Chapter Summaries

The Black-Grade Mecha fought ten Bone Dragons in a simulated city block, demonstrating its weapons and defenses before the dragons eventually tore it apart. Huo Yuhao and the others approved its design as standard troop equipment, then prepared to observe the next test.

• The Black-Grade Mecha escaped the Bone Dragons’ initial restraint, destroyed several dragons with its Soul Cannons and longsword, and used its engines to maneuver through the aerial battle.
• Huo Yuhao and Moon Demon God Agares protected the observers as the mecha and a Bone Dragon crashed into the ground, after which the mecha destroyed more Bone Dragons.
• The remaining Bone Dragons overwhelmed the Black-Grade Mecha, tore off its Soul Cannons, restrained its limbs, and eventually ripped them off after twenty-five minutes.
• The assembled observers reviewed the test data and agreed that the Black-Grade Mecha’s design could serve as standard equipment for the troops, with Huo Yuhao affirming its role as battlefield support.
• Huo Yuhao summoned Bone Dragons to restore their number to ten, connected Spiritual Detection Sharing to the observers, and the next test began with a sound tearing through the air.

Huo Yuhao tested a new Air Fighter Aircraft Mecha, which proved fast and agile enough to cripple a group of Bone Dragons before Moon Demon God Agares forced it down. After confirming the experiment's success, Huo Yuhao admitted that he intended to start a war and later explained war to Xiao An as a regrettable but sometimes necessary ordeal.

• Huo Yuhao and the others completed an Air Fighter Aircraft Mecha built for speed, aerial maneuvering, and mass production on existing Mecha lines.
• The Air Fighter Aircraft Mecha destroyed the Bone Dragons' wings and evaded their attacks, but Moon Demon God Agares crushed and destabilized it before it landed safely.
• Huo Yuhao checked the dummy pilots and confirmed that both Fighter Aircraft Mecha experiments had succeeded without serious injuries to their occupants.
• Leng Xiao asked to pilot a Mecha, while Huo Yuhao told her it would become part of her training and told Xiao An to wait until he was older.
• Moon Demon God Agares questioned whether Huo Yuhao was preparing for war, and Huo Yuhao said he intended to fight the Spirit Pagoda and the Holy Spirit Cult while protecting the Undead Demiplane.
• On the way back, Xiao An asked what war was, and Huo Yuhao called it regrettable but sometimes necessary.

Huo Yuhao considered Xiao An’s rapid growth and prepared to awaken his Martial Soul, while planning how humans and Soul Beasts in the Undead Demiplane could coexist. He concluded that improved Soul Spirit Contracts alone could not solve the crisis and that this era was the final chance to save Soul Beasts and repair relations between the two sides.

• Huo Yuhao found Xiao An asleep after reading and noted that his growing body seemed to lack important things despite his rapid development.
• Huo Yuhao planned to awaken Xiao An’s Martial Soul in hopes of stirring the Dragon Clan Crown Prince’s memories.
• Huo Yuhao prepared to arrange Soul Spirit Contracts between humans and Soul Beasts in the Undead Demiplane, using an improved version that let Soul Beasts keep their physical bodies.
• Huo Yuhao reasoned that the Spirit Pagoda’s Soul Spirits and Spirit Ascension Platform would keep Soul Masters dependent on exploiting Soul Beasts, even if the Spirit Pagoda were destroyed.
• Huo Yuhao recognized that demand for Soul Spirits was already outstripping dwindling Soul Beast populations, and that Artificial Soul Spirits would not resolve the underlying crisis.
• Huo Yuhao concluded that moving Soul Beasts into the Undead Demiplane and mending relations with humans was the final opportunity to prevent their extinction.

Huo Yuhao completed the design for a Cultivation Platform that used Heaven and Earth Vital Energy to help Soul Masters, Soul Beasts, and the Demon Race cultivate, while planning it as a cheaper alternative to the Spirit Pagoda’s Spirit Ascension Platform. He also developed an Equal Soul Spirit Contract intended to let Soul Masters and Soul Beasts grow together, but he had no solution yet for producing Soul Bones without taking power from living beings.

