Chapter Summaries

Tail-Ender and the Ink Academy students fought off the Evil Cultists while Xu Yuanqing battled their leaders. Yu Sheng and An Xin blasted a hole through Jiangcheng’s gate, and Yu Sheng hurried toward Ink Academy, hoping he was not too late.

• Tail-Ender fought the cultists at close range, then told the long-haired woman to return to safety and taught the students to use their bodies as weapons.
• Zhao Zicheng used Damage Reflection while A Tai, Big White, Mu Yu, and Sun Wen joined the fight against the advancing cultists.
• Xu Yuanqing killed one of his airborne opponents but continued fighting despite his injuries.
• An Xin drove Yu Sheng to Jiangcheng’s sealed gate, where they blew a hole through it with the car.
• Yu Sheng apologized to An Xin, entered the city with daggers in hand, and hurried toward Ink Academy.

Sun Wen, Mu Yu, and the other students prepared to retreat behind Ink Academy's gates while Tail-Ender stayed behind to face the approaching Evil Cultists. Just as the gates began to close, Yu Sheng returned, and Zhao Zicheng rushed out again to join the fight.

• Sun Wen and Mu Yu reflected on Yu Sheng and watched Zhao Zicheng and Tail-Ender fight as the students' defenses weakened.
• Tail-Ender ordered the others to retreat inside Ink Academy and keep its gates shut until he died.
• Sun Wen agreed to retreat, explaining that protecting the academy's inner grounds was the best way to buy time.
• Xu Wenxuan charged the Evil Cultists after the gates began to close, declaring that he had done the academy proud.
• Zhao Zicheng spotted Yu Sheng returning and ran back outside, determined not to miss the fight against the Blood-Colored Twin Fiends.

Yu Sheng and the 140th Cohort’s freshmen held the academy gates against the Evil Cultists, while Xu Yuanqing continued fighting the last blood-saber wielder in the air above Jiangcheng. Ink Academy had gained the upper hand, but both battles were still raging.

• Sun Wen and the other freshmen refused to leave the gates, fighting Tail-Ender and the charging Evil Cultists as Zhao Zicheng boasted about the cohort’s strength.
• Yu Sheng used a transparent fishing line and a sudden burst of speed to kill several attackers, forcing the Evil Cultists to halt and regard him warily.
• After Yu Sheng warned Tail-Ender to stop his bleeding, Tail-Ender joined him in the fight, and Zhao Zicheng charged after them with his saber.
• Xu Yuanqing pressed the last blood-saber wielder into a one-on-one fight despite his grave wounds, while Bai Haitang and Qiu Xiaoxiao fought fiercely below.
• The blood-saber wielder charged again after Xu Yuanqing challenged his ties to the Allure Gate, and Xu Yuanqing put away the Demon Crystal he had been concealing as their battle resumed.

The Human Race began a counterattack at Demon-Suppressing Pass as the Reserve Corps charged out to flank the Demon Clan, while Xiangliu’s assault remained stalled. In Jiangcheng, Zong Ren reached Ink Academy’s gate and attacked the wounded students, but someone grabbed his ankle as he entered the academy.

• Xiangliu grew more anxious as Zhong Yushu held him at bay and the Golden Eagle remained occupied.
• Sun Yingxiong ordered the operation to begin, and a burly man led the Reserve Corps through the mountains to strike the Demon Clan from behind.
• The Reserve Corps’ charge threw the Demon Clan into chaos, while Xiangliu urged the Golden Eagle to help him kill Zhong Yushu.
• In Jiangcheng, Tail-Ender spotted Zong Ren approaching Ink Academy’s gate and tried to stop him, but Zong Ren wounded him and attacked Sun Wen and Zhao Zicheng.
• Zong Ren left the students behind and entered Ink Academy in search of its treasure, but halted when bloodstained hands seized his ankle.

Tail-Ender died after helping defend Ink Academy and save its students from the Evil Cult. As students bid him farewell, he asked Yu Sheng to keep going, then passed away in the hands of the girl he had waited for.

