Chapter Summaries

Chen Ping overpowered Soul Engineer Number 98 and warned him to show respect, while Huo Yuhao incapacitated the four guards with Soul Shock. Number 96 apologized and held back his anger, but Number 98 remained resentful as they prepared for the competition.

• Chen Ping pressed Number 98 down with overwhelming strength and warned him after Number 98 had challenged his ability to confront the dog's owner.
• Huo Yuhao struck the four guards with Soul Shock as they moved to attack Chen Ping.
• Number 96 stopped the confrontation, apologized for his younger brother, and accepted Chen Ping's rebuke on behalf of their group.
• A staff member summoned the competitors to the waiting area, and Chen Ping and Huo Yuhao left while Number 98 asked about their background.
• Number 96 cautioned Number 98 that the pair might be difficult to provoke, but Number 98 vowed to settle the score.

Chen Ping entered the next round of the soul engineer competition, where he was matched against Gao Dalou. As the four-hour contest began, he observed two other contestants using rare Ranked Carving Knives.

• Chen Ping and Huo Yuhao took their places on the expanded competition stage, where the head referee announced that contestants had four hours to defeat their opponents and advance.
• Chen Ping was matched against Gao Dalou, a Level 5 Soul Engineer who inherited the Ranked Carving Knife Blood Coagulation, and privately considered him talented but held back by his drinking.
• Number 96 and Number 98 began carving metal without using workbench tools, displaying precise technique and unusual skill.
• Chen Ping examined Number 96's jade-like red carving knife and Number 98's larger cyan knife, recognizing them as Ranked Carving Knives alongside his own Living Being Carving Knife.

Chen Ping used the competition to build a Soul-Tool Mechanical Arm Sleeve, assembling numerous specialized components into a single device. After finishing just past the three-hour mark, he tested the sleeve and invited Gao Dalou to submit their work together.

• Chen Ping chose blazing sun iron and used the machining bench to craft flexible mechanical finger joints and an arm section.
• Chen Ping deliberately displayed his Mingdetang-level machining skills, making the referees and contestants wary of his background.
• Chen Ping produced a tableful of assemblies, including propulsion, projectile-launching, close-combat, and cutting components.
• Number 96 finished first with a Level 5 soul tool, while Huo Yuhao and Number 98 completed their Level 5 tools soon after.
• Chen Ping assembled the components into a Soul-Tool Mechanical Arm Sleeve, tested it on his left hand, and asked Gao Dalou to submit their work together.

Chen Ping and Gao Dalou submitted their Level 4 Soul Tools, and the referees sent them into a combat bout to decide the winner. The match began with Gao Dalou firing his Soul Cannon at Chen Ping, who advanced wearing his mechanical arm sleeve.

• The referees praised Gao Dalou's Vibration Cannon and examined Chen Ping's heavy soul-powered mechanical arm sleeve, noting its Core Arrays and concealed mechanisms.
• The head referee called for a bout to decide the winner and explained that the competitors could use only their newly made Soul Tools and Soul Power.
• The referees speculated that Chen Ping's sleeve might use thrusters to propel its fist like an Iron Fist Missile, and they discussed recruiting both contestants.
• Chen Ping and Gao Dalou entered the combat area as spectators gathered to watch the first bout of the day.
• When the referee started the match, Chen Ping put on his sleeve and walked toward Gao Dalou, who fired a bright shot from his Soul Cannon.

Chen Ping used his multifunctional soul-powered arm sleeve to defeat Gao Dalou in the Soul Fighting Arena. The referees declared Chen Ping the winner and marveled at how his assembled Level 4 Soul Tool outperformed many higher-level tools.

• Chen Ping fired three armor-piercing shells from his arm sleeve, detonating Gao Dalou's concussion shell and forcing Gao Dalou to dodge the last shot.
• Chen Ping used the sleeve's flamethrower against Gao Dalou, then cut an incoming concussion shell in half with a heated thermal cutting wire.
• Chen Ping turned the flamethrower into a thruster and charged Gao Dalou, whose attempted escape left him helpless before Chen Ping's heavy punch struck the arena platform.
• The referees praised Chen Ping's versatile Soul Tool, and the head referee announced Chen Ping's victory.
• Chen Ping regretted that he had not needed to use the triple-folding Thermal Mantis Blade hidden in his sleeve.

Chen An convinced the Chief Referee not to investigate Chen Ping and Huo Yuhao, believing them to be disciples of powerful Holy Spirit Cult figures. After returning to the hotel, Chen Ping learned that Wang Dong'er had defeated Nan Qiuqiu and that Nan had joined Shrek Academy to honor their bet.

