Chapter Summaries

After a barbecue and a minor earthquake revealed spirit marrow stone, Chen Xiaojun persuaded Zhang Ci to propose a forward outpost in the Xieluo Mountains for advanced students’ combat training and resource gathering. Zhang Ci accepted Chen Xiaojun’s detailed plan and agreed to revise it for submission to his superior.

• Zhang Ci warned that the group was nearing the soul beasts’ core territory, and everyone shared a barbecue inside the cave.
• An earthquake opened a crack in the cave, where Ma Liang and the others discovered and mined spirit marrow stone.
• Chen Xiaojun proposed turning the cave into a forward outpost for advanced students to gain combat experience and explore nearby resources.
• Zhang Ci worried the plan would cause casualties, but Chen Xiaojun suggested voluntary participation, greater point rewards, and purchases of gathered resources.
• Chen Xiaojun handed Zhang Ci a detailed proposal and urged him to seek greater standing; Zhang Ci agreed to revise it and submit it to his superior.

Chen Xiaojun and his companions fought off repeated soul beast attacks as they traveled through the forest toward White Dew Mountain, surviving the Black Fiend Bees and other dangers. After taking six days instead of three to reach the mountain’s foot, the exhausted group arrived with Chen Xiaojun’s mental damage worsening.

• Chen Xiaojun’s group used the One-Horned Black Bear to distract the Black Fiend Bees, then fled as the swarm split and pursued them.
• When Zhu Wuneng became trapped in a bog, Dugu Fu’s poison, Chen Xiaojun’s attacks, and Ma Liang and Ma Wencai’s fire skills helped hold off the bees while Su Ningxia and Zhang Ci rescued him.
• Chen Xiaojun carried most of the group away on his Green Lotus Platform as Zhang Ci, Ma Liang, and the others fought and defended it until the swarm abandoned the chase.
• After resting, Chen Xiaojun revealed that the platform came from his right leg bone, then suffered another bout of pain as the damage to his upper soul nest worsened.
• The group endured a flying soul beast attack on a cliff and several more encounters before reaching the foot of White Dew Mountain after six days.

Chen Xiaojun used the aromatic silk beauty to lure the Blazing Light Guardian Beasts out of their valley while Zhang Ci led the others into battle with the Shadow Scale-Armored Beasts. The group fled with the Shadow Scale-Armored Beasts pursuing them as Chen Xiaojun guided the other herd toward their intended clash.

• Chen Xiaojun and the others found a huge herd of Blazing Light Guardian Beasts and decided to seek out their enemies, the Shadow Scale-Armored Beasts, before attempting to draw the two groups together.
• Chen Xiaojun released the aromatic silk beauty with a drop of Water of Life, enraging and attracting the Blazing Light Guardian Beasts, then flew from the valley as they pursued him in formation.
• Zhang Ci led Chen Mu, Chen Bin, Chen Shurui, and Ma Liang to the Shadow Scale-Armored Beasts’ underground lairs, where the group was ambushed by several beasts, including their powerful leader.
• Zhang Ci, Chen Bin, and Chen Shurui attacked together, combining their sword skills into a Light-Dark Sword Vortex that killed several Shadow Scale-Armored Beasts but failed to break the leader’s shield.
• Chen Mu intercepted the leader’s black pillar of light with Lone Peak Heavenfall, while Ma Liang’s Phoenix Meteor Shower burned and killed more of the beasts.
• Zhang Ci carried Chen Bin and Chen Shurui away as Ma Liang carried Chen Mu, and the Shadow Scale-Armored Beasts chased them through the forest.

Chen Xiaojun fought through attacks from Blazing Light Guardian Beasts and a Windshadow Peng, then reached Dugu Fu's poison formation and collapsed from exhaustion. As Chen Xiaojun recovered, Dugu Fu unleashed a massive poison cloud against the pursuing beasts.

• Zhang Ci's group fought and retreated through the forest while dodging the pursuing Shadow Scale-Armored Beasts.
• Chen Xiaojun used the Starlight Sword Dragon to repel the Blazing Light Guardian Beast leader's attack and escaped the Windshadow Peng by killing it with his swords.
• Chen Xiaojun used Spirit Abyss Waterfall to disrupt the Blazing Light Guardian Beasts, then restored his soul power with the Seven Stars Dragon Abyss Sword.
• Chen Xiaojun reached Dugu Fu's poison fog, collapsed, and entrusted the defense to Dugu Fu while he recovered.
• The Blazing Light Guardian Beasts used Light of Purification to disperse the fog, so Dugu Fu unleashed Poison Fog Scorching the Plains to engulf them again.

