Chapter Summaries

Gu Qingnian took Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, and A Wu to breakfast before heading to class, where Wang Dong’s teasing chant and Wang Yan’s agreement drew Zhou Yi’s attention. Zhou Yi began class by punishing students who had been slow to stand, throwing Huang Chutian out through a window and sending the others she named into the corridor.

• Gu Qingnian questioned A Wu about why she had slept in human form, and she insisted that he had not told her to change back.
• Gu Qingnian brought A Wu to breakfast with Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong, then the three returned to the dormitory to cultivate before class.
• Wang Dong started a chant declaring Gu Qingnian awesome, and the class joined in as Gu Qingnian stood bewildered.
• Wang Yan entered the classroom cheering for Gu Qingnian, but Zhou Yi sternly reminded him that class had begun.
• Zhou Yi ordered the class to stand and announced that students who had reacted too slowly would be punished.
• When Huang Chutian questioned Zhou Yi’s punishment, she threw him out through a window, then sent the other students she named into the corridor.

Zhou Yi made Gu Qingnian class monitor with broad authority and demanded Huang Chutian be transferred out of Class One, leaving the class disciplined under Wang Yan. Dai Huabin learned he had been transferred to Class Two, while Du Weilun reprimanded Zhou Yi over her methods.

• Zhou Yi named Gu Qingnian class monitor for both systems and gave him authority over class decisions when she or Wang Yan was absent.
• Zhou Yi asked Wang Yan to report Huang Chutian for a serious discipline violation and arrange his transfer out of Class One, then left to teach students outside.
• Wang Yan began teaching and found the remaining students eager to learn and well behaved.
• Dai Huabin learned from Zhu Lu that the academy had transferred him out of Class One, and he grew furious while plotting against Gu Qingnian.
• Zhu Lu left Dai Huabin after offering brief comfort, and he continued imagining how to control Gu Qingnian.
• Du Weilun scolded Zhou Yi for risking her promotion to Senior Teacher by acting so harshly.

Zhou Yi defended her teaching methods, and the academy settled into a new term as Gu Qingnian, Huo Yuhao, and Wang Dong advanced their studies and cultivation. At the Soul Tool Testing Area, Huo Yuhao successfully completed a Soul Tool carving, while Gu Qingnian finished his own with ease.

• Zhou Yi argued with Du Weilun, and Wang Yan persuaded him to let her continue teaching while warning her to develop Gu Qingnian's talent.
• The academy transferred Dai Huabin and Huang Chutian to Class Two, and Gu Qingnian taught Huo Yuhao about Soul Tools as the students cultivated over the following eight months.
• Gu Qingnian postponed the hunt for his fourth Soul Ring to consolidate his strength, while Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong also delayed seeking the academy's help for their next Soul Rings.
• Gu Qingnian's relationship with Cui Yajie and Zhou Yi warmed, while Tang Ya remained absent and the students began their month-long holiday before advancement examinations.
• At the Soul Tool Testing Area, Huo Yuhao completed a carving that emitted a steady blue pillar of light, and Fan Yu praised his success.

Gu Qingnian and Huo Yuhao earned recognition as Soul Engineers, while Fan Yu urged them to stop delaying their cultivation breakthroughs and obtain soul rings. Huo Yuhao agreed to leave in two days to claim the soul ring promised by his Freshman Assessment reward.

• Fan Yu declared Gu Qingnian a Level 3 Soul Engineer and Huo Yuhao a Level 2 Soul Engineer, then accepted Huo Yuhao as his disciple after Gu Qingnian declined.
• The chapter recounted how Huo Yuhao became a Level 1 Soul Engineer in seven months and how Gu Qingnian rapidly advanced to Level 3.
• Fan Yu offered to make casings for Gu Qingnian and Huo Yuhao's completed soul tool cores as gifts marking the end of their first year of study.
• Fan Yu urged Gu Qingnian, Huo Yuhao, and He Caitou to advance their cultivation, noting that Gu Qingnian and Huo Yuhao had reached ranks forty and twenty without obtaining soul rings.
• Huo Yuhao told Fan Yu that he would leave in two days to obtain a soul ring through the reward for winning the Freshman Assessment, and Fan Yu directed him to Director Du.

Fan Yu advised Huo Yuhao and Gu Qingnian about their holiday soul-ring plans, and Wang Dong joined them for a farewell meal before they parted. The class learned that the next year’s advancement assessment would require rank twenty, two soul rings, and a demanding set of individual and class tests.

