Chapter Summaries

Du Tan’s Healing Spirit Mushroom showed major improvement after training at the Starfire Foster Shop, prompting his classmates to plan visits there. Meanwhile, the Beast Tamer Association partnered with the shop to board eligible ownerless Contract Beasts, and Zhang Tu decided to board his Marshal Rank Contract Beast after seeing the facilities and meal standards.

• Du Tan’s Healing Spirit Mushroom used three healing skills at once, raising its measured healing output by fifty percent, though it tried to spar with the healed target afterward.
• Du Tan told Zhao Hao and his classmates that Boss Xu’s training at the Starfire Foster Shop had helped his Contract Beast, and they agreed to visit the shop together.
• Zhou Rong and Xu Zhou brought Association-sponsored ownerless Contract Beasts to the Starfire Foster Shop and announced the Association’s boarding partnership with Xu Ran.
• Zhang Tu inspected the shop’s expanded Boarding Area and the meal list for a Marshal Rank Contract Beast, then decided to board his Contract Beast there.

Starfire Foster Shop’s boarding and sparring services drew a surge of customers after Du Tan praised Xu Ran’s training, and Xu Ran quickly helped Zhao Hao’s nearsighted Dizzy Egg learn Psychic Perception so it could use Dizzying Gaze. The shop’s recognition in Demonwood City passed fifty percent, earning Xu Ran three System Clerks, while he decided to remain in the city until the Battle of Ten Thousand Races began.

• Zhang Tu boarded his four Contract Beasts after grooming them, and Starfire Foster Shop’s boarding service attracted many more customers, pushing its resident count into double digits.
• Du Tan told customers how Xu Ran had trained his Healing Spirit Mushroom, prompting Du Tan’s classmates and other visitors to seek sparring sessions.
• Zhao Hao asked Xu Ran to address Dizzy Egg’s congenital poor eyesight, which limited the range of its Dizzying Gaze.
• Xu Ran covered Dizzy Egg’s eyes and taught it Psychic Perception, allowing it to sense targets and use Dizzying Gaze without relying on sight.
• The successful training caused sparring customers to flood the shop, and Xu Ran summoned three System Clerks after Demonwood City recognition exceeded fifty percent.
• Xu Ran saw that the next quest stage required a branch in another Second-Tier Stronghold, but chose to stay in Demonwood City while awaiting the Battle of Ten Thousand Races and Purple Cloud’s evolution materials.

Xu Ran left the Starfire Foster Shop in the hands of its new clerks and set out with his beasts after the Ground Raccoon Clan Leader invited him to a celebration for newborn creatures. On the way, the clan leader revealed that the Sky-Piercing Blackwood’s relentless growth had cost it much of its awareness, and recalled its cryptic words: “Seek life through death... order...”

• The System Shop Manager and two clerks opened the Starfire Foster Shop, reassured customers who missed Xu Ran, and began offering expanded services.
• Xu Ran met the Ground Raccoon Clan Leader at Demonwood City’s gate and accepted an invitation to a celebration for newborn members of nearby clans.
• Xu Ran returned to the shop for grooming supplies, then rejoined the clan leader and traveled with Starlight, Purple Cloud, and Can Can toward the celebration.
• Can Can carried the group through the domain as Xu Ran and the others saw the enormous Sky-Piercing Blackwood, which continued to expand despite losing its ability to respond to creatures and produce Blackwood Dew.
• The Ground Raccoon Clan Leader explained that the Sky-Piercing Blackwood had refused pleas to stop growing, and recalled its thought: “Seek life through death... order...”

Xu Ran and his contract beasts entered the core region beneath Sky-Piercing Blackwood’s canopy, where they met earth-element creatures on their way to the celebration. As the celebration venue came into view, Xu Ran continued to wonder about Sky-Piercing Blackwood’s strange condition and its pursuit of “life through death.”

• Xu Ran speculated that Sky-Piercing Blackwood might have faced trouble and wondered what “order” meant, then learned the celebration venue was nearby.
• Xu Ran noticed Sky-Piercing Blackwood’s unnaturally symmetrical branches and identical leaves as the group entered the canopy shade layer, where Can Can, Starlight, and the Ground Raccoon Clan Leader felt the rich earth energy and Purple Cloud found the environment oppressive.
• Earth-element creatures, including Earth Rock Mice, Ground-Covering Rock Snakes, Sand Dragon Centipedes, Earth Linglong, and a Withered Wood Elder, greeted the group and welcomed them toward the celebration.
• Purple Cloud cuddled and batted an Earth Linglong while Starlight spoke with a Withered Wood Elder using Wood-Grain Whisper.
• A Sand Dragon Centipede carried Xu Ran and the others through the canopy shade layer, and they reached a gathering around an earthen platform as the celebration was about to begin.