Dugu Fu’s Poison Formation protected Chen Mu and the others as the Blazing Light Guardian Beasts and Shadow Scale-Armored Beasts began a devastating battle. After both herds suffered heavy losses, a powerful presence from neither side appeared on the battlefield.

• Dugu Fu’s poison mist pressured the Blazing Light Guardian Beasts until their leader formed a giant Energy Body that cleared the toxins and shielded its herd.
• Zhang Ci led his group into the mist, where Chen Mu and the others recovered from their escape and waited to see whether the rival herds would fight.
• The Shadow Scale-Armored Beasts and Blazing Light Guardian Beasts formed giant Energy Bodies and clashed, while Dugu Fu contracted his Poison Formation to withstand the shock waves.
• The Energy Bodies exhausted each other and collapsed, driving both herds into bloody close combat that left many soul beasts dead or wounded.
• As the exhausted herds continued fighting, a powerful presence belonging to neither side appeared on the battlefield.

Chen Xiaojun’s group attacked two weakened soul beast packs while a Jade-Scaled Snake ravaged the battlefield, then collected their spoils and sent Ma Liang and Zhang Ci to raid the Blazing Light Guardian Beasts’ valley. As Chen Shurui and Chen Bin began absorbing their chosen soul rings, Chen Xiaojun started absorbing the Shadow Guardian Beast leader’s forty-five-thousand-year ring for his Nethersea Seven Kill Sword.

• Chen Xiaojun judged that the two beast packs were preparing to retreat and led his group into battle as the Jade-Scaled Snake attacked them.
• The strongest beasts from both packs joined forces against the snake, giving Chen Xiaojun’s group a chance to target their wounded Beast Kings.
• After the battle, Chen Shurui and Chen Bin went to absorb their chosen soul rings while Chen Mu and the others began searching for soul bones.
• Chen Xiaojun sent Ma Liang and Zhang Ci to join Ningxia and Cui Lan at Blazing Light Valley and raid the Blazing Light Guardian Beasts’ lair.
• Chen Xiaojun sat beside the Shadow Guardian Beast leader’s corpse and began drawing its forty-five-thousand-year soul ring into himself for the Nethersea Seven Kill Sword.

Chen Xiaojun defeated the Shadow Scale-Armored Beast’s spirit and healed part of the heavenly scar in his upper soul nest. As his companions gathered soul beast materials, a mysterious Black-Robed Man appeared and threatened to claim the spoils.

• Chen Mu explained to Dugu Fu and Zhu Wuneng that Chen Xiaojun had a second martial soul, the Seven Kill Sword, while Dugu Fu and Zhu Wuneng traded insults.
• Chen Xiaojun summoned spirit forms of his six divine swords to surround and weaken the Shadow Scale-Armored Beast in his spiritual sea, then destroyed it with the Nethersea Seven Kill Sword.
• Chen Xiaojun used the beast’s mental power to expand his sea of consciousness and shrink the heavenly scar by a quarter.
• Zhang Ci and his students defeated the Blazing Light Guardian Beasts, and Zhang Ci took Su Ningxia with him to explore their cave lair.
• Chen Mu, Zhu Wuneng, Dugu Fu, and Ma Wencai gathered materials from the battlefield’s corpses until a Black-Robed Man appeared and hinted that he would take a share of their spoils.

Chen Mu’s group fought a Soul Emperor and his hidden allies while Zhu Wuneng used Six Ding Divine Fire to expose their illusions and protect the students absorbing Soul Rings. Zhu Wuneng trapped the fox Soul Master in a fire domain and weakened his shield, leaving the battle unresolved.

• The black-robed Soul Emperor confronted Chen Mu’s group over the loot, and Chen Mu attacked him with the Seven Kill Sword.
• Dugu Fu joined the fight with his Nine-Section Steel Whip, but a wolf Martial Soul Soul King intervened and forced him to defend himself.
• Zhu Wuneng stopped Ma Wencai from charging, used Beast Type Seven-Space Perception, and formed a protective Hexagram Magic Formation around Chen Xiaojun and the others.
• Zhu Wuneng sent Six Ding Divine Fire through the forest, dispelling the black-robed man’s mirror-image clones and locating his hidden real body.
• The fox Soul Master blasted the flames apart, injured Zhu Wuneng, and attacked with Phantom Clones and Phantom Assault.
• Zhu Wuneng merged Six Ding Divine Fire with his Nine-Toothed Rake to create a fire domain that shattered the fox’s phantoms and weakened his Soul Power Shield.

