Chapter Summaries

Tang Xuan prepared to leave Shrek Academy, giving gifts and advice to its teachers and students before departing overnight. He left Tang San with instructions for the group’s cultivation and promised to reveal everything he knew after the tournament.

• Tang Xuan taught the Shrek Seven Monsters Spirit Rhinoceros Finger, a technique that could let the support-type soul masters fight directly.
• Tang Xuan told Grandmaster and Flender that his soul power had reached level forty and that he planned to travel; he gave them Calamity-Breaking Pills and offered them water of life.
• Grandmaster and Flender discussed Spirit Hall’s growing power and the upheaval they expected across the continent.
• Tang Xuan gave Tang San water of life and Soul-Congealing Pills to distribute, and advised Tang San and Dai Mubai to strengthen their foundations before obtaining fourth soul rings.
• Tang Xuan promised Tang San he would tell him everything after the Pan-Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament, then left Shrek Academy beneath the night sky.

Tang Xuan met Heaven Sect leaders in Heaven Dou City, promoted Ye An and Luo Bing, and learned that the sect had built a powerful army and weapons program. He distributed saint origin grass and Soul Bones to strengthen the sect before sending the new elders away with Water of Life.

• After seeing the divide between nobles and commoners across the empire, Tang Xuan said the people's strength could be harnessed.
• Tang Xuan met Lin Ao, Song Ming, Su Qing, Ye An, and Luo Bing at the Holy Spirit Hotel and heard that Ye An and Luo Bing had joined the Heaven Sect.
• Ye An reported that the weapons institute produced Soul-Guided Weapons, while Luo Bing revealed the sect secretly controlled the Balak Kingdom and commanded four hundred thousand troops.
• Tang Xuan appointed Ye An and Luo Bing to the Elder Council and made them sect elders.
• Tang Xuan gave five stalks of saint origin grass and eleven Soul Bones to the sect leaders and elders, then gave Ye An and Luo Bing Water of Life.

Tang Xuan and Su Qing visited the Nine Heart Begonia Sect to recruit its powerful healing soul masters, and Su Qing revealed his past romance with its chief, Ye Hanxuan. After Su Qing intimidated the sect with his Titled Douluo power, the leaders agreed to talks, leaving Su Qing and Ye Hanxuan’s reunion for later.

• Su Qing explained the Nine Heart Begonia martial soul’s healing ability and its family’s vulnerability, then told Tang Xuan how Ye Hanxuan’s parents had forced them apart decades earlier.
• Tang Xuan and Su Qing arrived at the Nine Heart Begonia Sect, where an elder rebuked them for bringing only two representatives and threatened to end negotiations.
• Su Qing revealed his Heavenly Wind Sword and Titled Douluo rank, forcing the elder, Meng Wuxing, to apologize and escort them inside.
• Tang Xuan introduced himself as president of the Heavenly Journey Merchant Guild and identified Su Qing as its third elder, while the young man at the gate displayed a sword martial soul matching Su Qing’s.
• Ye Hanxuan greeted Su Qing, who insisted they discuss official business before addressing their private past.

Tang Xuan persuaded Ye Hanxuan to bring the Nine Heart Begonia clan under the Heavenly Journey Merchant Guild while allowing the clan to retain its identity. Ye Hanxuan revealed that Su Nianqing was Su Qing’s son, and Tang Xuan left the reunited family to tour with Su Nianqing and Ye Lingling.

• Tang Xuan offered the Nine Heart Begonia clan protection, resources, and control of the guild’s medicine hall, and Ye Hanxuan agreed to join the guild.
• Tang Xuan learned that Ye Hanxuan’s children were Su Nianqing and Ye Lingling, and Su Nianqing recognized Su Qing as his birth father.
• Ye Hanxuan told Su Qing that Su Nianqing was their son, and father and son embraced after learning the truth about his birth.
• Tang Xuan left the family to talk privately and walked outside with Su Nianqing and Ye Lingling.
• Ye Lingling and Su Nianqing were stunned when Tang Xuan revealed that he was nearly thirteen and had rank-forty Soul Power.

Tang Xuan entered the Thunder God Secret Realm while fleeing the Golden Swordbone Dragon and accepted the Thunder God's trials, stopping the assessment before it could qualify him for the divine inheritance. After learning the eight trials and their rewards, he heard the Thunder God demand to know why he had refused the inheritance.