Xu Ran attended the clans’ celebration in Demonwood Domain and began grooming their newborn members, impressing the gathered supernatural creatures with his treatment of an Earth Linglong. The Earth Exquisite Clan leader and other clan leaders began considering whether Xu Ran could also help their clans, awaiting the demonstrations of their own newborns.

• Xu Ran inspected the earthen platform, then met the curious wild supernatural creatures with the Three Little Ones while waiting for the celebration to begin.
• The Ground Raccoon Clan Leader gathered the creatures, introduced Xu Ran, and announced the start of the celebration alongside the Withered Wood Elder clan leader.
• An Earth Linglong made its first public appearance and demonstrated its abilities before the crowd.
• Xu Ran bathed and groomed the Earth Linglong, visibly improving its clarity, color, and liveliness.
• The Earth Exquisite Clan leader and other clan leaders considered seeking Xu Ran’s help, but waited to see how he groomed their own newborn members.

Xu Ran groomed the Earth Linglong and seven Little Rock Monsters at the Demonwood Domain celebration, earning the clans’ trust and a flood of requests for grooming. Before leaving, he visited a well used to contact Beast Emperor Sky-Piercing Blackwood, where Can Can tried to summon it with a thunderous shout.

• The Withered Wood Elders presented seven Little Rock Monsters, and Xu Ran groomed them, clearing grime from their movable joints and easing their discomfort.
• The gathered creatures were impressed by Xu Ran’s grooming, and leaders from more than a dozen species arranged appointments at the Starfire Foster Shop.
• After the celebration ended, Xu Ran asked the Ground Raccoon Clan Leader to show him how to call Sky-Piercing Blackwood, and it led him and the Three Little Ones to a vine-made well.
• Can Can grew to more than a thousand meters tall and shouted into the well, calling for the Beast Emperor to wake up.

Xu Ran and Can Can awakened the Beast Emperor, Sky-Piercing Blackwood, in the Beast Emperor's Well. The Beast Emperor could not reveal where to find the Extinction Thunder Guide, but told Xu Ran that military might was the key to transforming Beast Domain No. 97.

• Can Can's call stirred the Beast Emperor's Well, drawing Wild Supernatural Creatures and the Monarch Rank Blue Eagle to the clearing, but the ripples faded before the Beast Emperor answered.
• At Xu Ran's urging, Can Can tried again with Starlight's Dusk Night Emblem and reached Monarch Rank, making the well churn until the Beast Emperor responded.
• Xu Ran asked where to find the Extinction Thunder Guide, but after a long pause the Beast Emperor answered that it did not know.
• Xu Ran asked whether he could make Beast Domain No. 97 like the Demonwood Domain, and the Beast Emperor replied that he needed military might sufficient to suppress everything.
• Xu Ran reasoned that he could establish his desired rules by defeating the Beast Emperors in Beast Domain No. 97.

Xu Ran learned from Blue Eagle that the Extinction Thunder Guide was hidden in a valley outside Demonwood Domain, where two lightning element Beast Kings were waiting for it to emerge. After locating the valley near Minghui City, Xu Ran decided to focus on the Battle of Ten Thousand Races first and visit Minghui City afterward while waiting for a chance to compete for the resource.

• Blue Eagle asked Xu Ran to yield its chance to speak with the Beast Emperor, then offered to take him to the Extinction Thunder Guide as thanks.
• Blue Eagle told Xu Ran that two lightning element Beast Kings had agreed to wait together for the Extinction Thunder Guide after it interrupted their fight a year earlier.
• Blue Eagle flew Xu Ran and the Three Little Ones to a vantage point where they saw a lightning-filled valley and confirmed the Extinction Thunder Guide had not yet emerged.
• Starlight spotted a nearby human stronghold, and Blue Eagle identified it as Minghui City.
• Xu Ran memorized the valley's location and decided to return for the Battle of Ten Thousand Races before opening a boarding shop in Minghui City and pursuing the Extinction Thunder Guide.

Xu Ran explored Demonwood Market’s Contract Zone with Li Tutu, then left the shop’s System Clerks in charge while preparing for the Battle of Ten Thousand Races. He and the Three Little Ones chose Leaf Arena Three for the Extreme Origin Vein Crystal and planned to allocate resources after Xu Ran returned from borrowing luck, having drawn two red items.