• Fan Yu recommended that Huo Yuhao seek either an offensive mental skill or a detection skill, while Gu Qingnian said he had his own arrangements for finding a soul ring.
• Wang Dong brought an umbrella for Gu Qingnian and Huo Yuhao, then joined them for grilled fish and chicken wings before their month-long separation.
• Wang Yan told the class that students needed rank twenty and two soul rings to qualify for the next year, and warned that the assessment would include individual tests, a hundred-year soul beast challenge, and class elimination.
• Zhou Yi asked Gu Qingnian whether he needed help, but he refused and gave her an excuse before leaving.

Gu Qingnian followed a faint disturbance to an abandoned town and found Jiang Nannan hiding in a rundown house. After they both fell asleep there, he woke and picked her up, and she curled into his arms.

• Gu Qingnian wandered into a deserted town with A Wu and sensed someone inside a small house.
• He recognized the voice of the hidden woman as someone familiar, knocked, and entered the house.
• Gu Qingnian lay down on the bed and fell asleep while the hidden Jiang Nannan stayed awake, then eventually fell asleep too.
• Gu Qingnian woke the next day, found Jiang Nannan asleep near the door, and lifted her into a princess carry.
• Jiang Nannan wrapped her arms around Gu Qingnian and nestled against his chest.

Gu Qingnian stayed beside Jiang Nannan as she clung to him in her sleep and dreamed of her mother, then waited until she woke the next day. Jiang Nannan awoke embarrassed and wary, while Gu Qingnian teased her about spending two days as her body pillow.

• Jiang Nannan clung to Gu Qingnian in her sleep, and A Wu removed the rabbit ears that had jabbed into his stomach.
• Jiang Nannan mistook Gu Qingnian for her mother in a dream and begged her not to abandon her; Gu Qingnian comforted her and suspected she blamed herself for hesitating over an agreement that might have saved her mother.
• Gu Qingnian covered Jiang Nannan with a blanket and remained beside her through the night and the following day.
• Jiang Nannan woke in Gu Qingnian's arms, remembered who he was, and sprang away in embarrassment and alarm.
• Gu Qingnian teased Jiang Nannan about serving as her body pillow for two days as A Wu watched beside him.

Gu Qingnian stayed at Jiang Nannan’s house, where they visited her mother’s grave and shared a restorative meal. After their walk, Jiang Nannan insisted on repaying him and asked what he had added to the food.

• Gu Qingnian pretended to leave, but Jiang Nannan stopped him and followed him to her mother Jiang Yunrou’s grave.
• Gu Qingnian cooked a meal for himself and Jiang Nannan, and she joined him after he assured her it was safe.
• Jiang Nannan ate the entire meal and felt her strength and soul power increase.
• Gu Qingnian and Jiang Nannan cleaned up together, then went for a walk by the river.
• Jiang Nannan thanked Gu Qingnian and insisted on paying him back, then asked what he had added to the food.

After learning the meal’s ingredients were worth a fortune, Jiang Nannan tried to repay Gu Qingnian, who instead offered her a part-time job as his maid. She was tempted by his enormous salary offer, and Gu Qingnian tossed her a plain white ring.

• Gu Qingnian revealed that he had cooked with rare soul beast ingredients and pills, including a Soul Ascension Pill, and Jiang Nannan realized the meal was extremely valuable.
• Jiang Nannan offered Gu Qingnian money and then ingredients to repay him, but he refused both.
• Gu Qingnian asked whether Jiang Nannan could cook and do housework, then offered her a part-time maid position.
• Jiang Nannan worried she would not be capable of the work, so Gu Qingnian raised the monthly salary to five thousand Gold Soul Coins.
• Gu Qingnian tossed Jiang Nannan a plain white ring, and she fumbled as she caught it.

Gu Qingnian gave Jiang Nannan a storage ring and hired her as his maid, then teased and kissed her after they returned to her house. The chapter ended with him producing a pill and asking whether she had ever tasted an imported one.

• Gu Qingnian gave Jiang Nannan a storage ring containing five thousand Gold Soul Coins and asked her to work as his maid.
• Jiang Nannan agreed to do ordinary maid duties but refused to warm Gu Qingnian’s bed, and she struggled to accept the money and wages.
• Gu Qingnian persuaded Jiang Nannan to keep the ring and accept at least one hundred Gold Soul Coins a month, citing her need for a Storage Soul Tool.
• Back at Jiang Nannan’s house, Gu Qingnian teased her into calling him Master in private and kissed her despite her embarrassment.
• Gu Qingnian sat on the bed, produced a pill, and asked Jiang Nannan whether she had ever tasted an imported pill.

