Chapter Summaries

Chen Ping received a gigantic Level 9 Invincible Shield from Ju Zi as his tournament reward, while recognizing Xu Tianran’s gift as both a political gesture and a valuable defense against god-level attacks. The award ceremony ended with Chen Ping holding the shield in his Starlight Sapphire Ring, and Xu Tianran displeased at the sight of it.

• Chen Ping and Ju Zi met with concealed hostility while maintaining polite expressions.
• Ju Zi presented Chen Ping with a golden, bowling-ball-sized Soul Tool as his tournament reward.
• Ju Zi explained that the Level 9 Invincible Shield could withstand a Level 100 Godhood Expert’s attacks for three seconds, shocking He Caitou, Huo Yuhao, and the spectators.
• Chen Ping realized Xu Tianran was using the reward to publicly distance the Sun Moon Empire from Evil Soul Masters and present himself as a righteous ruler.
• Chen Ping accepted the shield and stored it in his Starlight Sapphire Ring, souring Xu Tianran’s expression.

After Chen Ping rested from his exhausting semifinal, Xu Jiujiu, Vina, and Zhang Lexuan met secretly to discuss the threat posed by the Sun Moon Empire. Xu Tianran prepared a trap for the tournament’s strongest factions, leaving his enemies under close watch as the celebration approached.

• Xu Tianran announced a champions’ float parade to keep Shrek and the Tang Sect in Mingdu, while Chen Ping rested at the hotel.
• Xu Jiujiu, Vina, and Zhang Lexuan met in a small restaurant and discussed Chen Ping’s victory and the Sun Moon Imperial Palace’s defenses.
• Xu Tianran learned that his forces had completed preparations in every direction and ordered them to watch Shrek, the Tang Sect, the Body Sect, the Heavenly Dragon Sect, and the Star Luo Empire.
• Xu Tianran revealed that he intended to spring a surprise on the gathered young talents before focusing on condensing a soul core and reaching the Titled Douluo realm.

The Xishui Alliance prepared for the Mingdu Soul Engineer Elite Competition final, where Chen Ping and Huo Yuhao arrived disguised to compete for the alliance. After Chen An explained the complicated rules, the contestants prepared to craft their Soul Tools and face the tournament’s elimination rounds.

• The Mingdu Soul Engineer Elite Competition final drew gamblers with lavish prizes, including a Level 9 Soul Tool and rare metals for the champion.
• Nether Thunder Douluo threatened Chen An over Cai Xukun and Xie Guangkun’s absence, while Nangong Wan told him to wait for the contestants.
• Chen Ping and Huo Yuhao arrived at the locked-down Youthful Hotel in disguises, and Chen An confirmed their arrangements were ready.
• Nangong Wan welcomed Chen Ping and Huo Yuhao, and Chen Ping warned that his elders had told him to avoid underground forces.
• Chen An explained that nine contestants would each craft one Soul Tool in six hours before skill tests and combat rounds determined the champion.

Nangong Wan offered a Level 9 Fixed Soul Guidance Shell and 500 kilograms of jini titanium magnesium alloy to whoever won the championship, trying to draw Chen Ping closer to the underground organizations. The group then set out from the Youthful Hotel for the western outskirts.

• Nangong Wan showed the contestants the Level 9 Fixed Soul Guidance Shell called Destruction Storm as the championship reward.
• Chen Ping and Huo Yuhao stayed composed at the sight of the shell, and Chen Ping criticized the Regent's supposedly Level 9 Invincible Shield prize.
• Nangong Wan gave Chen Ping a piece of jini titanium magnesium alloy and promised him 500 kilograms if he won the championship.
• Nangong Wan privately urged Chen Ping to show his true power and join others who shared it.
• Nangong Wan and Nether Thunder Douluo led the party from the Youthful Hotel toward the western outskirts in horse-drawn carriages.

Chen Ping overheard Nether Thunder Douluo and Nangong Wan discussing Shrek’s Soul Tool Armor, their suspicions about Mingdetang, and the Holy Spirit Cult’s plans to provoke war and gather souls for the Death God Tower. The chapter ended with Chen Ping realizing the cult was preparing to slaughter people now that the Mingdu explosion would not happen in this timeline.

