Recaps

Xu Jiujiu arranged for Dai Youheng to rejoin the Shrek Team in the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Fighting Tournament, hoping his performance would strengthen his claim to imperial support. She offered him a rare soul bone, but Manyi closed its box before he could accept it.

• Xu Jiujiu proposed that Dai Youheng return to the Shrek Team as an injury replacement and use the tournament to build his reputation.
• Manyi reported that Zhou Yi had agreed to Dai Youheng's return and that the registration process would begin.
• Xu Jiujiu urged Dai Youheng to perform well enough to surpass Dai Yueheng and Dai Huabin in the eyes of the empire.
• Dai Youheng said he would give his all even if he faced Star Luo National Academy.
• Xu Jiujiu presented Dai Youheng with a fifty-thousand-year Darkness-Commanding Head Soul Bone suited to his Evil Shadow Demon Tiger martial soul, but Manyi closed the jade box before he could take it.

Xu Jiujiu offered Dai Youheng a fifty-thousand-year Head Soul Bone if he led the Shrek Team to victory, while secretly judging him as a potential imperial asset. Dai Youheng saw through her manipulation and left the palace unconvinced, while Xu Jiujiu made clear she would kill him and reclaim the Soul Bone if he proved disloyal.

• Xu Jiujiu made the fifty-thousand-year Head Soul Bone the tournament’s ultimate champion prize and promised it to Dai Youheng if he won with the Shrek Team.
• Dai Youheng feigned enthusiasm, accepted her challenge, and left to join the Shrek Team.
• After Dai Youheng departed, Xu Jiujiu asked Nebula Douluo Manyi to assess how much he had changed, and Manyi noted his restrained aura, great reserves, and lack of greed.
• Xu Jiujiu said Dai Youheng would earn the Soul Bone only if he proved valuable enough to secure the imperial family’s support, and implied she would kill him to reclaim it if he became disloyal.
• Dai Youheng recognized Xu Jiujiu’s bait-and-control tactics and decided her offer was not what he wanted.

Dai Youheng decided to turn the Darkness-Commanding Head Soul Bone into a weapon for a future ally and returned to the Shrek Team, concealing his ambitions beneath a welcoming facade. When Dai Huabin challenged his usefulness, Dai Youheng revealed that he had become a Soul Ancestor with a Ten Thousand Year fourth Soul Ring, astonishing the team.

• Dai Youheng dismissed the Darkness-Commanding Head Soul Bone as unsuitable for himself and considered using it with a second Yin-Yang Fate-Reversing Lotus Seed Pill to forge a loyal darkness-attribute fighter.
• Dai Youheng exchanged teasing words with the Snow Empress and then headed to the Shrek Team's hotel, intending to join the tournament while scouting for other people to recruit.
• Dai Youheng arrived at the team meeting room, where Huo Yuhao and the others welcomed him, and he offered them sympathetic encouragement.
• Dai Huabin challenged Dai Youheng's value as a Soul Elder, prompting Dai Youheng to reveal his four Soul Rings and his rank as a Soul Ancestor.
• Dai Youheng claimed that a peculiar herb had boosted his soul power, and Bei Bei suggested it was an immortal-grade herb that had enabled him to absorb a Ten Thousand Year fourth Soul Ring.

Dai Youheng joined Shrek’s team after revealing that an immortal-grade herb had transformed his strength, and Zhou Yi revised the team’s tactics for their match against Zhengtian Academy. When the match format was drawn as two-two-three, she sent Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi into the opening bout and reserved Dai Youheng for the final three-on-three.

• Dai Youheng explained that an immortal-grade herb had boosted his cultivation, while Dai Huabin burned with jealousy over his brother’s new strength.
• Zhou Yi gathered Shrek’s team to revise their tactics against Zhengtian Academy, whose roster included three Soul Kings.
• Huo Yuhao asked Dai Youheng about Princess Xu Jiujiu, and Dai Youheng let him believe that his sincerity had won her affection.
• Shrek faced Zhengtian Academy in the third round, and the draw set the match format as two two-on-two bouts followed by a three-on-three bout.
• Zhou Yi sent Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi into the first bout and reserved Dai Youheng for the final bout.

Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi faced Zhengtian Academy’s Yu Mengdi and Yang Yifan in the opening match, where Yu Mengdi revealed her powerful angel martial soul. The battle left off with Bei Bei intercepting Yu Mengdi’s attack as Xu Sanshi defended against both opponents.

• Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi entered the arena to face Yu Mengdi and Yang Yifan.
• Yu Mengdi revealed her five-ring angel martial soul, startling Huo Yuhao and the spectators.
• Yu Mengdi charged with Holy Twin Swords, and Xu Sanshi blocked the attack with his Xuanming Turtle Shell Shield.
• Yang Yifan tried to stab Xu Sanshi from behind, but Xu Sanshi deflected his dagger while Yu Mengdi followed up with Glorious Holy Cross Slash.
• Bei Bei struck Yu Mengdi’s incoming attack with Thunderous Might, and lightning and sacred light collided.

Xu Sanshi and Bei Bei turned the first two-on-two match around to defeat Zhengtian Academy, but Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu lost the second match after their Soul Power ran dry. The competition stood at one win apiece.

• Xu Sanshi read Yang Yifan's attack patterns and used the awakened Black Tortoise Shield to knock him out of the arena.
• Bei Bei transformed his lightning with the Radiant Sacred Dragon bloodline, and he and Xu Sanshi overwhelmed Yu Mengdi to win the match for Shrek Academy.
• Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu used their Hell White Tiger Martial Soul Fusion Skill to fight Tang Xiaolei to a standstill.
• Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu ran out of Soul Power and lost the second match, leaving Dai Huabin ashamed before his father.

Shrek Academy faced Zhengtian Academy in the deciding three-on-three bout, where Dai Youheng revealed a ten thousand year fourth Soul Ring. The match began with Zhengtian launching its opening attacks, leaving the battle poised for Dai Youheng to respond.

• Ye Wuqing, Shangguan Can, and Yan'er entered the arena for Zhengtian Academy, facing Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, and Dai Youheng.
• Xu Jiujiu and White Tiger Duke Dai Hao watched Dai Youheng take the stage, while the crowd expected Zhengtian to win.
• The teams released their Martial Souls, and Huo Yuhao linked Shrek's trio with Spiritual Detection Sharing.
• Dai Youheng revealed himself as a Soul Ancestor with a ten thousand year fourth Soul Ring, surprising the spectators and drawing serious attention from Ye Wuqing, Shangguan Can, and Yan'er.
• After the referee started the bout, Shangguan Can used Soul-Shaking, Yan'er formed a Purple Flame Ball, and Ye Wuqing prepared to attack Dai Youheng with his Golden Leaf.

Dai Youheng used Huo Yuhao’s Spiritual Detection Sharing to dismantle Zhengtian Academy’s formation, defeat its strongest fighters, and secure a crushing victory for Shrek Academy. Wang Dong knocked Yan'er off the arena, leaving Shrek victorious despite its team’s lower soul-power levels.

• Huo Yuhao shared precise battlefield information with Dai Youheng and Wang Dong, helping Dai Youheng use Darkness Zone to neutralize the opposing team’s support and control.
• Dai Youheng struck Shangguan Can with Evil Shadow Soul-Rending Claw, damaging his martial soul and knocking him unconscious.
• Dai Youheng evaded Ye Wuqing’s Golden Left Hand and overwhelmed him at close range while Wang Dong intercepted Yan’er’s Flame Cage.
• Dai Youheng’s compressed palm strike pierced Ye Wuqing’s Golden Leaf Dance and knocked him unconscious.
• Wang Dong defeated Yan'er with Butterfly God Slash, giving Shrek Academy the match.

After Dai Youheng led Shrek to victory, Dai Hao sought him out and took him to the White Tiger Duke's Mansion for a father-and-son conversation. Huo Yuhao watched them leave, still harboring resentment toward Dai Hao and his wife.

• Dai Youheng dominated the final fight, helping Shrek win and impressing Xu Jiujiu, Xiao Hongchen, and Dai Hao.
• Dai Hao approached the Shrek group and addressed Dai Youheng, ignoring Dai Huabin's greeting.
• Dai Youheng challenged Dai Hao's claim of knowing him, pointing out how rarely they had spoken over the years.
• Dai Hao asked Zhou Yi to let Dai Youheng leave with him, then told Dai Huabin to visit his ailing mother.
• Huo Yuhao privately wished to avenge his mother, while Dai Youheng accompanied Dai Hao in silence to the White Tiger Duke's Mansion.