• Tail-Ender held Zong Ren back until returning students neared the gate, and Zong Ren broke his hands before fleeing.
• Xu Yuanqing cleared the entrance and collapsed, while Yu Sheng checked on Sun Wen and Zhao Zicheng and confirmed that they were alive.
• Students from several cohorts gathered to bid Tail-Ender farewell, and Yu Sheng joined them.
• Tail-Ender told Yu Sheng that he saw his own potential in him and asked him to keep walking forward.
• The long-haired girl arrived, held Tail-Ender's bloodied hand to her cheek, and watched as he died.

After Wenxuan’s death, Chu Yu grieved and left the academy, while the Human Race celebrated its victory at Demon-Suppressing Pass and mourned its dead. Three days later, the Ink Academy held a funeral, where Chu Yu said the experiment could begin before departing again, as the injured students faced a long recovery.

• Chu Yu cleaned Wenxuan’s body, entrusted his funeral arrangements to the other students, and left the academy after grieving beside the rockery.
• Zong Ren changed his disguise, decided he could no longer remain in Jiangcheng, and began searching for a scapegoat.
• At Demon-Suppressing Pass, Xiangliu and the golden eagle retreated as Zhong Yushu proclaimed a great victory and led the soldiers in pursuit of the demons.
• The Human Race celebrated the victory, while the Ink Academy rang its bell thirteen times for the master of Jiangcheng’s Ink Pavilion, and Zhao Qingyi received a car key.
• After Xu Yuanqing woke from three days of sleep, the students held Wenxuan’s funeral; Chu Yu told the vice principal to prepare the experiment and left the academy again.
• The doctor warned Zhao Zicheng, Sun Wen, A Tai, Mu Yu, Lin Xiaoxiao, and Big White that their injuries would keep them from fighting for weeks or months.

After the Demon Clan broke its agreement and attacked Demon-Suppressing Pass, Wan Bo of Ink Pavilion retaliated alone, devastating several Demon Domain strongholds and forcing the mountain lords to withdraw. Zhong Yushu recognized his former teacher’s Awakening Object and watched Wan Bo’s assault end with a warning that the Demon Clan must recuperate for two years.

• Six mountain lords attacked Demon-Suppressing Pass, killing many fighters and gravely injuring Zhong Yushu before reinforcements halted them.
• The next day, Wan Bo attacked Eagle Ravine Mountain, killing or injuring most of its inhabitants and leaving a message naming himself as the killer.
• Wan Bo struck Zeshan as well, forcing Xiangliu and the other mountain lords to retreat and easing the pressure on Demon-Suppressing Pass.
• Zhong Yushu recognized Wan Bo’s nine-crystal sickle as his teacher’s Awakening Object and knelt as Wan Bo killed the golden eagle and sent its Demon Core to the pass.
• Wan Bo entered Skyvault Ravine, destroyed part of it, killed countless pure-blooded Demon Beasts and a flood dragon, and warned the Demon Clan to recuperate for two years.

After the Human Race and Demon Clan agreed to a one-year ceasefire, Sun Yingxiong honored the dead and announced rewards for the freshman tournament. The chapter ended with Xu Yuanqing visiting the injured Sun Wen at Ink Academy and asking about his credits.

• Ji Hong left Xiangliu in charge of Zeshan and concealed his own injuries after the battle.
• Zhong Yushu urged the grieving soldiers to celebrate their victory, and Sun Yingxiong secured a one-year ceasefire with the Demon Clan.
• The Human Race mourned Wan Bo and the fallen, while Sun Yingxiong added their plaques to the Human Race Hall and announced rewards for the academy freshman tournament.
• Xu Yuanqing visited the bandaged Sun Wen at Ink Academy and asked whether he had earned many credits.

