Chapter Summaries

Kiana and Mei revisited St. Freya Academy in Kiana’s memories, sharing stories about their past and reflecting on the Flame-Chasers. Their conversation began to turn toward the day that still connected their thoughts, leaving that difficult discussion ahead.

• Mei’s words about the Flame-Chasers’ legacy moved the livestream viewers, who flooded the comments with longing for Elysia.
• MiHoYo’s official account teased that Elysia and the others would appear again, prompting viewers to fear that the story would bring Elysia back only to kill her.
• The girls at the Studio questioned Mo Li about Elysia’s return, and he hinted that Vill-V had left a backdoor in Mei’s mind before deciding not to reveal more.
• Mo Li said the team could settle the Star Rail promotional video and open beta date, then announce them after Mid-Autumn Festival.
• In Kiana’s memories of St. Freya Academy, Mei and Kiana recalled their school days, and Mei playfully tugged Kiana’s ear.
• Mei praised Kiana’s growing sense of responsibility, and Kiana realized their conversation was leading toward the day they still could not escape.

Kiana and Mei revisited the Chiyu Academy rooftop in Kiana’s mental space, where they spoke openly about their bond and Mei’s importance to Kiana. As the game’s sweet scene continued, Kiana realized she felt only slight resentment about Mei and Mo Li, while the players teased her about imagining a life with Mei.

• Kiana and Mei found themselves on the Chiyu Academy rooftop, where they searched for Mental Shackles and discussed the hole in the fence left by Mei’s past punch.
• Kiana and Mei talked through their feelings, with Kiana telling Mei that she was the most special among the things Kiana wanted to protect and urging her to put herself first.
• Kiana noticed that she felt less upset than expected about Mei’s relationship with Mo Li and realized her resentment came from Mei seeming to care more about him.
• Li Sushang read the Danmaku teasing Kiana about imagining married life with Mei, making Kiana flustered.
• Kiana returned her attention to the game as the players celebrated the heartfelt conversation between her and Mei.

Kiana and Mei reconciled in Kiana’s mental space, recovered Kiana’s Herrscher authority, and returned to Bronya and Dr. Mei. Dr. Mei explained that she would soon vanish and that her chance of reaching the Genuine World was nearly impossible, leaving the group to prepare for a difficult goodbye.

• Mei told Kiana that Kiana had made her love the world, and Kiana said Mei was just as important to her.
• Kiana and Mei defeated the Imaginary Husk together, restoring Kiana’s Herrscher authority and partly restoring Mei’s.
• Kiana and Mei left Kiana’s mental space hand in hand and found Bronya waiting for them.
• The group reunited with Dr. Mei, who explained that a fleeting Singularity might let her reach the Genuine World, but the odds were almost zero.
• Dr. Mei reassured them that she and the World Bubble were already fading, and said the Herrscher of Sentience had accepted her choice.

Mei received Dr. Mei’s advice about the Stigmata Project before she, Kiana, Bronya, and the Herrscher of Sentience returned to the Genuine World. They reunited with Durandal, whose overwhelming relief at seeing Kiana hinted at a deeper sisterly bond.

• Dr. Mei encouraged Mei to accept the meaning of past sacrifices and revealed that understanding the Stigmata Project could help her use Herrscher powers to ignite a new era.
• Mei and the others found Shi Bao and, guided by Prometheus, defeated the Imaginary Husk on Easy Difficulty and opened a Gate back to the Genuine World.
• Kiana, Mei, Bronya, and the Herrscher of Sentience crossed the Gate, leaving Prometheus behind as they prepared to face what came next.
• On the moon, Durandal anxiously waited with Li Sushang and Seele until Kiana and the others returned.
• Durandal rushed to Kiana, held her hands, and admitted she was relieved to see her safe before greeting Mei and Bronya.

Shi Bao left after sensing Fu Hua’s confrontation with Kevin, and the others realized the decisive battle had begun. On the moon, Kevin and Fu Hua spoke about their shared past and his despair, ending with Kevin insisting that even a desperate victory was still a victory.