Ma Wencai and Zhu Wuneng killed the fox Soul Master, while Chen Mu defeated the Thunder Tiger Soul Master with his newly comprehended sword move, Darkness Without Daylight. The last wolf Soul Master tried to flee but was cornered by Chen Bin and Chen Shurui.

• Ma Wencai used Sunlit Dawnstrike alongside Zhu Wuneng’s Six Ding Divine Fire to shatter the fox Soul Master’s shield and kill him.
• Zhu Wuneng left Ma Wencai to guard the young masters and went to assist the others.
• Chen Mu fought the Black-Robed Man, whose Thunder Tiger martial soul and Thunderstorm Fist met Chen Mu’s Seven Kill Sword techniques.
• Chen Mu unleashed Darkness Without Daylight against the Black-Robed Man’s Thunder Shadow Break and pierced his heart, killing him.
• The wolf Soul Master fled from Dugu Fu and Zhu Wuneng, dodged Dugu Fu’s centipede spikes, and found Chen Bin and Chen Shurui blocking his escape.

After a brutal battle, Chen Mu’s injuries forced the group to take shelter and recover, while their spoils included several valuable soul bones. Chen Xiaojun distributed rare bones among his companions, ending with Chen Bin accepting one after learning that Xiaojun already possessed a powerful Left Arm Bone.

• Chen Mu coughed up blood after defeating a soul emperor, and the others realized his damaged meridians had worsened from fighting without rest.
• The group cleaned up the battlefield, then sheltered from a heavy storm in a cavern and cooked meat from their defeated soul beasts.
• Chen Bin revealed that they had found five soul bones among the spoils, including two from the tribe leaders, and Zhang Ci presented a twenty-thousand-year Windshadow Peng leg bone.
• Chen Xiaojun gave the Windshadow Peng soul bone to Zhang Ci because it matched his Gale Eagle martial soul, and Zhang Ci accepted it as his share of the spoils.
• Chen Xiaojun offered the leaders’ soul bones to Chen Bin and Chen Shurui, then explained that he already had a Left Arm Bone from a seventy-thousand-year Disaster Fish.
• Chen Bin accepted the Shadow Scale-Armored Beast soul bone after Zhu Wuneng confirmed Xiaojun’s claim and Chen Mu reminded him that Xiaojun had many hidden cards.

Chen Xiaojun and his companions divided the treasures recovered from the Blazing Light Guardian Beasts’ lair, setting aside valuable soul medicines and spiritual liquid for the group and their family. They planned to cultivate the rare plants after returning, while Chen Xiaojun distributed a few drops of interwoven light and dark dew before deciding not to pursue the Shadow Scale-Armored Beasts in the heavy rain.

• Chen Xiaojun agreed with the group to exchange the remaining soul bones and other spoils for family points and gold coins to divide among them.
• Su Ningxia revealed spirit light grass, which Chen Xiaojun split between Ma Wencai and Gao Cuilan, and Chen Xiaojun gave Zhang Ci a soul bone for Zilian.
• Chen Xiaojun kept some spirit light grass to try cultivating it and accepted Soul Pattern Jade to help his damaged mental power recover.
• Su Ningxia showed the group a transplanted flower that produced interwoven light and dark dew, and Chen Bin explained its value to soul beasts and soul masters.
• Chen Xiaojun considered searching the Shadow Scale-Armored Beasts’ territory for more dew but chose to wait because of the rain and uncertainty about the survivors.
• Chen Xiaojun poured a drop of interwoven light and dark dew into porcelain bottles for each companion and told them to store it carefully or use it immediately.

Chen Xiaojun’s group discovered a Wolf Fang Token among the spoils from the three Soul Masters they had killed, raising suspicions that the men served the Gale Wolf Bandits. After agreeing to investigate and stay alert, the group shared a meal and wine before Gao Cuilan sang “Green Plum Prelude.”

• Chen Xiaojun found the Wind-Thunder Formula among the spoils and decided to copy it for the group and give the original to Teacher Zhang.
• Zhu Wuneng found a gold-edged Wolf Fang Token, and Chen Xiaojun and Chen Mu recognized it as a high-ranking token of the Gale Wolf Bandits.
• Chen Xiaojun connected the token to the bandits who had attacked the Village and said the group would investigate the slain Soul Masters and remain prepared for reprisals.
• Chen Xiaojun cooked several dishes, and the group ate together and opened jars of Purple Reishi wine.
• At Zhu Wuneng’s suggestion, Gao Cuilan overcame her shyness and sang “Green Plum Prelude” for everyone.

