Chapter Summaries

After defeating Shrek, the Imperial Fighting Team treated its injuries and prepared for the championship match against Spirit Hall Academy, whose three core members were Soul Kings and whose fusion skill could disrupt perception. The chapter ended with Dong Jian still injured and the team focused on recovering and practicing safeguards against the red mist.

• Ye Lingling assessed the team's injuries, and Qin Ming arranged for the injured fighters and Ye Lingling to see a physician.
• Yu Tianheng and Dong Jian concluded that Tang San had conceded to spare his teammates further injuries, while acknowledging the match could have gone either way.
• Qin Ming reviewed Spirit Hall Academy's profiles and explained that Hu Liena and Xie Yue's Demon Charm created red mist that disrupted perception, speed, and judgment.
• Yu Tianheng, Li Man, and Qin Ming organized and tested stop, retreat, and direction signals for fighting when the team could not see clearly.
• Dugu Yan narrowed the planned poison zone, and Qin Ming set rules prioritizing survival, the healer, and the escape route over holding formation.
• Dong Jian left the infirmary with his shoulder bandaged and his waist and back still aching, while Li Man told him to save his strength for tomorrow.

The Imperial Fighting Team struggled against Spirit Hall Academy’s terrain attacks and the disorienting Demon Charm red fog, relying on cautious signals and formation changes to protect their members. When Osler disappeared inside the fog and two conflicting ground vibrations reached Dong Jian, he stayed put rather than risk entering it.

• Yan heated and raised the arena floor while Hu Liena and Xie Yue pressed the Imperial Fighting Team, forcing Yu Tianheng to direct his injured arm carefully.
• Hu Liena and Xie Yue joined into Demon Charm, spreading red fog that distorted the team’s senses and made Dong Jian’s ground readings unreliable.
• Li Man, Shi Mo, and Dugu Yan adjusted their formation to protect Ye Lingling and avoid chasing misleading figures in the fog.
• Osler was drawn deeper into the fog by false voices and images, and Li Man warned the team not to follow his disrupted formation signal.
• Dong Jian felt two real vibrations from different directions and refused to enter the red fog to search for Osler.

The Imperial Fighting Team struggled to hold formation as Demon Charm’s illusions, Yan’s terrain-altering attacks, and the red mist disrupted their senses and separated their fighters. Yu Tianheng was cut off from Dong Jian, and Li Man told the others to hold their positions while he found his own way back.

• Osler escaped the red mist with a shoulder wound, and Ye Lingling treated him while assigning him to watch for false images and warn the team.
• Osler helped Shi Mo distinguish a real attack from Demon Charm’s illusions, while Li Man used confirmed sounds and bamboo signals to guide the team.
• Yan reshaped the battlefield and broke Dugu Yan’s poison blockade, while Dong Jian and Yu Tianheng held their positions rather than abandon their posts.
• Demon Charm changed the timing and direction of its attacks, exploiting Dong Jian’s injured waist and forcing Li Man and Shi Mo to defend separate approaches.
• Yan split the stone platform into two levels, separating Yu Tianheng from Dong Jian and leaving them unable to support each other.
• Dong Jian reported that Yu Tianheng had been cut off, and Li Man told the team to hold while Yu Tianheng chose how to return.

Yu Tianheng’s team endured Demon Charm’s red fog and Yan’s shifting stone attacks by protecting Ye Lingling and coordinating their retreat. As their safe ground dwindled, Yu Tianheng prepared to break open the enemy’s pressure while Li Man preserved a path for Ye Lingling.

• Yu Tianheng dodged Demon Charm’s blades and Yan’s stone ridges, then ordered the front line to move north through the fog.
• Li Man used signals and bamboo paths to keep the team together, while Yu Tianheng found Shi Mo’s tortoise shell and ordered everyone to regroup around it.
• Dong Jian joined Yu Tianheng but strained his old waist injury redirecting an enemy’s charge, so Li Man guided him back to Shi Mo instead of letting him pursue.
• Li Man’s array and Shi Mo’s shell preserved a narrow reliable stretch of ground as Yan repeatedly reshaped the arena and Demon Charm maintained the fusion.
• Dugu Yan blocked an enemy from reaching Ye Lingling, and the team retreated toward the arena’s edge while Li Man dismantled the outer array anchors.
• As Demon Charm and Yan squeezed the remaining safe ground, Yu Tianheng told Li Man to leave the last path for Ye Lingling and prepared to open up the rest.

