Chapter Summaries

After the black market explosion, Xu Jintang questioned whether the Reform Society incident had been staged, but the Federation Administration Bureau blamed the faction and closed its investigation. At the competition, the Mask Squad drew the bye and advanced directly to the top eight.

• Xu Jintang and her teammates split up their prizes after Zhuang Silin left, then Xu struggled to sleep as she puzzled over the black market explosion.
• The Federation Administration Bureau identified Reform Society members as the perpetrators, and the competition disqualified an upper-bracket team, creating a bye for the next round.
• Xu Jintang told Jiang Shiyi she suspected a staff member had dropped his badge on purpose, but Jiang noted the authorities had already closed the case.
• At the competition venue, Xu Jintang avoided discussing the incident with Xiao Linghe and volunteered to draw for the Mask Squad.
• Xu Jintang drew the bye, sending the Mask Squad straight to the top eight and delighting her teammates and bettors.

With finals approaching, Xu Jintang and her teammates planned how to challenge their seniors, then learned that the Dark Horse Team had eliminated the Mechanical Technology Military Academy Team. Xu Jintang watched the newcomers’ match and agreed to attend the Soul Awakening Team’s match.

• Xu Jintang and her teammates remembered Teacher Zhuang’s assignment to defeat Senior Yan Yuhang and his team before semester’s end, and agreed to plan a challenge.
• During finals week, Xu Jintang discussed the seniors’ combat videos with her teammates, and they decided Xue Zhongqi should use Soul Sharing on Senior Gu Nianwei while Xu Jintang occupied Senior Yan Yuhang.
• Ruan Tao told Xu Jintang that the Dark Horse Team had eliminated the Mechanical Technology Military Academy Team in the Ability User Competition.
• Xu Jintang watched the match replay with Yan Yuting and noted the ferocity of the Dark Horse Team’s blond captain.
• Song Tianqi invited Xu Jintang to watch the Soul Awakening Team’s match, and she agreed.

Xu Jintang’s team watched the Soul Awakening Team defeat the Aisilier Team, then secured extra academy funding to prepare for the next rounds. They challenged Yan Yuhang’s team at the training grounds, where Xu Jintang’s group opened with a formation and linked Xue Zhongqi’s Soul Sharing to Gu Nianwei.

• Xu Jintang and her teammates watched the Soul Awakening Team defeat the Aisilier Team, and Jiang Shiyi estimated Xiao Linghe’s strength could reach the peak fifth tier.
• After the Silver Light Military Academy Squad was eliminated, Zhuang Silin discussed the team’s upcoming challenge and finals preparations, then agreed to request funding for Xu Jintang and Xue Zhongqi.
• Zhuang Silin delivered the approved funds, which Xu Jintang and Xue Zhongqi used to buy supplies and prepare their abilities and formation patterns.
• Xu Jintang’s team went to the military academy training grounds to challenge Yan Yuhang’s team and learned that the seniors had been promised a reward for making them fail.
• At the start of the match, Xu Jintang activated Domain Detection and used Chains of Ice to restrain Gu Nianwei, while Xue Zhongqi linked Soul Sharing to her instead of Yan Yuhang.

Xu Jintang’s group initially gained the upper hand against the seniors, but Gu Nianwei’s firepower turned the fight against them. As Xue Zhongqi began assembling a powerful new formation and Xu Jintang blocked Lan Beijia, Gu Nianwei moved to stop him.

• Xu Jintang defeated Yan Yuhang by freezing his feet, punching him, and kicking him out of the arena.
• Gu Nianwei broke free of Soul Sharing and used her fire abilities to pressure Xu Jintang while Lan Beijia attacked from the side.
• Xu Jintang’s group began to falter as Gu Nianwei and the other seniors pressed their advantage.
• Xue Zhongqi stayed at the back and began arranging more than a hundred Inscription Talismans into a new formation.
• Xu Jintang intercepted Lan Beijia, while Gu Nianwei skirted the fighting and charged toward Xue Zhongqi.

