Chapter Summaries

The Mask Squad faced the Prosperous Age Women's Team in a 1v1 gauntlet, where Xue Zhongqi lost to a third-tier opponent's Purple Radiance Lotus illusion. Yan Yuting then forced a draw by binding her opponent and jumping out of the arena with her, leaving Yan injured.

• The screen selected a 1v1 gauntlet, and Xue Zhongqi entered the arena first for the Mask Squad.
• Xue Zhongqi was caught by the opponent's Purple Radiance Lotus illusion and thrown out of the arena.
• Xu Jintang sent Yan Yuting into the second duel against the same Prosperous Age Women's Team fighter.
• Yan Yuting endured cuts from the lotus projectiles, used the Wind Shadow Whip to bind her opponent, and jumped out of the arena with her.
• Li Xiang declared the duel a draw, and Xu Jintang checked Yan Yuting's bleeding arm.

Jiang Shiyi won two matches for the Mask Squad before facing Jiang Yingying, who questioned why the team had not used its abilities. As their fight turned against Jiang Shiyi, Xu Jintang prepared to take the next match if needed.

• Yan Yuting was taken to the medical center after her risky attack secured a draw, and Jiang Shiyi volunteered for the next match.
• Jiang Shiyi defeated Wen Ruyue and another third-tier Prosperous Age Women's Team member with her rocket launcher, putting the Mask Squad ahead in the tournament.
• Jiang Yingying entered the arena and asked Jiang Shiyi why none of the Mask Squad members had used their abilities; Jiang Shiyi said it was a team rule.
• Jiang Shiyi and Jiang Yingying began a fierce fight, with Jiang Shiyi at a disadvantage after her previous matches and her inability to use her ability.
• Xu Jintang told Song Tianqi she would face Jiang Yingying if another match followed, leaving him to handle the opposing team's remaining peak second-tier member.

Xu Jintang fought Jiang Yingying after Jiang Shiyi weakened her in the preceding match. Xu Jintang broke through Jiang Yingying’s Domain of Mirror Blades and defeated her, giving the Mask Squad the 1v1 victory.

• Jiang Shiyi unleashed a powerful attack that drained both her and Jiang Yingying’s mental power, then left the arena and prepared Xu Jintang for the next match.
• Xu Jintang greeted the cheering spectators before the sixth 1v1 match began.
• Xu Jintang overwhelmed Jiang Yingying in close combat, forcing her to use her Domain of Mirror Blades.
• Xu Jintang shattered the domain with her own domain power and exposed Jiang Yingying inside it.
• Xu Jintang used her sleeve crossbow to make Jiang Yingying dodge, then kicked her out of the arena.
• Li Xiang announced the Mask Squad’s victory as the spectators cheered.

The Mask Squad defeated the Prosperous Age Women's Team and advanced to the top thirty-two, while Yan Yuting recovered from her injury at the Federation Medical Center. After their teachers reprimanded them and ordered written self-criticisms, the team planned a visit to an underground black market, leaving the five of them ready to head out the next morning.

• Jiang Yingying conceded the match, and Li Xiang announced the Mask Squad's victory and advancement to the top thirty-two.
• The Prosperous Age Women's Team member who injured Yan Yuting apologized, but Xu Jintang declined her offer to visit Yan Yuting at the medical center.
• A medical worker healed Yan Yuting's arm, and Xu Jintang, Wu Jinghong, and Zhuang Silin warned the team against risking their health and ordered all five to write self-criticisms.
• Song Tianqi and Xue Zhongqi insisted on joining Xu Jintang, Jiang Shiyi, and Yan Yuting on a trip to the underground black market.
• The five teammates woke early and ate breakfast together before a vibration sounded.

Xu Jintang and Jiang Shiyi explored the underground black market, where Jiang Shiyi bought a Fire Spirit Rabbit and Xu Jintang found living spirit alloy hidden inside a cheap stone. They joined a pitch-pot contest offering the rare Soul-Seizing Bell as a prize, and Yan Yuting, Song Tianqi, and Xue Zhongqi reunited with them in line.