The Imperial Fighting Team wore down Spirit Hall Academy through careful positioning and two boundary-outs, then forced Hu Liena and Xie Yue to end the match. The referee declared the Imperial Fighting Team victorious, but its exhausted members needed medical care before they could accept the championship trophy.

• Li Man preserved the Imperial Fighting Team's shrinking ground while Yu Tianheng, Shi Mo, Dong Jian, and the others blocked Spirit Hall's attacks and protected Ye Lingling.
• Dugu Yan's poison, Osler's brief interception, and Shi Mo's positioning forced one Spirit Hall team member out of bounds.
• As Demon Charm's fusion ended, Yu Tianheng led a counterattack while Dong Jian guarded the route to Ye Lingling.
• Yu Tianheng used Shi Mo's support and a Short Tremor to force a second Spirit Hall team member out of bounds.
• Hu Liena and Xie Yue signaled the referee to end the match, and the referee announced the Imperial Fighting Team's victory.
• The Imperial Fighting Team's injured members prepared to go to the infirmary before accepting the trophy.

The Imperial Fighting Team received confirmation that Spirit Hall Academy had conceded and that they had won the championship, despite their injuries. After accepting the trophy and sealed Soul Bone prizes, they returned to rest, while Li Man quietly remembered Xue Qinghe’s earlier interest in Dong Jian’s unusual armor.

• Qin Ming told Yu Tianheng and the others that the officials had upheld the referee’s ruling after Spirit Hall Academy conceded.
• Yu Tianheng led the injured team onto the podium, where all seven held up the championship trophy together and received three sealed Soul Bones.
• The team posed for one group portrait, then left the ceremony after Li Man and Qin Ming ensured Yu Tianheng could rest.
• Dong Jian waved to children who called his name, while Hu Liena and Yu Tianheng exchanged a quiet nod across the crowd.
• Qin Ming read congratulatory letters from the academy and Xue Qinghe, then locked away the Soul Bone transfer documents as the team settled in to recover.
• Li Man remembered Xue Qinghe’s interest in Dong Jian’s unusual armor but kept her suspicion to herself, and everyone prepared to sleep.

After the final match in Spirit City, Shrek and the Imperial Fighting Team discussed the choices and limits that shaped their battle. The teams parted on respectful terms, with Tang San continuing to study the match and Dong Jian saving Tang San’s notes until his injury healed.

• Tang San reconsidered how Li Man changed the Imperial Fighting Team’s planned paths, and resolved not to treat an opponent’s learned tactics as fixed rules.
• Yu Xiaogang questioned Dong Jian about his fighting techniques and warned that using them without Soul Rings could injure him; Dong Jian agreed to teach only their basic form.
• Tang San asked why Dong Jian had stopped instead of attacking him, and Dong Jian explained that Tang San’s poisoned Eight Spider Lances blocked his path.
• Dong Jian explained to Tang San that mastering Circular Rotation required finding his own footing, while Tang San recognized how much he relied on Blue Silver Grass to guide his movement.
• Li Man told Ning Rongrong why she had left certain paths open, and Dai Mubai and Yu Tianheng acknowledged each other’s efforts in the match.
• Tang San gave Dong Jian notes on their final exchanges, and the Imperial Fighting Team departed as Tang San began a new page of analysis.

After winning the championship, the nine members of the Imperial Fighting Team debated how to assess and distribute their three Soul Bones while protecting each member’s right to choose and compete. The bones remained sealed as Dugu Yan, Dong Jian, and Li Man prepared to return to Sunset Forest for her poison-storage regimen.

• Qin Ming presented the Soul Bone records and proposed that all nine members assess their compatibility, physical readiness, and plans before anyone received a bone.
• Yu Tianheng rejected the academy’s claim to centralized control and said every participating team member, including those who had not fought in the final, must have a say in distribution.
• The team listed concerns about long-term burdens and future team opportunities, and Qin Ming recorded the safeguards while the education committee allowed the bones to remain in temporary storage pending a later declaration.
• Xue Qinghe congratulated the team, asked about Yu Tianheng’s injury, Li Man’s formation network, and Dong Jian’s back, while Li Man quietly noticed his gaze pass over Dong Jian’s shoulders.
• Dugu Yan said she needed to return to Sunset Forest to adjust her Jade Sac Poison Storage cycle, and Dong Jian and Li Man agreed to accompany her while Yu Tianheng stayed to recover.
• Dong Jian recorded his physical limitations rather than applying for a Soul Bone, and the sealed prizes remained untouched as the group prepared to leave Spirit City.