Xu Jintang and her teammates defeated Gu Nianwei’s team after Xue Zhongqi completed a level-two formation pattern, then celebrated their assessment victory and collected their casino winnings. As the Ability User Competition’s quarterfinals approached, rumors claimed the Mask Squad’s bye was rigged, prompting the organizers to deny the allegations.

• Jiang Shiyi interrupted Gu Nianwei’s attack while Xue Zhongqi completed and activated a level-two formation pattern, but Zhuang Silin stopped its strike and declared Xu Jintang’s team the winners.
• Xu Jintang admitted the team had prepared multiple tactics, and Gu Nianwei accepted the loss.
• The Mask Squad collected their betting winnings at the underground casino and returned to the villa for their two-day break.
• Yan Yuting, Song Tianqi, and the others reacted to online rumors that the Mask Squad’s bye had been rigged, and the team resolved to answer them with their performance.
• The competition organizers issued an announcement denying that the Mask Squad’s advancement had been rigged.

With the Mask Squad facing a wave of online abuse, Xu Jintang’s team learned they would meet the powerful Soul Awakening Team in the next knockout round. After revealing their hidden trump cards, Xu Jintang urged the others to turn their anger over the insults into motivation for the match.

• Xu Jintang and her teammates arrived at the venue and endured insults from spectators, while Xue Zhongqi, Jiang Shiyi, and the others stopped Song Tianqi and Yan Yuting from confronting them.
• Xu Jintang greeted Ji Nanqing and Xiao Linghe before Li Xiang announced that the Mask Squad had been matched against the Soul Awakening Team.
• Online commenters predicted the Mask Squad would be eliminated, and Zhuang Silin asked the team to disclose their hidden abilities before facing their strongest opponent yet.
• Xue Zhongqi revealed his level-two formation patterns, Song Tianqi said he had mastered awakening his Vermilion Bird Bloodline, and Jiang Shiyi described a three-skill combination burst; Xu Jintang kept the details of her risky trump cards vague.
• Xu Jintang displayed the harshest online comments and told her teammates to remember their anger and carry it into the knockout round.

As the semifinal elimination round approached, Xu Jintang and the Mask Squad trained intensely, and she discovered that Jin Xiaobao could activate the Tilting Scales’ powerful buffs and debuffs. The chapter ended with Xu Jintang reading an online argument over whether the Mask Squad or the Soul Awakening Team would win.

• Ruan Tao brought the Mask Squad nutritional meals, and Xu Jintang ate hers before rushing back to cultivate.
• After Xu Jintang finished cultivating, Jin Xiaobao appeared and explained that he had recovered enough strength to leave the Tilting Scales’ seal.
• Jin Xiaobao demonstrated that the Tilting Scales could either raise the mental power of up to three allies or lower enemies’ mental power within a Silence Domain for twenty minutes.
• Jin Xiaobao told Xu Jintang he would only help her use the abilities when her life was in danger, then vanished after she dismissed him.
• Xu Jintang browsed the Star Network and read a heated debate between Mask Squad fans and Soul Awakening Team fans about which team would win.

The Mask Squad faced the Soul Awakening Team in the first elimination match to advance to the final four, with the draw setting a mixed 2v2 and 3v3 format. Jiang Shiyi and Song Tianqi began the battle against Chu Xiao and He Meiyu, and as Song Tianqi neared the edge of the arena, his Vermilion Bird Token lit up.

• Xu Jintang and the Mask Squad entered the arena to face Xiao Linghe and the Soul Awakening Team.
• The random draw selected a 2v2 and 3v3 mixed team battle, and Xu Jintang sent Jiang Shiyi and Song Tianqi to fight first.
• Jiang Shiyi attacked He Meiyu with her Superpower Rocket Launcher while Song Tianqi used Scarlet Flame attacks against Chu Xiao.
• Jiang Shiyi fired charged shells that created craters in the arena, while Chu Xiao pressured Song Tianqi back toward the edge.
• As Chu Xiao moved to knock Song Tianqi out of the arena, the Vermilion Bird Token lit up in front of him.

