to go first.
• Sun Yunhai chose the power attack assessment and insisted on facing a thousand-year soul beast, a choice that alarmed Mu Jin and the referee.
• A Black-Patterned Demon Leopard charged Sun Yunhai, who appeared to stand frozen as it attacked.
• Sun Yunhai’s Cloud Illusion Technique created nine convincing ten-thousand-year soul beasts that overwhelmed the leopard while it was unable to resist.
• The illusions disappeared and Sun Yunhai reappeared with three soul rings; teachers subdued the furious leopard after his victory.

Sun Yunhai earned a perfect score by defeating a thousand-year soul beast, while Chen Yong and Wu Feng each challenged thousand-year opponents and scored highly despite failing to win. Wu Feng’s assessment ended after she exhausted her soul power, with her score reaching ninety-five points.

• Du Weilun awarded Sun Yunhai the maximum score of one hundred and fifty points for defeating the Black-Patterned Demon Leopard.
• Chen Yong fought a thousand-year Wind Tiger, injured it with a counterattack, but eventually lost after exhausting his soul power and received ninety points.
• A support system soul master healed Chen Yong’s back wounds after his assessment.
• Wu Feng challenged a thousand-year Flame Demon Bear and fought it at close range using her Fire Dragon Martial Soul and Dragon’s Fire.
• Wu Feng exhausted her soul power without defeating the Flame Demon Bear and earned ninety-five points.

Jiang Hai earned full marks by subjugating a thousand-year Single-Horned Rhinoceros with his physical strength and Soul Power alone. His performance awed the students, stirred Huo Yuhao to prove himself, and left the advancement assessments for Classes One and Two about to begin.

• Jiang Hai chose to challenge a thousand-year Soul Beast, and a Single-Horned Rhinoceros charged at him with its Golden Horn Charge.
• Jiang Hai stopped the rhinoceros with his bare hands, mounted it, and beat it until it submitted.
• Chen Yong and Class Three cheered as the students realized Jiang Hai had not used his Martial Soul.
• Dai Huabin suspected Jiang Hai's strength came from the White Tiger Soul Bone and hid his murderous intent, while Huo Yuhao resolved to beat him fairly and prove himself.
• Du Weilun awarded Jiang Hai full marks, then announced that Classes One and Two would begin their advancement assessments.

Jiang Hai impressed the academy with his strength and confirmed he had become a Soul Elder, while Wang Dong and Dai Huabin defeated thousand-year soul beasts. Huo Yuhao then revealed an ultimate ice martial soul against the Flame Lion King, drawing Yan Shaozhe’s attention and leaving him determined to bring Huo Yuhao into the Martial Soul Department.

• Jiang Hai confirmed his breakthrough to Soul Elder, and Zhu Tianming recognized him as a prospective Inner Court student while Mu Jin protected the secret of his third soul ring.
• Wang Dong defeated a thousand-year Bloodthirsty Demon Bear with Huo Yuhao’s secret support, and Dai Huabin killed a thousand-year Wind Tiger.
• Huo Yuhao chose to challenge a thousand-year Flame Lion King, surprising students and teachers who knew of his weak-looking soul rings.
• Huo Yuhao’s Ice Empress soul ring and ultimate ice power emerged, stunning Yan Shaozhe and suppressing the Flame Lion King through its fire attribute.
• Yan Shaozhe awarded Huo Yuhao one hundred and fifty points and decided he would pay any price to secure him for the Martial Soul Department.

Huo Yuhao earned full marks by using his newly awakened ultimate ice martial soul to repel the Flame Lion King, while Jiang Hai visited the Soul Guidance Technology Research Group in disguise as Ji Bronze Coffin. The electric-light project was nearly ready to launch, and Jiang Hai left its marketing to Ning Qingdeng.