• Chen An told the Chief Referee that Chen Ping and Huo Yuhao were likely disciples of powerful figures, and the Chief Referee dropped his interest in investigating them.
• Chen An secretly resolved to keep the Chief Referee from contacting Cai Xukun so he could preserve his own chance to rise in status.
• Chen Ping and Huo Yuhao returned to the hotel late, and Chen Ping heard the next day that Shrek's recent matches had been uneventful.
• Wang Dong'er defeated three Earth Dragon Sect opponents before accepting Nan Qiuqiu's bet and knocking her unconscious with the Clear Sky Hammer.
• Nan Qiuqiu told Chen Ping that her mother, Nan Shuishui, had made her honor the bet, so she joined Shrek Academy after the Clear Sky Sect refused to accept her.

Chen Ping arranged for Nan Qiuqiu to become a Shrek researcher so he could study her Rouge Dragon Martial Soul and its annihilation Soul Power. He then sent her to warn Nan Shuishui and the Earth Dragon Sect to leave Mingdu before the Sun Moon Empire began taking hostages.

• Chen Ping inferred that Nan Shuishui had sent Nan Qiuqiu to Shrek because she feared she could not keep her daughter safe.
• Chen Ping offered Nan Qiuqiu a paid researcher position studying her Rouge Dragon Martial Soul, and she agreed.
• Wu Feng teased Chen Ping about his interest in dragon girls, and he explained Nan Qiuqiu's research value and talent.
• Chen Ping asked Nan Qiuqiu to persuade the Earth Dragon Sect and other visiting sects to leave Mingdu soon.
• Chen Ping hoped to prevent the Sun Moon Empire from capturing the visiting sects' young talents, teachers, and elders as hostages.

Chen Ping and Huo Yuhao continued their progress in the competition while Chen Ping pressed Chen An to secure rare metals. Chen Ping then restored Chen An’s vitality and healed his hidden injuries, leaving him awed by the sudden renewal.

• Nan Qiuqiu followed Chen Ping’s orders, and Ning Tian reported that Shrek Academy and the Tang Sect had both remained undefeated and were certain to reach the final eight.
• Huo Yuhao asked Chen Ping whether they should deliberately lose if they faced Number 96 and Number 98, and Chen Ping insisted they had to win for the valuable prizes.
• At the Youthful Hotel, Huo Yuhao told Chen An to place bets on him and Chen Ping, while Chen Ping asked how the rare-metal procurement was going.
• Chen An explained that tight controls and the competition’s demand for rare metals had made buying them difficult, and Chen Ping warned that he had to overcome the obstacles to deserve his rewards.
• Chen Ping placed his hand on Chen An’s head and flooded him with pure life force, rejuvenating him, healing his hidden injuries, and stirring his Soul Power.

Chen Ping and Huo Yuhao arrived at the Golden Hall for the final six, where Number 98 maneuvered to face Chen Ping and tried to bait him into risking his carving knife. Chen Ping accepted the wager with the Spirit Devouring Fierce Blade and demonstrated that he could suppress its Death Curse.

• Chen An escorted Chen Ping and Huo Yuhao to the VIP lounge, determined to serve Chen Ping in hopes of changing his fate.
• Number 98 taunted Chen Ping, while he and Number 96 planned to use a referee to eliminate him if he failed to make a Level 6 Soul Tool.
• The contestants drew their opponents, and Number 98 was matched with Chen Ping.
• Number 98 challenged Chen Ping to wager their ranked carving knives, putting his Darkness Azure Dragon against Chen Ping's Spirit Devouring Fierce Blade.
• Chen Ping claimed he could remove the Spirit Devouring Fierce Blade's Death Curse and drew his fingers along it, causing most of its death aura and curse power to dissipate.

Chen Ping revealed that he could purify the Spirit Devouring Fierce Blade’s death curse, prompting Number 98 to offer increasingly valuable stakes for it. Number 98 then asked Number 96 to lend him a carving knife, while the remaining matchups were drawn and Huo Yuhao was paired against Number 96.

• The VIP guests and referees reacted with surprise when Chen Ping demonstrated that he could remove the Spirit Devouring Fierce Blade’s death curse.
• Number 98 offered a Darkness Azure Dragon and a Heaven-Splitting Cannon for the blade, but Chen Ping rejected the offer and demanded a Level Nine spiritual defensive Soul Tool as well.
• After Number 98 failed to meet Chen Ping’s terms, Huo Yuhao imitated his earlier wager and briefly raised the stakes with a standard carving knife.
• Number 98, humiliated and eager to obtain the blade, asked Number 96 to lend him his carving knife.
• The remaining matchups were drawn, pairing Huo Yuhao against Number 96 and leaving the other two contestants to face each other.

Chen Ping accepted Number 98’s wager of the Darkness Azure Dragon and Flame Wizard against his Spirit Devouring Fierce Blade, and the referees confirmed the stakes. As the ten-hour competition began, Chen Ping revealed that he had baited Number 98 into the bet, while Number 98 remained confident that his Level 6 skill would beat Chen Ping’s supposed Level 5 ability.