• Nether Thunder Douluo and Nangong Wan discussed the possibility that Chen Ping and his brother were disciples of a powerful Mingdetang soul engineer, while Nether Thunder Douluo complained about Jing Hongchen.
• Nether Thunder Douluo promised to take Chen Ping as his disciple and return Mo Ke and another disciple’s Carving Knives, while Nangong Wan explained that Mingdetang had many more valuable knives.
• Nangong Wan showed Nether Thunder Douluo drawings of Shrek’s Soul Tool Armor, and the two discussed its potential for armies and its possible connection to the Body Sect.
• Nangong Wan said the Holy Spirit Cult wanted to push Xu Tianran into a localized war so the cult could collect cultivation materials and charge the Death God Tower.
• Nether Thunder Douluo proposed using the tournament’s Level 9 Fixed Soul Guidance Shell to destroy a major Sun Moon Empire city and gather millions of vengeful spirits.
• Chen Ping used Huo Yuhao’s Spiritual Detection to overhear the conversation and realized the Holy Spirit Cult was seeking new targets for mass slaughter because the Mingdu explosion would never occur.

Chen Ping realized the Holy Spirit Cult’s shortage of resources could make its alliance with Xu Tianran unstable, then arrived with Huo Yuhao and He Caitou at the underground forces’ tournament outside Mingdu. As the competition began, he learned that the Holy Spirit Cult planned to bring several Titled Douluo, while rumors of Xu Tianran mobilizing more than six Soul Engineer Corps set the stage for a busy night.

• Chen Ping considered how the missing explosion in Mingdu had left the Holy Spirit Cult hungry for resources and more likely to act recklessly.
• Chen Ping focused on arrangements linked to Zhang Lexuan, Vina, and Xu Jiujiu’s plan to target the Sun Moon Imperial Palace and seize an arsenal.
• Chen Ping, Huo Yuhao, and He Caitou arrived at the western-suburb venue, where Chen An explained the three underground forces’ arrangements and the guest spectators.
• Nangong Wan told Nether Thunder Douluo that the Holy Spirit Cult’s Vice Cult Master and several elders would attend, reassuring him that their strength would outweigh the judges’ imbalance.
• Chen Ping realized the Holy Spirit Cult’s leaders would leave Xu Tianran with fewer supporters at the palace, while rumors spread that Xu Tianran was mobilizing more than six Soul Engineer Corps around Mingdu.

As rumors of a purge stirred Mingdu, the underground soul engineer tournament began, with Chen Ping competing for the Ordinary Alliance. He and Huo Yuhao focused on the Sun Moon Divine Needle’s technology, while Chen Ping also took an interest in recruiting Ye Guyi.

• The princesses spread rumors that Xu Tianran’s troops would enter Mingdu and purge the city, stirring doubts among his political enemies.
• Nangong Wan urged Chen Ping to kill rival contestants if necessary and promised him more rare metals, including up to a hundred kilograms of titanium-magnesium alloy.
• The tournament displayed rare metals and awarded Ye Yulin’s Sun Moon Divine Needle as its grand prize, prompting Huo Yuhao to use Constrict Spiritual Detection to study its sun moon radiance-absorbing module.
• The nine contestants took the stage, and Chen Ping identified Ye Guyi among the Ordinary Alliance’s team and considered recruiting her.
• Ye Yulin ordered the contestants into position, privately regarding the tournament as a waste of time but accepting Xu Tianran’s invitation for its generous compensation.

Chen Ping began the six-hour soul-tool competition by planning to build a Soul Guidance Electromagnetic Cannon powered by his own electricity. He started shaping its rails from an extravagant amount of heavenly dragon silver ingot while the referees watched in disbelief.