Xu Yuanqing pitched Sun Wen on investing in a delivery business, but Yu Sheng focused on helping the injured Sun Wen recover in ways that left him miserable. Yu Sheng left Sun Wen alone in the blazing sun with the air conditioner off, while Sun Wen wondered whether the colder Yu Sheng had been better.

• Xu Yuanqing asked Sun Wen to invest in his Hero Takeout delivery venture, but Sun Wen shut his eyes and asked how much a steamed bun delivery would cost.
• Yu Sheng arrived and cheerfully took Sun Wen to the bathroom, breaking the cast over his crotch and using his Sucker Punch to keep him upright.
• Yu Sheng encouraged Sun Wen to keep trying until he managed to urinate, while Xu Yuanqing watched in disbelief and left, convinced he was dreaming.
• Yu Sheng returned Sun Wen to bed, moved him into the noon sunlight, switched off the air conditioner, and said he would return in five hours.
• Sun Wen sat alone in the heat and lamented that the old Yu Sheng might have been better.

Yu Sheng continued learning how to help people by caring for Lin Xiaoxiao and Zhao Zicheng, though his attention left them frightened and exhausted. When Xu Yuanqing announced the Academy Freshmen Competition, the group realized Yu Sheng might be their only able competitor, and the loudspeaker warned that their instructor would face severe penalties if they failed to win.

• Yu Sheng gave Big White his medicine and confiscated Lin Xiaoxiao's potato chips while urging her to rest.
• Yu Sheng helped Zhao Zicheng up, checked that he had done his muscle exercises, and dragged him outside to exercise more.
• Xu Yuanqing told Yu Sheng and Zhao Zicheng that the Academy Freshmen Competition would soon begin in Ink City and that Ink Academy usually won.
• Zhao Zicheng pointed out that he and the others were injured, prompting Xu Yuanqing to realize Yu Sheng might be their only fighter.
• The loudspeaker announced that the instructor would lose a year's salary and three years of scholarship money if they failed to win, and would have to run naked unless he paid 500 credits.

Xu Yuanqing persuaded Yu Sheng to represent Ink Academy in the Freshman Competition, and Yu Sheng agreed after negotiating a 500-credit reward. Zhao Zicheng was assigned to accompany him despite his injury, and Yu Sheng made him complete his exercises before they set out.

• Xu Yuanqing urged Yu Sheng to take down the other academies, but Yu Sheng initially refused because he wanted to care for his classmates.
• Sun Wen, Zhao Zicheng, Lin Xiaoxiao, and the others told Yu Sheng to go and win first place for Ink Academy and their bond.
• Yu Sheng agreed to compete if Xu Yuanqing paid him 500 credits, and the voice on the loudspeaker accepted the deal.
• Xu Yuanqing assigned the injured Zhao Zicheng to accompany Yu Sheng, prompting Zhao to complain and suggest other classmates go instead.
• Yu Sheng stopped Zhao Zicheng from naming more candidates and made him complete his muscle-training exercises, encouraging him to compete alongside Yu Sheng as one of the Blood-Colored Twin Fiends.

After Jiangcheng’s lockdown ended, Zhao Qingyi prepared to enter the Demon Domain, where she unexpectedly found An Xin going too. Meanwhile, Zong Ren turned back toward Jiangcheng after deciding Zhao Qingyi might be the pawn he needed, and Yu Sheng stayed with the injured Sun Wen as their departure approached.

• Zong Ren escaped Jiangcheng, suspected the Soul Hunting Hunters organization had set a trap, and decided to return to pursue Zhao Qingyi as a potential pawn.
• Zhao Qingyi accepted a permit to enter the Demon Domain despite the Dark Pavilion master's warnings and reflected on the people who had left Jiangcheng.
• An Xin appeared with her own Demon Domain permit, and she and Zhao Qingyi argued before An Xin followed her, offering to protect her.
• Sun Wen urged Yu Sheng to leave for his upcoming trip early, but Yu Sheng stayed to push his hospital bed into the sunlight and said he would bring dinner.