Dai Youheng returned to the Duke’s mansion and openly defied the Duchess and Dai Hao, leaving the household stunned. Dai Hao suppressed his anger and went to the study to speak with him.

• Dai Hao returned home with Dai Youheng, where Zhu Man, Bai Wanning, and Dai Luoli came out to greet him.
• Dai Youheng greeted Bai Wanning as his mother, and Zhu Man accused him of disrespecting his principal mother.
• Dai Youheng taunted Zhu Man about her crippled sons and his victory, then viciously told her to save her breath for the afterlife.
• Dai Hao rebuked Dai Youheng, but Dai Youheng brushed him off and went to wait in the study.
• Zhu Man vowed to kill Dai Youheng, while Dai Hao sent Bai Wanning and Dai Luoli away before heading to the study.

Dai Youheng confronted Dai Hao about the abuse he and his family had suffered and revealed that Princess Xu Jiujiu had offered him marriage in exchange for helping the imperial family gain control of the White Tiger Duke's Mansion and Western Army Group. He argued that the Dai Family still hoped to reclaim the throne if circumstances justified it, leaving Dai Hao faced with his son's clear-eyed understanding of the family's ambitions.

• Dai Hao questioned Dai Youheng about his changed personality and said he was considering him as a candidate to inherit the duke's title.
• Dai Youheng accused Dai Hao of ignoring the abuse Dai Huabin and his mother inflicted on him and his mother, while Dai Hao cited his military duties and the injuries Yueheng and Huabin had suffered.
• Dai Hao asked whether Princess Xu Jiujiu had offered Dai Youheng marriage in exchange for becoming her puppet, and Dai Youheng confirmed the bargain.
• Dai Hao angrily questioned why Dai Youheng had accepted the proposal, and Dai Youheng asked whether the Dai Family planned to rebel.
• Dai Hao denied any present intention to rebel, but Dai Youheng described how the family might claim the throne if the empire fell into crisis and stressed the importance of retaining control of the Western Army Group.

Dai Youheng revealed to Dai Hao that he intended to exploit Xu Jiujiu and the imperial family for his own rise, leaving his father shaken by his ambition. Back in his room, Dai Youheng listened to Dai Luoli describe the family’s mistreatment and vowed to punish those who had harmed him and their mother.

• Dai Youheng told Dai Hao he would accept Xu Jiujiu’s support while using her and the imperial family to advance his own ambitions.
• Dai Hao realized he had underestimated Dai Youheng’s cunning and feared he could become a ruthless conqueror who might overturn the Star Luo Empire.
• Dai Luoli visited Dai Youheng and praised him for confronting First Mother.
• Dai Luoli told Dai Youheng that First Mother had bullied him and their mother, while he admired Dai Hao and hoped to become a general.
• Dai Youheng promised Dai Luoli that he would punish everyone who had mistreated him and their mother, and remember his wish to defend the country.

Dai Youheng ordered Ling Ya to prepare for the Duchess’s likely attack and to sell valuable Soul Bones and a Level 9 Soul Tool to fund an auction bid. After Shrek easily won its match, the team received invitations to a prestigious auction hosted by Princess Jiujiu.

• Dai Youheng told Ling Ya to wait for the Duchess to strike, then stage Bai Wanning and Dai Luoli’s apparent deaths and move them to safety.
• Dai Youheng gave Ling Ya three Soul Bones and the God-Sealing Platform to sell at the Starlight Auction House without revealing their connection.
• Dai Youheng left the Duke’s Mansion after visiting Bai Wanning and returned to the tournament.
• Ling Luochеn, supported by Huo Yuhao, defeated Changning Academy’s entire team with one Ice Radiance Ring.
• Qing Ya delivered invitations from Princess Jiujiu to Shrek Academy for that night’s top-tier auction.

