Chapter Summaries

Xu Jiangliu and Steward Chen discussed plans to secure Jiang Nannan for Xu Sanshi and keep Lu Cheng from interfering. Lu Cheng secretly cultivated to Soul Power rank three and planned to join Shrek Academy before seeking the Body Sect, then resumed practicing the Golden Core Skill.

• Xu Jiangliu told Steward Chen to arrange matters involving Jiang Nannan and Lu Cheng without letting Xu Sanshi discover the plan, and ordered him to sell Mother Jiang a Mystic Water Pill at a plausible discount.
• Jiang Nannan woke Lu Cheng and tried to reassure him about his low Innate Soul Power before joining Mother Jiang and him for lunch.
• Lu Cheng asked when Shrek Academy would enroll students and revealed that his overnight cultivation had raised his Soul Power to rank three.
• Jiang Nannan said Shrek Academy's next enrollment would be in six months, while Lu Cheng decided to cultivate toward rank fifteen and use the academy to attract the Body Sect's attention.
• After Jiang Nannan returned to Shrek Academy, Lu Cheng practiced the Golden Core Skill in his room.

Mother Jiang gave Lu Cheng a precious Mystic Water Pill, and refining it raised his Soul Power by five levels and slightly improved his physique. He tested the Sun-Shooting Bow outside the city and discovered he could already wield formidable strength on his own.

• Mother Jiang gave Lu Cheng a Mystic Water Pill she had obtained through the Black Tortoise Sect, and Lu Cheng realized she and Jiang Nannan had spent a great deal to get it for him.
• Lu Cheng swallowed the pill and spent the night refining its medicinal power, gaining five levels of Soul Power and becoming stronger.
• Lu Cheng left Black Tortoise City to chop firewood and reflected on the benefits the Sun Moon Empire’s Soul Tools could bring to ordinary people.
• After confirming no one was nearby in the Star Dou Great Forest, Lu Cheng summoned the Sun-Shooting Bow and fired a flaming arrow that snapped a large tree in half.
• Lu Cheng concluded that his new strength could let him contend with a level-fifteen Soul Master and hunt for his first Soul Ring himself.

A year and a half later, ten-year-old Lu Cheng revealed his rank-twenty-three cultivation and asked Jiang Nannan to recommend him to Shrek Academy. He told her the Black Tortoise Sect was targeting their mother to force Jiang Nannan into serving Xu Sanshi, leaving the siblings to confront the threat while their mother’s illness worsened.

• Lu Cheng ignored Steward Chen when the steward tried to recruit him into the Xu family, and Mother Jiang sent Chen away.
• Over the next year and a half, Lu Cheng reached rank twenty-three and waited for Jiang Nannan to return so she could recommend him to Shrek Academy.
• Mother Jiang coughed up blood, and Lu Cheng learned that the apothecary claimed only a Black Tortoise Divine Pill could cure her.
• Jiang Nannan returned home, and Lu Cheng asked her to recommend him to Shrek Academy before revealing his Sun-Shooting Bow and two Soul Rings.
• Lu Cheng told Jiang Nannan that the Black Tortoise Sect had arranged their mother’s illness to pressure her into serving Xu Sanshi, and Jiang Nannan recognized the threat from her own dealings with the Xu family.
• Jiang Nannan asked Lu Cheng what they should do about the Black Tortoise Sect.

Lu Cheng accompanied Jiang Nannan to Shrek Academy, hoping to reveal his talent and gain the power to save Mother Jiang. After reaching the admissions office, he showed Du Weilun the Golden Crow and Sun-Shooting Bow he had mastered, leaving his true abilities to be judged.