• Xu Ran thanked the Azure Eagle Beast King for bringing him and the Three Little Ones to Demonwood City, then agreed to explore Demonwood Market with Li Tutu.
• Li Tutu showed Xu Ran how Beast Tamers formed contracts with wild supernatural creatures in the Contract Zone, where a prospective beast’s family also had to accept the human.
• Xu Ran returned to find the System Clerks running Starfire Foster Shop successfully, then spent the following days exploring Demonwood Domain with the Three Little Ones.
• Zhou Yang told Xu Ran that his Marshal Rank Battle of Ten Thousand Races was scheduled for the third day and warned him not to kill or severely injure opponents.
• Xu Ran and the Three Little Ones chose Leaf Arena Three for its Extreme Origin Vein Crystal and found that third place also offered Starlight a Startrace nightglow stone.
• Xu Ran left to borrow luck from Koi in several cities, returned with two red items, and announced that resource allocation would begin.

Xu Ran revealed Starlight’s six-star-potential evolution route and began fusing new four-star skills for the team. Starlight’s route required difficult materials and conditions, while Purple Cloud gained a powerful new skill before choosing her next fusion.

• Xu Ran used his Ten-Pull Draws to obtain 128 Skill Fusion Stones, an Advanced Meditation Acceleration Card, and an emperor species evolution route.
• Starlight accepted the evolution route, and Xu Ran identified its destination as Nebula Guardian, with five-star difficulty and six-star potential.
• Xu Ran explained that Starlight needed four-star skills, Blazing Sun proficiency, and three skills connected to Star Power; Starlight recognized Fate-Binding Star-Link, Star-Repelling Ring, and a future fusion involving Starfall Power as candidates.
• Xu Ran revealed that Starlight needed six primary evolution materials, including Startrace Nightglow Stone, which could be won through third place in the Battle of Ten Thousand Races.
• Purple Cloud fused Heavenly Thunderfall Strike with three other skills, creating the four-star skill Sky-Shocking Thunder Fury, which could attack with area lightning or a thrown lightning spear.
• Purple Cloud chose Treading Lightning, Leaving Traces as the next skill she wanted to fuse.

Purple Cloud gained the four-star skill Path of Annihilation, and Starlight gained Starry Night's Prayer, prompting Starlight to plan to connect all its skills to Star Power. After the Three Little Ones reached the peak of Marshal Rank, Xu Ran headed to the Battle of Ten Thousand Races, where he surprised Zhang Zhu by revealing that he would compete in two days.

• Xu Ran fused Purple Cloud's Treading Lightning, Leaving Traces into the four-star skill Path of Annihilation, which greatly enhanced its speed and let it form damaging, paralyzing thunder paths.
• Xu Ran fused Starlight's Heart of Eternal Night into the four-star skill Starry Night's Prayer, which strengthened its recovery, Dark Element and Star Power skills, and protection.
• Starlight decided it wanted its remaining skills connected to Star Power, and Xu Ran agreed to help it pursue that plan.
• The Three Little Ones divided their remaining resources, reached the peak of Marshal Rank, and prepared to attend the Battle of Ten Thousand Races the next day.
• Xu Ran joined the crowd leaving Demonwood City and met Zhang Zhu, who was competing in the Elite Rank event.
• Zhang Zhu offered to hold back if he met Xu Ran in the competition, and Xu Ran clarified that his own match was the day after tomorrow.

Xu Ran watched the first day of the Battle of Ten Thousand Races, learned how its leaf-platform contests worked, and saw Zhang Zhu hold Platform 7 to claim Spirit-Shedding Dew. After the competition, Xu Ran left to prepare for his own battles, with Purple Cloud’s and Starlight’s evolutions at stake.

• Xu Ran reassured Zhang Zhu after revealing he was a General-Rank Beast Tamer, and Zhang Zhu went to check in for the competition.
• Xu Ran and the Three Little Ones browsed the stalls, traded snacks with a Gem Kite for fruits, and kept the fruit pits to plant later.
• The Sky-Piercing Blackwood announced the competition’s start, and contestants raced to the leaf platforms as fights began across the arena.
• Zhang Zhu and his Flame Dragon Beast defeated the Azure Ice Phoenix Sparrow on Platform 7, then held the platform through repeated challenges.
• Zhang Zhu collected Spirit-Shedding Dew and a ranking reward, while Xu Ran left to prepare for his own Battle of Ten Thousand Races.

Xu Ran entered the Marshal Rank Battle of Ten Thousand Races with the Three Little Ones, aiming for leaf arena number three to obtain evolution materials for Starlight and Purple Cloud. After learning that the arena would draw powerful opponents, including Tuoba Hai and dangerous Wild Supernatural Creatures, Xu Ran and his Contract Beasts remained eager to compete.