• Number 96 added a Ranked Carving Knife to Number 98’s wager, and Number 98 challenged Chen Ping to accept the increased stakes.
• Number 98 described the Darkness Azure Dragon and Flame Wizard and offered both against Chen Ping’s Living Being Carving Knife.
• Chen Ping accepted, and the referees identified his knife as the Spirit Devouring Fierce Blade and confirmed its value matched or exceeded the two opposing knives combined.
• The referees established the wager, and A Jin reopened betting for the competition.
• Chen Ping privately revealed that he had deliberately baited Number 98 into the wager, then took his workbench as Number 98 settled in, confident Chen Ping could not make a Level 6 soul tool.

Chen Ping began the ten-hour top-six Soul Engineer competition, aiming to make the most of the rare-metal prizes and prepare for Number 98. As the contestants worked through the night, finished Soul Tools were inspected and set aside for the upcoming combat round.

• The emcee announced that the winner would receive five kilograms each of fifty-four rare metals, including Jini Titanium Magnesium.
• The Chief Referee started the competition, and the soundproof barrier rose as all six Soul Engineers began making Soul Tools.
• Chen Ping considered how to use the available materials, then moved them all to his table and began cutting components for casings.
• Number 98 was startled when Chen Ping piled the rare metals on his table, preventing him from spying on Chen Ping's work.
• The contestants worked through the night while staff quietly delivered refreshments and gamblers rested in the golden hall.
• Soul Engineers signaled referees to inspect each completed Soul Tool before storing it for the upcoming combat round.

Chen Ping assembled fifteen Level 4 soul tools by installing charged milk bottles into his unfinished mechanical contraptions, while Number 98 produced Level 6 soul tools. Number 98 invoked the competition rules to argue that Chen Ping should be disqualified from the next stage because their soul tool levels differed too greatly.

• Chen Ping used nearly all the rare metal at his workbench to prepare components while Number 98 completed three Level 6 soul tools.
• Chen Ping spent two hours rapidly making more than a dozen Level 4 Milk Bottles, leaving spectators and gamblers unsure of his strategy.
• Chen Ping charged the milk bottles, then assembled his prepared components into mechanical soul tools and installed the bottles just before time ran out.
• The referees inspected Chen Ping's contraptions and confirmed that they could fire Soul Guidance Rays, counting his milk bottles and other devices as fifteen Level 4 soul tools.
• Number 98 told the referees that his Level 6 tools gave him such a large rank advantage that Chen Ping should be declared defeated before the next stage.

Chen Ping revealed that his Milk Bottle was a Level 6 Soul Tool, securing his place in the Top Six match against Number 98 and foiling the referees' attempt to eliminate him. As the competitors prepared to wager their Ranked Carving Knives, the Cult's elders recognized Chen Ping's connection to Mingdetang and discussed recruiting or exploiting him.

• Chen Ping showed the referees his Level 6 Milk Bottle, proving that Rule Number 98 had invoked did not disqualify him.
• The Chief Referee confirmed that Number 88 would face Number 98 in the Top Six match, and none of the six competitors withdrew.
• The Chief Referee ordered Chen Ping, Number 96, and Number 98 to hand over their Ranked Carving Knives as wager stakes, ignoring Number 98's signals.
• Third Elder identified Chen Ping as a likely Mingdetang trainee and speculated that his Milk Bottle was the Sealed Milk Bottle Jing Hongchen had withheld from the Cult.
• Third Elder said he hoped Chen Ping would defeat his arrogant disciple Mo Ke, while the Vice Cult Leader and Second Elder discussed the tournament's earnings and plans to control rare-metal mines.

Huo Yuhao faced Number 96 in the combat round and used Nine Luminaries to reflect Huang Zheng’s attacks, demonstrating how effectively his Spiritual Detection controlled the soul tool. Huang Zheng switched to a Rift-Surging Wave ray, whose irregular cutting force could counter Nine Luminaries, leaving their fight unresolved.

• Mo Ke studied Chen Ping’s previous performance and grew confident that his Level 6 Soul Tools could give him a chance to win their wagered battle.
• Number 85 defeated Number 37 by breaking his defensive barrier with a point-blank cannon blast and kicking him out of the fight.
• Huo Yuhao began his match against Number 96 and summoned nine silver metal balls that formed the Nine Luminaries Rebound Ray.
• Huo Yuhao used Spiritual Detection to control Nine Luminaries and reflect Huang Zheng’s decomposition rays back at him.
• Huang Zheng abandoned ray-type attacks and fired a Rift-Surging Wave at Huo Yuhao, using its irregular cutting force against the reflective soul tool.

Huo Yuhao knocked Huang Zheng unconscious with the mental effects of Eye-Popping Lightning and kicked him out of the arena. Chen Ping and Mo Ke began their Soul Fighting match, where Chen Ping intercepted Mo Ke’s Corrosion Decomposition Cannon with a dark light.

