Recaps

Chen Ping, Wu Feng, and Ning Tian celebrated winning the Shrek Freshman Competition. The next day, Sea God Pavilion elders argued over whether Chen Ping and Huo Yuhao should join the Soul Tool Department or the Martial Soul Department, and Qian Duoduo vowed to make Chen Ping a Level 9 Soul Engineer.

• Chen Ping stopped Wu Feng from clinging to him, then celebrated the championship with her and Ning Tian.
• Chen Ping praised Wu Feng's fighting and Ning Tian's support as crucial to their sixteen-match winning streak.
• Chen Ping promised to cook a celebratory meal for Wu Feng and Ning Tian.
• Mu En ate Chen Ping's Buddha Jumps Over the Wall while Yan Shaozhe and Qian Duoduo argued over recruiting Chen Ping and Huo Yuhao.
• Xuan Zi claimed Chen Ping belonged to the Martial Soul Department because of his bet with Xuan Zi, and Wang Yan awkwardly confirmed the story.
• Qian Duoduo promised to cultivate Chen Ping into a Soul Douluo and declared that he could become a Level 9 Soul Engineer.

At a Sea God Pavilion meeting, the Martial Soul Department and Soul Tool Department competed for Chen Ping, but Mu En urged them to support his many talents rather than fight over him. The meeting ended with the Soul Tool Department keeping Huo Yuhao and Chen Ping free to develop in multiple directions.

• Yan Shaozhe and Xuan Zi weighed the cost of supporting Chen Ping and considered asking for Huo Yuhao back, while both departments refused to yield.
• Mu En asked the elders to remember Shrek Academy’s mission and urged them to give Chen Ping resources to develop in martial arts and Soul Tools.
• Mu En revealed that Chen Ping studied and trained throughout the day while keeping his Soul Power circulating, and said his freshman tournament victory had been inevitable.
• The elders realized they knew little about Chen Ping’s work, and the meeting ended without the Martial Soul Department securing him while the Soul Tool Department kept Huo Yuhao.
• After the meeting, Mu En reassured Xuan Zi that Chen Ping’s background was clean and told him to trust the boy rather than pry into his secrets.

Chen Ping's team won the freshman assessment and received its rewards as Du Weilun announced the upcoming core disciple selections. The chapter ended with the students waiting anxiously to hear which freshmen would be named Outer Court core disciples.

• Du Weilun announced Huang Chutian's team in third place and Dai Huabin's team in second place.
• Du Weilun named Chen Ping, Ning Tian, and Wu Feng as the undefeated champions of the freshman assessment.
• Du Weilun announced standard soul-ring rewards for the top three teams and a confidential special reward for Chen Ping's team.
• After a lengthy speech, Du Weilun began announcing which freshmen had been approved as Outer Court core disciples.

Chen Ping learned that he and his teammates had been named core disciples, then discussed using his reward to obtain a second Soul Ring. Du Weilun agreed to accompany him to hunt a thousand-year Demon-Eyed Tree, though he hesitated over the choice and began considering when to go.

• Du Weilun announced the new core disciples, including Chen Ping, Ning Tian, Wu Feng, and Huo Yuhao, and students were sorted into classes by their Soul Master roles.
• Ning Tian moved to Freshman Class Three, while Wang Yan appeared as the deputy homeroom teacher for Freshman Class One.
• Du Weilun summoned Chen Ping, Ning Tian, and Wu Feng to collect their rewards and told Chen Ping he could wait until the holidays to obtain his second Soul Ring.
• Chen Ping revealed that he had found a suitable plant-type Soul Beast six months earlier and wanted to use his reward for his second Soul Ring.
• Du Weilun agreed to accompany Chen Ping to hunt a thousand-year Demon-Eyed Tree, then checked the calendar and considered asking Dean Cai to help.

Du Weilun arranged to help Chen Ping hunt a thousand-year Demon-Eyed Tree and presented the championship team with an Earth-Splitting Savage Elephant Right Leg Bone. Ning Tian and Wu Feng gave the Soul Bone to Chen Ping, whose Martial Soul again craved the bone as he left with them.