• Xu Jiangliu dismissed Chen Nian's concerns about Jiang Nannan taking Lu Cheng away and decided to let Lu Cheng attend Shrek Academy before trying to make him give up on Jiang Nannan.
• Lu Cheng and Jiang Nannan entered Shrek City after arranging for a neighbor to look after Mother Jiang while Lu Cheng cultivated and sought the Academy's support.
• At the admissions office, Jiang Nannan introduced Lu Cheng to the students there as her ten-year-old younger brother with rank twenty-three Soul Power.
• Tang Ya teased Jiang Nannan about Lu Cheng, while Jiang Nannan warned him to stay away from Bei Bei because of his close friendship with Xu Sanshi.
• Jiang Nannan left Lu Cheng outside Du Weilun's office after giving him enrollment advice and fifty Gold Soul Coins.
• Du Weilun asked Lu Cheng to show his Martial Soul, and Lu Cheng revealed the Golden Crow and Sun-Shooting Bow in their fully comprehended form.

Lu Cheng enrolled at Shrek Academy, where his Golden Crow Martial Soul impressed Du Weilun and Mu En sensed an inexplicable familiarity with him. After moving into Dorm 108 and meeting Ning Cong, Lu Cheng was visited by Jiang Nannan, whose affectionate care made their relationship seem ambiguous to Ning Cong.

• Du Weilun recognized the power of Lu Cheng's Golden Crow Martial Soul, approved his enrollment, and hurried to tell Yan Shaozhe about him.
• Mu En assigned Lu Cheng to Dorm 108 and felt that the boy reminded him of an old friend, though he confirmed they had never met.
• Lu Cheng collected his uniform and considered joining the Soul Tool Department, but worried he lacked money to buy the equipment he needed.
• Lu Cheng met his roommate Ning Cong and inferred from the freshman roster that Ning Cong was a level-twenty-two support-system Soul Master from the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.
• Jiang Nannan visited Lu Cheng, made his bed, and fussed over him; Ning Cong watched their closeness and suspected their relationship was ambiguous.

Lu Cheng advanced to rank twenty-four while cultivating, impressing Ning Cong, who decided to recruit him for the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. The two visited a Soul Tool shop, where Ning Cong bought Lu Cheng an expensive Scarlet Fire Carving Knife.

• Lu Cheng meditated on the Golden Core Skill and broke through from rank twenty-three to rank twenty-four.
• Ning Cong marveled at Lu Cheng's cultivation speed and learned that he had awakened his Martial Soul at eight because his family was poor.
• Ning Cong wrote to his sect about recruiting Lu Cheng and considered how Ning Tian might be involved in winning him over.
• Ning Cong treated Lu Cheng to an expensive breakfast, and the two strolled through Shrek City.
• Lu Cheng inspected Carving Knives at a Soul Tool shop but hesitated at the price of the Scarlet Fire Carving Knife.
• Ning Cong used his gold card to buy the Scarlet Fire Carving Knife for Lu Cheng.

Lu Cheng rented Soul Tool equipment, made a powerful fire-attribute Soul Guidance Ray on his first attempt, and drew the attention of Yan Shaozhe and Du Weilun. Yan Shaozhe decided to observe him through the freshman tournament, while wondering why Lu Cheng provoked such intense hostility in him.

• Ning Cong paid for Lu Cheng to use a Soul Tool Department workstation for three years.
• Lu Cheng carved a core formation and assembled a Soul Guidance Ray while consulting a guide, astonishing Ning Cong with his apparent first attempt.
• Lu Cheng fired the modified ray and pierced an ordinary Level 4 Defensive Soul Tool target, explaining that a fire crystal amplified its power.
• Yan Shaozhe and Du Weilun watched Lu Cheng from the training grounds, and Du Weilun urged the dean to recruit him before the Soul Tool Department did.
• Yan Shaozhe chose to wait and see how Lu Cheng performed in the freshman tournament, though he could not explain why the boy made him want to strangle him.

Lu Cheng built a profitable Soul Tool business and prepared to compete in the freshman assessment, while Shrek’s leaders dismissed his potential. Yan Shaozhe sent Ma Xiaotao to watch the assessment after telling her that Lu Cheng would be there.