• Shi Bao argued that the group should not lose confidence about facing Kevin, then abruptly vanished after sensing something happening elsewhere.
• A powerful force erupted from the lunar facilities, and Mei, Bronya, and Li Sushang realized Kevin was confronting Fu Hua.
• The scene shifted to Kevin and Fu Hua, and Kevin explained that Su had told him Fu Hua visited the moon each year to gaze at the remnants of Finality.
• Fu Hua recognized that Kevin was despairing and seeking his own burial ground, but Kevin said a desperate victory was still a victory.

Fu Hua confronted Kevin and recognized that his plan to defeat Honkai would also require him to kill the self bearing the Savior’s Inscription. In the World Bubble, Dr. Mei tried to meet Kevin once more across worlds, but her plan failed before Feather Rabbit saved Prometheus.

• Fu Hua acknowledged Kevin’s work for humanity and challenged him to choose whether they were friends or enemies, and they began to fight.
• Prometheus told Dr. Mei that she and Kevin had each visited a meeting place every year on the anniversary of their first meeting, honoring a promise across worlds.
• Dr. Mei explained that she hoped to appear briefly in the Genuine World when the World Bubble merged, so Kevin might see her one last time, despite knowing the attempt was irrational and nearly impossible.
• Dr. Mei dissipated before the worlds finished merging, and Prometheus began to fade soon after, leaving Mei and Kevin unable to meet.
• Feather Rabbit, also known as Misteln Shaniat, appeared and preserved Prometheus by transcribing her data into a Stigmata.

After finishing her stream, Kiana joined the others for dinner, where Rita revealed that Yae Sakura was coming to visit. Sakura arrived with Yae Miko and met the Studio’s girls and Mo Li, while wondering about her sister’s relationship with him.

• Kiana ended her stream after completing the story and went to dinner with the Studio girls.
• Kiana teased Mei about viewers saying they should get married, and Kafka and the others returned after Mo Li invited them.
• Rita explained that Yae Miko and Ayaka had gone to pick up Miko’s younger sister, Sakura.
• Yae Miko and Ayaka arrived with Sakura, whom Elysia warmly welcomed and teased about Miko teasing Mo Li.
• Mo Li greeted Sakura and invited everyone to eat, while Sakura grew curious about her sister’s relationship with him.

Yae Sakura settled into life at MiHoYo Studio while the staff prepared Honkai: Star Rail for its open beta and Yun Jin’s Spring Festival Gala song. On Mid-Autumn Festival, Genshin Impact fans flocked to livestreams, where Su Qian clarified that she had no collaboration with MiHoYo.

• Yae Sakura enjoyed the Studio girls’ welcoming dinner, joined Kiana in the recreation room, and gradually fit into Studio life by helping prepare meals.
• Kafka, Himeko, and others discussed voice acting, with Kafka and Himeko comparing it to experiencing another life.
• Mo Li finished Yun Jin’s song demo and received the Spring Festival Gala director’s approval, while Kafka brought Qingque and Fu Xuan to the Studio for Honkai: Star Rail voice work.
• Qingque grew comfortable at the Studio and became friends with Mo Li, Kiana, and Pardo, while Yae Sakura settled in alongside Shrine Maiden and Ayaka.
• When Genshin Impact’s Mid-Autumn Festival update arrived without a MiHoYo livestream, streamers went live to attract viewers.
• Su Qian streamed herself playing Genshin Impact and repeatedly denied having a collaboration with MiHoYo, adding a notice that she was only there to play.

Su Qian pulled for Shenhe and Yun Jin before beginning Shenhe’s story quest, where the Traveler met Shenhe and learned she was a human raised by the Adepti. Cloud Retainer explained that red ropes bound Shenhe’s murderous nature and suppressed her emotions, then revealed that an opera called “Shennü Pi Guan” had been written about her.

• Su Qian spent ten packs of 648 to max out Shenhe and Yun Jin, then started the quest about rebuilding the Jade Chamber.
• The Traveler and Paimon met Shenhe when two people tried to force her to buy information, and the Millelith took them away.
• Shenhe offered to help the Traveler win Ningguang’s bounty by eliminating everyone ahead of them, but the Traveler declined.
• The Traveler, Paimon, and Shenhe found a Mingxia Lifespan Stone in an Adeptus’s former abode with help from Xingqiu’s directions.
• Cloud Retainer told the Traveler that Shenhe was a human child with a special constitution who had faced a monster formed from a God Remnant.
• Cloud Retainer explained that Shenhe’s red ropes restrained her murderous nature and emotions, then mentioned that someone in Liyue Harbor had written an opera about her.