• Du Weilun said he would take Chen Ping to hunt a Demon-Eyed Tree with Shi Xing when they were both on leave.
• Du Weilun revealed the team's championship reward: a two-thousand-three-hundred-year Earth-Splitting Savage Elephant Right Leg Bone that the three teammates would have to allocate among themselves.
• Chen Ping felt his Martial Soul craving the Soul Bone and suppressed it while Du Weilun explained its value and warned them to keep the reward secret.
• Outside the teaching building, Ning Tian and Wu Feng both offered the Soul Bone to Chen Ping.
• Wu Feng said Ning Tian would eventually absorb a Secret Art Soul Bone set and that her sect should reward her with a suitable Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone, leaving Chen Ping embarrassed and resentful of their wealth.

Chen Ping helped Ning Tian settle into Class Three and eased her nerves by pointing out a familiar classmate, while she told him to meet her after school to collect a package. Back in Class One, Chen Ping and Wu Feng began steering the class monitor election toward Dai Huabin.

• Chen Ping and Wu Feng escorted Ning Tian to Class Three, where her homeroom teacher welcomed her.
• Chen Ping pointed out the little fatty from the tournament and told Ning Tian to ask him for help if she needed anything.
• Ning Tian asked Chen Ping and Wu Feng to meet her after school so they could take him to collect his package, which Chen Ping realized contained the Living Being Carving Knife.
• Chen Ping returned to Class One, where Wang Yan announced the election of a class monitor and deputy class monitor.
• Wu Feng and Chen Ping pretended to ask how to write Dai Huabin's name so the other students would be more likely to vote for him.

Dai Huabin became class monitor while Huo Yuhao was elected Control System class monitor, and Chen Ping returned to his dorm to absorb the Earth-Splitting Savage Elephant Soul Bone. After learning his Martial Soul could not devour a Soul Bone beyond his current physical limit, Chen Ping discovered he had also been made a Soul Tool Department Core Disciple and planned to collect its benefits.

• Dai Huabin won more than two-thirds of the class vote and became class monitor, while Huo Yuhao was elected Control System class monitor.
• Chen Ping hurried back to his single dorm room and tried to have his Touch Dragon Staff devour the Earth-Splitting Savage Elephant right leg bone.
• Chen Ping asked the system to analyze the problem and learned his Martial Soul could only devour Soul Bones younger than the Soul Rings his body could currently absorb.
• Chen Ping put the Soul Bone away and resolved to improve his physical constitution through training so he could use it later.
• Chen Ping opened the box Wang Yan had given him and found a Soul Tool Department Core Disciple badge and an invitation to collect its benefits.

Qian Duoduo explained that Chen Ping’s optimized adder circuit had earned him a place as a Soul Tool Department core disciple, alongside his Martial Soul Department status. Chen Ping accepted the offer, and Qian Duoduo prepared to recruit him as a personal disciple.

• After getting Mu Jin to approve his leave slip, Chen Ping headed to the Soul Tool Department, where Qian Duoduo was waiting for him.
• Qian Duoduo assured Chen Ping that Fan Yu had not arranged his core disciple status and explained that the department had selected him because of his optimized adder circuit.
• Qian Duoduo offered Chen Ping core disciple benefits in both departments in exchange for extra Soul Tool Department study after classes and on Saturdays.
• Chen Ping agreed and pinned the Soul Tool Department core disciple badge to his chest beside his Martial Soul Department badge.
• Qian Duoduo revealed that he wanted Chen Ping to become his disciple so Chen Ping would devote more attention to the Soul Tool Department.

Chen Ping politely refused Qian Duoduo’s invitation to become his disciple, but Qian Duoduo took him on a tour of the Soul Tool Department’s testing sections and introduced him to He Caitou. Chen Ping suspected that the academy had granted him Core Disciple status partly while assessing Huo Yuhao, and he began his studies in the Soul Tool Department by greeting He Caitou as his senior brother.