Chen Xiaojun and his companions fought to survive the Black Fiend Bee swarm as its attacks overwhelmed the lotus platform’s defenses. Chen Xiaojun unleashed the Yin-Yang Domain to destroy thousands of bees, replenished his soul power, and cleansed the poison from five injured companions, but the swarm still threatened them.

• Zhu Wuneng and Ma Liang joined forces to break the Black Fiend Bees’ Netherworld Bee Formation while the swarm continued attacking the lotus platform.
• Dugu Fu absorbed poison from Chen Mu, Chen Shurui, Chen Bin, Gao Cuilan, and Zhang Ci as Chen Xiaojun maintained the platform and searched for a way out.
• Su Ningxia used Yellow Clouds Golden Radiance to repel the bees, and Chen Xiaojun combined his Yin-Yang Mystic Shield with his external soul bone to protect the platform.
• Chen Xiaojun expanded the protection into the Yin-Yang Domain and used Yin-Yang Reversal to trap and dissolve at least ten thousand Black Fiend Bees.
• Chen Xiaojun used the Seven Stars Dragon Abyss Sword’s Energy Restoration to recover soul power, then cast Green Lotus Divine Light to cleanse the remaining poison from the five injured companions.

Chen Xiaojun revealed his domain and led the group through a decisive battle against the Black Fiend Bee swarm. He killed the Bee Queen, causing the remaining bees to scatter, and the group prepared to continue onward.

• Zhang Ci recognized Chen Xiaojun's domain, and Chen Xiaojun explained that the group needed to kill the Bee Queen to escape the swarm.
• Chen Xiaojun concealed the strain and worsening injuries caused by using his domain as the group prepared for the final battle.
• The Black Fiend Bees formed coordinated formations and launched soul skills, while the group fought back and Chen Xiaojun searched for the Bee Queen.
• Chen Xiaojun found the Bee Queen and led a coordinated assault with Chen Bin, Chen Shurui, Chen Mu, Zhang Ci, and the others to open a path to her.
• Chen Xiaojun pierced the Bee Queen with twin swords and finished her with three Thousand-Army Cleave strikes, then stored her corpse in his Void Bracelet.
• The surviving Black Fiend Bees scattered after their queen died, and Chen Xiaojun told everyone to continue moving.

After recovering from the Black Fiend Bee attack, Chen Xiaojun extracted a thirty-thousand-year poison soul bone from the queen and gave it to Dugu Fu. Elsewhere in the Xieluo Mountains, You Yaqin and five students fought a deadly swarm of Death Spiders.

• Chen Xiaojun stopped in a sheltered hollow with his companions to recover, and Zhang Ci went to scout the area.
• Chen Xiaojun spat out stagnant blood, reassured everyone, then used his Five Elements Eye and Chun Jun Sword to extract a black left arm bone from the Black Fiend Bee Queen.
• Chen Xiaojun gave the thirty-thousand-year poison soul bone to Dugu Fu, who accepted it.
• You Yaqin and five Lower School Division students were surrounded by Death Spiders in the Xieluo Mountains.
• Chen Haonan slowed the spiders with Formation Control, Gao Duan bound them, and Ji Tiantian disrupted them with Ink-Dance Poetry.
• You Yaqin and You Li unleashed a barrage of wind arrows that pierced and killed many of the Death Spiders.

You Yaqin and the five youngsters fought their way out of the forest, only to be trapped between two powerful Death Spider Commanders and an endless swarm. They fought desperately to hold the spiders back, but the wind wall began to fail under the commanders’ attacks.

• You Yaqin led the team toward a clearing while fending off the Death Spiders, and Yan Xiaolai cut Ji Tiantian free from spider silk but was wounded by a commander’s leg.
• You Yaqin blasted the first Giant Death Spider away with her Storm Arrow, then ordered the youngsters to retreat; a second commander appeared and blocked their escape.
• Ji Tiantian blinded and confused the spiders with Brilliance Under the Brush, giving Chen Haonan, Gao Duan, You Li, and Yan Xiaolai a chance to fight back.
• You Yaqin and the others battled the commanders and swarm while accumulating injuries, until the first commander’s Death Sound Wave shattered Chen Haonan’s chessboard formation.
• The second commander used Earthquake Stomp, and You Yaqin raised a wind wall to protect the group; the other commander’s Venom Spray corroded a large hole through it.

