Chapter Summaries

The old man in white began a high-stakes experiment with Chu Yu while Qi Changshan guarded the house. Meanwhile, Sun Wen and the others discovered Yu Sheng was being chased on the highway, and surveillance footage showed his truck narrowly avoiding a head-on attack before swerving away.

• The old man in white asked Qi Changshan to keep the house undisturbed for twenty-four hours, and Qi Changshan took up watch on the roof.
• The old man in white led Chu Yu into the underground laboratory to begin the experiment, while Chu Yu stayed calm and held her book tightly.
• Sun Wen and the others discussed their mission supplies and awakening progress in the group chat, and Sun Wen noticed Yu Sheng was heading toward Ink City.
• Yu Sheng sent a video showing two cars pursuing and ramming his battered truck, then said he was busy and would talk later.
• Sun Wen asked the others to finish their work while he checked surveillance footage, then watched the truck swerve to dodge two cars charging at it before zigzagging down the highway.

Yu Sheng’s chaotic truck maneuvers wrecked a pursuing car, but he then crashed into a tree while talking to Lawless Outlaws, leaving the shipment stopped on the road. As Soul Hunt confronted him, Luo Yu arrived as a fifth-awakening awakener.

• Yu Sheng used the truck’s swinging cargo compartment to send one pursuing car flying, while a fourth-awakening pursuer took to the air and warned his team that the driver was an expert.
• Yu Sheng called Lawless Outlaws, explained that he was being chased, then crashed the truck into a tree while distracted by the call.
• Yu Sheng ended a second call with Lawless Outlaws after saying he had forgotten to say something, and Lawless Outlaws angrily arranged for someone to hold off the Dark Pavilion.
• Soul Hunt’s middle-aged man offered to let Yu Sheng leave if he surrendered the goods, but Yu Sheng stayed silent and took several round balls from his backpack.
• Luo Yu arrived and was revealed to be a fifth-awakening awakener.

Yu Sheng confronted Luo Yu and the two reserve members of Soul Hunt over the cargo, then attacked before Luo Yu could finish proposing a deal. He dragged Luo Yu onto the truck, leaving the other two unable to intervene and Luo Yu stunned by the sudden blow.

• Luo Yu recognized Yu Sheng as Ink Academy's Freshman Tournament champion and admitted he could not beat him.
• Yu Sheng refused to give up the cargo and warned that he would take Luo Yu down even if it cost his life.
• Luo Yu tried to negotiate, while the two reserve members kept their distance rather than risk Yu Sheng's counterattack.
• Yu Sheng teleported in, struck Luo Yu with a metal block fitted around his Dragon-Patterned Staff, and dragged him onto the truck.
• Yu Sheng marveled that Luo Yu's Fifth Awakening had made his head durable, while Luo Yu asked why Yu Sheng had attacked before negotiations were over.

Yu Sheng captured Luo Yu but remained unable to leave with the overturned truck as Soul Hunt members surrounded him. As a fight with three fifth-awakening fighters became imminent, Sun Wen raced toward Yu Sheng, while Group Shen declared that Luo Yu had to die.

• Yu Sheng repeatedly struck Luo Yu with his hammer, pulled out one of his teeth, and tossed him onto the truck after Luo Yu's Awakening Object dissipated.
• Yu Sheng called for another truck and refused Group Shen's offer to return the cargo, while two more fifth-awakening fighters arrived to join the two fourth-awakening members surrounding him.
• Sun Wen learned that Yu Sheng could not call the police, then drove toward his coordinates despite his friends' concerns and Ink Academy's rules for bodyguards.
• Group Shen urged Luo Yu to sacrifice himself for Soul Hunt, but Luo Yu cursed the group and warned that Ink Academy would soon capture them.
• Group Shen threatened Luo Yu and turned his killing intent toward Yu Sheng as a battle neared.

Yu Mo realized Soul Hunt had manipulated events to make Ink Academy and Chu Yu seem like its targets, while its true goal was Spirit Mind Academy’s First Principal’s Awakening Object during the annual baptism. As the ceremony proceeded, Yu Sheng was surrounded by attackers, and Yu Mo understood too late that Soul Hunt had used Luo Yu and the truck hijacking as diversions.