• Chen Ping turned down Qian Duoduo’s implied offer of mentorship, citing his supposed lack of talent and concern about distracting the dean.
• Qian Duoduo gave up pressing Chen Ping for an answer and took him to tour the Soul Tool Department’s testing sections.
• Qian Duoduo brought Chen Ping to Fan Yu’s testing section, where He Caitou demonstrated his Twin Dragon Rapid-Fire Cannon.
• He Caitou told Qian Duoduo that Huo Yuhao had helped him aim accurately, prompting Chen Ping to suspect the academy was assessing Huo Yuhao while also recruiting him.
• Chen Ping introduced himself to He Caitou and asked him for guidance as his senior brother.

Chen Ping toured Qian Duoduo’s Soul Tool Testing Area and learned that Qian could provide rare metals for practice. After worrying that apprenticeship might delay graduation, Chen Ping accepted Qian Duoduo as his master.

• Chen Ping introduced himself to He Caitou, who welcomed him as a junior brother and offered to help him.
• Qian Duoduo took Chen Ping to the quiet No. 20 Testing Area and explained that it was usually unused.
• Qian Duoduo told Chen Ping that advancing as a soul engineer required extensive practice and access to rare metals.
• Chen Ping asked whether studying under Qian Duoduo would delay his graduation, and Qian assured him he would have to leave if he failed to enter the Inner Court.
• Chen Ping performed three bows and asked Qian Duoduo to accept him as a disciple.

Chen Ping became Qian Duoduo’s disciple and gained a valuable golden crystal as his welcoming gift. He collected the Spirit Devouring Fierce Blade, but remained uncertain who could purify its dangerous aura.

• Qian Duoduo accepted Chen Ping as his disciple, and Chen Ping identified a golden crystal to claim it as his welcoming gift.
• Chen Ping promised to bring Qian Duoduo Buddha Jumps Over the Wall as a gift in return.
• Chen Ping, Wu Feng, and Ning Tian visited the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect’s shop, where a clerk delivered the Spirit Devouring Fierce Blade in a blazing sun iron box and explained that its aura had damaged a Storage Ring.
• Chen Ping inspected the blade and expelled the Yin Fiend Aura that seeped into his body.
• Chen Ping stored the blade and wondered whether Mu En could purify its vicious aura despite his frail condition.

Chen Ping explained why he had bought the cursed Spirit Devouring Fierce Blade and prepared to profit from its hidden value. He then set out from Shrek Academy with Du Weilun and Shi Xing to hunt for his second soul ring in Star Dou Forest.

• Ning Tian questioned Chen Ping's purchase of the ugly, dangerous Spirit Devouring Fierce Blade, and Chen Ping reflected on the knife's valuable life-gold core and the flaws in the carving-knife rankings.
• Chen Ping said the curse came from an evil soul master and could be removed, while Ning Tian marveled at his talent for making money and wondered how he found such valuable information.
• Du Weilun met Chen Ping outside the dormitory with Shi Xing, and Chen Ping confirmed he had packed for the soul-ring hunt.
• Shi Xing introduced himself to Chen Ping as Shrek City's deputy lord, and the three said goodbye to Mu En before heading toward Star Dou Forest's South Gate.
• Chen Ping traveled with Du Weilun and Shi Xing toward the forest's outer reaches, carrying Premium Thirteen-Spice to season any animal-type soul beasts they roasted.

Chen Ping, Du Weilun, and Shi Xing traveled through the Star Dou Great Forest, where Chen Ping prepared an elaborate feast from the soul beasts Du Weilun caught. The meal drew three sinister strangers, who planned to use the trio to distract a ten-thousand-year Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear.

• Chen Ping entered the Star Dou Great Forest with Du Weilun and Shi Xing, and Du Weilun cleared a path through its dense growth.
• Du Weilun caught several kinds of soul beasts and told Chen Ping to prepare lunch with the ingredients he had brought.
• Chen Ping used his cooking tools, spices, and silver frost charcoal to make a variety of roasted, fried, and stewed dishes.
• Du Weilun and Shi Xing eagerly ate Chen Ping's seasoned pork belly skewers and waited for the rest of the feast.
• Three strangers followed the food's aroma and discussed using Chen Ping, Du Weilun, and Shi Xing to distract a ten-thousand-year Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear.

