Chapter Summaries

Toji entered the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt a Soul Beast on his own and improve his cultivation. After driving off an eight-thousand-year Scarlet Flame Lion King, he encountered a powerful mantis whose attacks pierced his Soul Power barrier, and decided its ability would suit him.

• Toji traveled into the mixed zone, relying on his senses and moving cautiously as he searched for a suitable Soul Beast.
• Toji surprised a Scarlet Flame Lion King while it was relieving itself, then dodged its attacks and threw it to the ground.
• Toji cowed the Scarlet Flame Lion King with his killing intent, let it flee, and extinguished the surrounding fires.
• Toji searched until nightfall, then a huge emerald mantis ambushed him and wounded him through his Soul Power barrier.
• Toji realized the mantis could ignore defense and rejoiced at finding a Soul Beast whose ability he wanted.

Toji killed a Ten-Thousand-Year Jade Shadow Mantis and absorbed its Soul Ring, reaching level forty-one and becoming a Soul Ancestor. He prepared to demonstrate the Fourth Soul Skill to Du Busi.

• The camouflaged Jade Shadow Mantis wounded Toji with repeated ambushes, but Toji scattered stones to reveal its position.
• Toji used Teleportation and his broadsword to badly injure the mantis, then crushed its neck and killed it with one of its own scythes.
• Du Busi praised Toji for hunting the Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast and guided him through absorbing its black Soul Ring.
• Toji endured the Soul Ring’s violent energy until it merged with his body, then confirmed that he had reached level forty-one.
• Du Busi asked Toji to demonstrate his Fourth Soul Skill.

Toji returned to the Soul Fighting Arena, learned that Shrek was searching for its missing inner court disciple, and gathered the local nobles to demand their wealth and assets. After brutally attacking those who tried to resist, he asked who was in favor and who was against.

• Toji gained a passive Ignore Defense Soul Skill, then left the Star Dou Great Forest for the Heaven Dou Empire after Du Busi offered to protect him from Shrek.
• Liang Wu told Toji that Shrek was searching for the inner court disciple who had disappeared a month earlier and that the Evil Soul Masters from eight years ago had fled toward the Sun Moon Empire.
• Toji ordered Liang Wu to gather the local nobles at the Soul Fighting Arena, including those who had not come that day.
• Toji seized a noble, cut off his arm, and used Teleportation and powerful punches to stop Soul Kings from escaping.
• Toji demanded that the nobles hand over every Gold Soul Coin they had earned from him and all their assets, threatening to cripple anyone who refused and force them to fight Soul Beasts.

Toji forced the nobles who had profited from him to surrender their assets or face Soul Beasts in the arena, then made them watch as the beasts attacked. A Soul Douluo arrived with the Poison Soul Master and accused Toji of stealing his Soul Bone.

• Toji demanded that the nobles surrender their assets or fight Soul Beasts, and he threw one noble through a window when he objected.
• Toji crippled nobles who refused, sent them into the arena with a Hundred-Year Soul Beast, and taunted them while they fled.
• Toji ordered the nobles in the VIP room to bet on whether the arena fighters would survive, then confronted newly arrived nobles who challenged him.
• Toji forced a middle-aged noble to watch the Soul Beast devour the fleeing Soul Masters while the other nobles watched in horror.
• A Soul Douluo burst into the room with the Poison Soul Master and accused Toji of stealing his Soul Bone.

Toji faced the Heaven Dou City Lord after forcing the nobles to surrender their wealth, but Lang Ya and Yu Tao intervened and made the City Lord retreat. With the nobles left at his mercy, Toji proposed a business partnership backed by a threat of sending them into the Soul Fighting Arena.

• The City Lord arrived under pressure from his Soul Douluo strength and accused Toji of taking his Soul Bone and attacking his people.
• The City Lord attacked Toji, but Lang Ya and Yu Tao appeared and revealed that they were Body Sect Soul Douluo.
• The City Lord withdrew, offered Lang Ya a Storage Soul Tool as goodwill, and left with his people.
• Lang Ya and Yu Tao departed, while Toji reminded the nobles that their backer could not protect them.
• Toji demanded the nobles' assets and money in exchange for a business partnership, warning that refusal would mean they would be crippled and sent to fight Soul Beasts.

Toji persuaded the nobles to invest in a Soul Tool venture, using both threats and the promise of profit to secure their cooperation. After they agreed on a plan, he reflected on his growing power and resolved to pursue a grander future once he became strong enough.