Ink Academy’s freshmen set off for a competition in Ink City, with Yu Sheng wearing a custom uniform and Zhao Zicheng joining despite his injuries. The trip began with Zhao Zicheng at the wheel while Yu Sheng eagerly hoped to drive.

• Xu Yuanqing praised Yu Sheng’s new uniform, which Sun Wen had arranged, while Yu Sheng said he wanted to keep his old backpack.
• The students cheered Yu Sheng on, and Zhao Zicheng boasted that he would return as a champion before falling and needing Yu Sheng’s help to stand.
• Xu Yuanqing announced that Yu Sheng would drive their car across five provinces while he slept in the back seat.
• Zhao Zicheng took the driver’s seat to prevent Yu Sheng from driving and set off using a crutch on the accelerator.
• Zhao Zicheng shouted about conquering Ink City, then choked on the wind and briefly swerved toward the roadside before correcting the car.

As the Academy Freshmen Competition drew attention across Ink City, Ink Academy declared that it would still fight despite its injured freshmen. Meanwhile, Yu Sheng drove Xu Yuanqing and Zhao Zicheng so recklessly that they feared for their lives, before the three continued toward their destination.

• News of Ink Academy’s injured freshmen led rival schools and gamblers to speculate that they could win the Academy Freshmen Competition.
• Ink Academy’s official account announced that the school had survived disaster and would not back down, fueling rumors about its competitor.
• Yu Sheng’s wild driving left Xu Yuanqing sick and Zhao Zicheng pale, while Yu Sheng insisted he had everything under control.
• The group stopped to recover, and Yu Sheng guided Zhao Zicheng through another round of exercises as Xu Yuanqing posted a video on Ink Academy’s forum.
• Xu Yuanqing joked about the vice principal watching them, then denied watching Seven-Colored Fairy when Zhao Zicheng offered him an uncut version.

Xu Yuanqing, Zhao Zicheng, and Yu Sheng headed for Ink City while the Ink Pavilion confirmed that the Freshman Competition would proceed on schedule despite Ink Academy’s injured freshmen. As speculation about Ink Academy’s competitors spread, Zhao Zicheng bristled at the students being overlooked.

• Zhao Zicheng tempted Xu Yuanqing with a video, and Xu agreed to drive the group to Ink City while Yu Sheng questioned the appeal of the Seven-Colored Fairy.
• Sun Yingxiong refused to postpone the competition or grant special treatment to his grandson, but asked how Sun Wen was doing and took pride in his recovery and performance.
• Sun Yingxiong ordered a nationwide crackdown on the Evil Cult and demanded that the person who injured Sun Wen be identified and killed during the operation.
• The Ink Pavilion announced elimination rounds, individual arena advancement, and college team battles, keeping the competition date unchanged.
• Online commenters debated which Ink Academy freshman would compete, and Zhao Zicheng complained that people had forgotten the Blood-Colored Twin Fiends.

On the way to the national tournament, Xu Yuanqing planned to exploit the casinos’ odds by making Ink Academy look badly injured, while Yu Sheng called a Sin City bookmaker to discuss placing a bet. Yu Sheng’s blunt bargaining revealed that the bookmaker owned six of the nine betting houses, but their negotiations ended without a deal.

• Xu Yuanqing stopped at a service area, bought gauze and antiseptic, and explained his plan to bet after making Ink Academy appear unlikely to win.
• Zhao Zicheng asked Yu Sheng to pool money for a bet, but Yu Sheng said he had given away his mission rewards.
• Yu Sheng called the owner of the Lawless Outlaws Specialty Store to ask about betting operations and told him Xu Yuanqing would lead Ink Academy’s team.
• The bookmaker admitted he owned six of the tournament’s nine casinos after Yu Sheng repeatedly hung up on him.
• Yu Sheng proposed a fifty-fifty cut for his information, and the bookmaker angrily refused before Yu Sheng ended the call.