• The Masked Youth and four other fighters attacked Yu Sheng, who could not call for help after Luo Yu disrupted his phone signal.
• At Spirit Mind Academy, two elderly men used the First Principal’s Awakening Object to purify and enhance the Awakening Objects of three selected freshmen.
• Yu Mo questioned why Soul Hunt had not acted in Jiangcheng and learned that Luo Yu had hijacked a Black Market truck carrying Demon Cores and Demon Crystals while Yu Sheng escorted it.
• A secretary told Yu Mo that Spirit Mind Academy’s Awakening Object Baptism had begun at noon, prompting him to realize the academy had concealed the ceremony’s timing.
• Yu Mo concluded that Soul Hunt had used the Chu Yu rumors, Luo Yu’s staged escape, and the truck hijacking to divert attention from its real target: the First Principal’s Awakening Object during the baptism.

Yu Mo traced Soul Hunt’s infiltration of Spirit Mind Academy and began investigating the owner of the Lawless Outlaws Specialty Store. He learned that Soul Hunt had seized the Academy’s Awakening Object, and Wise Star contacted him to claim responsibility and promise a gift.

• Sun Yingxiong ordered a list of Spirit Mind Academy’s senior personnel to identify a possible Soul Hunt insider, while Yu Mo acknowledged his own mistakes in underestimating the group.
• Yu Mo examined the store owner’s file, questioned why Yu Sheng had been asked to escort the shipment, and proposed taking the owner into custody and sending support to Yu Sheng.
• A caller reported that the Director of Teaching had betrayed Spirit Mind Academy and escaped with its Awakening Object alongside one seventh-awakening and two sixth-awakening individuals.
• Yu Mo suspected the caller belonged to Soul Hunt, and the caller introduced himself as Wise Star, deputy group leader of the Soul Hunt Team.
• Wise Star apologized for taking the Awakening Object, promised Yu Mo a gift, and urged him to investigate and purge the Lawless Outlaws Specialty Store.

Yu Mo received Soul Hunt’s list of the Evil Cult’s senior members but maintained that Soul Hunt remained the greater priority. Sun Yingxiong made the Evil Cult the Ink Pavilion’s immediate target, while Yu Mo asked about the missing specialty-store owner and Yu Sheng’s situation.

• Yu Mo questioned Wise Star about Soul Hunt’s gift and argued that Soul Hunt posed a greater threat than the Evil Cult; Wise Star sent him a detailed list of the Evil Cult’s leaders and crimes.
• Sun Yingxiong and Yu Mo agreed that Wise Star seemed arrogant, and Sun Yingxiong declared the Evil Cult the Ink Pavilion’s top priority.
• Yu Mo cautioned that Spirit Mind Academy might resent the Ink Pavilion’s actions, but Sun Yingxiong insisted the academy also deserved a warning for its failures.
• Sun Yingxiong reported that the owner of the Lawless Outlaws Specialty Store had disappeared, and Yu Mo ordered a discreet search using covert agents placed in human cities.
• Yu Mo asked about Yu Sheng, and Sun Yingxiong said the latest surveillance suggested Soul Hunt’s people might not survive until the Dark Pavilion arrived.

Yu Mo pieced together Soul Hunt’s plan and resolved to investigate Spirit Mind Academy’s Director of Teaching before the evidence disappeared. Meanwhile, Yu Sheng faced Shen Mou, who restored his strength with a mysterious gas, leaving Yu Sheng to wonder whether his twelve skills and three Awakening Objects were enough to win.

• Sun Yingxiong reported that Luo Yu was alive, and Yu Mo ordered an investigation into the massacre at Xiao'an Village while recovering from his illness.
• Yu Mo reconstructed how Soul Hunt had misdirected the Ink Pavilion and Evil Cult while preparing to steal Spirit Mind Academy’s Awakening Object.
• Yu Mo suspected the Director of Teaching could be the key to uncovering Soul Hunt’s plot and hurried to investigate before evidence was destroyed.
• Yu Sheng defeated two Fourth Awakening fighters and severely wounded two Fifth Awakening fighters, but Shen Mou remained standing.
• Shen Mou infused his golden spear with gas from a porcelain bottle, restoring his strength and healing his wounds.
• Yu Sheng wondered whether his twelve skills and three Awakening Objects could let him defeat Shen Mou despite his exhaustion.