The Traveler and Shenhe joined forces with Yun Jin and Beidou to gather materials for Ningguang’s bounty, and Yun Jin recounted the opera “Shennü Pi Guan.” The Traveler and Yun Jin uncovered the tragic truth behind Shenhe’s past, and Shenhe told Yun Jin she wanted to keep the opera’s inspiring version of events.

• Yun Jin proposed that the Traveler’s group, Beidou, and her own group cooperate to gather the bounty materials and share the rewards.
• Yun Jin explained the plot of “Shennü Pi Guan,” a legend about a girl who defeated a monster and became an immortal maiden.
• Shenhe said she liked the opera but doubted that its heroine deserved praise for bravery.
• The Traveler and Yun Jin found a notebook revealing that Shenhe’s father had pushed her toward the monster, and that the monster was formed from Demon God Remnants.
• Yun Jin told Shenhe she wanted to correct the opera’s inaccuracies, but Shenhe said she wanted to preserve its hopeful version and hoped to protect others as its heroine did.

As Ningguang lured Beisht out with the rebuilt Jade Chamber, Shenhe protected Lumine and Liyue by freezing a massive tsunami. After Beisht escaped and the crisis ended, Shenhe began to respond to others’ gratitude and said she had only wanted to protect Lumine.

• The Traveler’s group gathered the final materials for Ningguang’s reward, and Shenhe made an Immortal Talisman for Lumine.
• Ningguang invited Yun Jin to perform her new opera on the rebuilt Jade Chamber, while Beidou revealed that she had joined the competition to help Ningguang.
• Ningguang used the Jade Chamber to draw out Beisht, and Liyue’s Guizhong Ballistas attacked as Beisht sent a tsunami toward the harbor.
• After Beisht blasted Lumine away, Shenhe caught her and froze the tsunami with an Immortal Talisman.
• Shenhe, Lumine, and Paimon pursued Beisht underwater but could not defeat her, and Beisht escaped after being wounded.
• Back at the Jade Chamber, Shenhe accepted the Millelith captain’s thanks and told Lumine she had only wanted to protect her.

Su Qian watched Yun Jin perform Shennü Pi Guan at Ningguang’s banquet and was stunned by its blend of opera and pop music. As the performance depicted Shenhe’s past, Su Qian felt both sorrow for her childhood and relief that she had survived.

• Su Qian reacted to Shenhe saying she wanted to protect the Traveler and urged viewers to pull for her.
• Cloud Retainer appeared after the crisis, and Shenhe stopped her from sharing stories about Shenhe’s childhood.
• Ningguang hosted a banquet to celebrate the Jade Chamber’s reconstruction and Liyue’s survival, where Yun Jin took the stage.
• Yun Jin began performing Shennü Pi Guan, and Su Qian was captivated by its operatic vocals and musical blend.
• The animated performance showed little Shenhe fighting the evil spirit, being rescued by Cloud Retainer, and growing up among the Immortals.
• As Yun Jin sang about Shenhe’s past, Su Qian felt sorrow for her childhood and relief that she had survived.

Su Qian was moved by the end of Shennü Pi Guan, where Yun Jin’s added verses showed Shenhe finding friends and a place among people. She replayed the song and began explaining its classical references to viewers, who were astonished by the lyrics and her interpretations.

• Yun Jin added a final verse showing Shenhe spending time with the Traveler, and Su Qian realized Shenhe’s lonely fate had changed through friendship.
• Su Qian cried with relief as Shennü Pi Guan ended, while livestream viewers flooded the chat with praise and emotional reactions.
• Su Qian replayed the performance and explained how the line about autumn geese used classical imagery to evoke separation and Shenhe’s mother’s death.
• Su Qian interpreted references to Shenhe becoming an adeptus’s disciple and to the Crimson Palace, then discussed the vermillion thread and the Rotten Axe Handle woodcutter.

Su Qian analyzed how Shennü Pi Guan blended opera with Genshin Impact’s story, while the song and Yun Jin drew widespread attention at home and overseas. After CCTV praised MiHoYo as a leading force in reviving Dragon Country’s Traditional Culture, Mo Li recognized both the honor and the responsibility it carried.