• Xu Jintang and her companions entered the underground black market through a hidden passage beneath a plaza.
• Yan Yuting, Song Tianqi, and Xue Zhongqi went off to explore while Xu Jintang and Jiang Shiyi browsed the secondhand stalls.
• Jiang Shiyi bought a timid Fire Spirit Rabbit cub for 150,000 star coins.
• Xu Jintang used Domain Detection to discover living spirit alloy inside a black stone and bought it for 5,000 star coins.
• Xu Jintang and Jiang Shiyi joined a pitch-pot contest offering the growth-type magical treasure Soul-Seizing Bell as its prize.
• Yan Yuting, Song Tianqi, and Xue Zhongqi returned from shopping and joined the line behind Xu Jintang.

Xu Jintang and her friends competed for the Soul-Seizing Bell in the black market’s pitch-pot game, where they clashed with Huai Yangxia and the Silver Light Military Academy students. Xu Jintang won with twelve successful throws and was led away to receive her prize from the black market owner.

• Xu Jintang and her friends joined the pitch-pot game after learning its prize was a valuable Soul-Seizing Bell, and they discovered the black market owner had bought it at auction.
• Huai Yangxia confronted Xu Jintang in line, but his teammates stopped him from starting a fight before the elimination rounds.
• During the game, Huai Yangxia and the Silver Light Military Academy students interfered with Yan Yuting and the others, while Xu Jintang defended her throws and landed six arrows.
• Huai Yangxia summoned his Five Poisons Golden Toad to attack Xu Jintang’s bamboo tube, but Xue Zhongqi stopped it and the game attendant warned him that destroying targets was forbidden.
• Xu Jintang finished with twelve successful throws and won the game; the attendant then invited her to meet the black market owner, who would present the prize personally.

Xu Jintang claimed the Soul-Seizing Bell and met the black market’s master, Gu Xiuwen, who revealed that fate had brought them together through his ability. She and the Mask Squad then bet on their own prospects in the Ability User Competition before leaving the black market for home.

• Xu Jintang met Gu Xiuwen in the black market and received the Soul-Seizing Bell, which attacked her until Gu Xiuwen used his power to protect her.
• Gu Xiuwen confirmed to his trench-coated subordinate that his ability had brought him into contact with Xu Jintang.
• Xu Jintang rejoined Yan Yuting and the others, and they noticed that the black market’s artificial day had made them lose track of time.
• Xu Jintang, Yan Yuting, Song Tianqi, Xue Zhongqi, and Jiang Shiyi placed bets on the Mask Squad reaching the top eight, reaching the top four, and winning the championship.
• Xu Jintang and her companions reviewed the teams’ championship odds, noted that the Purple Rosy Clouds Pond Flower Team was favored, and left the black market to return to the villa district.

Xu Jintang discovered that the Soul-Seizing Bell carried a fragment of mental consciousness belonging to a powerful ability user, then prepared with the Mask Squad for its next elimination match against the Spirit of Wood Squad. As the team began training for the tougher rounds, Wu Jinghong and Zhuang Silin showed them replays of other teams’ matches.

• Xu Jintang tested the Soul-Seizing Bell and learned from the Green-Membrane Archaeopteryx that he had destroyed a ninth-tier ability user’s tracking fragment attached to it.
• Wu Jinghong gathered the Mask Squad and briefed them on the remaining teams, including the powerful Soul Awakening Team.
• Li Xiang’s random draw matched the Mask Squad against the Spirit of Wood Squad, whose members were all above the third tier and whose captain, Wang Yuexin, had fourth-tier mental power.
• The Mask Squad returned to the villa, discussed the difficult matchup, and Song Tianqi said he felt close to reaching the third tier before they resumed cultivation.
• Wu Jinghong and Zhuang Silin arrived and showed the Mask Squad replays of the Silver Light Military Academy Squad and the Mechanical Technology Military Academy Team.