• Huo Yuhao planned a Spirit Ascension Platform based on the Spirit Pagoda’s framework, replacing Soul Spirits with energy-based undead creatures and Heaven and Earth Vital Energy.
• Huo Yuhao completed the Cultivation Platform design and began production, intending to make cultivation more accessible and undermine the Spirit Pagoda’s high entry prices.
• Huo Yuhao concluded that rescuing Soul Spirits and rebuilding Soul Beasts’ physical bodies were necessary to address their extinction and ease conflict with humans, though he expected violence would be needed to force change.
• Huo Yuhao adapted the Soul Spirit Contract to let Soul Beasts retain their bodies and mutually benefit from their contracts with Soul Masters, naming the new version the Equal Soul Spirit Contract.
• Huo Yuhao recognized that the Cultivation Platform could compensate for the contract’s weaker Soul Rings, but he still could not solve the problem of obtaining Soul Bones without extracting bloodline power from living beings.

Huo Yuhao brought Xiao An to Soul Beast City, where he oversaw the children's martial soul awakenings and watched Xiao An's reveal a fleeting dragon phantom. Xiao An's memories did not return, and Huo Yuhao discovered that the boy had rank-one innate soul power and a profound lack of vitality.

• Huo Yuhao took Xiao An to the partly built Soul Beast City and spoke with A Nan, who had yet to advance despite condensing a Soul Core.
• Huo Yuhao awakened the martial souls of a dozen children; five had innate soul power, with rank three the highest.
• Xiao An entered the magic array, and a giant dragon phantom appeared behind him before shrinking into a limp hatchling and vanishing.
• Xiao An sneezed, found no sign of an awakened martial soul, and told Huo Yuhao he felt hungry and tired.
• Huo Yuhao fed Xiao An, tested his innate soul power at rank one, and sensed that the boy had almost no vitality or blood-and-qi strength.

Xiao An awakened a tiny phantom dragon, and Huo Yuhao reassured him while recognizing that the ceremony had exposed something missing in Xiao An. Huo Yuhao then oversaw the first trials of the Equal Soul Spirit Contract, which let soul beasts retain their bodies and freedom, and left with growing hope as more pairs agreed to sign.

• Xiao An awakened a listless baby-dragon phantom, and Huo Yuhao, Leng Xiao, Tang Ziran, and Lang Yue encouraged him not to lose hope.
• Huo Yuhao gave Xiao An food and concluded that the ceremony had activated something in his body, though what he awakened was not a martial soul.
• Huo Yuhao gathered human soul masters and soul beasts for the first trial of the Equal Soul Spirit Contract, but many soul beasts resisted signing.
• Five pairs signed the contract, and the soul masters gained soul rings while the soul beasts kept their bodies and freedom.
• The successful contracts showed that both parties' cultivation increased slightly, and the share of willing participants rose from five percent to thirty percent.

Huo Yuhao tested the Cultivation Platform, a Soul Tool he designed to simulate a world where users could fight undead creatures and absorb energy to cultivate. The first trial moved from a wasteland to a forest, where Leng Xiao and the others began battling the spawned monsters as the platform’s capacity was tested.

• Huo Yuhao brought Xiao An, Leng Xiao, A Nan, the Evil Orca King, and others to test the Cultivation Platform he had built using undead energy, alchemy arrays, and Soul Tool technology.
• Huo Yuhao and the others entered their user pods and appeared in a virtual wasteland formed from spiritual power and energy.
• Lang Yue confirmed the initial test was running normally, then loaded a forest setting and announced that monsters had been deployed.
• Leng Xiao blasted apart a Bone Dragon and absorbed its motes of light, experiencing a sensation like cultivating with Heaven and Earth Vital Energy.
• As undead creatures multiplied and attacked, everyone began fighting while Tang Ziran and the others monitored the platform’s operation and capacity.

Huo Yuhao tested the cultivation platform’s ability to raise Soul Ring ages and pushed its virtual world to its limits. After confirming the experiment had succeeded, he prepared to leave the Star Luo Empire for the Sun Moon Federation.

• Xiao An protected Huo Yuhao from a Skeleton Soldier, then absorbed the motes of light it left behind as Huo Yuhao encouraged him.
• Huo Yuhao used his Heavenly Snow Woman Martial Soul to verify that absorbing motes of light could slightly increase his Soul Ring ages.
• A Nan, Leng Xiao, A Bao, Yue Ye, Agares, and the others fought waves of respawning undead creatures while Vasak watched Xiao An.
• Huo Yuhao sent Xiao An and the others out of the virtual world, then used his Spiritual Power to dismantle its scenery and framework before leaving.
• Back in the real world, Huo Yuhao checked Tang Ziran’s data and confirmed the cultivation platform experiment had succeeded.
• Huo Yuhao decided to leave the Star Luo Empire and go to the Sun Moon Federation.