• Tang Xuan fled the Golden Swordbone Dragon, which had hunted him for a month after he provoked it, and stumbled through a Light Barrier into a strange canyon.
• Tang Xuan discovered that the canyon’s plants carried powerful lightning and met Lei En, the guardian divine beast of the Thunder God Secret Realm.
• Tang Xuan agreed to take the god’s trials and forcibly stopped the assessment at the supreme eight trials before it could advance to the inheritance.
• Tang Xuan read the eight trials, which offered Soul Ring enhancements and god-bestowed Soul Rings, and calculated that completing them could take nearly twenty years.
• The Thunder God addressed Tang Xuan and asked why he had refused the divine inheritance, while Thunder bowed and greeted the god.

Tang Xuan refused the Thunder God's inheritance, learned how the fallen god had created the secret realm to guard a sealed Ferocious Beast, and recommended his father, Tang Hao, as a successor. Tang Hao accepted the Thunder God's Nine Trials, beginning his inheritance.

• The Thunder God appeared before Tang Xuan and tried to persuade him to inherit his godhood, but Tang Xuan refused.
• The Thunder God explained that he had fallen after the Divine Realm war and had created the secret realm before his consciousness dissipated to guard a sealed Ferocious Beast and pass on his inheritance.
• Tang Xuan proposed Tang Hao as a successor, and the Thunder God agreed to assess him.
• Two days later, Tang Hao fought Lei En in the Thunder God Secret Realm, proving his strength to the Thunder God.
• Tang Hao initially urged Tang Xuan to take the inheritance, but agreed after Tang Xuan told him it could help resurrect his mother.
• The Thunder God bestowed the Thunder God's Nine Trials upon Tang Hao, and a Golden Lightning Mark appeared on his forehead.

Tang Xuan and Tang Hao began the Thunder God's trials, and Tang Xuan pushed far beyond his required first-trial step to reach the summit through physical strength alone. He entered the Thunder Pool to seek the thunder source and resolved to grow stronger before returning for the Pan-Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament.

• Tang Xuan and Tang Hao started the Thunder God's Path trial, and Tang Xuan completed his required 365 steps in a day and a night.
• Tang Xuan continued climbing after completing the trial, reaching the thousandth step in seven days while Tang Hao completed his trial and cultivated farther down the path.
• The Thunder God praised Tang Xuan's achievement, directed Tang Hao to bring his wife to the secret realm, and opened the way to the second trial.
• Tang Xuan entered the Thunder Pool, endured its lightning for an hour, and learned from the Thunder God that it contained the thunder source.
• Tang Xuan recognized the Thunder Pool as a chance to temper his body and acquire lightning, then rested briefly and entered it again to cultivate.

Tang Xuan endured the Thunder Pool’s lightning for months, strengthening his body and martial souls while Tang Hao and Ah Yin waited anxiously. He finally seized the Thunder God’s thunder source, but the Clear Sky Hammer absorbed it before he could finish refining it, and he left the pool at level forty-nine to consider his fifth soul ring.

• Tang Hao transplanted the Blue Silver Emperor into the Thunder God Secret Realm, where Ah Yin recovered enough to appear in spirit form and asked after Tang Xuan.
• Tang Xuan discovered he could absorb the Thunder Pool’s lightning through the Godslayer Sword’s devouring ability, but after nineteen days he exceeded his limits, lost consciousness, and was expelled from the pool.
• Tang Xuan returned to the Thunder Pool after one day of rest and spent months enduring and fighting the lightning, eventually practicing all eighty-one strikes of the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer.
• Tang Hao worried about Tang Xuan’s dangerous training and asked the Thunder God to check on him; the Thunder God found his cultivation sound, and Tang Xuan completed the second trial during the second month.
• After four months, Tang Xuan drew out the Thunder God’s thunder source, but the Clear Sky Hammer absorbed most of it before he could refine it.
• Tang Xuan left the Thunder Pool at level forty-nine and began considering a fifth soul ring, including the Golden Swordbone Dragon or a God-Given Soul Ring.

Tang Xuan crossed the Sea of Thunder, found and absorbed two ancient soul bones left by Lei En’s ancestors, and completed the Thunder God’s third trial. After learning he had reached rank fifty, he considered a fifth soul ring, and the Thunder God reminded him that the Golden Swordbone Dragon was still outside.