Gu Qingnian helped Jiang Nannan absorb the energy from her meal and a Soul Ascension Pill, bringing her to level 36, then gave her three days to decide whether to join him for the holiday. After leaving her to consider, he claimed a five-star reward and began fusing with a ten-thousand-year soul ring.

• Gu Qingnian fed Jiang Nannan a Soul Ascension Pill and guided her soul power as she absorbed the energy through the night.
• Jiang Nannan woke the next morning and discovered that she had reached level 36 after breaking through two levels.
• Gu Qingnian served Jiang Nannan ordinary food, then gave her three days to decide whether to go with him for the holiday.
• Jiang Nannan reflected on Gu Qingnian after he left, feeling a strong sense of loss in the empty room.
• Gu Qingnian claimed the Tang Sect Old Site Land Deed and a ten-thousand-year soul ring, then began fusing with the ring in a forest.

Gu Qingnian absorbed a Soul Ring, broke through to Soul Ancestor, and tested his destructive new skill before discovering the Tang Sect land deed. The Heaven Dou imperial family had issued a notice transferring the former Tang Sect site to him, leaving the Iron Blood Sect scrambling to respond.

• Gu Qingnian absorbed the Soul Ring, rose to level 46, and used his seventh Soul Skill to reduce a massive tree to dust.
• Gu Qingnian realized the Soul Ring's red and blue silhouettes had revealed something to him, then found the land deed for the former Tang Sect site.
• The Iron Blood Sect's old sect master ordered his disciples to prepare to withdraw after receiving an imperial notice transferring their home to someone else.
• The old sect master and his son planned to wait and see whether the new owner could enforce the transfer, then discovered their land deed was missing.
• A girl at the imperial residence wondered who had forced the transfer after the imperial family had been threatened into issuing the notice.

Gu Qingnian fell into Deep Meditation while stabilizing his Soul Power, leaving Jiang Nannan waiting for him for twenty days. His Sea of Consciousness transformed as several powerful forces collided, and two droplets of gold and emerald green appeared within it.

• Gu Qingnian entered Deep Meditation while trying to stabilize the Soul Power from his breakthrough.
• Jiang Nannan decided to leave with Gu Qingnian, packed her belongings, and waited for him, but he did not arrive after three days.
• Gu Qingnian remained unconscious in Deep Meditation for twenty days as Jiang Nannan waited and gradually lost hope.
• Gu Qingnian's Soul Power channels and Sea of Consciousness expanded, while spiritual phantoms, the Divine Mill, and thirty Golden Giant Elephants clashed within him.
• Gu Qingnian's Sea of Consciousness shattered into chaos before dark-gold light formed a mill-like vortex surrounded by the giant elephants.
• Two droplets, one gold and one emerald green, descended through Gu Qingnian's Sea of Consciousness and illuminated it with towering beams of light.

Gu Qingnian awoke from Deep Meditation after his Sea of Consciousness and Soul Power channels transformed, greatly strengthening him and raising his Soul Power to rank 49. After realizing he had kept Jiang Nannan waiting for twenty-three days, he arrived just as she was about to leave and tried to explain his lateness.

• Gu Qingnian observed how the clash among the entities in his Sea of Consciousness had rebuilt and strengthened it, while his Soul Power channels and body also transformed.
• Gu Qingnian awakened, and A Wu helped him recover while Mei Mei watched over him.
• Gu Qingnian rested, checked his gains, and discovered his Soul Power had reached rank 49 and two Soul Rings were nearing the Hundred Thousand Year level.
• Gu Qingnian learned from A Wu that twenty-three days had passed and hurried to Jiang Nannan's cottage.
• Gu Qingnian found Jiang Nannan about to leave, apologized for missing their promise, and told her it had been purely an accident.

Gu Qingnian explained that Deep Meditation had kept him away, then forced Jiang Nannan to apologize after teasing and spanking her. The next morning, he set out north with her to handle other business before the seven days were up.

• Gu Qingnian explained his absence and showed Jiang Nannan his Soul Rings, convincing her that he had entered Deep Meditation.
• After Jiang Nannan mocked him, Gu Qingnian carried her into the room and spanked her until she apologized by calling him Master.
• Gu Qingnian let the exhausted Jiang Nannan rest, and she woke the next day mortified and still unable to challenge him.
• Gu Qingnian had Jiang Nannan pack her luggage, then carried her north using Body Flicker despite her surprise that they were not returning.

Gu Qingnian disguised himself and Jiang Nannan, then attacked the Iron Blood Sect at the Tang Sect's former grounds. After gaining immense power from a system reward, he unleashed a devastating red attack that engulfed half the sect.