Dong Jian, Li Man, and Dugu Yan returned to Sunset Forest, where Dugu Bo examined Dugu Yan’s poison storage and warned Dong Jian to protect his injured back. They stayed overnight after tending to the garden, while the Lovesick Heartbreak Red remained untouched and unresolved.

• Dong Jian, Li Man, and Dugu Yan returned to Sunset Forest, and Dugu Yan checked the Poison Soul Bone in her right arm before entering the poison formation.
• Dugu Bo examined Dugu Yan, found no major damage but warned that her poison-release cycle had been disrupted, then supervised her gradual release of stored poison while Li Man monitored the area.
• Dugu Bo examined Dong Jian’s back and cautioned him not to let his nine load-bearing points silently take on too much strain.
• Dugu Bo told Dugu Yan that his own poison had seeped into his bones and blood, though he was adjusting its separation and keeping it suppressed for now.
• Dong Jian and Li Man rested instead of seeking another Immortal Herb, then watched the Lovesick Heartbreak Red briefly glow without touching or claiming it.
• Li Man dismantled her bamboo formation and checked the garden for contamination; the three decided to stay overnight, and Dong Jian offered to help with the bamboo rack the next day.

Dong Jian and Li Man repaired a herb rack, discussed their plans to travel after returning to the academy, and agreed to remind each other not to push beyond their limits. They left Sunset Forest with Dugu Yan, carrying Qin Ming’s letter about their injuries, rewards, and choices after the tournament.

• Li Man and Dong Jian repaired the herb rack with ordinary bamboo, and she cautioned him to respect his healing waist.
• They discussed leaving the academy to travel and explore how their techniques would work in unfamiliar settings, and Dong Jian said he hoped Li Man would go with him.
• They agreed to warn each other against risking injury or exhausting themselves, and Dong Jian chose not to rely on the Black Perish Stone flower to speak for him.
• Dugu Yan called them back, Dugu Bo urged them to leave the flower behind, and the three prepared to return as scheduled without taking another Immortal Herb.
• A messenger delivered Qin Ming’s letter outlining follow-up examinations, Soul Bone rewards, and options for the team’s next steps, while Dong Jian left the travel plans blank for Li Man to consider.

After the championship, the Imperial Fighting Team discussed recovery, future plans, and what parts of their tactics the academy could teach. The chapter ended with the team preparing to review an appraisal of the three championship Soul Bones before deciding whether anyone could claim or lend them.

• Qin Ming led the team through post-championship plans, and Yu Tianheng said he would visit the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan before deciding what to do next.
• The team agreed that the academy could teach only public formations, while Ye Lingling, Dugu Yan, Osler, Yu Feng, Dong Jian, and Li Man described their own recovery and travel plans.
• Li Man asked the academy to warn future students that the championship team had entered the final with injuries, and Ye Lingling offered to write general medical precautions.
• The administrator revealed that the royal archives had requested the three championship Soul Bones for a demonstration, and Qin Ming insisted on an appraisal and written terms before discussing a loan.
• Yu Tianheng told the team to review the reward information together the next day, while Dong Jian and Li Man left to compare their still-unwritten travel routes.

The team examined the three championship Soul Bones under expert supervision, but no one was approved to absorb one. Qin Ming left the team facing a new decision about their consent rights after the academy proposed displaying the rewards.

• Appraisers examined the Spirit Skull of Wisdom Condensation, and Li Man deferred compatibility testing until her mental condition stabilized.
• The team reviewed the speed-oriented leg bone’s risks, while Yu Feng and Osler were told to provide more records before their compatibility could be compared.
• The appraisers identified the arm bone’s fire attribute, and the team agreed it should remain sealed because no one was clearly compatible.
• Li Man and Dong Jian declined immediate testing, and Yu Feng and Osler acknowledged that neither should be ruled out as a candidate without comparison.
• Qin Ming reported that Li Man’s skull assessment was deferred, Yu Feng and Osler needed further evaluation, and the fire arm bone would stay sealed.
• Qin Ming presented documents for sealing the bones and asked the team to clarify their consent rights regarding the academy’s plan to display the rewards.