• Tang Xuan crossed most of the Sea of Thunder and entered an illusion containing two real soul bones guarded by phantom leopards.
• Lei En learned the soul bones belonged to his ancestors and chose to let Tang Xuan keep them, while the Thunder God confirmed they were his to claim.
• Tang Xuan shattered the illusion, absorbed the skull and right leg bones, and completed the third trial, earning a God-Given Soul Ring and a two-thousand-year increase to all his soul rings.
• Tang Xuan emerged having broken through to rank fifty and thanked Lei En for the soul bones.
• Tang Hao and Ah Yin discussed Tang Xuan’s fifth soul ring, and Ah Yin told him she would not interfere with his choice as long as he did not slaughter indiscriminately.
• The Thunder God reminded Tang Xuan that the Golden Swordbone Dragon was still outside, and Tang Xuan recalled it as a suitable fifth soul ring.

Tang Xuan asked Lei En to help kill the Golden Swordbone Dragon, which had been waiting outside the Thunder God Secret Realm to attack him. After Tang Xuan absorbed its Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring and gained a soul bone and new abilities, Lei En realized he had awakened a powerful domain.

• Tang Xuan agreed to an unknown condition from Lei En in exchange for his help against the Golden Swordbone Dragon.
• Lei En trapped the Golden Swordbone Dragon in his Lightning Domain and defeated it with Thunder Punishment and Boundless Annihilation.
• Tang Xuan killed the weakened dragon with One Sword Severs Mountains and Rivers and discovered it had produced a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring.
• Tang Xuan absorbed the soul ring overnight, gained a left-arm soul bone, and received the fifth soul skill abilities Myriad Swords Return to the Sect and Annihilation Sword Light.
• Tang Xuan's sword released a suppressive power that made Lei En appear outside the barrier, and Lei En told him he had awakened a domain before returning to the secret realm.

Tang Xuan explored the depleted Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well near Sunset Forest, absorbed some of its ice-and-fire energy, and meditated to investigate his Godslayer Sword domain. Dugu Bo arrived and attacked him, but Tang Xuan emerged unharmed from the poison mist and struck back with sword light.

• Tang Xuan recalled that his Godslayer Sword's domain had begun to awaken after he absorbed a hundred-thousand-year soul ring, and he flew toward Heaven Dou City after parting from Tang Hao and Ah Yin.
• Tang Xuan diverted to Sunset Forest, passed through Dugu Bo's poison formation, and found that Tang San had left the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well almost barren.
• Tang Xuan dove to the bottom of the well, found no hidden secret, absorbed some of its ice-and-fire power, and returned to the surface to meditate.
• Dugu Bo entered Sunset Forest, noticed that someone had reached the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, and hurried there, where he found Tang Xuan and the well's weakened spiritual qi.
• Dugu Bo attacked Tang Xuan with his Jade Phosphor Bewitching Mist Formation, but Tang Xuan walked through the poisonous mist and launched a sword strike at him.

Tang Xuan fought Dugu Bo at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, then helped restore the damaged site and learned that Dugu Bo planned to confront Chrysanthemum Guan of Spirit Hall. Tang Xuan gave Dugu Bo Water of Life to aid him before flying away, leaving Dugu Bo to prepare for his revenge.

• Tang Xuan and Dugu Bo clashed with powerful soul skills, but stopped when they realized their fight could destroy the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
• Dugu Bo recognized Tang Xuan as Tang San's older brother and told him that Tang San had returned to Shrek Academy two days earlier.
• Tang Xuan poured Water of Life into the damaged well, restoring its vitality and reviving the surrounding vegetation.
• Dugu Bo revealed that he planned to confront Chrysanthemum Guan over Spirit Hall's past ambush, and Tang Xuan warned him that the fight would be dangerous.
• Tang Xuan gave Dugu Bo the remaining Water of Life to heal his hidden injuries and strengthen him, then flew away on his Dragon Wings.

Tai Tan challenged Tang San to endure his Soul Power pressure, but Tang Xuan returned and intervened when Tang San was close to collapse. Tang Xuan wounded Tai Tan with the Godslayer Sword, then used a spiritual sword to teach him a lesson, leaving the two clans’ future alliance intact.

