Chapter Summaries

After Shrek won the tournament, Ma Xiaotao negotiated with Elder Ma over Meng Hongchen’s treatment and the return of the Sword of Judgment. The group brought Meng Hongchen back to their hotel, where Zhou Yi assigned Ma Xiaotao and Huo Yuhao to keep her alive until Xuan Zi arrived.

• Ma Xiaotao demanded an apology and the return of the Sword of Judgment, then pressured Elder Ma into entrusting Meng Hongchen to Shrek for treatment.
• Elder Ma agreed to Shrek’s terms after Zhou Yi assured him they would save Meng Hongchen, and the group returned to their hotel.
• Wang Dong'er mocked and scribbled on the unconscious Meng Hongchen, then celebrated when she heard Ma Xiaotao’s treatment might leave Meng paralyzed.
• Zhou Yi explained that Meng Hongchen could help Shrek leave safely because news of their winning the auction’s final lot had leaked.
• Ma Xiaotao revealed that Huo Yuhao knew the basics of Tang Ya’s poison scripture and could help keep Meng Hongchen alive until Xuan Zi arrived.
• Zhou Yi sent Ma Xiaotao and Huo Yuhao to treat Meng Hongchen, overruling Wang Dong'er's protest.

Huo Yuhao entrusted Ma Xiaotao with Meng Hongchen after removing the flaw in her Martial Soul, while Shrek waited in Star Luo City for the tournament prizes. Jing Hongchen came to negotiate for his granddaughter’s safety, but Xuan Zi arrived and declared that Shrek was informing him, not negotiating.

• Huo Yuhao told Ma Xiaotao to take Meng Hongchen under her care after healing her Martial Soul, and Ma Xiaotao carried the unconscious girl out.
• Shrek’s group stayed in Star Luo City under guard while Yan Shaozhe said Xuan Zi would arrive before they left.
• Jing Hongchen entered Shrek’s conference room and confronted Ma Xiaotao over Meng Hongchen’s condition.
• Jing Hongchen offered to make a deal for his granddaughter’s safe recovery, but Yan Shaozhe demanded two sets of Level 9 Soul Tool blueprints and safe passage back to Shrek.
• When Jing Hongchen refused the terms, Xuan Zi appeared and said Shrek was informing him rather than negotiating.

Xuan Zi intimidated Jing Hongchen into agreeing to a deal and revealed a collection of powerful Soul Cannons, while Yan Shaozhe realized Xuan Zi had reached Rank 99. After the group prepared to return to Shrek, Ma Xiaotao secretly brought Meng Hongchen into the Shadow organization’s plans and urged the others to investigate an approaching threat.

• Xuan Zi sealed the meeting room, pressured Jing Hongchen into accepting his request, and promised that Jing Hongchen’s granddaughter would remain safe.
• Jing Hongchen left with Elder Ma, and Yan Shaozhe recognized that Xuan Zi had reached Rank 99.
• Xuan Zi gave Zhou Yi five Class 8 stationary Soul Cannons and one Class 9 Soul Cannon to deliver to the Soul Tool Department.
• Xuan Zi and Yan Shaozhe reassured the students and told them to rest while they waited for their rewards and prepared to leave the Star Luo Empire.
• Ma Xiaotao secretly gave Meng Hongchen medicinal liquid and told Ling Luochеn, Xi Xi, and Jiang Nannan that Shadow wanted to recruit her.
• Ma Xiaotao said Shadow was investigating a looming event and urged the others to prepare so their lord would not have to fight alone.

Shrek collected its tournament rewards and left Star Luo City, drawing several pursuers who wanted the precious treasure. The group met Yan Shaozhe in a forest, where “Xuan Zi” prepared to lure their enemies into an ambush.

• Xiao Hongchen confronted Huo Yuhao over Meng Hongchen, but Ma Xiaotao warned him, and Elder Ma took him away while asking Shrek to keep caring for her.
• Shrek received its champion rewards, including three Soul Bones, while Xu Jiujiu offered Guardian Douluos to escort them and Zhou Yi refused.
• The Shrek group flew out of Star Luo City, and several unidentified teams immediately pursued them.
• Zhou Yi led the group to a forest outside the city, where Yan Shaozhe was waiting.
• “Xuan Zi” rejected the plan to take the treasure away first and proposed using it to draw their pursuers into a trap.