The Imperial Fighting Team debated how to safeguard and distribute the three Soul Bones, insisting that medical privacy, compatibility, and each member’s informed consent would guide the process. The bones remained sealed pending examinations, and Yu Feng and Osler agreed to undergo tests before either could claim the speed leg bone.

• Qin Ming proposed sealing the Soul Bones under joint custody and requiring team discussion, informed consent, and an immediate stop if an assessment showed clear danger.
• Ye Lingling and Li Man insisted that medical records and meridian information remain private, while Dong Jian and Li Man submitted their reports for verification.
• Yu Tianheng recorded that the Shi Brothers would not claim the bones and would incur no future debt or special status for stepping aside; the flame arm bone also remained sealed.
• Ye Lingling secured a written record that healing specialists would not be excluded from future reward discussions, and Shi Mo insisted absent members could not have votes cast on their behalf.
• Yu Feng and Osler both requested assessment for the speed leg bone, so Qin Ming scheduled basic load-bearing tests for the next day without either using the bone.
• Yu Tianheng gave Teacher Zhao the team’s revised record and said the nine members would decide for themselves; the next day’s schedule listed Yu Feng and Osler equally.

Qin Ming and the appraiser tested Yu Feng and Osler’s movement and recovery to assess whether either might suit the speed leg bone, while the team agreed not to rush any Soul Bone allocation or absorption. The chapter ended with the Soul Bones still secured, a victory banquet approaching, and Li Man planning to examine the Soul Power pathway along Dong Jian’s back.

• Qin Ming’s team tested Yu Feng and Osler’s movement, revealing different risks in their transitions, turns, and sustained pursuit, and both men agreed to await further compatibility tests.
• Yu Feng and Osler exchanged their worst-case concerns, while Qin Ming canceled the next day’s speed contest to allow their legs more time to recover.
• The nine agreed that Li Man’s skull bone candidacy did not mean immediate absorption, Yu Feng and Osler would share consideration for the speed leg bone, and the flame arm bone would remain sealed; they checked the storage records and signed the resolution.
• Teacher Zhao collected a copy of the resolution for review, while the three Soul Bones remained locked in their cabinets under the safekeeping agreement.
• The Heaven Dou Imperial Family invited the nine members of the Imperial Fighting Team to a victory banquet, and Yu Tianheng agreed to accompany them.
• Li Man learned that Xue Qinghe would attend the banquet and planned to examine the Soul Power pathway along Dong Jian’s back rather than let clothing conceal it.

After the banquet, Dong Jian and Li Man planned their separate training journeys and confessed that they liked each other, agreeing to stay honest and respect each other’s paths. The next day, they prepared to return to Sunset Forest together to visit the flower and speak with Dugu Bo.

• Dong Jian and Li Man discussed their travel plans, decided where their routes would overlap, and wrote rules for managing their injuries and mental strain.
• Dong Jian told Li Man that he liked her, and Li Man said she liked him too; they agreed to communicate clearly and not let their relationship replace their individual goals.
• Dong Jian and Li Man returned to the dormitory area holding hands, where Ye Lingling checked on Dong Jian’s recovery and told Li Man not to stay up late.
• The next morning, Dugu Yan asked whether they had thought things through, and Li Man said they would discuss the rest themselves.
• Li Man packed their route plans separately and drew the repaired bamboo frame to show Dugu Bo as she and Dong Jian prepared to travel to Sunset Forest.

Li Man and Dong Jian returned to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well to observe the Lovesick Heartbreak Red, which responded more strongly to Li Man but remained attached to the Black Perish Stone. They left without picking it, agreeing to study safe handling and use before deciding what to do next.

• Dong Jian and Li Man showed Dugu Bo their bamboo trellis repair plans and asked to examine the Lovesick Heartbreak Red again, promising not to test or consume it recklessly.
• Li Man approached the flower while recalling moments of trust between her and Dong Jian, and its red markings joined as its roots loosened slightly from the stone.
• Dugu Bo warned them that the flower’s response did not make it safe to pick, and Li Man chose not to touch it until they understood how to preserve it.
• Li Man and Dugu Bo compared their observations with past records, while Dong Jian mapped the stone platform to help prepare for a possible future harvest.
• Dugu Bo observed that the flower’s markings stayed steadier when Li Man approached, then asked them to stay overnight and discuss its handling the next day.