• Ye Yulin announced the six-hour crafting period, banned prepared components, and warned that a skills assessment would follow immediately.
• Chen Ping checked the directions of force and magnetic fields with hand gestures as he prepared to make an electromagnetic cannon.
• Chen Ping reasoned that his Frenzy Dragon Treasure Staff could supply the electricity needed to make the cannon compact and suitable for long-range attacks.
• Chen Ping selected ten kilograms of heavenly dragon silver ingot for the cannon's rails, shocking Ye Yulin and the other referees.

Chen Ping split his attention between crafting a Soul Guidance Electromagnetic Cannon and controlling a Skeleton Soldier as he gathered his trusted companions for an operation near the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy. After Wang Dong'er and Xiao Xiao completed a rare-metal purchase, a tremendous explosion shook the Imperial Palace while Xu Tianran and Ju Zi discussed rising threats.

• Chen Ping used the Heart Separation Control Method to control a Skeleton Soldier in the half-plane while working on a Soul Guidance Electromagnetic Cannon at the Black Market Competition.
• Chen Ping, Wu Feng, Ning Tian, Ji Juechen, Jing Ziyan, and He Caitou assembled near the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy for their undertaking.
• Wang Dong'er used the Nine-Turn Soul Transformation Device to intimidate a dealer, while Xiao Xiao inspected the rare metals they had purchased.
• Wang Dong'er and Xiao Xiao reported the completed transaction to Chen Ping, who nodded and said they could let loose.
• Xu Tianran complained to Ju Zi about rumors and his restless younger brothers as Ju Zi described the Imperial Palace's defenses and gathered experts.
• A tremendous explosion sounded from the far side of the Imperial Palace before Ju Zi could finish speaking.

Prince Yan, Prince Qin, and Prince Jin debated whether Xu Tianran was preparing to destroy them, while Shrek and its allies planned to enter the Imperial Palace. The group revealed that Wang Xian'er had been summoned to save the old emperor, Xu Shiliu.

• Prince Yan warned Prince Qin and Prince Jin that Xu Tianran might use his Soul Engineer Corps to kill them and their father, and urged them to wait before mobilizing troops.
• Prince Qin said he would stay out of the plot if Xu Tianran was only targeting Shrek and the other kingdoms, while Prince Yan suspected Xu Tianran had already learned of their meeting.
• Zhang Lexuan explained how Yuhao's Spiritual Detection and a Mirage Dragon Shell would help the group disguise themselves as Imperial Household Bureau personnel and approach the emperor's bedchamber.
• Wang Xian'er asked whether she had been summoned to provide medical support, and Xu Jiujiu told her the person she needed to save was the old emperor, Xu Shiliu.

Wang Xian'er learned that Chen Ping had devised a plan to use her healing of Emperor Xu Shiliu to shift power away from Crown Prince Xu Tianran. As an explosion struck the emperor’s bedchamber, Xu Tianran realized the attack was not aimed at him and ordered his guards to rescue Xu Shiliu.

• Princess Vina and Zhang Lexuan explained that Chen Ping had supplied intelligence about the Sun Moon Imperial Palace and helped plan the infiltration.
• Xu Jiujiu described how saving Xu Shiliu would draw the other princes into the struggle and leave Xu Tianran constrained by a balance of rival powers.
• Wang Xian'er was astonished by Chen Ping’s schemes and showed interest in learning more about him, while Jin Peng urged her to focus on the mission.
• An explosion interrupted Ju Zi as she reported that palace defenses were in place, and Xu Tianran first assumed the attack targeted him.
• Ju Zi identified Xu Shiliu’s bedchamber as the site of the explosion, and Xu Tianran ordered his guards to rescue the emperor.

Xu Tianran realized Shrek and the Three Great Empires had come to treat Xu Shiliu, threatening his plans, while Long Xiaoyao confronted their forces above Mingdu’s Imperial Palace. As Long Xiaoyao fought Du Busi and Xuan Zi, Chen Ping and his group prepared to begin their own operation.