• Tang San accepted Tai Tan’s wager to withstand his pressure for the time it took an incense stick to burn, with Tai Tan demanding that Tang San join the Strength Clan if he failed.
• Tai Tan’s Soul Power pressure climbed to rank seventy-five, cracking Tang San’s Eight Spider Soul Bone as Zhao Wuji and the others prepared to intervene.
• Tang Xuan’s Godslayer Sword shattered Tai Tan’s pressure, and Tang Xuan struck him twice, leaving a bloody wound on his arm.
• Tang Xuan attacked Tai Tan’s Martial Soul Avatar with a spiritual sword and inflicted a mild Soul Shock before withdrawing the attack.
• Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo watched from a rooftop, and Sword Douluo praised Tang Xuan’s speed and Spiritual Power.

Tang Xuan and Sword Douluo Chen Xin fought after Chen Xin recognized his swordsmanship, and their duel helped Tang Xuan grasp the fourth form of the Godslayer Sword Art. Tang Xuan challenged Chen Xin despite their vast difference in rank, and the battle ended with Chen Xin standing while Tang Xuan was wounded but had torn his opponent’s sleeve.

• Ning Fengzhi healed Tang San, returned Ning Rongrong to her friends, and asked Tang San to discuss selling hidden weapons to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
• Chen Xin challenged Tang Xuan to a sword bout, and Tang Xuan followed him beyond Heaven Dou City after asking Tang San to show a letter from their father to Tai Tan when he recovered.
• During their exchange, Tang Xuan gained insight into the Godslayer Sword Art’s fourth form, Man and Sword as One, and Chen Xin praised his talent.
• Tang Xuan declared his rank and challenged Chen Xin, who accepted after revealing himself as a rank ninety-six Titled Douluo.
• Chen Xin and Tang Xuan unleashed their soul skills in a fierce duel, and Tang Xuan’s final strike wounded him enough to tear Chen Xin’s sleeve.

After sparring with Chen Xin, Tang Xuan learned that their fight had helped Chen Xin loosen the mental barrier keeping him from advancing. Chen Xin revealed his hidden grandson and gave Tang Xuan advice about Spirit Hall and domains, while Tang Xuan disclosed his parentage and twin martial souls.

• Tang Xuan thanked Chen Xin for their spar, and Chen Xin said it had helped him let go of some things and opened his heart.
• Tang Xuan feared the Seven Kill Sword would lose its legacy, so Chen Xin revealed that his grandson Chen An had inherited it and reached level 64 at age twenty-four.
• Chen Xin suggested Tang Xuan join the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and marry Rongrong, but Tang Xuan refused and explained that his Fifth Soul Skill came from the second skill of his Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring.
• Chen Xin advised Tang Xuan against joining Spirit Hall, and Tang Xuan revealed that Tang Hao was his father and confirmed that he and Tang San had twin martial souls.
• Chen Xin released his Seven Kill Domain for Tang Xuan to experience, and Tang Xuan concluded that a domain arose from a powerful aura combined with a martial soul.

After returning to Shrek Academy, Tang Xuan reassured Tang San about Tang Hao and helped set the Tang Sect’s founding in motion by placing Tai Tan and the Strength Clan under Tang San’s leadership. He gave Chen Xin a mysterious Heavenly Journey Merchant Guild token, leaving Ning Fengzhi curious about Tang Xuan’s connections, while Chen Xin returned to the sect intending to enter seclusion.

• Chen Xin and Tang Xuan returned to Shrek Academy, where Tang Xuan told Tang San to focus on the upcoming tournament and promised he would meet Tang Hao afterward.
• Tang Xuan explained that the Four Great Clans could become valuable allies for Tang San’s Tang Sect and met with Tai Tan, who pledged the Strength Clan’s service to Tang San.
• Tang Xuan gave Tai Tan thirty million as the Tang Sect’s starting capital and asked him to approach the other three clans about joining an independent sect.
• Tang Xuan gave Chen Xin a jade Heavenly Journey Merchant Guild token, and Ning Fengzhi suspected it indicated Tang Xuan held an important position in the guild.
• Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin discussed Tang Xuan’s potential impact on the soul master world, and Chen Xin announced he would enter seclusion after returning to the sect.
• Chen Xin summoned the Seven Kill Sword and carried Ning Fengzhi back to the sect.