Ling Ya, using the title Ice Sky, revealed himself to Princess Xu Jiujiu as a newly advanced Titled Douluo and consigned three Soul Bones and the Level 9 Soul Tool God-Sealing Platform to the Starlight Auction House. At the auction, Xu Jiujiu opened with two of the Soul Bones as a bundled lot while the Shrek group considered whether to bid.

• Ling Ya told Xu Jiujiu that his name was Ice Sky, revealed his nine Soul Rings, and assured her the three Soul Bones had legitimate origins.
• Ling Ya presented the God-Sealing Platform, and Xu Jiujiu welcomed him to the highest-tier VIP section while offering to reduce the auction commission.
• The Shrek Academy party arrived without Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu, who were still recovering from their injuries.
• Xu Jiujiu opened the auction and presented a Black-armored Rhinoceros Left Arm Bone and an Illusion Fox Head Soul Bone as the first bundled lot, starting at two million Gold Soul Coins.
• Ma Xiaotao asked whether the Shrek group should bid, but Zhou Yi advised them to save their funds, and they held back.

Dai Youheng earned a fortune from the auction’s soul bones and bought the Tyrant Tiger Soul Refining Blade. Shrek lost the bidding for an Ice Arrow Porcupine soul bone to the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, while Dai Youheng calculated that he now had nearly eleven million gold soul coins for the remaining lots.

• Jiang Peng won the first pair of soul bones for 4.5 million gold soul coins, increasing Dai Youheng’s auction reserves.
• Dai Youheng bought the Tyrant Tiger Soul Refining Blade for 1.5 million gold soul coins, and Zhou Yi praised its fit with his martial soul.
• Xu Jiujiu presented a Thirty-Thousand-Year Ice Arrow Porcupine Left Arm Bone, drawing bids from Ling Luochеn and Meng Hongchen.
• Xiao Hongchen and Zhou Yi continued bidding on behalf of their academies until the Sun Moon side won the soul bone for six million gold soul coins.
• Dai Youheng calculated that, after the auction commission and his weapon purchase, he had 10.95 million gold soul coins, not counting the upcoming God-Sealing Platform lot.

Shrek Academy won the Level 9 God-Sealing Platform after the Sun Moon Empire declined to bid, while Dai Youheng profited from the sale. The auction then unveiled a seventy-thousand-year Ice Jade Scorpion Left Arm Bone with the Ice Explosion skill, which Dai Youheng hoped to acquire for a future follower.

• Xu Jiujiu presented the God-Sealing Platform, and He Caitou urged Zhou Yi to bid for it for Shrek Academy's Soul Tool research.
• Elder Ma decided the Sun Moon Empire would not bid, and Shrek Academy eventually secured the God-Sealing Platform for eleven million Gold Soul Coins after the Dou Ling Empire withdrew.
• Dai Youheng calculated that the sale had helped raise his personal funds above twenty million Gold Soul Coins.
• Xu Jiujiu introduced the final auction item, a seventy-thousand-year Ice Jade Scorpion Left Arm Bone whose fixed Soul Skill was Ice Explosion.
• Dai Youheng decided he wanted the Ice Jade Scorpion Soul Bone for a future follower, believing his Snow Soul Condensing Ice Pill could help someone meet its absorption requirement.

At the Starlight Auction, Ling Ya claimed to possess ultimate ice and won the Ice Jade Scorpion Left Arm Bone for eighteen million Gold Soul Coins. After the auction, the Ice Empress recognized his power as false and urged Huo Yuhao to recover her kin’s Soul Bone, leaving him unsure how to act.

• The Ice Empress sensed the Ice Jade Scorpion Soul Bone and warned Huo Yuhao that only someone with ultimate ice could safely absorb it, so he asked Zhou Yi to inform Xu Jiujiu.
• Xu Jiujiu paused the auction and tried to cancel the Soul Bone’s sale after Huo Yuhao explained the danger.
• Ling Ya revealed an ultimate-ice aura, produced by a Snow Soul Condensing Ice Pill from Dai Youheng, and convinced Xu Jiujiu to resume the auction.
• Ling Ya won the Soul Bone for eighteen million Gold Soul Coins, completed the transaction, and disappeared before anyone could question him.
• The Ice Empress identified Ling Ya’s ultimate ice as false and demanded that Huo Yuhao find a way to take back her kinsman’s Soul Bone.