Chen Xinjie’s fleet continued its untroubled voyage toward the Star Luo Empire while he wondered at the sea’s unnatural lack of soul beasts. Elsewhere, Ha Luosa and Leng Yulai traveled covertly by a small boat, and Ha Luosa explained why they had to save their flying soul tool for the return journey.

• Chen Xinjie observed that the fleet had encountered no sea soul beasts and hoped the expedition would force the Star Luo Empire to surrender, though he had found no explanation for the ocean’s abnormal stillness.
• Leng Yulai complained about traveling in a small boat, and Ha Luosa told her the flying soul tool Ghost Emperor had provided was reserved for their return.
• Ha Luosa explained that a larger vessel would risk detection and become a liability during their long stay in the Star Luo Empire.
• Ha Luosa blamed Leng Yulai for losing the Spacetime Shuttle, then ordered her to stop talking and occupy herself with Yun Ming’s remnant soul.
• Leng Yulai tormented Yun Ming’s remnant soul while Ha Luosa turned away and reflected on his doubts about working with her.

Tang Wulin won the soul spirit battle after the Thunderclap Hellvine defected from Zhang Geyang, who attacked him and was stopped by En Ci. As Tang Wulin celebrated his second victory, Gu Yuena left with mixed feelings, while Dai Tianling learned that plants across the city had begun growing wildly.

• Tang Wulin defeated Zhang Geyang’s soul spirit, and the Thunderclap Hellvine voluntarily ended its contract with Zhang Geyang.
• Zhang Geyang attacked Tang Wulin to reclaim the Thunderclap Hellvine, but En Ci stopped them and confirmed Tang Wulin’s victory.
• Hu Jie threatened Zhang Geyang on Tang Sect’s behalf, and Zhang Geyang left the arena without retrieving his soul spirit.
• Dai Yun’er watched Tang Wulin’s victory and continued carrying out her plan as Tang Wulin returned to the Tang Sect branch with his companions.
• Gu Yuena watched Tang Wulin celebrate, felt happy for his growth but worried about their future, then left after greeting Zhang Geyang.
• Dai Tianling asked En Ci about the missing blacksmith, then dismissed an attendant’s report that plants across the city were growing wildly.

Dai Tianling reflected on how he had arranged the Five Gods Battle to distance the Tang Sect from the Sun Moon Federation and bind it more closely to the Star Luo Empire. After leaving the stadium with En Ci, he considered the secret soul-forged metal and the forging experiments, while both men settled on candidates for the remaining matches.

• Dai Tianling used the Five Gods Battle and the soul-forged metal as bait to encourage the Tang Sect to compete before the Sun Moon Federation's Combined Fleet arrived.
• Dai Tianling accepted Dai Yun'er's plan to pursue Tang Wulin despite disapproving of it as her father, and he provided her with financial support.
• Dai Tianling left the stadium, and En Ci followed him after losing his wager with Hu Jie and handing over a Dragon Crystal.
• Dai Tianling's people placed Chang Gongyan and Lin Yuhan under confidential protection while they continued unsuccessful forging experiments with increased funding.
• En Ci reflected on the forging process, and he and Dai Tianling considered candidates for the upcoming matches.

Tang Wulin won his third consecutive Five Gods Battle match after witnessing Tong Yu’s memories and suicide, while Gu Yuena and Zhang Geyang watched from a private box. In New Star Luo City, Huo Yuhao reviewed the match recording after organizing major projects in the Undead Demiplane, and he frowned at what he saw.

• Tang Wulin watched Tong Yu reveal how his despair, his mother’s devotion, and his confrontation with the girl he loved had led to her murder and his confinement.
• Gu Yuena reflected on the Soul Beasts’ declining fortunes and kept her plans hidden as she watched Tang Wulin, while Zhang Geyang decided he could not attack him in Star Luo City.
• Huo Yuhao returned to New Star Luo City after arranging railways, equipment production, Soul Beast City, Soul Spirit cooperation, and Cultivation Platforms in the Undead Demiplane.
• Huo Yuhao defended keeping workdays to eight hours and considered shared physical needs a basis for understanding between different races.
• Huo Yuhao watched the recording of Tang Wulin’s match and frowned.