• Huo Yuhao's Ice Emperor's Protection nullified the Flame Lion King's Flame Clone Strike, and his command frightened the thousand-year soul beast into fleeing, earning him full marks.
• Wang Yan questioned Huo Yuhao about his soul rings, and Huo Yuhao confirmed that he had twin martial souls.
• Jiang Hai explained to Chen Yong that Huo Yuhao's newly awakened ultimate ice martial soul had suppressed the Flame Lion King, while Wu Feng recognized its ice attribute.
• Ning Qingdeng told Jiang Hai that Shrek Academy and the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect had formed a research group, with Jiang Hai as its leader.
• Jiang Hai disguised himself as Ji Bronze Coffin and went with Ning Qingdeng to inspect the Soul Guidance Technology Research Group.
• Ning Qingdeng explained that the electric lights were planned for launch the following month, and Jiang Hai left the marketing to him.

Jiang Hai entered Shrek Academy as honorary researcher Ji Bronze Coffin and visited its Soul Guidance Technology Research Group on Sea God Island. At the Task Hall, he studied the Demon-Suppressing Stele and resolved to use his strength to impose justice in a world where laws were weak.

• Ning Qingdeng presented Jiang Hai's honorary researcher credentials at Shrek Academy's gate, and the guards let them enter.
• Ning Qingdeng took Jiang Hai by boat to Sea God Island, where Lou Lanyin welcomed him as the founder of soul guidance technology.
• Lou Lanyin explained that the Task Hall assigned Inner Court students missions to capture or kill dangerous soul masters and corrupt officials.
• Jiang Hai read the missions on the Demon-Suppressing Stele and saw that he himself had been listed as a five-star target.
• Jiang Hai rejected Lou Lanyin's judgment that pitiful people must have something hateful about them, then left, determined to make himself a force of law.

Jiang Hai toured Shrek Academy’s underground Soul Guidance Technology Research Group and met its researchers, who learned that he was the young founder of soul guidance technology. He left them debating how to develop the field, while Fan Yu and Huo Yuhao greeted him with admiration.

• Dai Yueheng briefly wondered whether he recognized Jiang Hai before dismissing the thought.
• Lou Lan left Jiang Hai and Ning Qingdeng at the Soul Guidance Technology Research Group’s underground institute, where Ning Qingdeng showed Jiang Hai its facilities.
• Jiang Hai listened as Xu Juan and Wang Chong argued over whether research should focus on flying vehicles or weapons, then said soul guidance technology had applications in many fields and electricity was better suited to everyday life and production.
• Ning Qingdeng introduced Jiang Hai as the founder of soul guidance technology and the group’s official leader, astonishing and exciting the researchers.
• Fan Yu arrived with He Caitou and Huo Yuhao, and He Caitou explained Jiang Hai’s achievements to Huo Yuhao.
• Fan Yu greeted Jiang Hai, who warmly returned the greeting.

Jiang Hai explained the principles and promise of soul guidance technology to the Research Group, stressing that it should advance humanity rather than merely grant power. The group left with a broader vision of the field, while Huo Yuhao resolved to master it and Fan Yu described its ultimate goal as revealing the mysteries of soul power.

• Jiang Hai welcomed Huo Yuhao and He Caitou into the Research Group and asked Huo Yuhao why he wanted to study Soul Tools.
• Huo Yuhao said he sought power, and Jiang Hai urged him to use soul guidance technology to benefit humanity as well as pursue his own goals.
• Jiang Hai taught the Research Group about electricity, electric current, and mathematics as foundations for developing soul guidance technology.
• Fan Yu realized Jiang Hai possessed a deep theoretical framework, while Huo Yuhao resolved to master the field despite doubting whether his talents would help.
• He Caitou questioned why the field was called soul guidance technology if ordinary people could use its knowledge, and Fan Yu said its ultimate purpose was to uncover soul power’s mysteries.

Jiang Hai taught Shrek’s Soul Tool Research Group about gunpowder and firearms before leaving the academy under suspicion from its leaders. The next morning, Class Three assembled at Shrek Square as its survival assessment began.

• Jiang Hai explained that fire could power weapons and urged Wang Chong to research gunpowder, while Huo Yuhao and Ning Qingdeng wondered how Jiang Hai knew of the Tang Sect’s knowledge.
• Jiang Hai told Fan Yu that firearms could become weapons ordinary people could use, then left Shrek Academy with Ning Qingdeng.
• Xian Lin'er and Qian Duoduo discussed whether Jiang Hai was a threat, while Mu En resolved to protect him and find a successor who could stand alongside him.
• Jiang Hai admitted to Ning Qingdeng that he had feared Shrek might capture him, and Ning Qingdeng promised the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect would support him.
• Mu Jin and Zhu Tianming briefed Class Three on the assessment’s survival tokens, boundaries, and rules before leading the students into the grounds.