• Lu Cheng earned nearly two hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins in three months by selling Soul Tools and reached rank twenty-six.
• Lu Cheng planned to enter the freshman assessment with Ning Cong and Xue Ling'er, aiming to win the championship and its rewards.
• Yan Shaozhe asked Xuan Zi whether to recruit Lu Cheng, but Xuan Zi doubted the usefulness of his eye-based Body Martial Soul, and Yan Shaozhe chose not to act.
• Xuan Zi wondered why his eyes hurt whenever he saw Lu Cheng.
• Yan Shaozhe interrupted Ma Xiaotao's intense training and assigned her to watch the freshman assessment, mentioning that Lu Cheng would be there.

Lu Cheng, Ning Cong, and Xue Ling'er entered the freshman assessment as favorites, and Lu Cheng’s overwhelming first-match victory made the championship look like a contest between their team and Yu Linglong’s. The chapter ended with Jiang Nannan worrying about the burden Lu Cheng carried while he calmly acknowledged Yu Linglong.

• Ning Cong explained the tournament rules and identified Yu Linglong’s Class Two team as their main competition.
• The academy called the freshmen to the assessment area, where Lu Cheng’s team was assigned to Section Seven and faced three Two-Ring Soul Grandmasters.
• Lu Cheng used his Sun-Shooting skill to knock out the Hound Martial Soul student and blast the agility attacker off the platform, leaving only the support Soul Master standing.
• Yu Linglong watched Lu Cheng with a grave expression, and the two briefly met each other’s gaze.
• Tang Ya cheered for Lu Cheng while Jiang Nannan worried about the pressure he bore for the Black Tortoise Sect and her and her mother’s sake.

Lu Cheng and Ning Cong dominated the freshman assessment as the final match drew the Soul Tool Department’s attention and Ma Xiaotao arrived to referee. When Ma Xiaotao saw Lu Cheng in the arena, she recognized him as the young man from her memories.

• Lu Cheng and Ning Cong crushed their opponents throughout the freshman assessment, and the final elimination match began.
• Du Weilun changed the schedule to pit Lu Cheng’s team against Yu Linglong’s team while Fan Yu considered recruiting Lu Cheng for the Soul Tool Department.
• Ma Xiaotao arrived to oversee the finals and asked Du Weilun where she could find Lu Cheng.
• Lu Cheng’s team faced Yu Linglong’s team in Arena seven as Ma Xiaotao watched from the stands.
• Ma Xiaotao spotted Lu Cheng and recognized him as the young man from her memories.

Lu Cheng’s team faced Yu Linglong’s team in their tenth elimination-round match, with first place in their group at stake. After the opposing team exposed the lack of a frontline, Lu Cheng unleashed his three-legged firebird power and pinned Yu Linglong beneath his bow, aiming an arrow at his head.

• Ning Cong supported Lu Cheng and Xue Ling'er with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda as Xue Ling'er clashed with Yu Linglong.
• Yu Linglong broke through Xue Ling'er's defense and charged toward Lu Cheng and Ning Cong while Zhan Ling attacked from the flank.
• Lu Cheng pulled Ning Cong out of Zhan Ling's attack and fired arrows to fend off both opponents before confronting Yu Linglong.
• Lu Cheng summoned the phantom of a three-legged firebird, whose presence suppressed Yu Linglong and his Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul.
• Lu Cheng knocked Yu Linglong down, pinned him with his fire bow, and aimed a fiery arrow at his head.

Lu Cheng won the freshman assessment match and discovered that Ma Xiaotao seemed to recognize him from the simulator. The chapter ended with Ma Xiaotao embracing him and saying she would thank him properly.

• Sang Qi surrendered, and the referee declared Lu Cheng’s team the winner after Lu Cheng defeated Yu Linglong and overwhelmed the opposing team.
• Lu Cheng spotted Ma Xiaotao watching him from the stands and worried that she remembered their simulated past.
• Yu Linglong accepted his defeat, while Tang Ya and Jiang Nannan left the arena as the freshmen began to disperse.
• On the way to the cafeteria, Lu Cheng found Ma Xiaotao waiting beneath a tree and sent Ning Cong and Xue Ling’er ahead.
• Ma Xiaotao said Lu Cheng looked like an old acquaintance and thanked him for helping her martial soul undergo its Second Awakening.
• Ma Xiaotao embraced Lu Cheng from behind and told him she would thank him properly.