Chen Ping, Du Weilun, and Shi Xing were confronted by the Zhongli Evil Soul Master brothers, who planned to use them as bait for a ten-thousand-year Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear. Du Weilun and Shi Xing killed Zhongli Ren and chased the other two brothers, leaving Chen Ping beside the corpse, where a withered hand suddenly seized him.

• The Zhongli brothers arrived at Chen Ping, Du Weilun, and Shi Xing’s camp and demanded the food, threatening to use them as bait for the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear.
• Du Weilun and Shi Xing revealed their Soul Douluo strength, causing Zhongli Tian and Zhongli Di to flee while Shi Xing immobilized Zhongli Ren.
• Du Weilun struck Zhongli Ren with Extreme of Astral Wind Gale, killing him and splashing blood and flesh onto Chen Ping.
• Du Weilun and Shi Xing left to pursue Zhongli Tian and Zhongli Di as Chen Ping recovered from the shock and examined Zhongli Ren’s corpse.
• A withered hand clamped around Chen Ping’s right hand as he touched the corpse.

Chen Ping was abducted by Zhongli Ren, who had survived his apparent death by using Life Refinement to create temporary organs from a Beast Soul. Du Weilun and Shi Xing pursued them using Shi Xing’s Time-Space Silver Disk, while a golden lion-like Soul Beast searched for their fading scent.

• Zhongli Ren revived after his abdomen was destroyed, seized Chen Ping, and demanded the ingredients and offal from his food.
• Zhongli Ren used Life Refinement to restore his temporary organs with a Beast Soul, then carried Chen Ping away.
• Chen Ping analyzed Zhongli Ren’s Soul Skills and realized that Life Refinement had let him survive his injuries.
• Du Weilun and Shi Xing returned, discovered Chen Ping was missing, and used the Time-Space Silver Disk to retrace Zhongli Ren’s escape route.
• A golden lion-like Soul Beast appeared after the pursuit began and called for the Scarlet King when it lost the scent.

Chen Ping tried to survive Zhongli Ren’s gruesome self-repair by offering him the Spirit Devouring Fierce Blade and asking to become his disciple. Zhongli Ren accepted the offering, but Chen Ping remained in danger because the available ingredients could not fully repair Zhongli Ren’s wounds.

• Zhongli Ren used Flesh Transmutation to repair his injuries with the organs and meat Chen Ping supplied while his Money Tiger guarded the cave entrance.
• Chen Ping realized Zhongli Ren might use him as material once the ingredients ran out and searched for a way to stay alive.
• When Zhongli Ren noticed Chen Ping handling his Storage Ring, Chen Ping knelt and offered a Level 9 Soul Engineer’s treasure in exchange for becoming his disciple.
• Zhongli Ren recognized the treasure as the Spirit Devouring Fierce Blade, took it, and accepted Chen Ping as his disciple.
• Chen Ping felt temporary relief but knew Zhongli Ren might still refine him because his supplies could not fully heal the wounds.

Chen Ping killed Zhongli Ren by detonating golden crystal inside his body, then gathered what he could from the remains while badly injured. He survived the encounter but was left with a broken arm, several broken ribs, and Zhongli Ren’s Storage Ring.

• Zhongli Ren finished forming his crude organs, and Chen Ping offered him pigskin while pretending to congratulate him.
• Zhongli Ren planned to use Chen Ping to patch his wounds and kill him, but Chen Ping shoved an infused piece of golden crystal into his belly.
• Zhongli Ren kicked Chen Ping away, and the golden crystal exploded into an enormous Invincible Shield that tore Zhongli Ren apart and killed him.
• Chen Ping reflected on how golden crystal worked and why the shield’s force had killed Zhongli Ren instantly.
• Chen Ping retrieved the Spirit Devouring Fierce Blade and Zhongli Ren’s Storage Ring from the gore, then splinted and bandaged his broken arm.