Class Three began its survival assessment in Shrek Academy’s forest grounds, where Jiang Hai organized the support soul masters into four combat groups. Their first encounter showed how effectively the group could fight together when Chen Yong battled a thousand-year Great Strength Divine Ape under their support skills.

• Du Weilun explained the assessment rules, and the forty-nine students entered the grounds with rations and tokens.
• Jiang Hai divided the students into four balanced combat groups and led them deeper into the forest as the teachers followed.
• Jiang Hai sensed a thousand-year soul beast ahead and warned Chen Yong’s group.
• Chen Yong activated his martial soul and fought the charging Great Strength Divine Ape while his teammates enhanced and healed him.
• Chen Yong’s punches drove the Great Strength Divine Ape backward, leaving it bleeding as his group continued to support him.

Jiang Hai led the second-year support students through an assessment, where they defeated a succession of thousand-year soul beasts. After Du Weilun secretly sent five beasts to challenge them at once, the teams fought together and began overcoming them, with Wu Feng and Chen Yong finishing their opponents and joining their teammates.

• Chen Yong defeated a Great Strength Divine Ape with support from his teammates, and Jiang Hai led the students onward to fight more soul beasts.
• Over five hours, the four teams defeated twenty-seven thousand-year soul beasts while Jiang Hai used the Glazed Heart Mirror to locate them.
• Du Weilun ordered the referees to drive five thousand-year soul beasts toward the students to make the assessment more challenging.
• Jiang Hai warned the students of the approaching beasts, assigned Sun Yunhai and Niu Qi to hold opponents, and charged into the formation himself.
• Niu Qi used his control skills against a Thousand-Year Civet, while Wu Feng, Chen Yong, Sun Yunhai, and Jiang Hai engaged the other beasts.
• Wu Feng defeated the Thousand-Year Blazing Fire Horse and joined Niu Qi, while Chen Yong defeated the Thousand-Year Iron Azure Ox and went to help Sun Yunhai.

Jiang Hai led Class Three against a pack of seventeen thousand-year soul beasts, revealing a hidden ten-thousand-year third soul ring and a divine fire power. With Ning Tian’s support, he fought ten beasts at once while his classmates engaged the others, leaving the battle ongoing.

• After Class Three defeated five thousand-year soul beasts, the students recovered while Jiang Hai guarded them.
• Seventeen thousand-year soul beasts charged at the group, and Jiang Hai summoned the Bronze Coffin and advanced to meet them.
• Sun Yunhai saw that Jiang Hai’s third soul ring was actually ten-thousand-year, while Du Weilun mistook it for a second purple thousand-year ring.
• With Ning Tian’s strength and speed enhancements, Jiang Hai struck down three leading Wind Tigers and was surrounded by fourteen remaining beasts.
• Chen Yong, Wu Feng, Sun Yunhai, and Niu Qi engaged four beasts while Jiang Hai faced the other ten.
• Jiang Hai’s Glazed Heart Mirror revealed the beasts’ attacks and released divine fire, allowing him to evade and suppress them as Ning Tian boosted his strength, speed, and soul power.

Jiang Hai used his divine fire and combat skills to defeat the thousand-year soul beasts during Class Three’s advancement assessment. Du Weilun ended the assessment, announced several perfect scores, and began listing the remaining students’ results.

• Jiang Hai burned the Ghost Vine to ash and set the Sword-Toothed Tiger King and the other thousand-year soul beasts ablaze with his divine fire.
• Du Weilun stopped Jiang Hai from killing the remaining beasts, and the referees treated the injured soul beasts.
• Jiang Hai helped Niu Qi defeat the Earth Demon Bear while the rest of the students finished their battles.
• Du Weilun declared the assessment over and announced full marks for Jiang Hai, Sun Yunhai, Chen Yong, and Wu Feng, followed by scores for Ning Tian, Niu Qi, Ge Yuan, and Zhao Ling’er.

