Chapter Summaries

Gu Qing confronted the Female Remnant Soul in the Magic Mirror's gray Mirror World, then left to meet Liu Zhiyi at the Pokémon Pet Store. Liu Zhiyi warned him that Wu Mingjue had arranged for Chen Yun to be his first opponent in the Deputy Captain selection, and Gu Qing prepared to face him cautiously.

• The Female Remnant Soul appeared before Gu Qing in the Mirror World and revealed that only a wisp of his Divine Soul had entered it.
• Gu Qing teased the Female Remnant Soul about her beauty and the Divine Maiden, and she insisted that serving the Divine Maiden as a dog was an honor.
• Gu Qing withdrew his Divine Soul, realized he was late, and flew to the Pokémon Pet Store to meet Liu Zhiyi.
• Liu Zhiyi told Gu Qing that his first opponent in the Deputy Captain selection would be Chen Yun, an advanced Awakened and subordinate of Wu Mingjue, who had arranged the matchup.
• Liu Zhiyi urged Gu Qing to concede if he was in danger, and Gu Qing assured her that he knew his limits.

Gu Qing learned about Chen Yun’s clone ability and the fierce competition for Deputy Captain, while Liu Zhiyi warned him to stay cautious. Liu Zhiyi described the dangerous Origin Land as a place rich in supernatural resources and filled with both living and lifeless supernatural beings.

• Liu Zhiyi warned Gu Qing not to get carried away during the selection and explained that Chen Yun could create powerful clones at the cost of rapidly consuming supernatural power.
• Liu Zhiyi asked Gu Qing about his biological level, but he kept it secret and promised to surprise her during the selection.
• Gu Qing invited Liu Zhiyi to share his mother’s cooking, and Liu Zhiyi explained that Li Zhan’s return had made the Deputy Captain positions difficult to win.
• Gu Qing asked Liu Zhiyi about the Origin Land, and she said she had trained there and described it as dangerous but rich in supernatural resources.
• Liu Zhiyi explained that the Origin Land contained lifeless supernatural beings resembling ghosts, anomalies, and undead.

Gu Qing learned from Liu Zhiyi that humans in the Origin Land looked down on Earth’s people, though a barrier made invasion difficult, and he asked about Bai Ningyu’s situation with Lu Kexi. After training hamsters through the night and arranging to meet Xia Shuran at the deputy captain selection, Gu Qing left with Liu Zhiyi for breakfast.

• Liu Zhiyi explained that humans in the Origin Land were migrants from Earth who formed factions and discriminated against Earth’s residents, but the barrier between the worlds suppressed those who entered Earth.
• Gu Qing asked whether Lu Kexi was training in the Origin Land with Bai Ningyu, and Liu Zhiyi confirmed she knew Lu Kexi had a newcomer but could not provide details about Bai Ningyu.
• Gu Qing and Liu Zhiyi spent the night training hamsters and discussing Earth’s spiritual energy revival, earning him five points each in beast language and beast taming skill.
• Xia Shuran messaged Gu Qing about making sweet tofu pudding, and he asked her to bring it to the arena for the deputy captain selection.
• Liu Zhiyi invited Gu Qing to breakfast at a nearby wonton shop, and they left together after closing her shop.

Gu Qing trained animals with Liu Zhiyi, gained Beast Taming points, and returned with her to Night Court Headquarters on her Fire Crow. After arriving, he learned that the arena’s rune-covered stone pillars could form a barrier to protect spectators from powerful combat shock waves.

• Gu Qing spent the morning training animals with Liu Zhiyi and gained four Beast Language and Beast Taming points, bringing his Beast Taming total to 61.
• Gu Qing ate lunch at home, then brought a meal back for Liu Zhiyi and asked her to take him to Night Court Headquarters.
• Liu Zhiyi summoned her Fire Crow and carried Gu Qing to Headquarters, where he looked forward to the deputy captain selection.
• Gu Qing surveyed the arena and asked Liu Zhiyi about its towering rune-covered stone pillars.
• Liu Zhiyi explained that the pillars were defensive Transcendent Items that formed a barrier when combat shock waves threatened spectators.
• The Fire Crow lowered its head and rubbed against Liu Zhiyi’s chest.

While waiting for the deputy captain selection, Gu Qing and Liu Zhiyi shared lunch at the arena as her Fire Crow begged for food. Liu Zhiyi explained that Haicheng’s fox women descended from Origin Land fox monsters and Earth soldiers, leaving Gu Qing stunned by their origins and ambitions.