Yu Sheng defeated the Masked Youth with Yu Yongyan's Sword, then called Shi Guang and reported Soul Hunt's possible plan against Spirit Mind Academy to the Dark Pavilion. Sun Wen arrived and introduced himself as the Ink Pavilion chief pavilion master's grandson, but the Masked Youth remained motionless as Sun Wen noticed Yu Sheng's severe injuries.

• The Masked Youth's blood-red spear overwhelmed Yu Sheng's Dragon-Patterned Staff, while Yu Sheng suppressed the Awakening Object forming between his brows as he fought beneath the surveillance camera.
• Yu Sheng cut the Masked Youth's neck with Yu Yongyan's Sword, then knocked Luo Yu unconscious and sat down to recover beside the truck.
• Yu Sheng called Shi Guang and told her there was no need to dig the pit.
• Yu Sheng reported to the Dark Pavilion that Soul Hunt might be targeting Spirit Mind Academy and requested a reward for his intelligence.
• Sun Wen arrived, declared himself a fifth-awakening Ink Academy member and Sun Yingxiong's grandson, then grew cautious after seeing Yu Sheng's wounds and the motionless Masked Youth.

Sun Wen arrived after Yu Sheng defeated the attackers and helped him prepare to leave the scene. Despite his severe injuries, Yu Sheng insisted on completing the delivery, leaving Sun Wen with a renewed respect for Sin City and the Rookie King.

• Sun Wen found the Masked Youth dead and checked on the injured Yu Sheng, who cautiously accepted his help.
• Yu Sheng insisted that the goods be delivered as promised and poured liquor over his wound to clean it.
• Yu Sheng bandaged himself with cloth torn from Luo Yu’s clothes while Sun Wen watched, unsettled by his calm endurance.
• A tow truck arrived about twenty minutes later, loaded the overturned truck, and carried Yu Sheng away; Yu Sheng told Sun Wen to collect Luo Yu’s bounty and take ten percent.
• Sun Wen reflected that Yu Sheng deserved the title of Rookie King, then dragged the unconscious Luo Yu into his car and drove off.

At Ink Academy, the old man in white confirmed that his experiment had succeeded, though Chu Yu would suffer, while Qi Changshan discovered that his grandson Qi Tian had become the Dark Pavilion’s top-ranked Great Sage. Elsewhere, Yu Sheng delivered a shipment and declined a proposed deal, as Spirit Mind University mobilized to search the Ink Pavilion and Sun Yingxiong confronted an injured old man.

• The old man in white emerged from the underground laboratory and told Qi Changshan that the experiment had succeeded, but Chu Yu would suffer in the future.
• Qi Changshan checked the Dark Pavilion rankings, saw Great Sage had completed thirty-two minor jobs, and obtained the identity behind the account from Yuan Qingshan.
• Qi Changshan learned that Great Sage was his grandson, Qi Tian, and left in a daze over his grandson sharing his rank.
• The old man in white returned to find Chu Yu asleep as her floating book turned pages, shed black vapor, and had only one crystal stone remaining.
• Yu Sheng inspected a shipment outside Ink City, then rejected the middle-aged men’s offer of a money-making deal with the Ink Pavilion.
• Spirit Mind teachers searched the Ink Pavilion while Sun Yingxiong challenged an injured old man in the principal’s office.

Sun Yingxiong removed Spirit Mind Academy’s principal after the old man insisted on recovering the academy’s lost Awakening Object. He then forced Yuan Qingshan to take the principal’s place, leaving Yuan furious and unwilling to accept.

• Spirit Mind Academy’s principal asked Sun Yingxiong to let him resign and spend his remaining years recovering the Old Principal’s Awakening Object.
• Sun Yingxiong relieved the principal of his position and gave him three years to recover the relic before reporting to Demon-Suppressing Pass.
• Sun Yingxiong summoned Yuan Qingshan, who complained about his workload and tried to leave when he realized Sun was setting him up.
• Sun Yingxiong restrained Yuan Qingshan and urged him to take over Spirit Mind Academy, but Yuan refused, pointing to the academy’s disorder and missing Awakening Object.
• Sun Yingxiong berated Yuan Qingshan for refusing to serve the Human Race and Spirit Mind Academy’s students.