Chen Ping encountered the Emperor Auspicious Beast, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion, while trapped and badly injured in a cave in the Star Dou Forest. He used his cooking to bargain for a promise of protection, but the Auspicious Beast pounced on him before agreeing.

• Chen Ping prepared to fight the Three-Eyed Golden Lion with Zhongli Ren's Soul Tool Staff, then recognized her as the Emperor Auspicious Beast.
• The Auspicious Beast demanded the delicious-smelling food that had drawn her to the cave, and Chen Ping offered her a crispy chicken leg.
• After the Auspicious Beast ate the chicken leg, Chen Ping offered more grilled food in exchange for a condition.
• The Auspicious Beast pounced on Chen Ping when he withheld the skewers, and he demanded that she and her protectors promise not to harm him.

Chen Ping used his cooking to persuade the Auspicious Beast to spare him while she ate, though he remained trapped in the cave with her and the Scarlet King nearby. After the meal, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion questioned him about being a cook and caught him thinking about petting her.

• Chen Ping convinced the Auspicious Beast that killing him would cost her access to his cooking, then fed her skewers and soup.
• The Auspicious Beast ate the food while Chen Ping considered whether Du Weilun and Shi Xing could save him, then realized the Scarlet King made rescue unlikely.
• Chen Ping stopped struggling and recovered against the cave wall as the Auspicious Beast finished the meal.
• The Three-Eyed Golden Lion asked Chen Ping whether he was a cook in the human world, and he studied her appearance.
• The Three-Eyed Golden Lion sensed Chen Ping's thoughts about petting her and warned him to keep his distance.

Chen Ping persuaded the Three-Eyed Golden Lion to spare him by claiming to be the human world's greatest chef and revealing that he cooked for a Limit Douluo. He offered to prepare dishes for her regularly, leaving the Auspicious Beast weighing his proposal and asking how she could trust him.

• Chen Ping confirmed that he was a chef and claimed his work for a Level 99 Limit Douluo made him the greatest chef under heaven.
• Chen Ping listed numerous brain dishes and other delicacies, making the Three-Eyed Golden Lion eager to try them.
• Chen Ping explained that his injuries and lack of ingredients prevented him from cooking immediately, then offered to return from Star Dou Forest with seasonings and use Xuan Zi's Communication Soul Tool to stay in contact.
• The Auspicious Beast hesitated to take Chen Ping to Bi Ji for healing because he cooked for a Limit Douluo and might be dangerous to offend.
• Chen Ping identified himself as a First Year Core Disciple of Shrek's Martial Soul and Soul Tool Departments and offered to cook up to three dishes for the Auspicious Beast every two weeks in exchange for her preparing the ingredients.

Chen Ping left the Star Dou Forest with an agreement to exchange food for Soul Beast ingredients with the Auspicious Beast. He recovered in Shrek's infirmary, where Teacher Li had already healed his broken bones.

• The Auspicious Beast carried Chen Ping out of the cave, and he persuaded the Scarlet King to spare Shi Xing and Du Weilun, who had come to find him.
• Chen Ping arranged to meet the Auspicious Beast in seven days to collect Soul Beast ingredients and promised to prepare food in return.
• Du Weilun gave Chen Ping emergency pills and brought him back to Shrek Academy; Chen Ping handed him the Recording Pearl and fell asleep.
• Chen Ping woke in Shrek's infirmary and discovered that Teacher Li had healed his broken arm and ribs.

After recovering in the Medical Room, Chen Ping learned that his Storage Ring had shattered and his Spirit Devouring Fierce Blade was being kept by Dean Yan. Yan Shaozhe praised Chen Ping for killing a Level 85 Evil Soul Douluo and discussed the Emperor Auspicious Beast recording before raising a matter about Shrek Academy’s Inner and Outer Courts.