• Toji proposed using the nobles’ wealth to develop Soul Tools, beginning with lower-quality tools and later seeking cooperation with the Illustrious Virtue Hall.
• The nobles embraced his plan to recruit spiritual-type Soul Masters and promising Soul Engineers, and agreed to invest.
• Toji and the nobles finalized their plan, giving the nobles thirty percent and Toji’s side seventy percent, with initial progress due in three days.
• After the nobles left, Liang Wu praised Toji’s mixture of threats and inducements, and Toji said keeping the nobles alive would make them useful workers and managers.
• Toji briefly savored his new influence, then decided he would seek power on a much grander scale.

Toji returned to the Body Sect after tending to his Soul Tools and faced criticism from Lang Ya and Yu Tao for relying on them. Du Busi prepared him to absorb the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Right Palm Bone, leaving Toji confident despite the near-death ordeal ahead.

• Toji asked Liang Wu about Shrek, learned he had not investigated it, and told him to cultivate and improve his combat ability.
• Toji asked Liang Wu to recharge his Soul Tools before leaving for the Body Sect with Lang Ya and Yu Tao.
• Lang Ya and Yu Tao criticized Toji for using and developing Soul Tools, but Toji defended the value of tools.
• Du Busi told Toji to prepare to absorb the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Right Palm Bone and warned him that the process would bring him close to death.
• Toji said he had already faced death four times and was confident he could endure one more.

Toji endured the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Right Palm Bone’s violent power and successfully absorbed it, though his cultivation only rose to level forty-two. Du Busi praised his strength and warned that his body-cultivation path would advance slowly, while declaring Toji nearly unbeatable among people under twenty-five.

• Toji returned to the sect’s old spot, where Du Busi stood ready to guard him as he absorbed the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Right Palm Bone.
• Toji endured the Soul Bone’s savage energy tearing through his right arm and body without giving up, while Du Busi watched for signs that he needed help.
• Toji suppressed the violent energy and completed the absorption, gaining five sharp dark gold claws across his right hand before collapsing from exhaustion.
• Toji checked his cultivation and discovered that he had advanced only to level forty-two, prompting him to rage over gaining just one level.
• Du Busi calmed Toji by explaining that his body-cultivation path advanced slowly and that his combat strength was already comparable to a level sixty-five Soul Emperor’s.
• Du Busi told Toji that his new loadout made him a formidable assassin who could likely defeat anyone under twenty-five.

After absorbing a Soul Bone, Toji learned from Du Busi and began developing a way to hide his presence, taking his first step toward creating his own combat techniques. At the Soul Fighting Arena, a Shrek Academy inspector confronted Liang Wu over the disappearance of inner-court disciple Luo Tian.

• Du Busi taught Toji about cultivating his Qi and blood and creating combat techniques suited to himself, then demonstrated his own techniques through the night.
• Toji returned to his room and, while reflecting on Du Busi's advice, learned to blend his presence into his surroundings.
• Du Busi watched Toji's breakthrough and concluded that he had taken his first step toward creating his own combat techniques.
• A Shrek Academy Inspection Corps member confronted Liang Wu at the Soul Fighting Arena and accused him of involvement in Luo Tian's disappearance.
• The inspector produced Liang Wu's injured subordinate as evidence and demanded to know where Luo Tian was.

Liang Wu deceived a Shrek investigator about Luo Tian’s death, and Toji returned to the Soul Fighting Arena after the investigation failed. There, Toji met the Soul Engineers and children Liang Wu had gathered, including an arrogant Level 6 Soul Engineer.

• Liang Wu claimed Luo Tian had collected his family’s share of the Soul Fighting Arena profits and said he did not know where Luo Tian had gone.
• The middle-aged Shrek investigator searched the arena for a day but found no clues, then threatened Liang Wu before leaving.
• Two days later, Toji returned from the Body Sect and learned that Liang Wu had kept his involvement in Luo Tian’s death from Shrek.
• Liang Wu told Toji that nobles had gathered children with spiritual-type Martial Souls and dozens of Soul Engineers as requested.
• Toji saw that most of the Soul Engineers were Level 3 or Level 4, while their leader was an arrogant Level 6 Soul Engineer.