• Huo Yuhao struck Huang Zheng with Eye-Popping Lightning, overwhelming his mental defenses and knocking him unconscious.
• Huo Yuhao kicked Huang Zheng out of the Soul Fighting Arena while he was unconscious.
• Mo Ke regained confidence in his Invincible Shields and entered the arena to face Chen Ping.
• Chen Ping and Mo Ke began their match as the protective Soul Tool Shield enclosed the platform.
• Mo Ke fired his Corrosion Decomposition Cannon, and Chen Ping intercepted its dark green beam with a dark light.

Chen Ping revealed that his Forged Iron Hand could withstand Mo Ke’s corrosive rays, then used a Hexagram formation to summon soulfires into the unfinished mechanical creatures he had built. The animated soul tool dogs and spiders attacked Mo Ke, who fought back with his scythe as the spectators watched in alarm.

• Chen Ping blocked Mo Ke’s corrosive rays with his mastered Forged Iron Hand, reinforced with blood qi.
• Chen Ping used a silver-gray Hexagram formation to summon soulfires from the Undead Demiplane into prepared mechanical bodies.
• The mechanical dogs and spiders assembled themselves from scattered parts, shocking Mo Ke and the spectators.
• Chen Ping’s mechanical dogs fired volleys of level 4 lasers, forcing Mo Ke to dodge.
• Mo Ke cut down several mechanical spiders with his soul tool scythe, but the remaining spiders charged and stabbed at him with their Piercing Soul Tool Spears.

Chen Ping’s undead Soul Tools overwhelmed Mo Ke, while the elders recognized them as a powerful new creation. When Mo Ke charged Chen Ping, Chen Ping revealed his Frenzy Dragon Treasure Staff and demonstrated its chained, segmented form.

• Chen Ping’s Soul Tool dogs and spiders reassembled after being shattered, prompting the elders to realize that their Sealed Milk Bottles powered them and to marvel at the undead machines.
• Mo Ke used his first Invincible Shield to withstand the Soul Tools’ attacks, then fired a corrosion ray and charged Chen Ping after the shield broke.
• Chen Ping summoned the Frenzy Dragon Treasure Staff, the third branch of his Martial Soul, which had awakened after he absorbed the Hundred Thousand Year Hell Frenzy Dragon Skull.
• Mo Ke’s scythe struck Chen Ping’s staff, but his attempt to hook and pull Chen Ping off balance instead left Mo Ke staggering.
• Chen Ping activated his first and second Soul Rings, and his Frenzy Dragon Treasure Staff split into three sections joined by dark-red bone chains.

Chen Ping defeated Mo Ke in the Xishui Alliance competition and claimed the promised prizes. Alliance Leader Nangong Wan announced the division’s top three contestants and confirmed they would advance to the Grand Finals.

• Chen Ping used his transforming Frenzy Dragon Treasure Staff and red lightning to overpower Mo Ke, who surrendered as his Invincible Shield broke.
• Chen Ping deactivated his soul tools and demanded his winnings; the Nether Thunder Douluo checked that Mo Ke was unharmed.
• Sky Centipede Douluo, addressed as Second Elder, ordered the referees to give Chen Ping the Flame Wizard and Darkness Azure Dragon and return his Blade of Life.
• Mo Ke protested the loss of his Darkness Azure Dragon, but Chen Ping’s mechanical dogs kept him back, and the Nether Thunder Douluo slapped him and took him away.
• Nangong Wan introduced himself as the Xishui Alliance Leader and ordered the results announced; contestants Number 66, Number 88, and Number 85 advanced to the Grand Finals.

After Chen Ping and Huo Yuhao left the tournament, the Holy Spirit Cult suspected Chen Ping might be the Holy Son because of his unusual sacred power. They lost track of the pair, though their route suggested they were heading to the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy.

• Nangong Wan offered Chen Ping a generous gift if he won the overall championship, but Chen Ping asked for a tonne of Jini Titanium Magnesium alloy and then left with Huo Yuhao.
• Chen Ping gave Huo Yuhao a choice between the Flame Wizard and the Darkness Azure Dragon, and Huo Yuhao chose the Darkness Azure Dragon.
• A shadow followed Chen Ping and Huo Yuhao until they vanished in an alley near the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy.
• The Nether Thunder Douluo's disciples, Huang Zheng and Mo Ke, returned to Feng Ling and Nangong Wan dejected after losing the regional final and their Ranked Carving Knives.
• Feng Ling said Chen Ping's unusual sacred power might identify him as the Holy Son, and Nangong Wan explained why he suspected the pair belonged to the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy.
• Nangong Wan learned that his follower had lost Chen Ping and Huo Yuhao, though their route pointed toward the academy.