Tang Xuan reunited with Shrek Academy, revealed himself as the Heavenly Journey Merchant Guild’s president, and learned how strong the Shrek Seven Monsters had become. He left them confident about the upcoming tournament and invited everyone to dinner at Chengxing Hotel.

• Tang Xuan returned to the Wooden Cabin with the Shrek group after seeing Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin off, and the Shrek Seven Monsters welcomed him excitedly.
• Flender asked Tang Xuan to support the Academy, then revealed that Tang Xuan was the president of the Heavenly Journey Merchant Guild; Tang Xuan confirmed the secret and explained that outsiders did not know his identity.
• The Shrek Seven Monsters confronted Tang Xuan about keeping his guild position secret, while Tang San and Xiao Wu admitted they had known.
• Flender asked whether Tang Xuan would compete in the tournament, but Tang Xuan said the others were strong enough to represent Shrek.
• Dai Mubai and the other Shrek Seven Monsters displayed their Soul Ancestor ranks and soul rings, including ten-thousand-year fourth rings for all except Tang San, whose configuration included two black rings.
• Tang Xuan praised their progress, encouraged them to aim for the championship, and invited the group to dinner at Chengxing Hotel.

Tang Xuan took charge of Shrek’s tournament reserves and began training them with a Sword Qi Formation. He left them unconscious but treated, while the Seven Monsters learned that reserves would help conceal the team’s strength during the preliminary rounds.

• After sleeping for three days, Tang Xuan was put in charge of the Seven Monsters’ training by Flender and spent most days watching them cultivate on their own.
• Tang Xuan learned Heart Separation Control and Ring Fusion, then gave Ning Fengzhi a seventh-grade Calamity-Breaking Pill in exchange for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect’s secret arts.
• Flender, Grandmaster, and Qin Ming brought Tai Long, Jiang Zhu, Jing Ling, and Huang Yuan to Shrek as reserve team members.
• Tang Xuan created a Sword Qi Formation and ordered the four reserves to train inside it, with the three fighters protecting Jiang Zhu while she supported them.
• The Seven Monsters learned that reserves would help conceal Shrek’s strength during the preliminary rounds, and Tang Xuan explained that the formation’s sword qi caused pain without leaving wounds.
• After the four reserves lasted less than an hour in the formation, Tang Xuan dispelled it and gave Oscar pills and instructions to treat them with sausages once they woke.

With the Soul Master Tournament two days away, Tang Xuan sparred with the Shrek Seven Monsters to teach them not to underestimate their opponents. He revealed his overwhelming strength and Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring, leaving everyone stunned before the team took his lesson to heart.

• Tang Xuan watched the Shrek Seven Monsters and Tai Long's group train, while the teachers worried the students might underestimate tournament opponents.
• Tang Xuan challenged the Seven Monsters and quickly broke their formation with his speed and attacks.
• The Seven Monsters used their ten-thousand-year soul skills and prepared their Seven-in-One Fusion Skill, but Tang Xuan shattered their attacks with the Godslayer Sword.
• Tang Xuan revealed five soul rings, including a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring, and his pressure pinned the Seven Monsters and Tai Long's group to the ground.
• Tang Xuan withdrew his martial soul and explained that he had beaten them to teach them caution; the students promised to remember his lesson for the tournament.

Shrek Academy made a sensational start to the Soul Master Tournament, defeating the Heaven Dou Second Team and then overcoming the Elephant Armor Academy Team. Tang San used One-Finger Heaven-Piercer to secure the second victory, while Tang Xuan secretly punished Huyan Zhen for interfering.

• Shrek Academy defeated the Heaven Dou Second Team in one minute, with Tang San and Dai Mubai doing the fighting.
• Grandmaster warned that the Elephant Armor Team's powerful defenses would be difficult to break, but Tang Xuan urged Shrek to compete and reminded Tang San to prepare One-Finger Heaven-Piercer.
• Tang San and his teammates exploited the Elephant Armor Team's lack of speed, while Xiao Wu's Charm disrupted their formation.
• Huyan Zhen used Sound Transmission to help Huyan Li break free of Xiao Wu's Charm, so Tang Xuan struck Huyan Zhen with Spiritual Spike.
• Tang San unleashed One-Finger Heaven-Piercer and knocked all seven Elephant Armor Team members unconscious, revealing the move Tang Xuan had taught him.