Xie Xie struggled with memories of his mother and the hardships he and his companions had endured, while Huo Yuhao considered the failures that had led to Tong Yu’s tragedy. The Star Luo Emperor began taking action after Tong Yu’s death, but Huo Yuhao remained unconvinced that the deeper problems had changed.

• After failing to settle down and cultivate, Xie Xie went out into New Star Luo City and stopped at a statue of Spirit Ice Douluo.
• Looking at the statue reminded Xie Xie of his mother, his childhood ambitions, and the days he had spent with his companions at Shrek Academy before its destruction.
• Huo Yuhao watched footage of Tong Yu’s final confession and connected the tragedy to Tang Ziran’s account of his own childhood and departure from the Star Luo Empire.
• Huo Yuhao identified the girl’s cruelty and the Star Luo Empire’s lack of care for Tong Yu’s mother as central causes of the tragedy.
• After Tong Yu’s death, the Star Luo Emperor began legislation, pardoned Tong Yu, and granted him posthumous honors, but Huo Yuhao doubted these measures would address society’s underlying failures.

Huo Yuhao reflected on the Star Luo Empire’s treatment of the weak and its role in Tang Ziran’s departure, then encountered Xie Xie admiring a statue of Spirit Ice Douluo. Their argument over the hero’s flaws ended with Xie Xie challenging Huo Yuhao’s knowledge of his favorite food.

• Huo Yuhao reasoned that En Ci had tacitly allowed events to drive Tang Ziran from the Star Luo Empire, helping people forget Tong Yu’s scandal.
• Huo Yuhao concluded that the Star Luo Empire’s worship of powerful heroes encouraged people to disregard the weak, and chose not to interfere in the Five Gods Battle.
• Huo Yuhao noticed Xie Xie studying the statue of Spirit Ice Douluo and advised him to spend less time admiring it.
• Xie Xie defended Spirit Ice Douluo and asked Huo Yuhao to name the hero’s flaws, but interrupted his answer and challenged him to identify the hero’s favorite food.
• Huo Yuhao guessed grilled fish, and Xie Xie corrected him, explaining that Spirit Ice Douluo had loved baked flatbread.

In New Star Luo City, Huo Yuhao argued with Xie Xie over stories about Spirit Ice Douluo, while Austin Griffin mocked Huo Yuhao’s inability to answer. Huo Yuhao vanished before Yuanen Yehui and Xie Xie could identify her, prompting them to suspect a powerful intruder and alert the Tang Sect.

• Xie Xie challenged Huo Yuhao’s claims about Spirit Ice Douluo and lectured her while Austin Griffin laughed at Huo Yuhao’s failed replies.
• Yuanen Yehui arrived, tugged Xie Xie’s ear, and urged him to apologize to the girl.
• Yuanen Yehui and Xie Xie realized Huo Yuhao had disappeared without leaving any trace detectable by their Spiritual Power.
• Yuanen Yehui suspected the missing girl might be connected to the Holy Spirit Cult and judged her strength to be at least Super Douluo level.
• Yuanen Yehui and Xie Xie hurried to the Tang Sect branch to report the suspicious encounter, while Huo Yuhao returned to the Undead Demiplane and told Austin Griffin to stop laughing.

After Tang Wulin defeated Chu Tiange in the weapons match, Huo Yuhao watched with Tang Ziran and Lang Yue and reflected on Tang Wulin's Golden Dragon Spear. A recording of Tang Wulin's third match brought Tang Ziran face-to-face with painful revelations about his family's past, leaving him unsure whom to hate.

• Tang Wulin defeated Blood-Crying Douluo Chu Tiange with the Sky-Piercing Divine Spear as Huo Yuhao, Tang Ziran, and Lang Yue watched in disguise.
• Huo Yuhao recalled how Tang Ziran and Lang Yue had watched recordings of Tang Wulin's earlier matches and learned of his achievements and strength.
• While watching Tang Wulin defeat Qilin Douluo Tong Yu, Tang Ziran saw scenes revealing that his mother had ordered Tong Yu's mother's legs broken.
• After the recording ended, Huo Yuhao sent Lang Yue to check on Xiao An and asked Tang Ziran what he wanted to do.
• Tang Ziran described his grief and confusion over the history between his mother and Tong Yu, then asked Huo Yuhao what he would do in his place.