• Xu Ran traveled to the expanded competition grounds with the Thunderclap Longblade and checked in using his Credential Stone.
• Spectators recognized Xu Ran as the Starfire Foster Shop owner and were surprised to learn he was competing in the Marshal Rank event.
• Xu Ran told Zhao Tuo that he planned to compete for leaf arena number three, whose rewards were Fighting Element and Dark Element.
• Zhao Tuo warned Xu Ran that Tuoba Hai, a formidable Beast Tamer with Fighting Element and Dark Element Contract Beasts, was also a likely opponent.
• Purple Cloud and Starlight showed no fear of Tuoba Hai, and Xu Ran agreed to face him before Zhao Tuo warned that Wild Supernatural Creatures posed an even greater challenge.

Xu Ran chose the No. 3 Leaf Platform despite warnings that powerful rivals might contest it, then raced up the Sky-Piercing Pillar with Purple Cloud. He reached the platform first, but the Shattered Jade Kite landed opposite him to challenge him for its fighting-element reward.

• Zhao Tuo explained the Demonwood Domain's wild creature hierarchy and warned Xu Ran about the Night-Devouring Bears, Tuoba Hai, and the Shattered Jade Kite.
• Xu Ran insisted on targeting the No. 3 Leaf Platform because its rewards were the resources Purple Cloud and Starlight needed for evolution.
• The Battle of Ten Thousand Races began, and Xu Ran chose Purple Cloud to carry him up the Sky-Piercing Pillar while Starlight and Can Can waited below.
• Purple Cloud used Path of Annihilation to surge past the other contestants and overtake the Shattered Jade Kite, leaving a powerful lightning trail behind.
• Xu Ran and Purple Cloud passed the lower platforms and reached the No. 3 Leaf Platform, where the Shattered Jade Kite followed after realizing they were competing for the same fighting-element resource.
• Xu Ran declared the platform his, and the Shattered Jade Kite landed opposite him, ready to decide ownership by strength.

Xu Ran and Purple Cloud fought the Shattered Jade Kite on Leaf Arena Three, where Purple Cloud exposed and defeated the kite’s powerful hidden ability. The Shattered Jade Kite recovered afterward but left the contest, still intent on obtaining the Extreme Origin Vein Crystal.

• Xu Ran and Purple Cloud began their battle against the Shattered Jade Kite on Leaf Arena Three, and Purple Cloud struck first with its lightning and fighting-element skills.
• The Shattered Jade Kite used Shattered Jade Form to evade Purple Cloud’s opening attack and counterattacked Xu Ran, but Purple Cloud intercepted it with Divine Firmament Thunder Fury.
• The Shattered Jade Kite unleashed its Innate Skill, Shattered Jade Quicksand, vanishing into countless concealed jade fragments, while the Giant Lion Beast King predicted Xu Ran would lose.
• Xu Ran used his Blade Intent to detect the fragments and directed Purple Cloud to unleash Thunder-Shaking Heavenly Sound across the arena, forcing the Shattered Jade Kite to re-form and fall defeated.
• After recovering inside the arena’s light membrane, the Shattered Jade Kite recognized the strength of Xu Ran’s other contract beasts and left without stopping at another arena.

After Purple Cloud defeated the Shattered Jade Kite, Xu Ran sent Can Can to face Tuoba Hai and won by revealing the turtle’s enormous size and overwhelming presence. Xu Ran then meditated until a Night-Devouring Bear challenged him, and Starlight combined powers with him to meet its attack; the clash’s outcome remained unknown.

• Xu Ran warned Purple Cloud, Can Can, and Starlight to prepare for more challengers as the arena’s protective membrane faded.
• Tuoba Hai challenged Xu Ran, who chose Can Can; Can Can grew to a colossal size and forced Tuoba Hai and the Sickle-Spike War King out of the arena.
• With no challengers remaining, Xu Ran meditated while the Three Little Ones guarded him.
• The strongest of three Night-Devouring Bears arrived and challenged Xu Ran, who chose Starlight to fight beside him.
• Starlight linked powers with Xu Ran using Fate-Binding Star-Link and Starry Night’s Prayer, then collided with the Night-Devouring Bear’s Night-Devouring Lightless Palm.

Xu Ran defeated the Night-Devouring Bear, claimed the Battle of Ten Thousand Races rewards, and met Beast Emperor Sky-Piercing Blackwood again. After Sky-Piercing Blackwood privately warned him to leave Demonwood Domain soon, Xu Ran decided to stay for the Monarch Rank battles before departing.