• Liu Zhiyi confirmed that her Fire Crow was female, then sat with Gu Qing in the arena rest area and ate the lunch his mother had prepared.
• Gu Qing offered to ask Wen Wanyi to make soy sauce chicken for Liu Zhiyi, then arranged to bring Xia Shuran some of the meal as well.
• The Fire Crow begged Liu Zhiyi for braised pork, and she fed it while Gu Qing read its Beast Language translations.
• Gu Qing asked how the Fox Woman Clan had reached Earth, and Liu Zhiyi explained that Haicheng’s fox women were hybrid descendants of Origin Land fox charms and human soldiers.
• Liu Zhiyi said the fox charms had been suppressed and crippled by Earth’s weapons about eighty years earlier, then used a secret technique to conceive children with the soldiers.
• Liu Zhiyi explained that the fox women formed their own faction outside Haicheng and hoped to return to the Origin Land when the two worlds connected.

Liu Zhiyi lent Gu Qing a defensive jade pendant before his first match against Chen Yun, but Gu Qing returned it because he was confident he could win. Xia Shuran, Liu Yue, and Wu Jiahao arrived to support him, and the group shared tofu pudding while waiting for the showdown.

• Liu Zhiyi offered Gu Qing the Peril-Averting Ruyi Jade, which could protect him from one instance of fatal damage if Chen Yun proved stronger than expected.
• Gu Qing returned the pendant and told Liu Zhiyi he was confident he could defeat Chen Yun, and she agreed to trust him.
• Xia Shuran, Liu Yue, and Wu Jiahao arrived to cheer Gu Qing on and greeted Liu Zhiyi.
• Xia Shuran served tofu pudding, and the group prepared it according to their preferences, with Gu Qing and Xia Shuran choosing sweet toppings while the others favored savory ones.

Gu Qing arrived at Night Court’s deputy captain selection, where the eight contestants were briefed on the rules and ranked for the first-round matchups. He was ranked last and paired against Chen Yun, but he remained confident about causing an upset.

• Gu Qing spotted familiar Night Court members and officials at the arena before heading to the preparation area.
• Wu Jiahao, Liu Yue, Liu Zhiyi, and Xia Shuran decided to watch the fights from closer to the arena.
• Gu Qing studied the supernatural tags above the other contestants, especially those of the highly regarded Zhang Zhibei and Li Zhan.
• A staff member explained that eight contestants would compete in three rounds, with stronger contestants matched against weaker ones in the first two rounds.
• The first-round pairings were announced: Li Zhan versus He Wenjuan, Zhang Zhibei versus Zhou Hong, Gao Jianying versus Lin Xiaodong, and Chen Yun versus Gu Qing.

As the Deputy Captain tournament approached, Gu Qing ignored the matchups while the top contestants schemed to control who they would face in the next round. In the stands, Wu Jiahao declared that the contestants would become stepping stones on his path to godhood, then dramatically planted his foot on the railing.

• Gu Qing studied Chen Yun’s [Clone Messenger] ability, while Chen Yun dismissed him and planned to perform poorly so he could face Zhang Zhibei in the second round.
• Gao Jianying also planned to underperform to avoid Li Zhan, while Zhang Zhibei resented both contestants for targeting him.
• Li Zhan realized Chen Yun and Gao Jianying were trying to dodge him and decided to underperform himself to force one of them to face him.
• Gu Qing’s friends, including Xia Shuran and Liu Yue, called out from the stands, and Li Zhan joked that he wished he could humiliate Gu Qing in the first round; Gu Qing replied that he would wait for him in the finals.
• Wu Jiahao decided the contestants lacked a protagonist’s aura and announced that they would one day be trampled beneath him as he pursued godhood.
• The contestants looked up at Wu Jiahao, who slammed his left foot onto the railing of the stands.

Chen Yun beat Wu Jiahao for insulting the advanced experts, then taunted Gu Qing and hinted that Wu Mingjue intended to cripple him. Gu Qing remained confident as their match began, and Chen Yun mocked him before they entered the arena.

• Chen Yun struck Wu Jiahao unconscious with a long-range slap, and Xia Shuran checked that he was still alive.
• Chen Yun taunted Gu Qing about arrogant newcomers, while Gu Qing privately resolved to win and told Chen Yun that veterans could become stepping stones.
• The contestants learned Gu Qing and Chen Yun would fight first when the competition began at two in the afternoon.
• Xia Shuran cheered Gu Qing and prepared to film his match for TikTok.
• Chen Yun told Xia Shuran that Gu Qing would look pathetic when he beat him, as Wu Mingjue watched from the stands.

Gu Qing began his deputy-captain match against Chen Yun, who concealed his speed and strength to manipulate the tournament bracket. Gu Qing’s opening attack failed to hurt Chen Yun, but he smoothly dodged Chen Yun’s punch while posing for Xia Shuran’s camera, leaving Chen Yun stunned.