The Mask Squad defeated the Soul Awakening Team in the 2v2 battle after Song Tianqi awakened his Vermilion Bird Bloodline, then began the decisive 3v3 match. Xu Jintang was caught inside the opposing team’s newly revealed domain as Xiao Linghe and his teammates closed in around her.

• Song Tianqi awakened his Vermilion Bird Bloodline and eliminated Chu Xiao with a vastly strengthened Scarlet Flame attack.
• Song Tianqi overwhelmed He Meiyu’s Wind Blade Vortex, and she surrendered, giving the Mask Squad the 2v2 victory.
• During the intermission, Xu Lili performed three songs for the audience.
• Xu Jintang, Yan Yuting, and Xue Zhongqi began the 3v3 match by attacking Xiao Linghe and his teammates.
• Xiao Linghe’s teammate raised a domain dome over half the arena, trapping Xu Jintang inside as the three opponents surrounded her.

Xu Jintang broke Xiao Linghe’s team’s coordinated assault with her dragon-blood power, then regrouped with Xue Zhongqi and Yan Yuting to target Xiao Linghe. As the fight continued, Xiao Linghe’s beast possession drove Xu Jintang back, but she escaped his pursuit with ice chains and returned to the arena’s center.

• Xiao Linghe and his teammates trapped Xu Jintang inside a barrier and attacked her together, but she destroyed their attacks with dragon-blood energy and shattered the barrier.
• Xue Zhongqi and Yan Yuting joined Xu Jintang, while Xiao Linghe fused with his Flying-Winged Tiger through Demonic Beast Possession and repelled Xue Zhongqi’s attacks.
• Xu Jintang told Xue Zhongqi and Yan Yuting to use a level-two formation inscription to take out Xiao Linghe first.
• Xiao Linghe’s enhanced strength forced Xu Jintang toward the arena’s edge, but she trapped his arms with ice chains and circled back to the center.

Xu Jintang and the Mask Squad defeated Xiao Linghe’s Soul Awakening Team to advance to the final four of the Ability User Competition. After their victory drew widespread attention and improved their championship odds, Xu Jintang and her teammates headed to the black-market casino.

• Xu Jintang stalled Xiao Linghe while Xue Zhongqi prepared a level-two array pattern and Yan Yuting guarded him.
• Xu Jintang disrupted the Soul Awakening Team’s formation and helped Xue Zhongqi launch his array pattern, which eliminated Xiao Linghe.
• Xu Jintang and her teammates forced the Soul Awakening Team’s remaining two members off the arena, securing the Mask Squad’s victory.
• The Mask Squad celebrated their win and shook hands with the defeated Soul Awakening Team, while Xu Jintang teased Xiao Linghe.
• News of the Mask Squad’s victory spread across the Star Network, and Xu Jintang and her four teammates went to the black-market casino.

Xu Jintang and her companions collected their winnings from the casino, then caught and turned in a man who followed them out of the black market to rob them. After returning to their villa dorm, they relaxed with games, while the group planned to give statements to the Administration Bureau the next day.

• Xu Jintang and her four companions cashed out their bets on the Mask Squad, earning five bank star cards and a million star coins for Xu Jintang.
• Xu Jintang sensed a man following them out of the black market and froze his feet to the ground, allowing the group to defeat and restrain him.
• Yan Yuting reported the attempted robbery, and Song Yuanlang arrived with the Federation Administration Bureau to take the man into custody and ask the group to give statements.
• The five returned to their villa dorm with their winnings and decided to give their statements the next day.
• Song Tianqi and Xue Zhongqi played a holographic game while Xu Jintang, Jiang Shiyi, and Yan Yuting played cards, with Xu Jintang laying down two Ice Soul Dragon cards.

After celebrating Mask Squad’s place in the final four, Xu Jintang met Lin Qinglang of the Federation Ordnance and Equipment Depot to discuss a partnership over her Tracking Inscription. Lin Qinglang admitted she had deliberately arrived late because Xu Jintang’s identity and name were false, leaving their negotiations at a tense start.