• Teacher Li told Chen Ping that his Storage Ring had burst and the Spirit Devouring Fierce Blade had been sealed away with Dean Yan.
• Chen Ping asked Dean Yan to purify the blade’s evil energy and lamented that he still had not obtained his Second Soul Ring.
• Qian Duoduo and Yan Shaozhe visited Chen Ping, argued over who should take him Soul Hunting, and promised to help him find a ring safely.
• Yan Shaozhe praised Chen Ping for killing a Level 85 Evil Soul Douluo, surpassing Mu En’s record for defeating an Evil Soul Master across a level gap.
• Yan Shaozhe explained that Mu En and Xuan Zi had reviewed Chen Ping’s Recording Pearl and instructed him to keep preparing meals for the Emperor Auspicious Beast.
• Yan Shaozhe began discussing the first half of the Recording Pearl and Shrek Academy’s Inner and Outer Courts.

Yan Shaozhe agreed to use Chen Ping’s footage as teaching material and promised to cleanse the Spirit Devouring Fierce Blade, while Qian Duoduo urged Chen Ping to prove the value of Soul Tools. After they left, Chen Ping examined the loot he had taken from Zhongli Ren.

• Yan Shaozhe asked to show Chen Ping’s escape footage to Inner Court students, and Chen Ping agreed while suggesting they carry more Soul Tools.
• Yan Shaozhe said he would deal with the Spirit Devouring Fierce Blade and have it delivered that afternoon, then left.
• Qian Duoduo explained why Shrek students resisted Soul Tools and encouraged Chen Ping to establish their worth by defeating Martial Soul Department students.
• Qian Duoduo entrusted Chen Ping with the task of changing Shrek’s attitude toward Soul Tools and left after telling him to recover.
• Chen Ping picked up the Storage Ring he had taken from Zhongli Ren and prepared to inspect his spoils.

Chen Ping searched Zhongli Ren’s Storage Ring and found rare metals worth at least eight hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins in the Douluo Three Kingdoms. After considering how to turn his disguise into a smuggling scheme, he proposed selling Evil Soul Master outfits to border mules, leaving Teacher Li stunned.

• Chen Ping examined Zhongli Ren’s Storage Ring and found restricted and classified rare metals worth far more in Shrek than in the Sun Moon Empire.
• Chen Ping considered posing as an Evil Soul Master to trade rare metals but realized he lacked the knowledge and skills to pass as one to real Evil Soul Masters.
• Chen Ping put on Zhongli Ren’s black robe, token, and staff and startled Teacher Li with his disguise.
• Teacher Li warned Chen Ping that a convincing disguise was useless without Evil Soul Masters’ coded language and methods.
• Chen Ping proposed producing hundreds of outfits for border mules so soldiers would mistake them for Evil Soul Masters and let a large shipment of rare metals cross the border.
• Teacher Li widened his eyes at Chen Ping’s plan.

After Chen Ping obtained a thousand-year second Soul Ring and settled into academy life, he spent the vacation pursuing Soul Tool engineering and blacksmithing. He worked at Qian Duoduo’s forge, trying once more to reach the Thousand Refinement realm.

• Chen Ping’s suggestion and Zhongli Ren’s Soul Tools were sent to the Inner Court, while Chen Ping returned to a peaceful routine of study and cooking for Ning Tian, Wu Feng, and the Auspicious Beast.
• Chen Ping and Qian Duoduo subdued a thousand-year Demon-Eyed Tree, allowing Chen Ping to absorb his second Soul Ring and rise from level twenty to twenty-three.
• Chen Ping planned to spend his vacation advancing toward Level 2 Soul Engineer and learning blacksmithing rather than returning home or following Huo Yuhao to the Far North.
• Chen Ping’s relentless laboratory work and regular forging had advanced his Soul Tool skills and helped him sense patterns within Douluo Continent’s rare metals, but he still had not achieved Thousand Refinement.
• At Qian Duoduo’s private workbench, Chen Ping forged components and focused on making turbine blades that could withstand high-temperature jets, preparing to try Thousand Refinement again.