Huo Yuhao and the Ice Empress accepted that they could not yet retrieve the Soul Bone from the Ice Sky Douluo, but the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm warned that the Douluo’s pseudo-ultimate ice might come from a powerful force capable of producing such abilities. They resolved to grow stronger while facing the possibility of a far greater threat.

• Huo Yuhao judged the Ice Sky Douluo too powerful to confront and said they would reclaim the Soul Bone only after growing stronger.
• The Ice Empress agreed to leave the Soul Bone with the Ice Sky Douluo for now and vowed to retrieve it later.
• The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm warned Huo Yuhao and the Ice Empress that an unknown person or faction might have supplied the Douluo with his pseudo-ultimate ice.
• The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm speculated that this power could be mass-produced and might extend to other ultimate attributes, threatening the balance of the continent.
• Huo Yuhao and the Ice Empress recognized that the Soul Bone might be tied to a much larger danger, and the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm urged Huo Yuhao to grow stronger.

Shrek Academy faced Dou Ling Royal Academy in a decisive team battle, where the opposing team trapped Shrek’s fighters and restrained Ma Xiaotao while assembling a powerful Soul Tool Cannon. The chapter ended as Dai Youheng unleashed a dark-gold blade strike that began cutting through the bamboo forest.

• Zhou Yi outlined the dangers posed by Lone Bamboo Sword and Xiaofeng, and Shrek chose Ma Xiaotao and Dai Youheng to lead their lineup.
• Xu Sanshi used Xuanming Displacement to pull Lone Bamboo Sword into Shrek’s formation, but Lone Bamboo Sword released Purple Radiance Bamboo Sea and trapped the Shrek fighters.
• Xu Sanshi swapped himself with Ma Xiaotao, placing her before Dou Ling Academy’s formation, where Xiaofeng ensnared her in Purple Illusion Confusion.
• Dou Ling Academy’s remaining fighters rapidly assembled a Class Seven Super-Concentrated Soul Cannon as Shrek struggled in the bamboo forest.
• Dai Youheng roared and swung the Tyrant Tiger Soul Refining Blade, sending dark-gold blade light through the bamboo branches.

Dai Youheng used the Limitless Blade Method to defeat Lone Bamboo Sword, while Ma Xiaotao’s fury led her to reveal Shrek’s powerful Phoenix Meteor Shower and secure victory over Dou Ling Academy. Shrek advanced to the semifinals, but Zhou Yi feared Ma Xiaotao’s exposed trump card would give future opponents an advantage, and Xu Jiujiu became even more impressed with Dai Youheng.

• Dai Youheng countered Lone Bamboo Sword’s attacks with the first two forms of the Limitless Blade Method, then defeated him with Tyrant Tiger Annihilation Slash and shattered the Purple Radiance Bamboo Sea domain.
• Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi freed Ma Xiaotao from Xiaofeng’s illusion, and Ma Xiaotao unleashed Phoenix Meteor Shower on Dou Ling Academy’s members and their unfinished Soul Tool Turret.
• The referee declared Shrek Academy the winner and announced that it had advanced to the semifinals.
• Zhou Yi angrily reprimanded Ma Xiaotao for ignoring her warning and revealing one of Shrek’s greatest trump cards.
• Xu Jiujiu watched Dai Youheng leave the arena and considered his talent, fighting ability, and potential future role in the Star Luo Empire.

After Ma Xiaotao exposed her strongest soul skill, Zhou Yi pushed Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong to explore new fusion skills and offered Dai Youheng a soul bone to secure his full effort. The semifinal draw began with Emperor Xu Jiawei presiding and naming Huang Jinxu as referee.

• Zhou Yi rebuked Ma Xiaotao for revealing her sixth soul skill and ordered Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong to test whether their four martial souls could form additional fusion skills.
• Zhou Yi explained that Shrek was weaker than the other semifinalists and promised Dai Youheng one of the tournament's three soul bones if he helped win the championship.
• Dai Youheng agreed to fight for Shrek, while privately reserving his hidden trump cards.
• The four semifinal teams gathered at Star Luo Plaza, where Xu Jiawei announced that all three match formats would be played and the winner of two would advance.
• Xu Jiawei appointed Guardian Douluo Huang Jinxu to referee the remaining matches, startling Elder Ma with his reputation.