• Xu Jintang accepted an invitation from the Federation Ordnance and Equipment Depot to discuss a partnership involving her Tracking Inscription.
• Ruan Tao prepared a cake to celebrate Mask Squad reaching the final four, and Xu Jintang asked her to make extra Ten Thousand Fragrance Fruit jam to help strengthen her meridians.
• After the group celebrated, Xu Jintang disguised herself as Qian Duoduo and went to the Ten Thousand Dragons Teahouse to meet Lin Qinglang.
• Lin Qinglang arrived ten minutes late, and Xu Jintang challenged her punctuality before discussing the partnership.
• Lin Qinglang admitted she had been late on purpose because her investigation found that Xu Jintang’s identity was unknown and her name was fake.

Xu Jintang revealed her real identity and two abilities to Lin Qinglang, then secured a contract to produce Tracking Inscriptions for the Federation Ordnance and Equipment Depot. After her teachers and classmates learned she was also Qian Duoduo, Zhuang Silin pressed her to explain her second ability, which Xu Jintang said she could not yet control freely.

• Xu Jintang removed her disguise and told Lin Qinglang that she was a Leikdasi Military Academy student with both an ice ability and a star-attribute ability.
• After Xu Jintang demonstrated Domain of Ice and the Tilting Scales, Lin Qinglang agreed to cooperate with her on Tracking Inscriptions.
• Two days later, Xu Jintang signed a contract to deliver sixty Tracking Inscriptions within three months for four million star coins.
• Zhuang Silin and Wu Jinghong visited Xu Jintang, and she admitted to her teachers and classmates that she had two abilities and was an inscription master known as Qian Duoduo.
• Zhuang Silin asked Xu Jintang to demonstrate her second ability, but Xu Jintang said she could use it only once before needing to wait and would need to reach the fifth tier to control it freely.

Xu Jintang revealed the full power of her second ability to Zhuang Silin and her teammates, then continued making inscriptions openly after her identity was exposed. She arrived at the Inscription Master Competition’s semifinal knockout round, where Mu Zhongbai announced he would set the assessment task.

• Xu Jintang explained that her second ability could raise allies’ mental power by one tier or lower enemies’ by one tier for twenty minutes, astonishing Zhuang Silin, Wu Jinghong, and the others.
• Zhuang Silin told Xu Jintang to keep the ability secret for future competitions, and her teammates celebrated and accepted her identity as Miss Qian.
• Xu Jintang openly made inscriptions at the villa, while Xue Zhongqi gradually became an enthusiastic admirer and sought her advice.
• Xu Jintang and Xue Zhongqi went to the semifinal knockout round, where competitors and livestream viewers focused on Qian Duoduo and a male competitor tried to get her contact ID.
• Mu Zhongbai arrived, greeted Xu Jintang, and announced that he would personally set the knockout assessment task; Xue Zhongqi revealed that Mu had created the difficult Tracking Inscription.

Xu Jintang began the top-eight elimination assessment, where contestants had to learn and engrave Mu Zhongbai’s newly invented Berserk Inscription within eight hours. After several failed attempts and steadily improving, she reached one-third of the formation diagram before an explosion interrupted her work.

• Mu Zhongbai announced that contestants had to learn and engrave his new Berserk Inscription, which could boost strength by at least twenty percent.
• Xu Jintang began engraving the inscription, but her first attempt failed when Mu Zhongbai’s close observation distracted her.
• Xu Jintang made several more attempts while the other contestants struggled, and she rested with Jiang Xiangyang and Xue Zhongqi between efforts.
• After returning to her seat, Xu Jintang continued engraving and reached one-third of the formation diagram, drawing excited attention from livestream viewers.
• An explosion suddenly rang out as Xu Jintang worked on the inscription.

Xu Jintang, competing under the name Qian Duoduo, advanced through repeated failures to inscribe two-thirds of the Berserk Inscription and won the round with a perfect score. After the other contestants were ranked and the eliminated competitors dismissed, a staff member invited her to speak privately with Mu Zhongbai.