Toji challenged Li Xuanfeng, a Level 6 Soul Engineer, after Li Xuanfeng doubted his ability to lead a Soul Tool venture. Toji demonstrated his Dark Gold Dreadclaw and agreed to fight Li Xuanfeng outside, where Li prepared to unleash his full strength.

• Toji rebuked Li Xuanfeng for acting superior and told him to leave if he would not cooperate.
• Li Xuanfeng aimed his Soul Tools at Toji, but Toji used Teleportation and his Dark Gold Dreadclaw to pierce Li Xuanfeng's Invincible Shield and threaten his neck.
• Li Xuanfeng claimed he had not used his full power indoors, so Toji agreed to continue the fight in the Soul Fighting Arena.
• Li Xuanfeng introduced himself as a Level 65 Soul Emperor and mocked Toji for being only a Level 42 Soul Ancestor.
• Li Xuanfeng unfolded his Soul Tool Turret and aimed its muzzles at Toji for their match.

Toji defeated Li Xuanfeng by evading his Soul Tools and tearing them apart, then persuaded him to join his team. Toji proposed researching a medium that would let people without Soul Power use Soul Tools, and Li Xuanfeng eagerly asked to hear more.

• Li Xuanfeng unleashed a barrage of Soul Cannon fire, but Toji evaded it at high speed while remaining impossible to sense or lock onto with Soul Power.
• As Li Xuanfeng widened his attack and threatened the arena barrier, Toji closed in and tore the Soul Tool barrels and turret from his body, injuring him and forcing his surrender.
• Li Xuanfeng apologized and agreed to work for Toji, explaining that he valued strength because a weak leader could not protect or support his team.
• Li Xuanfeng asked Toji to share his Soul Tool ideas and hurried to begin research.
• Toji asked whether Soul Tools could use a medium in place of Soul Power, proposing a Soul Guidance Ray that ordinary people could fire.

Toji explained a firearm-inspired way to modify Soul Guidance Rays, and Li Xuanfeng agreed to lead research into the design. The project promised to reshape Soul Tool warfare, while Toji planned to use it to build his business ahead of an approaching war.

• Toji described replacing a Soul Guidance Ray’s beam with a metal bullet propelled by a primer and expanding gas.
• Li Xuanfeng recognized the design’s potential and said ordinary people could use it to threaten Soul Masters.
• Toji assigned Li Xuanfeng to research the modified Soul Guidance Ray and promised the team funding and resources.
• Liang Wu led Li Xuanfeng and the other Soul Engineers to the laboratory, while Toji considered the profits and military impact of future Soul Tools.

Toji returned to find the nobles’ enormous wealth being counted and learned that a Shrek Soul Saint was harassing the Soul Fighting Arena. He rejected Father Zhang’s suggestion to appease the man and declared he could drive him away, or even kill him, if given enough information.

• Liang Wu and his subordinates counted the nobles’ assets, totaling three hundred million Gold Soul Coins and property worth at least five hundred million more.
• Father Zhang told Toji that a Shrek Inspection Corps Soul Saint was threatening the arena’s staff and disrupting business.
• Toji refused Father Zhang’s suggestion to pay off the Soul Saint, while Liang Wu warned that Shrek’s people had exploited him before.
• Toji said the goal was to drive the Soul Saint out of the Heaven Dou Empire and claimed he could kill him if given enough information.

Toji ordered Father Zhang and Liang Wu to gather everything about Zhao Tie and prepare for a prolonged fight. At the Soul Fighting Arena, Zhao Tie harassed a merchant and accused the arena of hiding Luo Tian’s disappearance, until Liang Wu challenged him to spar and Zhao Tie invited both Liang Wu and Father Zhang to attack him together.

• Toji told Father Zhang and Liang Wu to cooperate fully and gather information about Zhao Tie’s habits, abilities, and fighting style.
• Zhao Tie watched the Soul Fighting Arena’s entrance while searching for clues about Luo Tian.
• Zhao Tie stopped a merchant, seized his Storage Soul Tool, and accused him of smuggling materials for the Soul Fighting Arena.
• Liang Wu and Father Zhang confronted Zhao Tie and demanded that he release the merchant.
• Liang Wu challenged Zhao Tie to spar, and Zhao Tie agreed while telling Liang Wu and Father Zhang to fight him together.

Toji watched Zhao Tie defeat Liang Wu and Father Zhang, then studied his wind-based fighting style and devised a way to kill him. He ordered his subordinates to accommodate Zhao Tie and keep him at the Soul Fighting Arena while he continued his investigation.