• Xu Tianran ordered Ju Zi to act after realizing the visitors planned to treat Xu Shiliu, not kill him.
• Long Xiaoyao confronted Du Busi above the Imperial Palace, and they argued over loyalty to the Heaven Dou Empire.
• Xuan Zi joined Du Busi, and more than twenty powerful fighters from Shrek and the Body Sect gathered against Long Xiaoyao’s side.
• Long Xiaoyao attacked Du Busi and Xuan Zi, but Du Busi’s awakened martial soul helped them hold their ground.
• Chen Ping watched the battle from a dark street and signaled his group to begin.

Chen Ping and his companions infiltrated the Sun Moon Empire’s arsenal while its strongest defenders were drawn away to the battle near the Imperial Palace. They killed two guards and reached a vast underground vault filled with rare metals, leaving them poised to seize its strategic reserves.

• Chen Ping, Ning Tian, and their companions approached the courtyard where Li Chong guarded the entrance as a distant battle raged overhead.
• Eight defenders left to investigate the disturbance at the Imperial Palace, and the group slipped into Li Chong’s room while he checked outside.
• Chen Ping and the others used a duplicated key and Huo Yuhao’s recorded layout to bypass the arsenal’s defenses and descend underground.
• Ji Juechen killed the two Level 6 Soul Engineers guarding the lift when its doors opened.
• The group opened the vault and found more than ten thousand tonnes of rare metals stored inside.

Chen Ping and his companions looted more than ten thousand tons of rare metal from the Sun Moon Empire treasury’s first level and broke into the second. They killed the lone Soul Saint guarding it, leaving the group ready to continue deeper into the arsenal.

• Chen Ping left Jing Ziyan and Ning Tian to remove the first level’s rare metal while he and the others moved on.
• Jing Ziyan and Ning Tian used their storage tools and the Gate of the Undead to transfer the rare metal into the Undead Demiplane.
• Chen Ping used the Blade of Life’s Watch to deteriorate and cut through the treasury’s thick metal door.
• After Jing Ziyan and Ning Tian emptied the first level, the door collapsed and a Soul Saint attacked Chen Ping’s Purple Level skeleton with an Aging Ray.
• Ning Tian enhanced Ji Juechen and Wu Feng, who killed the Soul Saint with a simultaneous attack.

Chen Ping and Ji Juechen looted the vast third level of Mingdetang’s warehouse, taking enough Soul Tools to equip four elite Soul Engineer Corps. In the Undead Demiplane, Electrolux resumed experimenting on the captured Wang Xiaolei.

• Chen Ping collected the rare metals on the second level and opened the door to the third.
• Chen Ping discovered a huge stockpile of Soul Cannons, Soul Guidance weapons, ammunition, and Sealed Milk Bottles, enough to equip four elite Soul Engineer Corps.
• Chen Ping calculated that the warehouse’s weapons could overwhelm the armies of the Three Kingdoms and threaten even powerful Soul Masters.
• Ji Juechen used his Storage Soul Tools to collect crates of ammunition, while Chen Ping relied on Ning Tian’s and Jing Ziyan’s top-grade storage tools for items he could not carry.
• Wang Xiaolei watched the stolen supplies appear in the Undead Demiplane, and Electrolux placed his skull on experimental equipment and ordered him to continue from Martial Soul Awakening.

Long Xiaoyao held back while Du Busi and Xuan Zi occupied him, as the four allied forces launched an assault on the Sun Moon Empire's Imperial Palace. Zhang Lexuan's strike team reached Xu Shiliu's chambers and began battling his guards, leaving the emperor's fate unresolved.

• Long Xiaoyao restrained his strength against Du Busi and Xuan Zi while the battle elsewhere reached a fever pitch.
• Shrek Academy, the Body Sect, Heaven Dou, and the Star Luo Empire launched their coordinated assault, and Zhang Lexuan led a masked team toward Xu Shiliu's imperial study.
• Long Ao Tian charged the guards outside Xu Shiliu's chambers and fought the imperial expert who had detected the intruders.
• Long Ao Tian launched Zhang Lexuan into the air, where she used her hundred-thousand-year Soul Ring to unleash Blood Moon Erosion on the guards.