• Gu Qingnian gave Jiang Nannan a disguise, changed his own appearance and voice, and told her to use the names Wu and Gu.
• Gu Qingnian and Jiang Nannan arrived at the Iron Blood Sect and destroyed its gate with a paper bearing the words “Imperial Decree.”
• The system rewarded Gu Qingnian for intercepting Tang Ya’s future trajectory, and he used the reward to increase his Soul Rings’ ages and reach level 50 Soul Power.
• Gu Qingnian killed two gate guards and his paper attack overwhelmed the Iron Blood Sect disciples and injured a middle-aged man who tried to stop it.
• An elderly man and two other elders rushed to help, but Gu Qingnian unleashed his tenth Soul Skill, Reversal: Red, engulfing half the Iron Blood Sect.

Gu Qingnian killed the Iron Blood Sect’s leaders after they attacked him over his killing of the Elder’s son and their dispute over a property deed. He left a warning marked with the character “Gu” and departed with the stunned Jiang Nannan before imperial forces could arrive.

• Gu Qingnian revealed four Hundred Thousand Year Soul Rings and killed the Iron Blood Sect middle-aged man with an attack from his fourth ring.
• The Elder and two Soul Kings attacked Gu Qingnian, but Jiang Nannan tried to shield him before he pulled her back and stopped their blows.
• Gu Qingnian used Limitless Form to slow the three attackers, then killed the Swift Wolf Soul King with a strike powered by thirty Golden Giant Elephants.
• The Elder and the remaining Soul King begged for mercy after realizing Gu Qingnian’s strength, and the Elder recognized the title deed that had brought Gu Qingnian to the sect.
• Gu Qingnian used Divine Mill-Suppress to destroy the Elder and the Long Whip Soul King, concealed their bodies, left a paper marked “Gu,” and departed with Jiang Nannan.

Wang Dong returned to Shrek Academy expecting to find Gu Qingnian and Huo Yuhao, but discovered their dormitory was empty. Gu Qingnian arrived just after her, and after their awkward reunion, Wang Dong noticed he looked exhausted.

• Wang Dong returned to Shrek Academy and found the dormitory covered in dust, with neither Gu Qingnian nor Huo Yuhao there.
• Gu Qingnian arrived at the academy after carrying the unconscious Jiang Nannan back from the journey; she had recovered and gone through the gates.
• Gu Qingnian overheard Wang Dong complaining about him and teased her from the doorway.
• Wang Dong grabbed Gu Qingnian by the collar, accidentally pulling him on top of her.
• Wang Dong's embarrassment turned to concern when she saw Gu Qingnian's pale face and asked what was wrong.

Gu Qingnian reunited with Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong after the break, then drew attention at the academy because he had returned with Jiang Nannan. The next morning, the trio encountered Dai Huabin, who had recovered, reached rank 37, and believed he was ready to challenge Gu Qingnian again.

• Gu Qingnian and Wang Dong waited for Huo Yuhao, who rushed back to the dormitory just before his deadline and then joined them for dinner.
• Wang Dong questioned Gu Qingnian about his break, and he revealed that he had returned to the academy with Jiang Nannan.
• Wang Dong and Huo Yuhao followed Gu Qingnian on his late-night outing, but he noticed them and shook them off.
• The next morning, Gu Qingnian, Wang Dong, and Huo Yuhao encountered Dai Huabin, Zhu Lu, and Cui Yajie on their way to class.
• Dai Huabin, recovered from his injuries and promoted to rank 37, believed his renewed strength would let him confront Gu Qingnian again.

Gu Qingnian mocked Dai Huabin into staking himself in a wager over their teams’ Upgrade Assessment scores, with Gu Qingnian’s thousand-year Spiritual Soul Bone as the prize. The assessment was about to begin as Gu Qingnian entered class and faced the attention of his classmates.

• Dai Huabin challenged Gu Qingnian’s trio to compare their average Upgrade Assessment scores and demanded Gu Qingnian’s Freshman Assessment reward as the stake.
• Gu Qingnian named a thousand-year head-type Spiritual Soul Bone as his stake, and Dai Huabin admitted he could not immediately offer anything of equal value.
• Dai Huabin offered himself as collateral until his family could provide the stake, and Gu Qingnian agreed on condition that Dai Huabin kowtowed to the trio and called them Grandpa.
• Wang Yan overheard the wager and worried that it would deepen the feud between Gu Qingnian and Dai Huabin.
• Gu Qingnian entered class, where his classmates questioned and teased him about his seating arrangement before the teacher arrived.