Zhou Yi retrieved Shrek’s auction winnings and the nearly hundred-thousand-year-old Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear from a hidden platform in the woods. As Yan Shaozhe prepared to take everyone back to the academy, an unknown voice demanded that they leave the goods behind.

• Zhou Yi inserted Qing Ya’s black card into a pillar, causing a hidden platform and cage containing the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear to rise from underground.
• Yan Shaozhe concealed the bear’s terrifying presence while Xiao Xiao grieved over its loss of soul and Huo Yuhao spoke about protecting freedom.
• Zhou Yi retrieved the two Soul Tool Rings and checked that Shrek’s auction items, including the Godsealing Altar, were accounted for.
• Zhou Yi used a living-creature storage pouch to take the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear and its cage, then the platform retracted.
• As Yan Shaozhe led the group toward the academy, a gale knocked down the trees and a hoarse voice demanded that they leave the goods behind.

Yan Shaozhe defended Shrek’s treasure and Huo Yuhao from the Holy Spirit Cult and the Body Sect, while the disguised “Xuan Zi” arrived to confront their leaders. A barrier sealed the area, leaving the rival forces trapped as “Xuan Zi” declared it was time to catch them.

• Yan Shaozhe recognized the two black-robed factions as Evil Soul Masters and revealed himself as the rank-ninety-seven Bright Phoenix Douluo to deter the surrounding attackers.
• The Body Sect leader Du Busi demanded both the treasure and Huo Yuhao, but Huo Yuhao refused to join the sect and provoked Du Busi.
• “Xuan Zi” appeared, backed Yan Shaozhe, and challenged Du Busi and the Holy Spirit Cult leader Zhang Peng.
• Yan Shaozhe recognized Zhang Peng as the Scorpion Tiger Douluo, and “Xuan Zi” warned Hall Master Hongchen not to interfere.
• A dark red barrier enclosed the area within five kilometers and absorbed Zhang Peng’s attack, trapping the assembled forces as “Xuan Zi” announced that their time was up.

As Shrek's group retreated from the battle, Zhang Peng attacked them, and Huo Yuhao took the blow while shielding Xiao Xiao and the others. Zhou Yi treated his grievous injuries as the group prepared to flee, and Huo Yuhao briefly awoke to urge them to get away before passing out again.

• Huo Yuhao gave Zhou Yi a note, and she led the Shrek students toward a secluded escape route.
• Zhang Peng fired a black tiger-head attack at the retreating students, and Huo Yuhao stepped in front of it with his short sword.
• 'Xuan Zi' erased the attack and Yan Shaozhe engaged Zhang Peng, while Xiao Xiao caught the badly wounded Huo Yuhao.
• Zhou Yi stopped Wang Dong'er from applying medicine, fed Huo Yuhao a pill, and examined his life-threatening injuries as Ning Tian used her Martial Soul to stabilize him.
• Huo Yuhao briefly regained consciousness and told the group to escape, then passed out again; Zhou Yi carried him as Jiang Nannan tucked his broken sword hilt into Meng Hongchen's pocket.

“Xuan Zi” revealed that he had become a Limit Douluo and drove the Body Sect and Holy Spirit Cult fighters to flee. The chapter ended with him confronting the escaping enemies, trapped inside Jing Hongchen’s Level 9 Soul Tool barrier.

• “Xuan Zi” pierced Du Busi’s golden palm with a wine flask, while Yan Shaozhe gained the advantage over Zhang Peng.
• Zhou Yi evacuated Huo Yuhao and the other Shrek students as “Xuan Zi” began unleashing his full strength.
• “Xuan Zi” transformed beneath a phantom Taotie and revealed power comparable to Mu En’s, confirming that he had reached Limit Douluo.
• Du Busi ordered the Body Sect members to run, and the Holy Spirit Cult fighters fled as well; Zhang Peng escaped Yan Shaozhe’s attack.
• “Xuan Zi” reminded the fleeing enemies that they were trapped inside Jing Hongchen’s Level 9 barrier and challenged them to escape.