• Chen Yun threatened to cripple Gu Qing before they entered the arena, while the spectators and Night Court stewards debated Gu Qing’s potential and chances of winning.
• The referee started the match, and Gu Qing fired a probing Blood Arrow at Chen Yun.
• Chen Yun charged through the arrow without injury, revealing that his strength exceeded Gu Qing’s initial estimate.
• Chen Yun slowed his punch deliberately to appear sluggish and avoid facing Li Zhan in the next round.
• Gu Qing dodged the punch with an effortless sidestep, turned toward Xia Shuran’s camera, and slicked back his hair as Wu Jiahao watched in amazement.

Chen Yun’s attempt to hide his strength and defeat Gu Qing with a sudden attack failed, and Gu Qing kept dodging while humiliating him. Enraged, Chen Yun revealed his cloning power and launched a pincer attack, leaving Gu Qing facing two opponents.

• Wu Jiahao and Xia Shuran admired Gu Qing’s stylish dodge while Liu Yue teased Wu Jiahao about copying it.
• Chen Yun attacked Gu Qing through more than a dozen exchanges, but Gu Qing dodged every strike as spectators mocked Chen Yun’s performance.
• Chen Yun suddenly accelerated and kicked at Gu Qing’s groin, but Gu Qing evaded the attack and continued avoiding his full-power assault.
• Gu Qing realized Chen Yun had been pretending to be weak, then repeatedly dodged him and flicked his chest until Chen Yun lost his temper.
• Chen Yun activated his supernatural power, created an identical clone, and sent both bodies to attack Gu Qing from opposite sides.

Gu Qing dominated Chen Yun and his clone by dodging their attacks and striking their pectorals with Martial True Intent. Chen Yun acknowledged Gu Qing’s strength, then created another clone as the match continued.

• Gu Qing dodged attacks from both Chen Yuns and repeatedly flicked their pectorals, leaving them in severe pain.
• Gao Jianying wondered whether Chen Yun was deliberately performing poorly, while Li Zhan and Zhang Zhibei concluded that Chen Yun was genuinely outmatched by Gu Qing.
• Spectators speculated that Chen Yun was trying to avoid facing Li Zhan, but Night Court leaders focused their attention on Gu Qing.
• Gu Qing’s Martial True Intent caused the pectoral pain, though neither Chen Yun understood how he had done it.
• After recovering enough to continue, Chen Yun declared the fight was not over and used his Superpower to create another clone.

Gu Qing defeated Chen Yun decisively in the opening-round duel, overwhelming him with immense Qi and Blood Power despite having no Superpower. The referee declared Gu Qing the winner, leaving the audience and Wu Chuchu stunned by his strength.

• Chen Yun sent his original body and two clones to attack Gu Qing together, but Gu Qing struck them with a wave of Qi and Blood Power infused with Martial True Intent.
• The attack destroyed Chen Yun's clones and sent his original body flying, while Chen Yun used up his remaining Supernatural Origin to heal himself and restore his strength.
• As Chen Yun tried to rise and resume the fight, Gu Qing stomped his head into the ground and told him the duel was over.
• The referee entered the arena and announced Gu Qing as the winner, shocking Lin Tianyang and the Night Court members who had doubted a Paranormal Contact could defeat an Awakened of the same rank.
• Wu Chuchu realized Gu Qing could easily overpower her and felt a surge of lingering fear.

After Gu Qing crushed Chen Yun in the arena, the Night Court’s leaders recognized his unusual potential, while his enemies reconsidered how to deal with him. Gu Qing watched Deacon Tian restore the arena and returned to the other contestants, as Liu Zhiyi decided to keep following his progress.

• Wu Mingjue weighed whether to keep targeting Gu Qing or apologize and make peace, while He Haikun feared Gu Qing’s performance would expose his plans and force him to flee.
• Deacon Tian praised Gu Qing’s hidden strength, and Song Anni asked to recruit him into her Monster Assault Team so she could guide his development.
• Deacon Tian used his spatial superpower to restore the damaged arena, and Gu Qing wondered how powerful that ability could become.
• Gu Qing left the arena, exchanged a smile with Li Zhan, and watched Xia Shuran’s recording of his match against Chen Yun.
• Wu Jiahao imagined becoming strong enough to take revenge on Chen Yun, while Liu Zhiyi decided to return to Headquarters and keep watching Gu Qing’s progress.

Gu Qing watched the first-round matches at the Night Court and shared a video of his own victory with his family, trading jokes with Gu Yao. As Li Zhan became trapped in He Wenjuan’s illusion, the fourth match took an unexpected turn.

• Xia Shuran sent a video of Gu Qing’s match to his family group chat, where Gu Yao teased him and he teased her back.
• Wu Jiahao imitated Gu Qing’s stomping celebration before the second match began.
• Gao Jianying defeated Lin Xiaodong after a drawn-out fight, while acting exhausted to conceal her strength and avoid Li Zhan in the next round.
• Zhang Zhibei knocked Zhou Hong unconscious with one punch, and Gu Qing told Xia Shuran that his own physical strength surpassed Zhang’s.
• He Wenjuan trapped Li Zhan in an illusion of a paradise surrounded by beautiful women, leaving him groping at empty air.