Ma Xiaotao confronted Lu Cheng about the love and life he had denied her, then asked him to promise not to leave her behind again. Lu Cheng agreed and resolved to grow stronger, while Ma Xiaotao ended the conversation by preparing whale rubber and a medicinal bath for him.

• Lu Cheng grilled black carp and fed it to Ma Xiaotao, who recalled how he had once cared for her while keeping her at a distance.
• Ma Xiaotao told Lu Cheng she had loved him since childhood and accused him of treating her feelings as something disposable.
• Ma Xiaotao recalled abandoning Shrek Academy to find Lu Cheng and resented that Zhang Lexuan had died beside him while she guarded their graves.
• Ma Xiaotao asked Lu Cheng not to scheme against her again and to take her with him if he was going to die; Lu Cheng promised he would.
• Lu Cheng resolved to become stronger, and Ma Xiaotao produced whale rubber and offered him a medicinal bath.

After Lu Cheng’s team won the freshman advancement tournament, Shrek Academy gave the champions rewards barely better than the runner-up’s, prompting Ning Cong to see the decision as deliberate disrespect. Lu Cheng accepted the rewards with a smile while privately losing faith in the academy, and stopped Ning Cong from openly protesting.

• Ning Cong questioned Lu Cheng about his exhaustion, and Lu Cheng claimed Ma Xiaotao had asked him to help with her cultivation.
• Lu Cheng’s team defeated every opponent and claimed first place in the freshman advancement tournament.
• Du Weilun announced the teams’ rewards, giving Lu Cheng’s team only three Coiling Dragon Fruits, two Sinking Immortal Herbs, core disciple status, and help obtaining a suitable Soul Ring.
• Ning Cong grew angry at the meager rewards, while Du Weilun defended them as part of Shrek Academy’s plan to temper its students.
• Lu Cheng thanked Du Weilun and accepted the rewards, privately deciding that Shrek Academy did not value him.
• Ning Cong asked why Lu Cheng had stopped him from protesting, insisting that the rewards were insulting.

After Shrek Academy refused to help Lu Cheng, he turned to Ning Cong and the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect to rescue Mother Jiang and provide Soul Bones. The chapter ended with Ma Xiaotao revealing that she had become a Soul Saint and obtained a Soul Bone from a hundred-thousand-year Golden Earth Dragon King.

• Lu Cheng concluded that Shrek Academy would not help rescue Mother Jiang and asked Ning Cong for assistance.
• Ning Cong rushed to the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect representative, and Ning Ye promised to bring Mother Jiang safely to Shrek City within three days.
• Ning Ye sent Lu Cheng a fire-attribute Soul Bone, and Ning Cong gave him a crimson left arm bone and gave Xue Ling'er a ten-thousand-year earth dragon Soul Bone.
• Lu Cheng visited Ma Xiaotao, who showed him a Soul Bone from a hundred-thousand-year Golden Earth Dragon King she had killed with an elder.
• Ma Xiaotao told Lu Cheng that she had advanced to Soul Saint.

Lu Cheng absorbed two Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bones while Ma Xiaotao stood guard, and he broke through to rank thirty. He and Ma Xiaotao agreed she would travel with him, and Lu Cheng planned to head to the Star Dou Great Forest after they rescued his mother.

• Lu Cheng showed Ma Xiaotao the Soul Bone from the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect and explained that the academy's reward had been inadequate.
• Ma Xiaotao got angry at Yan Shaozhe and wanted to confront him, but Lu Cheng reminded her that he planned to leave Shrek Academy.
• Ma Xiaotao insisted on going with Lu Cheng, and he agreed before telling her about the plan to rescue his mother.
• Lu Cheng entered the bathing spring and absorbed Ning Cong's Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone as Ma Xiaotao kept watch.
• Lu Cheng absorbed Ma Xiaotao's Golden Earth Dragon King Soul Bone and reached rank thirty, with further cultivation waiting until he obtained his third Soul Ring.