“Xuan Zi” overwhelmed the Evil Soul Masters and the Body Sect, but refused Du Busi’s plea to spare his disciples and unleashed the Taotie’s devastating suction. The Body Sect disciples sacrificed themselves to break the barrier, allowing Du Busi to escape; he swore that his sect would fight Shrek until death.

• “Xuan Zi” used earth-attribute energy to crush the Evil Soul Masters while Yan Shaozhe guarded him and Du Busi struggled to protect the Body Sect disciples.
• Du Busi offered his own life in exchange for his disciples’ safety, but “Xuan Zi” stopped the first attack only to summon the Taotie and draw everyone toward its maw.
• The Taotie’s suction overwhelmed Zhang Peng, while Du Busi resisted and the strange woman raised a barrier to protect herself.
• Several Body Sect disciples detonated themselves to break the barrier, and “Xuan Zi” contained the blast with an enormous earthen-yellow hand as Du Busi vanished.
• Du Busi vowed that the Body Sect and Shrek would fight until death, and “Xuan Zi” told Yan Shaozhe that Du Busi would not recover for fifty years before they returned to the academy.

After returning to Shrek, Huo Yuhao was carried into Sea God Pavilion for urgent treatment while Zhang Lexuan thanked the returning students. Wu Feng secretly chose to stay and wait for Huo Yuhao, praying that he would recover.

• Yan Shaozhe asked 'Xuan Zi' about strengthening Shrek's defenses, but 'Xuan Zi' told him to consult Zhang Lexuan and agreed to visit the returning students.
• Zhou Yi rushed Huo Yuhao into Sea God Pavilion, remembered that Elder Zhuang had died, and tried to take him to the medical ward.
• Ma Xiaotao took Huo Yuhao from Zhou Yi, and Zhang Lexuan thanked the students before leaving to help treat him.
• Jiang Nannan offered to take Wu Feng and Ning Tian back to the outer courtyard, but Ning Tian made an excuse so they could stay and wait.
• Ning Tian teased the embarrassed Wu Feng, who then joined the others in worrying about Huo Yuhao.

Huo Yuhao recovered at the Sea God Pavilion and ordered Shadow Garden to strengthen its security while the gods and rival factions stirred. Meanwhile, Ma Xiaotao decided to follow a mysterious pull in her heart, and the disguised Huo Yuhao took Xiao Xiao, Wang Dong'er, Wu Feng, and Ning Tian as disciples; Meng Hongchen was left to awaken with a recording device and black slime beside her.

• Huo Yuhao told Zhang Lexuan and Ma Xiaotao that the time to confront their enemies had not come and ordered them to heighten security.
• Ma Xiaotao confided that she felt drawn toward an unknown direction, and Zhang Lexuan encouraged her to pursue it.
• Zhang Lexuan told Yan Shaozhe that Huo Yuhao was out of danger and needed to recuperate, while Zhou Yi departed.
• Xiao Xiao, Wang Dong'er, Wu Feng, and Ning Tian accepted 'Xuan Zi' as their teacher, and he invited them to cultivate on Sea God Island before hunting Soul Rings in the Star Dou Great Forest.
• Ma Xiaotao carried Meng Hongchen to a room, tapped several of her acupoints, and left a soul recording device and black slime beside her bed.

After waking in Shrek, Meng Hongchen found a broken sword hilt, a strange slime, and a recording that hinted at a secret organization called the Garden. Two masked members escorted her to meet Lady Sorrow, leaving her eager to learn how the Garden was connected to Huo Yuhao.

• A black slime awakened Meng Hongchen after several days unconscious in a room at the Sea God Pavilion.
• Jiang Nannan remembered that she had left an object in Meng Hongchen's pocket, but decided not to retrieve it.
• Meng Hongchen found a broken sword hilt, recognized the slime from the Dou Ling Festival, and played a recording that explained she was at Shrek and hinted at the Garden.
• A mysterious voice summoned Meng Hongchen to the top floor to give her answer.
• Two masked women called 0926 and 0927 escorted Meng Hongchen to meet Lady Sorrow.