Jiang Hai’s class passed its advancement assessment with unprecedented results, and he received guidance from Yan Shaozhe while visiting Ma Xiaotao. He learned about the lost method for opening the eight extraordinary meridians and believed he might be able to uncover it himself.

• Du Weilun announced that every student in Second Year Class Three passed, promoted Jiang Hai to core disciple, and granted Niu Qi core disciple privileges.
• Mu Jin dismissed the class after joking that they would have to attend lessons the next day, then confirmed they had a day off.
• Jiang Hai invited his friends to dinner at Jade House and went to invite Ma Xiaotao, where Yan Shaozhe gave him a discount card and said she was cultivating.
• Yan Shaozhe asked Jiang Hai about Huo Yuhao, and Jiang Hai praised Huo Yuhao’s character and potential.
• Yan Shaozhe helped Jiang Hai with his cultivation and explained that the Tang Sect’s lost method for circulating soul power through the eight extraordinary meridians could improve cultivation.
• Jiang Hai resolved to investigate how to open the eight extraordinary meridians, then Ma Xiaotao arrived and greeted him.

Jiang Hai brought Ma Xiaotao and his classmates to Shrek City after receiving an invitation to the Treasure Appraisal Fair. They reached the Jade House to eat, with Ma Xiaotao and Ning Tian both offering to help him appraise treasures.

• Jiang Hai invited Ma Xiaotao to join him, and she asked about Huo Yuhao and his Ultimate Ice martial soul on their way to Shrek Square.
• Chen Yong gave Jiang Hai an invitation to the Treasure Appraisal Fair, and Jiang Hai explained that Shrek Academy backed the event through its Treasure Appraisal Pavilion.
• Ma Xiaotao offered to help Jiang Hai choose treasures, while Ning Tian also volunteered her appraisal skills; Jiang Hai introduced Ning Tian and Wu Feng to Ma Xiaotao.
• Ma Xiaotao impressed Ning Tian and Wu Feng with her titles, Ultimate Fire martial soul, and status as Yan Shaozhe's personal disciple.
• Jiang Hai and the group traveled to Shrek City and arrived at the Jade House, where the boys stared at the restaurant's qipao-clad attendants.

Jiang Hai treated his companions to an extravagant meal at the Jade House, where Ma Xiaotao received ten bottles of Azure Sky Wine for him. The group then went to the Treasure Appraisal Pavilion, where Jiang Hai chose not to undergo an assessment and risk revealing the strength of his third soul ring.

• Ning Tian ordered expensive nourishing dishes and Azure Sky Wine at the Jade House, and Jiang Hai paid with Yan Shaozhe's Purple Gold Card.
• Jiang Hai and his companions drank the potent wine and ate a lavish meal that could help raise their soul power.
• Ma Xiaotao bought ten bottles of Azure Sky Wine and gave them to Jiang Hai, saying they would benefit him more than her.
• Liu Gang and Wang Cheng left to digest the meal while Jiang Hai, Ma Xiaotao, and the others headed to the Treasure Appraisal Pavilion.
• Jiang Hai sent Chen Yong and Sun Yunhai with the others to be assessed, but declined so he would not expose his ten-thousand-year third soul ring.

Jiang Hai declined the Treasure Appraisal Pavilion’s support because he did not want to incur more debts, then found a Level 7 Soul Tool blueprint that could advance his research. He considered buying the costly Time’s Second Hand blueprint, leaving its purchase unresolved.

• Jiang Hai refused Elder Lin’s evaluation and explained that he was uncomfortable owing Shrek Academy favors, disappointing the elder.
• Ma Xiaotao questioned whether Jiang Hai kept her and the others at arm’s length, and he reassured her that he considered her family while explaining his reluctance to accept Dean Yan’s investment.
• Jiang Hai browsed the fair, passed over pills and treasures he did not need, and found the Level 7 Soul Tool blueprint he wanted to study.
• Jiang Hai and Ma Xiaotao read that the blueprint described Time’s Second Hand, an auxiliary soul tool that could revert its user’s body by three seconds when their life was in danger.
• Jiang Hai suspected the device was unfinished but recognized the blueprint’s research value, and he saw its price of 7,800,000 Gold Soul Coins.