After absorbing two Soul Bones, Lu Cheng tested his strengthened bow and traveled to Shrek City, where he reunited with his recovering mother and Jiang Nannan. Xu Jiangliu learned that his plan to use Jiang Nannan for his son's Martial Soul awakening had failed and ordered an investigation into Lu Cheng.

• Lu Cheng gained two Soul Bone Skills and tested his faster, longer-range Sun-Shooting Bow, which fired a light-flame arrow through a tree.
• Ma Xiaotao invited Lu Cheng to the Star Dou Great Forest in a few days to obtain his third Soul Ring, and he agreed.
• In Shrek City, Lu Cheng found Mother Jiang recovering under the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's care and thanked the elder who had rescued her.
• Jiang Nannan rushed to embrace Mother Jiang, and Lu Cheng began cultivating after his worries about home were resolved.
• In Black Tortoise City, Xu Jiangliu raged that Jiang Nannan had escaped and ordered an investigation into Lu Cheng, while postponing his son's awakening ceremony.

After reaching the peak of rank thirty-seven, Lu Cheng went with Ma Xiaotao to Sunset Forest to find the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and Jiaojiao. Jiaojiao recognized him from the simulation and, despite her resentment, ordered him to follow her.

• Lu Cheng absorbed an eight-thousand-year Scarlet Fire Spirit Rhinoceros Soul Ring, gained the Armor Piercing Soul Skill, and decided to seek Jiaojiao at Sunset Forest.
• Lu Cheng asked Ma Xiaotao to accompany him, and they traveled to Sunset Forest with a Level 7 Soul Tool to drive back the poisonous miasma.
• Ma Xiaotao fired ice-pearl shells while Lu Cheng searched from the air, and they found the secluded valley containing the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
• Youyou confronted the pair, but Jiaojiao emerged from the well and recognized Lu Cheng, showing anger and heartache over their shared memories.
• Jiaojiao dismissed Youyou and the others, then beckoned Lu Cheng to follow her.

Lu Cheng apologized to Jiaojiao, and she chose to become his Soul Spirit again and help him ascend to godhood. She and Ma Xiaotao clashed over him before Jiaojiao gave him an Immortal Herb to evolve his Blood Pupils Martial Soul, leaving his eyes changed.

• Lu Cheng admitted that he accepted the consequences of deceiving Jiaojiao, and she calmed down.
• Ma Xiaotao waited outside the cave, relieved when Lu Cheng emerged safely.
• Jiaojiao announced that she would follow Lu Cheng again as his Soul Spirit and entrust the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well to Youyou.
• Jiaojiao and Ma Xiaotao argued over Lu Cheng and were told to stay away while his Martial Soul awakened.
• Jiaojiao gave Lu Cheng Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew, and after swallowing it, he saw red pupils emerge within his eyes.

After his Martial Soul’s Second Awakening, Lu Cheng named his blood-red double pupils and accepted Jiaojiao’s sacrifice at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. Three months later, he emerged strengthened and ready to return to Shrek Academy, while Jiaojiao and Ma Xiaotao immediately resumed their feud.

• Lu Cheng discovered that his Second Awakening gave him true double pupils and Spiritual Power that could manifest, and he named the ability Double Pupils.
• Jiaojiao embraced Lu Cheng in her scorching Yang Spring and began sacrificing herself to become his Soul Spirit and provide him with a Soul Bone.
• After three months of dormancy, Lu Cheng emerged with a Golden Crow phantom behind him, his body tempered and his Soul Power at the peak of rank forty-four.
• Ma Xiaotao called Lu Cheng a monster, and he decided it was time to return to Shrek Academy.
• Jiaojiao manifested beside Lu Cheng and argued with Ma Xiaotao until he proposed they return to Shrek Academy.