• Xu Jintang repeatedly failed to inscribe the Berserk Inscription, while Jiang Xiangyang also struggled to connect its later formation diagrams.
• After reaching halfway through Xu Jintang's inscription, Mu Zhongbai recognized her exceptional progress, while Jiang Xiangyang advanced only to one quarter.
• With thirty minutes left, Xu Jintang had reached two-thirds progress and rested as the exhausted contestants gave up working.
• Mu Zhongbai ended the assessment early, and the rankings showed Qian Duoduo in first place with two-thirds progress and 100 points, ahead of Jiang Xiangyang in second with one-third.
• Xu Jintang advanced in first place, Xue Zhongqi secured fourth, and a staff member invited Xu Jintang to meet privately with Mu Zhongbai.

Xu Jintang advanced in the Inscription Master Competition and received a book of basic inscription array diagrams from Mu Zhongbai, who decided not to take her as his disciple. During the competition’s rest week, the Mask Squad’s merchandise became hugely popular, and the five military academies gathered to plan the next Military Academy League as Shi Lekang raised questions about the squad’s origins.

• Mu Zhongbai praised Xu Jintang’s inscription talent, gave her a comprehensive book of basic inscription array diagrams, and explained that he would not take her as his final disciple.
• Xu Jintang returned to the villa with Xue Zhongqi, where Yan Yuting and Song Tianqi admitted they had fallen asleep instead of watching the competition; Jiang Shiyi revealed she had listened to their matches and congratulated them on advancing.
• Yan Yuting brought Xu Jintang and Xue Zhongqi saved food, then fought with Xue Zhongqi while Song Tianqi cheered; Xu Jintang went to her room to rest.
• The Mask Squad’s figurines and other merchandise sold out quickly, prompting fans to seek them at inflated resale prices and the organizers to announce a restock.
• At a joint meeting of the five major military academies, Miao Mingzhi began discussions about arrangements for the Military Academy League, and Shi Lekang asked which academy had secretly nurtured the Mask Squad.

As the Mask Squad prepared for the Ability User Competition semifinals, Xu Jintang studied Ability Trait Assimilation and successfully activated it for the first time. Her enhanced Ice Blade Storm tested at peak fourth tier, while the semifinal teams and their threats remained under review.

• Miao Mingzhi let the military academy representatives argue over the Mask Squad's identity before restoring order and discussing preparations for the Military Academy League.
• Xu Jintang watched the semifinal trailer, then Zhuang Silin briefed the Mask Squad on their three possible opponents and urged them to prepare while keeping their identities secret.
• Xu Jintang gathered Song Tianqi and Jiang Shiyi to study Ability Trait Assimilation, while Yan Yuting and Xue Zhongqi left to cultivate.
• Xu Jintang followed the instructional video in the cultivation room and drew ice-attribute power inward until she entered an assimilated state.
• Xu Jintang tested her enhanced Ice Blade Storm at the training ground, where the strength-testing machine recorded peak fourth tier.

Xu Jintang and the Mask Squad faced the Dark Horse Team in the semifinal draw after confidently declaring their championship ambitions. As the five-day preparation period began, Xu Jintang received a friend request from Qiu Zhuyu of the Mechanical Technology Military Academy Team.

• Xu Jintang and her teammates trained intensely in preparation for the semifinals.
• During a livestream interview, Xu Jintang and Song Tianqi declared that the Mask Squad would win the championship, while Xue Zhongqi spoke more cautiously.
• Ji Nanqing said the Dark Horse Team would win the championship, prompting rival fans to argue in the livestream.
• The semifinal draw matched the Mask Squad against the Dark Horse Team and the Light and Brightness Team against the Purple Rosy Clouds Pond Flower Team.
• Xu Jintang trained until she reached her limit, then accepted a friend request from Qiu Zhuyu, who introduced herself as a member of the Mechanical Technology Military Academy Team.