Zhuang Silin told Xu Jintang’s team that Leikedasi had authorized some members to use their abilities and set winning the championship as their goal. She analyzed the powerful Spirit of Wood Squad and led the team through intensive preparation, while Xu Jintang learned why Jiang Shiyi kept the crippled Fire Spirit Rabbit and ended the day tasting Ruan Tao’s restorative mushroom soup.

• Zhuang Silin explained that Xu Jintang, Jiang Shiyi, and Song Tianqi could use their abilities while keeping their identities secret, and announced that the Mask Squad would now aim to win the championship.
• Zhuang Silin analyzed the Spirit of Wood Squad, describing Wang Yuexin’s powerful Tree of Life support ability and the squad’s formidable strength.
• Zhuang Silin and Wu Jinghong planned tactics for different match formats, and Xu Jintang’s team practiced against Yu Wanyao’s squad.
• Jiang Shiyi told Xu Jintang that the Fire Spirit Rabbit’s inner core had been crippled, so releasing it would leave it unable to survive in the wild.
• After the exhausted teams finished training, Ruan Tao served them restorative mushroom soup, and Xu Jintang felt its energy spreading through her body.

After advancing her mental power through cultivation, Xu Jintang disguised herself to enter the inscriptionist competition, where President Wang announced a practical challenge involving a cannon emplacement. She devised a solution despite suspecting the question had been designed to exploit her lack of formal training, and began inscribing as the two-hour round started.

• Xu Jintang’s mental power improved after she cultivated following Sister Taozi’s mushroom soup.
• Xu Jintang learned that Sister Taozi planned to watch the Mechanical Technology Military Academy Team, then prepared for the afternoon competition while Song Tianqi cultivated.
• Xu Jintang disguised herself and arrived at the contestants’ lounge, where Jiang Xiangyang questioned her about her weak result in the previous round.
• Xue Zhongqi warned Xu Jintang that Jiang Xiangyang’s teacher might target her with the round’s question because she had not attended the association’s classes.
• President Wang announced that contestants had two hours to create and test up to three inscriptions to improve a superpowered cannon emplacement’s flexibility.
• Xu Jintang chose to inscribe a Tracking Inscription and a Speed Inscription, while Xue Zhongqi began making the taught combination of a Speed Inscription and a Lock-On Inscription.

Xu Jintang completed a Tracking Inscription and a Speed Inscription, while Jiang Xiangyang tested his Lock-On and Speed Inscription combination on the turret. His two shots earned a final score of eighty-five, and the other contestants grew apprehensive as the turret tests began.

• Jiang Xiangyang completed a perfect-quality Lock-On Inscription and then made a Speed Inscription.
• Xu Jintang finished a Tracking Inscription and a Speed Inscription just before the elimination round ended.
• Xue Zhongqi recognized the array Xu Jintang had made as a Tracking Inscription.
• Jiang Xiangyang attached his inscriptions to the turret and scored sixty points on his first shot and eighty-five on his second.
• The other contestants watched Jiang Xiangyang's test and grew apprehensive about their own results.

Xu Jintang used a Tracking Inscription to earn a perfect score and first place in the Inscription Master Competition elimination round. Two days later, Song Tianqi reached third tier and challenged her to an arena match, which was about to begin.

• Several contestants' inscriptions failed during turret tests, while Xue Zhongqi scored 70 points and placed among the leaders.
• Xu Jintang's Tracking Inscription made the turret's shell pursue the evading target, earning her 100 points and a perfect evaluation.
• The rankings placed Qian Duoduo first, Jiang Xiangyang second, and Xue Zhongqi third, and President Wang announced that the top eight would advance.
• Jiang Xiangyang praised Xu Jintang's skill, while she and Xue Zhongqi suggested that the test had unfairly targeted her; Xu Jintang then left.
• Two days later, Song Tianqi announced that he had reached third tier and pulled Xu Jintang toward the arena for a match.
• Yan Yuting and Xue Zhongqi speculated that Song Tianqi would last only a few minutes against Xu Jintang as the protective barrier rose and Song invited her to make the first move.