Sun Yingxiong appointed Yuan Qingshan to take charge of Spirit Mind Academy and gave him broad authority to address its crisis. Yuan Qingshan tried to recruit Ink Academy students and persuaded Qi Changshan to join him, leaving them poised to reshape the school together.

• Sun Yingxiong convinced Yuan Qingshan to become Spirit Mind Academy's principal and gave him full authority over staffing and reforms.
• Yuan Qingshan asked to bring Qi Changshan to the academy and proposed transferring several Ink Academy students, but Sun Yingxiong rejected the requests and left.
• After Yuan Qingshan's restraints wore off, Qi Changshan arrived with a cleaver and asked how Yuan Qingshan wanted to die.
• Yuan Qingshan tried to win Qi Changshan over by promising more funding, a vice-principal post for a Dark Pavilion deputy pavilion master, and chances to take missions.
• Yuan Qingshan pitched copying Ink Academy's system and poaching its top students so Spirit Mind Academy could surpass it, and he began to believe his own plan.

Yuan Qingshan and Qi Changshan took charge of Spirit Mind Academy while Yu Sheng and his friends returned to Ink Academy. Chu Yu chose to leave behind her former self and departed as Ink Pavilion’s newest Elder, receiving a farewell from Ink Academy’s leaders.

• Yuan Qingshan persuaded Qi Changshan to help run Spirit Mind Academy, add exclusive advanced missions, and seek funding while cutting Ink Academy’s budget.
• Ink Pavilion announced Yuan Qingshan as Spirit Mind Academy’s Principal, Qi Changshan as Vice Principal, and Qin Zhong as a new member; the Dark Pavilion placed a ten-million bounty on the Lawless Outlaws Specialty Store’s owner.
• Yu Sheng, Zhao Zicheng, and the other new students of the 140th Cohort returned to Ink Academy, where Sun Wen reported that Luo Yu had been bait and transferred Yu Sheng the reward money.
• Chu Yu told the old man in white that she had chosen to carry on as the Human Race’s Chu Yu and walk the roads Tail-Ender had not seen.
• Bai Wenguang and Ink Academy’s senior leaders bowed farewell to Chu Yu, who said her choice was her own and left in a white dress carrying a book.

The Principal and Vice Principal reflected on Ink Academy’s guilt over Chu Yu, while Sun Wen tried to ease Lin Xiaoxiao’s distress over falling behind in cultivation. He gave her a sleeping pill and spiritual-energy water, leaving her asleep and expecting her strength to improve slightly.

• The Principal admitted that Ink Academy had wronged Chu Yu and followed her toward Demon-Suppressing Pass, with the old man in white joining him.
• The Vice Principal stayed behind to supervise Ink Academy’s teachers and students.
• Zhao Zicheng told Sun Wen that Lin Xiaoxiao had been withdrawn since the assessment mission, and Sun Wen went to comfort her.
• Sun Wen sold Lin Xiaoxiao ten sleeping pills for ten thousand, and she took one before falling asleep.
• Sun Wen gave Lin Xiaoxiao spiritual-energy water to help her strength improve and explained his plan to Zhao Zicheng.
• Sun Wen left after secretly taking Zhao Zicheng’s hundred, and Zhao Zicheng realized his money was missing.

Yu Sheng awakened the Phoenix Hammer, a weapon focused entirely on damage, but remained stuck at a bottleneck with all three Awakening Objects. In the Demon Domain, Old White Ape visited the imprisoned An Xin and Zhao Qingyi and claimed he would soon release them if they carried a message to the Ink Pavilion.

• Yu Sheng found that his three Awakening Objects had all hit a bottleneck, and he worried about the gray aura and resources needed to advance them.
• Yu Sheng revealed the Phoenix Hammer, whose awakening skills were all devoted to damage, and considered testing it in the Demon Domain.
• Old White Ape reflected that the one-year agreement would end in two months and hoped to secure a Mountain Lord position.
• Old White Ape entered an underground prison in the Ten Thousand Demon Forest, where An Xin and Zhao Qingyi had been held for nearly half a year.
• Old White Ape said he would release An Xin and Zhao Qingyi soon and asked them to pass a message to the Ink Pavilion.
• An Xin questioned Old White Ape’s intentions, while he claimed he and other demons were allies of humanity and had detained the women for their protection.