Huo Yuhao discussed with Tang Ziran how personal choices and society had contributed to Tong Yu’s death and the tragedy between their families. Tang Ziran chose not to resurrect or punish Tong Yu, deciding instead to leave the past behind and move forward with Lang Yue and Wulin.

• Huo Yuhao told Tang Ziran about his own past and how he had once spared a man after believing his mother had loved him, only to later understand her words differently.
• Tang Ziran reflected on the chain of harm between their mothers and Tong Yu, and wondered who was responsible for how everything ended.
• Huo Yuhao said that Tong Yu, the mothers, En Ci, the Star Luo Empire, and others all shared responsibility, since both individual actions and society had shaped the tragedy.
• Huo Yuhao explained that punishing individual wrongdoers could not end similar suffering, which led him to consider society’s influence as well.
• Huo Yuhao offered to revive Tong Yu or imprison his soul, but Tang Ziran declined and accepted Tong Yu’s final choice.
• Tang Ziran recalled Lingyin’s question about what they had hated and why, then resolved to step out of the past and face tomorrow.

Huo Yuhao joined Tang Ziran, Lang Yue, Xiao An, and Leng Xiao for a late-night meal out, prompted by a remark that flatbread was his favorite food. Afterward, Tang Ziran and Lang Yue asked Huo Yuhao to help them watch Tang Wulin’s match without distracting him or revealing their identities, and their request remained unfinished.

• Huo Yuhao recalled a dream in which his mother urged him to take the first step, then told Tang Ziran when Tang Wulin’s match would begin.
• Tang Ziran reunited with Lang Yue and Xiao An, while Leng Xiao arrived looking for food and joined them.
• Huo Yuhao suggested that everyone eat out, and they shared flatbread and other dishes at a busy street stall.
• When Leng Xiao asked why Huo Yuhao had chosen flatbread, he explained that someone had told him it was his favorite food.
• After Leng Xiao took Xiao An home, Tang Ziran and Lang Yue told Huo Yuhao they wanted to watch Tang Wulin’s match and asked for help remaining unnoticed.

Huo Yuhao agreed to help Tang Ziran and Lang Yue secretly watch Tang Wulin compete in New Star Luo City. After disguising them and entering the sold-out stadium, they watched Tang Wulin defeat Blood-Crying Douluo, while Huo Yuhao sensed Douluo Star rejecting his presence.

• Tang Ziran and Lang Yue asked Huo Yuhao to conceal them so they could watch Tang Wulin without disrupting his work as Tang Sect's Sect Master.
• Huo Yuhao agreed, and the next day he brought Tang Ziran and Lang Yue to New Star Luo City while leaving Xiao An behind because Douluo Star posed a danger.
• Huo Yuhao disguised the three of them, and Lang Yue bought Tang Wulin souvenirs before Huo Yuhao paid a scalper five times the ticket price to enter the sold-out stadium.
• Tang Ziran and Lang Yue watched Tang Wulin arrive and cheered as he defeated Blood-Crying Douluo Chu Tiange with his hammers and Sky-Piercing Divine Spear.
• Huo Yuhao watched the match and sensed Douluo Star rejecting him, then turned his attention back to the arena.

Tang Wulin secured his fourth victory in the Five Gods Battle, ensuring the Tang Sect's Soul Weapon sale to the Star Luo Empire. Afterward, he thought he heard his parents in the crowd, and Ya Li comforted him by asking him to accept her as family.

• Tang Wulin defeated Tong Yu, making his fourth win and securing the Five Gods Battle's overall result and the Soul Weapon agreement.
• Hu Jie and Dai Tianling confirmed the sale would proceed, while Hu Jie privately wondered about the smith who had forged the Soul-Forged weapon.
• Tang Wulin searched the stands with his Spiritual Power after thinking he heard his parents, but Huo Yuhao kept Tang Ziran and Lang Yue hidden from him.
• Ya Li noticed Tang Wulin's sadness, and he admitted he missed his parents and the old Shrek Academy.
• Ya Li asked Tang Wulin to call her Auntie and promised to protect him as family; he accepted, and they both cried.