Yu Sheng struck a deal with an underground casino to profit from Ink Academy being underestimated in the tournament, then disguised his injuries before entering Ink City. His dramatic arrival collapsed into an awkward fall in front of the waiting reporters.

• Yu Sheng negotiated a thirty-percent share with a casino contact in exchange for tournament information and agreed to keep Ink Academy's chances hidden.
• Yu Sheng assured Xu Yuanqing that Sin City rules would ensure the deal was honored, and Xu Yuanqing bandaged him to make his injuries look convincing.
• Reporters gathered at Ink City's gates, where Wu Qianqiu waited as they planned stories about Ink Academy's arrival.
• Xu Yuanqing stepped out of Yu Sheng's car and was ignored by the reporters, who focused on the passenger door.
• Yu Sheng emerged in a pig-head mask with a cast and crutch, but fell after putting weight on his injured leg, leaving reporters with a glimpse of his cuff marked "Quack quack."

Yu Sheng and Zhao Zicheng appeared at the competition venue in masks and injuries, where Wu Qianqiu declared he would take first place and challenged them. After Xu Yuanqing’s attempt to promote his new business failed, he took the pair to the Gold Yuanbao Hotel and was stunned by Sun Wen’s lavish suite.

• Reporters identified Yu Sheng and Zhao Zicheng as likely Ink Academy competitors despite their masks and injuries.
• Wu Qianqiu announced he would win first place, then sent Yu Sheng a King of Hell’s Challenge card.
• Yu Sheng and Zhao Zicheng mocked the challenge and left together while Xu Yuanqing promised reporters that Ink Academy would defend its honor.
• Xu Yuanqing tried to advertise his new food and beverage company, but the reporters shut off their cameras and left.
• Xu Yuanqing drove Yu Sheng and Zhao Zicheng to the Gold Yuanbao Hotel and gaped at the luxury of Sun Wen’s suite, regretting that he had failed to extort money from him.

Xu Yuanqing, Zhao Zicheng, and Yu Sheng prepared for the Freshman Competition at their Ink City hotel, while the vice principal urged Yu Sheng to dominate and promised a reward. The day before the competition, Zhao Zicheng returned with a custom motorized wheelchair, and Yu Sheng said he expected to win the individual event but might struggle in the team event.

• Xu Yuanqing and Zhao Zicheng admired the view and a Red Luan while Yu Sheng set traps and studied footage of Wu Qianqiu and other academy opponents.
• The vice principal called Xu Yuanqing and told him to have Yu Sheng go all out in the competition, offering an extra 1,000 credits if he performed well.
• Xu Yuanqing told Yu Sheng the vice principal wanted him to show off, then arranged a personal appearance fee for himself.
• Zhao Zicheng returned from rehabilitation in a fast, maneuverable custom wheelchair and declared that he would join the elimination rounds.
• Yu Sheng said he was confident in the individual competition but thought the team event could be difficult, even with Zhao Zicheng alongside him.

Yu Sheng tried to comfort Zhao Zicheng and others with inspirational quotes, only to drive them away while discovering the quotes filled his Scroll with gray gas when spoken face-to-face. The next morning, he and his companions headed to the Ink City Education Department, and Yu Sheng left a taxi driver newly inspired but forgot to pay the fare.

• Yu Sheng recited a quote to Zhao Zicheng, who turned away to train, while Xu Yuanqing questioned where Yu Sheng had learned his strange motivational lines.
• Yu Sheng called the Lawless Outlaws with advice about burning paper offerings, then realized his quotes only produced energy when spoken face-to-face.
• Xu Yuanqing and Zhao Zicheng refused Yu Sheng's offers to help them make money or grow stronger, and he wondered who he could read his remaining quotes to.
• The next morning, Xu Yuanqing and Zhao Zicheng hurried toward the Ink City Education Department to escape Yu Sheng's quotes, leaving him to take a taxi.
• Yu Sheng asked the taxi driver about his dream, and the driver became inspired to be the best king of the road before realizing he had driven away without collecting the fare.