Li Zhan defeated He Wenjuan after resisting her illusion attacks and protected himself with spiritual energy, then openly challenged Deacon He. In the preparation area, Liu Zhiyi explained to Gu Qing that Li Zhan could control spiritual energy and use it as a powerful barrier.

• He Wenjuan used an illusion to distract Li Zhan and tried to attack him, but his spiritual energy burned her flying shoe to ashes.
• Li Zhan broke free of He Wenjuan's second illusion, punched her unconscious, and won the duel.
• Deacon He appeared beside his injured niece and confronted Li Zhan, who argued that men and women were equal on the battlefield.
• Wu Jiahao admired Li Zhan's defiance while Gu Qing wondered how Li Zhan had destroyed He Wenjuan's shoe.
• Liu Zhiyi told Gu Qing that Li Zhan controlled spiritual energy and could form a protective barrier around his body.

Gu Qing learned more about Li Zhan’s spiritual-energy control and discovered his second-round opponent was Zhang Zhibei, whose Superpower was Void Power. As the tournament’s next round approached, Li Zhan provoked Gao Jianying and Zhang Zhibei silently looked ahead to the final.

• Liu Zhiyi explained that Li Zhan’s spiritual-energy control had helped him survive the Origin Land, and urged Gu Qing not to dwell on matchup advantages.
• Deacon Tian intervened in a battlefield conflict, and both combatants stopped fighting and left.
• The second-round matchups were announced: Zhang Zhibei faced Gu Qing, while Li Zhan faced Gao Jianying.
• Gao Jianying angrily confronted Li Zhan for placing second, and he teased her before walking away.
• Zhang Zhibei resolved to defeat Li Zhan in the final, dismissing Gu Qing as his next opponent.
• Liu Zhiyi told Gu Qing that Zhang Zhibei had awakened Void Power from the dangerous Void Land and could use skills associated with void creatures.

He Haikun lured Gu Qing into his office and revealed that the Night Court Master wanted him to infiltrate an alien faction as a double agent. Gu Qing recognized He Haikun’s plan to use him against the Fox Woman Clan, but pretended to believe his pitch as He Haikun began explaining the assignment.

• Liu Zhiyi shared information about Void-related skills with Gu Qing, then left to speak with Deacon Tian.
• Gu Qing and Xia Shuran left the Arena, but He Haikun stopped them and asked Gu Qing to meet privately in his office.
• Gu Qing sent Xia Shuran to the dorms and followed He Haikun to his office.
• He Haikun filled the office with shadows, isolated it from outside devices, and told Gu Qing that the Court Master had assigned him a double-agent mission.
• Gu Qing understood that He Haikun intended to recruit him against the Fox Woman Clan, while He Haikun praised his apparent insight and tried to persuade him that the mission would develop his talents.

Gu Qing accepted He Haikun’s offer to become a double agent in the Fox Woman Clan, while secretly planning to turn the tables on him. After Gu Qing left, He Haikun reported his apparent success to the Fox Woman Clan, unaware that his scheme could still be exposed.

• He Haikun claimed the Court Master wanted Gu Qing to infiltrate the Fox Woman Clan as a double agent and pressured him to accept.
• He Haikun tempted Gu Qing with the prospect of secretly enjoying the company of fox women, and Gu Qing agreed to the assignment.
• He Haikun told Gu Qing to keep the arrangement secret and said they would discuss the infiltration after the deputy captain selection.
• After Gu Qing left, He Haikun revealed his plan to profit from both sides and worried that Gu Qing might meet the Court Master and expose him.
• He Haikun sent the Fox Woman Clan a message saying he had turned Gu Qing and would bring him to their headquarters.

Gu Qing agreed to act as He Haikun’s double agent, then met Xia Shuran, who had just evolved to Seventh Order. After teasing her about her new strength and his enormous storage space, he took her for a ride on his motorcycle.

• Gu Qing asked the Magic Mirror whether pretending to join He Haikun’s scheme would put him in danger, and it warned him he might become obsessed with beautiful women.
• Gu Qing messaged Xia Shuran to meet him and learned she had jumped safely from her sixth-floor dormitory balcony.
• Xia Shuran told Gu Qing she had evolved from Sixth Order to Seventh Order, and he said his mother would prepare a celebratory dinner for her.
• Xia Shuran offered to learn any desserts Gu Qing found on TikTok and make them for him.
• Gu Qing brought a heavy motorcycle out of his storage space, and he and Xia Shuran joked about its size and his singing.