Meng Hongchen followed two mysterious women into Shadow Garden, where Zhang Lexuan invited her to join and Huo Yuhao revealed that gods secretly controlled the Douluo Continent. The chapter left Meng Hongchen shocked by the possibility that even her own life and identity were not under her control.

• Meng Hongchen followed the women through a hidden passage and found Huo Yuhao playing piano in a vast, dimly lit room.
• Zhang Lexuan introduced herself as Sorrow, one of Shadow Garden's Seven Shadows, and asked Meng Hongchen to join.
• Meng Hongchen demanded to know what Shadow Garden did before she would agree.
• Huo Yuhao showed Meng Hongchen images revealing that powerful gods secretly manipulated the Douluo Continent.
• Meng Hongchen realized the gods might control her life and even determine who she was.

Huo Yuhao freed Meng Hongchen from a god’s control and recruited her into Shadow Garden, giving her a Slime Bodysuit and power that let her wield Sword Qi. He left her with Zhang Lexuan to learn the Garden’s ways, then checked on the girls’ training before returning to the outer courtyard dormitory.

• Huo Yuhao used his power to break the deity’s control over Meng Hongchen and called on her to join Shadow Garden.
• Meng Hongchen agreed to join Shadow Garden and asked Huo Yuhao to guide her personally.
• Huo Yuhao gave Meng Hongchen a Slime Bodysuit and purple power, and she discovered that its longsword could channel her Soul Power into Sword Qi.
• Huo Yuhao told Meng Hongchen to follow Zhang Lexuan and learn from her, then departed despite Meng Hongchen asking when he would teach her.
• Huo Yuhao observed Xiao Xiao, Wang Dong'er, Wu Feng, and Ning Tian training under "Xuan Zi," then recalled his spiritual fragments and relaxed near the outer courtyard dormitory.

After two months of recovery, Huo Yuhao woke and reunited with Xiao Xiao, Wang Dong'er, Wu Feng, and Ning Tian. The group gathered around him and went with "Xuan Zi" as Ma Xiaotao left Shrek Academy.

• For two months, Xiao Xiao tried to visit Huo Yuhao while Ma Xiaotao sparred with Xiao Xiao, Wang Dong'er, Wu Feng, and Ning Tian.
• Ma Xiaotao told the four girls that Huo Yuhao had gone back and threw them out of the Sea God Pavilion.
• Xiao Xiao, Wang Dong'er, Wu Feng, and Ning Tian hurried to find Huo Yuhao after realizing he was awake.
• Ma Xiaotao left Shrek Academy, while Huo Yuhao said little about her departure.
• Xiao Xiao embraced Huo Yuhao, and Wang Dong'er, Wu Feng, and Ning Tian joined them, teasing each other before the group walked toward "Xuan Zi."

Huo Yuhao led Wang Dong'er, Xiao Xiao, Wu Feng, and Ning Tian into the Star Dou Great Forest after concealing his role as their protector. Using Spiritual Detection Sharing, he guided them past fleeing Soul Beasts and found a metallic-feathered bird beside a pond, leaving the group poised to approach it.

• At the gates of Shrek City, Xuan Zi warned the students that he would not intervene unless they faced a life-or-death crisis, then dissolved into spiritual power and returned to Huo Yuhao.
• Wang Dong'er declared herself team leader, and the group traveled toward the Star Dou Great Forest while reviewing their abilities.
• Huo Yuhao scanned the forest with his Spirit Eyes and used Spiritual Detection Sharing to show the others the terrain and nearby Soul Beasts.
• Wu Feng admired Huo Yuhao's unusual skill, while Wang Dong'er explained how it had helped their team win the freshmen tournament.
• After an hour of following Huo Yuhao's guidance, the group saw a gray, metallic-looking bird in the middle of a pond.