Wang Xian'er and Xu Jiujiu broke into Xu Shiliu's bedchamber, where Wang began healing the dying emperor. Xu Tianran attacked them in dragon form, intending to kill Xu Shiliu and Xu Jiujiu and blame the assassination on the Star Luo Empire.

• Wang Xian'er used Blood Moon Erosion to clear the guards at Xu Shiliu's bedchamber, and Xu Jiujiu threw out the two Imperial Physicians.
• Wang Xian'er used her Healing Angel Martial Soul to restore Xu Shiliu's vitality and drive black vapor from his body.
• Xu Tianran, transformed into the Purple Brilliant Heaven Destroying Dragon, rammed Wang Xian'er's Martial Soul Avatar and sent her flying.
• Xu Tianran accused Xu Jiujiu of attempting to assassinate Xu Shiliu, though the emperor had begun recovering.
• Xu Tianran swung his tail toward the bedchamber, and Long Ao Tian, Zhang Lexuan, and the remaining Imperial Guards attacked to stop him.

Xu Tianran’s attempt to crush the intruders destroyed the imperial Bedchamber and exposed the power struggle within the imperial family. As the Shrek and allied forces escaped, Xu Shiliu confronted his son, who remained confident in his control of the court and its armies.

• Xu Tianran used his dragon tail to smash the Bedchamber, but the attack also struck Xu Jiujiu and left the recovering Xu Shiliu badly injured.
• Xu Tianran ordered the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Corps to surround the intruders, but his three younger brothers revealed that they had already surrounded the corps with four others.
• Xu Shiliu mocked Xu Tianran over the destruction of the Bedchamber before coughing up black blood and collapsing out of his Martial Soul Avatar.
• Jin Peng Douluo and Elder Song broke away from Zhongli Wu, and the Titled Douluos, Xuan Zi, Du Busi, and Shrek’s fighters retreated from Mingdu.
• Xu Tianran ordered Ju Zi and Zhongli Wu to drive the fleeing forces west while placing the remaining Soul Engineer Corps under martial law in the other directions.
• Xu Shiliu recognized how much power Xu Tianran had amassed, while Xu Tianran resolved to retain the throne without earning the stigma of taking it illegitimately.

Du Busi and Xuan Zi led their forces out of Mingdu after Chen Ping’s plan helped them escape and weakened Xu Tianran’s political position. Xu Shiliu reclaimed some authority from his Crown Prince, while Ye Yulin remained unaware of the palace conflict and focused on Chen Ping.

• Du Busi and Xuan Zi agreed to split their forces and reunite outside the city after escaping the Imperial Palace.
• Elder Song explained that Xu Shiliu’s recovery and the rival princes’ renewed influence would hamper Xu Tianran and slow the Sun Moon Empire’s war plans.
• Ye Yulin assumed the quiet skies over Mingdu meant the Imperial Palace had defeated the intruders.
• Xu Shiliu recognized Xu Tianran as his enemy but agreed to let him continue governing as regent while granting his three younger sons military authority.
• Xu Tianran accepted Xu Shiliu’s demand with a forced smile, while Ye Yulin kept his attention on Chen Ping making a Soul Tool.

As Chen Ping worked on his unfamiliar soul cannon during the competition, the Holy Spirit Cult members remained confident in their plan while he secretly plundered a Sun Moon Empire arsenal. His extraordinary work impressed the referees, and Ye Yulin resolved to recruit him after the competition.

• Ye Yulin gave up trying to understand Chen Ping's work and watched Xie Guangkun instead, while Feng Ling and Nangong Wan regarded the Holy Spirit Cult's plans as certain to succeed.
• Chen Ping secretly had the undead strip the Sun Moon Empire's warehouse of rare metals, soul cannons, Sealed Milk Bottles, and other equipment.
• Chen Ping grew excited over his haul as he continued making the soul tool, and the referees mistook his enthusiasm for entering a state of flow.
• Ye Yulin admitted that he could not understand Chen Ping's soul cannon and decided to recruit him, while the other referees asked to observe a discussion about the new technology.
• Ye Yulin agreed to let the other referees listen but warned them not to compete with him for Chen Ping.