• Zhao Tie used his speed and wind Soul Skills to overwhelm Liang Wu and Father Zhang in fewer than three exchanges.
• Zhao Tie ordered his people to take the injured men for treatment and publicly claimed Shrek would take responsibility.
• Zhao Tie noticed Toji, mistook him for an ordinary person without Soul Power, and dismissed him as no better than a monkey.
• Toji analyzed Zhao Tie's wind-based Martial Soul and attacks, then decided he had enough information to plan a killing.
• Toji told his subordinates to accommodate Zhao Tie and keep him at the Soul Fighting Arena while he investigated.

Toji arranged to corrupt Zhao Tie with gambling, luxury, and women so he would neglect his search for Luo Tian. After a month of indulgence, Zhao Tie tried to resume his duties, but someone attacked him in bed.

• Zhao Tie failed to find clues about Luo Tian and considered forcibly searching the Soul Fighting Arena staff's memories.
• Liang Wu offered Zhao Tie a share of the gambling profits, and Zhao Tie accepted a bag of Gold Soul Coins.
• Toji explained his plan to Father Zhang, who agreed to put powerful tonics in Zhao Tie's food and wine and help encourage his indulgence.
• Liang Wu drew Zhao Tie into gambling, and Zhao Tie won hundreds of thousands of Gold Soul Coins on his first night.
• Zhao Tie spent a month gambling, drinking, and sleeping with women, putting off his search and cultivation.
• Zhao Tie decided to meditate and resume his search, but five dark-golden claws slashed his neck.

An unseen attacker repeatedly wounded Zhao Tie, a Soul Saint from Shrek Academy, while evading his spiritual and Soul Power senses. Zhao Tie’s attempts to reveal and counter the attacker failed, and the attacker left him badly injured and demanding to know his identity.

• Zhao Tie survived a slash to his neck and used a healing pill, then searched the room for the attacker.
• The unseen attacker severed Zhao Tie’s hands and knees, leaving him unable to maintain Martial Soul Possession.
• Zhao Tie used Martial Soul Avatar as a Wind Falcon to destroy the room, but the attacker remained undetected.
• The attacker descended from above, pierced Zhao Tie’s back with dark-gold claws, and knocked him out of his Martial Soul Avatar.
• Zhao Tie launched wind blades at the attacker, but the attacker shattered them with a great saber and cut a deep gash across Zhao Tie’s chest.
• Zhao Tie staggered and fell, asking the attacker who he was and realizing that he had grown weaker.

Toji defeated Zhao Tie in the Soul Fighting Arena but spared him after taking his Storage Soul Tool, leaving Zhao Tie to flee in terror. Outside, Zhao Tie learned that others had seen him fighting the air and begging nobody, making him wonder if Toji was a ghost.

• Zhao Tie used his Martial Soul Avatar and attacked again, but the dark figure severed his wing and beat him nearly to death.
• Zhao Tie pleaded for his life and threw over his Storage Soul Tool, then recognized the dark figure as Toji.
• Toji took Zhao Tie's Storage Soul Tool and let him go, and Zhao Tie ran from the Soul Fighting Arena.
• Zhao Tie collapsed outside and was helped by Liang Wu's men, who said they had seen him fighting the air and begging nobody.
• Zhao Tie realized the others could not see his opponent and wondered if Toji had been a ghost.

Zhao Tie fled back to Shrek Academy after Toji terrified and wounded him, while Toji and his allies discussed the consequences of the confrontation. Zhao Tie reached the academy alive, but his injuries had worsened and he deeply regretted taking the assignment.

• Zhao Tie panicked at the memory of Toji, fled from the Soul Fighting Arena, and became terrified of ordinary people without Soul Power.
• Toji told Liang Wu and Father Zhang that he had held back and explained how his new abilities let him overcome Zhao Tie's defenses.
• Father Zhang worried Zhao Tie might die or return with reinforcements, but Liang Wu said a medical team was following him to keep him alive.
• Toji predicted Shrek would either stop investigating Luo Tian's death or continue the inquiry, while Liang Wu praised his victory and Father Zhang lamented how Toji had changed.
• Zhao Tie ran from the Heaven Dou Empire to Shrek Academy, arriving exhausted, badly wounded, and regretting that he had investigated Luo Tian's death.