You Yaqin and her companions were nearly overwhelmed by the death spiders until Zhang Ci and the others arrived and turned the fight around. After Gao Cuilan protected the group and more reinforcements joined the battle, Chen Xiaojun met the younger students and noticed Ji Tiantian acting strangely around him.

• You Yaqin used Storm Magic Domain to create an opening, but the spider commanders trapped her and Ji Tiantian with their silk skills.
• Ji Tiantian cut You Yaqin free before the silk caught her, and Zhang Ci rescued her with Chained Wind Blades.
• Zhang Ci wounded one spider commander while Ma Liang and Zhu Wuneng attacked the swarm and battled the other commander.
• Yan Xiaolai pulled Ji Tiantian to safety, and Gao Cuilan shielded the group from burning debris with Ring-Shadow Protection.
• Chen Mu, Chen Bin, Chen Shurui, Su Ningxia, Dugu Fu, and Ma Wencai joined the fight as Chen Xiaojun met the students.
• Chen Xiaojun recognized Ji Tiantian's resemblance to someone from his previous life, while Ji Tiantian nervously avoided speaking to him.

Chen Xiaojun put Ji Tiantian at ease while the groups fought off several Death Spider swarms and commanders. After the battles, Gao Duan and Chen Haonan explained that a Soul Saint-led pack of Wolf Bandits had driven them deep into the wilderness, leaving Chen Xiaojun concerned about why the bandits were there.

• Chen Xiaojun invited You Li, Yan Xiaolai, Gao Duan, and Ji Tiantian to call him Sixth Brother, then reassured Ji Tiantian about the dangers and hardships of adventure.
• Su Ningxia, Dugu Fu, and Ma Wencai coordinated their soul skills to defeat a Death Spider swarm.
• Zhang Ci and You Yaqin joined forces to kill a Spider Commander, and Zhang Ci urged You Yaqin to cultivate until she could reach Soul Emperor level.
• Chen Mu, Ma Liang, Chen Shurui, Chen Bin, and Zhu Wuneng combined their attacks to kill a large Spider Commander.
• Zhu Wuneng brushed off his wounds as Gao Cuilan treated him, while Dugu Fu complained about being exhausted.
• Gao Duan and Chen Haonan told Chen Xiaojun that Wolf Bandits led by a Soul Saint had chased them deep into the wilderness, and Chen Xiaojun questioned why the bandits had appeared there.

Chen Xiaojun analyzed the threat posed by a large Wolf Bandit force and organized the group’s return to camp while assigning Zhang Ci and You Yaqin separate missions. After the teachers departed, he began assessing the students’ combat abilities and planning how to lead them.

• Chen Xiaojun concluded that the Wolf Bandits might be targeting Chang'an Academy’s camp and ordered Zhang Ci to warn the camp, send scouts, and request reinforcements.
• Chen Xiaojun planned a southwestern detour back to camp and said the other student teams might be helped if they could be gathered in time.
• Chen Xiaojun gave You Yaqin his purple-gold token and sent her to seek help at a location he named, while Zhang Ci flew back to camp.
• Zhang Ci left Chen Xiaojun in charge, and You Yaqin set off on her separate mission as the students agreed to follow Chen Xiaojun’s route.
• Chen Xiaojun formed the students into one team and asked them to report their Soul Skills, Soul Bones, and secret arts; Chen Haonan, Gao Duan, and Ji Tiantian described their abilities.

Chen Xiaojun organized his team and led them into an encounter with a hundred Wolf Bandits in Verdant Shadow Creek Valley. After noticing something unusual about Ji Tiantian and asking Chen Mu to investigate discreetly, he began the battle with Chen Bin and Chen Shurui attacking the enemy vanguard.

• Chen Xiaojun assigned the team’s battle formation and command succession, naming Gao Cuilan third in command and encouraging her to take charge of the control ranks.
• The group discussed their encounter with a Black Fiend Bee swarm, and Chen Xiaojun explained why its queen was guaranteed to drop a soul bone.
• After Ji Tiantian left, Chen Xiaojun told Chen Mu that something about her was unusual and asked him to investigate through the Sword Shadow Hall’s resources.
• While traveling through Verdant Shadow Creek Valley, Chen Xiaojun’s team discovered a hundred Wolf Bandits blocking their route and chose to fight.
• Chen Bin and Chen Shurui launched a surprise attack, killing Wolf Bandits before agile elites counterattacked and the two swordsmen evaded them and struck back.