Huo Yuhao and the others found a ten-thousand-year Radiant Devouring Pelican that resonated with Xiao Xiao’s Soul Bone, and debated the danger of hunting it for her Soul Ring. After the group agreed to fight it using Huo Yuhao’s spiritual attacks and Simulation, they approached the pool and took their positions.

• Ning Tian identified the strange Soul Beast as a Radiant Devouring Pelican, and Xiao Xiao sensed that it resonated with her Soul Bone.
• Ning Tian warned that the Pelican could devour Soul Power and attack from a great distance, while Wu Feng cautioned Xiao Xiao about absorbing a ten-thousand-year Soul Ring.
• Huo Yuhao said Xiao Xiao’s training and physique gave her a chance to absorb the Soul Ring, and promised his spiritual attacks could help defeat the Pelican while leaving the choice to her.
• Ning Tian recalled that the Pelican was especially vulnerable to spiritual attacks, and Wang Dong'er and Wu Feng supported Xiao Xiao’s decision to hunt it.
• Huo Yuhao used Simulation to conceal the group’s Soul Power, and the five approached the pool and spread out into their battle positions.

Huo Yuhao and the others ambushed and killed a ten-thousand-year Radiant Devouring Pelican, leaving Xiao Xiao to absorb its black Soul Ring. Its powerful Soul Skill had been disrupted, and the team’s next challenge was the dangerous absorption.

• Huo Yuhao struck the Radiant Devouring Pelican with Spiritual Shock while it was using Devour Heaven and Earth, causing a backlash that destroyed its eyes.
• Ning Tian boosted Xiao Xiao, Wang Dong'er, and Wu Feng as they attacked; Xiao Xiao’s cauldrons pinned the wounded Pelican while Wang Dong'er’s Wing Guillotine struck it.
• The blind Pelican unleashed random wind blades, but Ning Tian dodged one and Xiao Xiao slowed the creature as Wu Feng charged into the pool.
• Wu Feng seized the Pelican’s beak to stop it from using Devour Heaven and Earth, giving Xiao Xiao the chance to stab it through with the White Tiger Dagger.
• A black Soul Ring formed above the Pelican’s corpse, and Xiao Xiao sat down to draw it toward herself for absorption.

Xiao Xiao absorbed the Radiant Devouring Pelican’s Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring and broke through to rank thirty-eight. She gained Cauldron Transforms into Heaven and Earth, a powerful skill that combines attack and control.

• Xiao Xiao replenished her Soul Power and began absorbing the Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring while Huo Yuhao and the others stood guard.
• The Soul Ring’s remnant image threatened Xiao Xiao, but Huo Yuhao shattered it with a flash of purple light, and her Soul Suppressing Cauldron suppressed the ring’s resentment.
• After about an hour, Xiao Xiao completed the absorption and rose to rank thirty-eight, with her Soul Bone helping her gain five ranks.
• Xiao Xiao explained that her new skill, Cauldron Transforms into Heaven and Earth, enlarged her cauldron and created a vortex that could swallow things.

Huo Yuhao helped Wu Feng and Ning Tian overcome the danger of absorbing Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings, and both gained powerful new Soul Skills. After Wang Dong'er said her elders had arranged her next Soul Ring, Huo Yuhao sensed a spiritual-type Soul Beast and hurried toward it, recognizing a familiar presence.

• Wang Dong'er encouraged Wu Feng and Ning Tian to consider Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings, and Huo Yuhao explained that his Soul Impact could weaken the Soul Beast wills inside them.
• With Huo Yuhao's help, Wu Feng and Ning Tian absorbed Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings after the group found suitable Soul Beasts.
• Wu Feng gained Dragon Flame Breath from a Blazing Flame Explosive Breath Dragon, while Ning Tian gained Guard from an Ice-Cold Black Tortoise.
• Wang Dong'er said her elders had arranged her Soul Ring, and Huo Yuhao said he would keep searching for a rare spiritual-type Soul Beast.
• A surge of power erupted from the forest, and Huo Yuhao sensed a spiritual-type Soul Beast, spotted Xuan Zi nearby, and vanished into the woods toward a familiar presence.