Xu Jintang tested Song Tianqi’s new third-tier attack and revealed that she was close to the fourth tier. The Mask Squad arrived for the round of sixteen, faced media questions, and prepared to meet the Spirit of Wood Squad as the competition began.

• Song Tianqi used Withering Fire Feathers against Xu Jintang, who extinguished the burning rain with ice and said she was about to reach the fourth tier.
• Xu Jintang praised Song Tianqi’s progress and said his move could help against the Wood Spirit Team, while Yan Yuting and Xue Zhongqi resolved to train harder.
• Xu Jintang and the other four members of the Mask Squad traveled to the venue for the round of sixteen and gave interviews before their match.
• Xu Jintang told reporters that those expecting the Mask Squad to lose would likely be proven wrong, while the other squad members gave their own interviews.
• The Mask Squad returned to the lounge and encountered Wang Yuexin and the Spirit of Wood Squad, whom they were scheduled to face.

The Mask Squad faced the Spirit of Wood Squad in a full-team elimination match for a place in the top sixteen, with Wang Yuexin’s Tree of Life buffs making him their first target. The Mask Squad revealed their abilities and attacked, and Xu Jintang used the Soul-Seizing Bell to disable one opponent and pin him to the arena floor.

• Li Xiang announced that the Mask Squad and the Spirit of Wood Squad would compete in the first elimination match, and the teams drew a full-team battle.
• Wang Yuexin introduced himself as a Fourth Tier mental power ability user, while Xu Jintang introduced herself as Foodie and Song Tianqi revealed he had reached the third tier.
• Wang Yuexin summoned the Tree of Life to buff his teammates, prompting Xu Jintang, Song Tianqi, and Jiang Shiyi to attack him.
• Song Tianqi unleashed Crimson Flames of the Nine Heavens, while Jiang Shiyi fired explosive shells from her Superpower Rocket Launcher.
• Wang Yuexin used the Tree of Life to block Xu Jintang’s punch, then withdrew it as Song Tianqi’s flames set its leaves alight.
• Xu Jintang shook the Soul-Seizing Bell to stun a Spirit of Wood Squad member, then flipped him down and pinned him to the arena floor.

The Mask Squad defeated the Spirit of Wood Squad after gaining permission to use their abilities, and advanced to the next round. Afterward, they accepted an invitation to the official ball at Mirage, the underground black market, and their victory became a trending topic.

• Xu Jintang eliminated a Wood Spirit Team member with ice and her sleeve crossbow while Xue Zhongqi and Yan Yuting kept the other opponents occupied.
• Jiang Shiyi and Xu Jintang overwhelmed Wang Yuexin, whose Tree of Life cage Xu Jintang froze and shattered, and Li Xiang intervened to eliminate him.
• With only two members left, the Spirit of Wood Squad surrendered, and Li Xiang declared the Mask Squad the winner.
• A staff member gave Xu Jintang an invitation to the official ball at Mirage, and the five Mask Squad members agreed to attend together on Saturday.
• The Mask Squad's advance to the top sixteen trended online, and a clip of Xu Jintang breaking Wang Yuexin's cage quickly surpassed a million views.

After the Mask Squad advanced, Xu Jintang watched the formidable Soul Awakening Team and later returned to the villa for a celebratory meal. She then met with Wen Ruide, who studied her evolved ice ability and explained his ambition to make ability evolution possible through artificial intervention.