The semifinal draw matched Shrek Academy against Star Luo National Academy, setting Dai Youheng against Princess Xu Jiujiu and the team that once defeated him. Star Luo countered Ma Xiaotao’s opening attack with a prepared soul tool, trapping her and leaving Shrek outnumbered as the battle began.

• Huang Jinxu announced the semifinal pairings: Shrek Academy faced Star Luo National Academy, while Di'ao Academy faced Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy.
• Xu Jiujiu and Dai Youheng exchanged words before Huang Heyun challenged Dai, who promised to send him out of the arena.
• Both teams released their martial souls, revealing that Star Luo National Academy fielded seven Soul Kings.
• Ma Xiaotao launched Phoenix Meteor Shower at Xu Jiujiu, but Xu blocked it with an Absolute Defense Barrier and trapped Ma Xiaotao in a Special Soul-Sealing Tool.
• Xu Jiujiu ordered her team to attack Shrek’s remaining fighters, and Huang Heyun charged at Dai Youheng.

While Xu Jiujiu’s team pressured Shrek and tried to stop Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong from completing their Martial Soul Fusion Skill, Dai Youheng overturned the apparent defeat by overpowering two Soul Kings with his strength and Limitless Blade Method. The battle’s momentum shifted back toward Shrek as Dai Youheng continued his assault.

• Xu Jiujiu trapped Ma Xiaotao with an Absolute Defensive Soul Tool and used Star’s Protection to shield Huang Heyun and Dugu Shangshan from Ling Luochеn’s attacks.
• Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong began charging their Martial Soul Fusion Skill while Star Luo’s fighters attacked them and Dai Youheng.
• Dai Youheng wounded Huang Heyun and Dugu Shangshan as they attacked him together, shocking Xu Jiujiu and the spectators.
• Dai Youheng used the first and second forms of the Limitless Blade Method to drive Huang Heyun back and overwhelm both opponents.

Dai Youheng overwhelmed the Star Luo National Academy team despite Xu Jiujiu using the Nine-Turn Soul Transformation Instrument to boost Huang Heyun. After Dai Youheng’s Ultimate Limitlessness defeated Huang Heyun and damaged Xu Jiujiu’s barrier, Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong unleashed their completed Martial Soul Fusion Skill.

• Xu Jiujiu used the Nine-Turn Soul Transformation Instrument to channel five teammates’ soul power into Huang Heyun, raising him to near-high-level Soul Emperor strength.
• Dai Youheng activated his Demon Tiger Body and Shadow Surge soul skills, matching Huang Heyun’s boosted power and revealing that he had defeated the Star Luo Soul Kings without using those enhancements.
• Dai Youheng used Ultimate Limitlessness to slice through Huang Heyun’s defenses, knock him out of the arena, and severely damage his cultivation foundation.
• Dai Youheng redirected the remaining force into a Tyrant Tiger Annihilation Slash that nearly shattered Xu Jiujiu’s Star’s Protection barrier.
• Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong announced that their newly developed Martial Soul Fusion Skill was complete.

Shrek Academy defeated the Star Luo Team and advanced to the finals, while Xu Jiujiu invited Dai Youheng to speak at her mansion. As Dai Youheng walked toward the Imperial Palace, he told the Snow Empress that she was the only person he truly cared about, leaving her flustered and silent.

• Huo Yuhao and Dai Youheng broke through Xu Jiujiu’s Star’s Protection, and Huang Jinxu stopped the attack and declared Shrek Academy the winner.
• Shrek Academy celebrated its victory, while Xu Jiawei recognized Dai Youheng’s strength and Ma Xiaotao felt frustrated that she had barely contributed.
• Xu Jiujiu approached Dai Youheng and publicly invited him to the Princess’s Mansion, prompting his companions to assume she had returned his old devotion.
• As Dai Youheng walked alone toward the Imperial Palace, the Snow Empress questioned whether he cared about anyone besides himself.
• Dai Youheng said the Snow Empress was the only person who truly mattered to him, and she withdrew into his Sea of Consciousness, shaken by his sincerity.