• Xu Ran defeated the Night-Devouring Bear with Starlight’s shield and a saber strike, securing Leaf Arena Three and its Extreme Origin Vein Crystal.
• The Dark Abyss Bear Emperor, Gilt Azure Dragon, and Ten-Thousand-Year Rock Turtle discussed Xu Ran’s Contract Beasts and the coming crisis that might threaten Demonwood Domain during the Battle of Ten Thousand Races.
• Xu Ran and the other platform winners received their ranking rewards from Sky-Piercing Blackwood, and Xu Ran obtained the startrace nightglow stone for Starlight.
• Sky-Piercing Blackwood privately told Xu Ran to leave Demonwood Domain soon, then fell asleep before Xu Ran could ask why.
• Xu Ran decided to remain for the next day’s Monarch Rank Battle of Ten Thousand Races, and he and the Three Little Ones arrived to watch.

Xu Ran learned that Sky-Piercing Blackwood planned to evolve into the Holy Spirit Race during the Battle of Ten Thousand Races, an evolution that Beast Domain No. 8 believed had only a ten percent chance of success. Before Xu Ran could witness the ritual, the Golden Dragon Emperor and Blazing Crow Emperor attacked the Demonwood Domain, and more Beast Emperors began closing in.

• The Shattered Jade Kite told Xu Ran that it came from Beast Domain No. 8 and belonged to the Glazed Jade Sacred Clan, then revealed that Sky-Piercing Blackwood planned to evolve today.
• The Shattered Jade Kite explained that the Battle of Ten Thousand Races was Sky-Piercing Blackwood's evolution ritual and estimated its chance of success at about ten percent.
• The Golden Dragon Emperor arrived at the Demonwood Domain, and Xu Ran fled with Purple Cloud, Can Can, and Starlight as the Blazing Crow Emperor attacked.
• Sky-Piercing Blackwood denied that it planned to become a saint, but the Blazing Crow Emperor recognized that it was stalling and launched an attack.
• The Golden Dragon Emperor struck the ground and destroyed roughly one-tenth of the Demonwood Domain as more powerful auras approached.

Xu Ran learned that the Sky-Piercing Blackwood needed the Demonwood Domain’s inhabitants to recognize its order and bless it for its evolution, so he helped evacuate survivors into the Starfire Foster Shop. He then discovered that the Blackwood had prepared hidden refuges and was already beginning to control the Power of Order, leaving Xu Ran hopeful that its evolution could succeed.

• Xu Ran questioned the Shattered Jade Kite and learned that the Sky-Piercing Blackwood needed the inhabitants’ esteem and blessings to complete its evolution.
• Xu Ran returned to ruined Demonwood City, where Can Can located survivors and Xu Ran coordinated their evacuation into the Starfire Foster Shop.
• Xu Ran learned from the Shattered Jade Kite that a unified blessing ceremony could anchor the Sky-Piercing Blackwood during its evolution.
• Su Yunchuan led Xu Ran beneath the Beast Tamer Association, where Xu Ran contacted the Sky-Piercing Blackwood through one of its roots and heard that its success chance had risen to forty percent.
• The Sky-Piercing Blackwood opened a passage to hidden survivors and used power that Su Yunchuan identified as an early manifestation of the Power of Order.

Sky-Piercing Blackwood used his emerging Order Attribute to imprison the five attacking Beast Emperors, but its backlash nearly destroyed his mind during evolution. Prayers from the sheltered inhabitants restored his identity and stabilized him, while Fang Canghai withdrew after recognizing a change in No. 47 Beast Domain's balance of power.

• Sky-Piercing Blackwood questioned his attackers, and the Divine Sky Dragonhawk revealed that the Upper Domain opposed his evolution into the Holy Spirit Race.
• After the protected inhabitants vanished from beneath his canopy, Sky-Piercing Blackwood regenerated his damaged body and counterattacked the five Beast Emperors.
• Sky-Piercing Blackwood imposed rules through his emerging Order Attribute and trapped all five Beast Emperors in independent wooden shackles.
• Sky-Piercing Blackwood suffered severe evolutionary backlash, mutated grotesquely, and nearly lost his memories and reason.
• Su Yunchuan led the sheltered inhabitants in prayer at the Starfire Foster Shop's Boarding Area, and their river of light restored Sky-Piercing Blackwood's identity as his mutations receded.
• Fang Canghai observed from afar and ordered his departure after declaring that No. 47 Beast Domain's balance of power had changed.