After six months in captivity, An Xin and Zhao Qingyi continued to endure Old White Ape’s hospitality while waiting for a chance to escape. At Demon-Suppressing Pass, Chu Yu arrived to take responsibility for the fortress as Zhong Yushu departed with the Reserve Corps to face the Demon Domain.

• Old White Ape left food, drink, and Demon Crystals for An Xin and Zhao Qingyi, and An Xin urged Zhao Qingyi to endure and focus on cultivation.
• Zhong Yushu activated a formation that drew on the countless heroic souls of Demon-Suppressing Pass, causing the fortress to surge with energy.
• Chu Yu followed the Torch Inheritance Road to the pass and carved a message to Xu Wenxuan into its wall.
• The Principal entrusted Chu Yu to Zhong Yushu, and Chu Yu assured him she would guard Demon-Suppressing Pass.
• Zhong Yushu left by Hero Road, declared himself free of restraints, summoned the Reserve Corps, and led most of the soldiers away.

At Demon-Suppressing Pass, Chu Yu painted scenes of a boy and girl walking together while Ink Pavilion launched a coordinated crackdown that crippled the Evil Cult. Qiu Xiaoxiao fled toward Jiangcheng to seek an alliance with Zong Ren, who still planned to rebuild the Divine Cult and tried to ingratiate himself with Shi Guang.

• Chu Yu used her book to spread black vapor across Demon-Suppressing Pass, then painted memories of a boy and girl walking side by side.
• Yu Mo ordered Ink Pavilion’s operation to begin, and battles broke out across human territory as most Evil Cultists were captured.
• The Publicity Department released prepared reports announcing the Evil Cult’s collapse, while escaped members remained on the Dark Pavilion’s wanted list.
• Qiu Xiaoxiao disguised herself, decided to become the new god, and headed for Jiangcheng to join forces with Zong Ren.
• Zong Ren dismissed the Divine Cult’s downfall as inevitable and planned to restore it after contacting Chu Yu at Ink Academy.
• Zong Ren spotted Shi Guang and followed her, offering her a shovel he thought would suit her.

After the crackdown on the Evil Cult, Yu Mo discussed his plans with Sun Yingxiong, then arranged for Zhong Yushu to take over Ghost Gate while Old Ghost departed. Zong Ren decided to enter the Ink Academy and keep his distance from Shi Guang.

• Zong Ren followed Shi Guang and asked to accompany him, but Shi Guang misunderstood and said Zong Ren could not keep up with him when he ran.
• Zong Ren decided to avoid getting close to Shi Guang, enter the Ink Academy, and find a way to take Chu Yu away from Shi Guang and Yu Sheng.
• Sun Yingxiong reported the crackdown's success, and Yu Mo explained that his covert agents had been prepared to pursue the Evil Cult whether or not he uncovered Soul Hunt's plan.
• Yu Mo asked Sun Yingxiong to switch roles with Yuan Qingshan, but Sun Yingxiong refused and hurried away.
• Zhong Yushu arrived at Ghost Gate to relieve Old Ghost, who left after telling him that two months would suffice.

Xu Yuanqing explained the requirements for advancing to third year and tried to recruit Sun Wen into an assessment scheme targeting Su Mo. Mu Yu encouraged Lin Xiaoxiao to keep climbing toward the summit, while Yu Sheng hoped the incoming freshmen would provide the gray aura he needed to unlock his Fourth Awakening Object.

• Xu Yuanqing listed the four requirements for combat-system students to advance from second year to third year, and Sun Wen insisted he was a Support System student.
• Xu Yuanqing offered to arrange a Support System assessment for Sun Wen if the freshmen targeted Su Mo, and hinted that he needed an investor for his new company.
• Mu Yu comforted Lin Xiaoxiao, who resolved to shorten the time it would take her to reach the summit.
• Mu Yu said that the students at Ink Academy were at the foot of the mountain and needed unyielding will to reach the summit.
• Lin Xiaoxiao thanked Mu Yu, then joined the others in planning to thrash the incoming freshmen.
• Yu Sheng wondered whether the freshmen could provide enough gray aura to unlock his Fourth Awakening Object.