• The Mask Squad watched the Soul Awakening Team defeat its opponent, and Xiao Linghe introduced himself to Xu Jintang and said he hoped to spar with her.
• Ruan Tao celebrated the Mechanical Technology Military Academy team's victory and served the returning Mask Squad a lavish meal.
• After the round-of-sixteen matches ended, the Mask Squad's popularity grew, with fans across military academies buying their masks.
• Xu Jintang met with Zhuang Silin and Wen Ruide, who questioned her about her ability's evolution and its effects on her body and sea of consciousness.
• Wen Ruide told Xu Jintang and Zhuang Silin that he hoped to develop a way to artificially induce ability evolution, including in users with support abilities.

Xu Jintang and the Mask Squad attended a ball at the black market’s Mirage, where she grew suspicious that the black market boss might be connected to the Ability User Competition. After clashing with Huai Yangxia, Xu Jintang was invited to join an undercover-killer game.

• Zhuang Silin and Wen Ruide debated the risks and benefits of artificially intervening in evolution while Xu Jintang remained silent.
• Xu Jintang and the Mask Squad reached the Mirage for the ball, and she learned that the black market boss would attend.
• Xu Jintang wondered whether the black market boss was involved in organizing the Ability User Competition.
• Xu Jintang exchanged wine and blunt remarks with Xiao Linghe, who admitted he had hoped to learn her identity.
• Huai Yangxia approached Xu Jintang, and she rebuffed him before Xiao Linghe invited them to play Undercover Killer and explained its rules.

Xu Jintang and Xue Zhongqi joined an undercover killer game at the ball, where they secretly became the killers and began misleading the other players. As they continued the round, Gu Xiuwen arrived at the table, and the lively gathering fell silent.

• Xu Jintang recruited Xue Zhongqi to join a game with competitors from several teams, and the players put up potions and inscriptions as prizes.
• Xu Jintang and Xue Zhongqi drew the undercover killer roles and chose Huai Yangxia as their first target, but the healer declined to save him.
• Xu Jintang persuaded the players to abstain from voting, then blamed Huai Yangxia’s teammate and accused him of being a killer.
• Xue Zhongqi joined the accusations against Xu Jintang before she turned the blame back on him, leaving the discussion chaotic.
• Gu Xiuwen entered the banquet hall and approached the table, causing the players to grow reserved.

Xu Jintang found a Reform Society badge at the ball and warned her companions that members of the faction were present. When the attendant tried to prevent their group from leaving, Xiao Linghe recognized something was wrong and prepared to fight.

• Xu Jintang and Xue Zhongqi won the undercover game, then Xu Jintang bumped into Gu Xiuwen and remained wary of him.
• A waiter knocked over a champagne stand and dropped a badge that Xu Jintang identified as belonging to the Reform Society.
• Xu Jintang told Yan Yuting, Song Tianqi, Jiang Shiyi, and Xue Zhongqi they needed to leave, but Xiao Linghe and Huai Yangxia tried to stop them from departing.
• The attendant refused to let the group leave during the ball, and Xu Jintang and her companions took combat stances.
• Xiao Linghe realized the restriction was suspicious, unleashed his mental power, and his Soul Awakening Team gathered ready to fight.

Xu Jintang led her teammates out of the Mirage after discovering a Reform Society badge, and the building exploded shortly afterward. Although a Ninth Tier ability user prevented casualties, the Federation Administration Bureau questioned the attendees before Xu Jintang and her team returned to the dormitory, where Zhuang Silin warned them to stay out of the investigation.

• Xu Jintang left the ball with her teammates after finding a Reform Society badge, then discarded it on the way out of the black market.
• The Mirage exploded after Xu Jintang and the others had left, but the black market's owner, a Ninth Tier ability user, protected everyone inside and there were no casualties.
• Song Yuanlang questioned Xu Jintang and the other contestants before the Federation Administration Bureau escorted them in for individual screening.
• Xu Jintang answered questions about the badge and her early departure, and bureau staff questioned attendees for three hours before clearing them.
• Zhuang Silin reprimanded Xu Jintang and her teammates for going out without telling her and warned them not to get involved further.