• Su Qian explained the song’s allusions, lyrics, and fusion of opera with anime culture during her livestream, earning praise from viewers.
• Shennü Pi Guan trended across Dragon Country as players and cultural figures praised Yun Jin’s performance and the song’s musical innovation.
• Su Qian’s analysis replay gained widespread attention, and subtitled lyric-analysis videos also became popular overseas.
• Self-media coverage of Yun Jin’s design and movements sparked greater interest in Peking Opera and Dragon Country Opera.
• CCTV devoted a minute and a half of its evening news to Shennü Pi Guan and described MiHoYo as a leading force in a quiet revival of Dragon Country’s Traditional Culture.
• Mo Li felt overwhelmed by the recognition but accepted that MiHoYo’s new status would bring both benefits and restrictions.

After “Shennü Pi Guan” earned widespread official praise, Mo Li reconsidered how to promote Honkai: Star Rail and decided to prepare a Huanlong battle video using “Chányāo Song.” As the opera’s online popularity finally began to fade, Su Qian started another Genshin Impact livestream, drawing tens of thousands of viewers.

• Official media and online creators continued publicizing “Shennü Pi Guan,” keeping Genshin Impact’s popularity high and prompting players to clamor for a selectable five-star character.
• Mo Li considered giving players a selectable five-star but abandoned the idea because he worried about unequal rewards between countries and accusations of discrimination.
• Mo Li decided to replace his Star Rail promotional video of Cocolia’s battle with footage of the Huanlong fight, which he planned to pair with “Chányāo Song.”
• Mo Li and Eden discussed Star Rail’s open beta announcement and the eventual discovery of construction on Elysium Everlasting.
• Su Qian’s manager became supportive of her Genshin Impact livestreams after her popularity and market value rose.
• At the end of August, Su Qian went live as “Shennü Pi Guan” began losing attention, and tens of thousands of viewers entered her stream.

Su Qian streamed herself clearing players’ Abyss runs, drawing more than two hundred thousand viewers before they alerted her to MiHoYo’s Honkai: Star Rail open beta announcement. She watched the new game’s trailer, which showcased the imposing villain Huanlong and her dramatic boss music, leaving her and the audience thrilled.

• Su Qian offered to clear viewers’ Abyss runs during her livestream and impressed them with her gaming skill.
• Su Qian’s stream surpassed two hundred thousand viewers, and danmaku urged her to visit MiHoYo’s official website.
• Su Qian discovered the Honkai: Star Rail open beta announcement and checked its preview livestream time and version updates.
• Su Qian played the trailer, which introduced Huanlong as the Lord of Destruction and showed scenes from her Xianzhou storyline.
• Su Qian and her viewers reacted excitedly to Huanlong’s confident lines and the intense music, and the two-minute trailer ended.

Su Qian and the players watched Huanlong’s second-phase boss fight, with its cosmic attack and an escalating showcase of character ultimates set to “Cicada's Cry, Immortal's Elegy.” The montage reached the Xianzhou characters as Jing Yuan began his ultimate.

• Huanlong controlled a star and hurled it at Jing Yuan and the others’ planet, making both worlds explode in a spectacular attack.
• Himeko unleashed her orbital cannon ultimate, and Su Qian excitedly praised the animation.
• Welt, Gepard, Bronya, Seele, and Stelle followed with their ultimates as the players cheered.
• Silver Wolf and Kafka demonstrated their ultimates, with Kafka firing her dual pistols across the battlefield.
• Qingque, Tingyun, and Sushang appeared as the music reached its urgent chanting section.
• Jing Yuan began his ultimate, saying, “Time to deploy the surprise troops...”

Su Qian and the players watched a cinematic showcase of the Xianzhou characters’ ultimate animations, then saw Huanlong confront Jing Yuan and Welt. The chapter ended with Jing Yuan’s side seemingly defeated as Huanlong considered turning him into a Mara-Struck Soldier.

• Jing Yuan, Jingliu, Blade, and Fu Xuan appeared in dramatic ultimate animations that stunned Su Qian and the players.
• Yingxing summoned an Eastern dragon, and the animation’s imagery excited players from Dragon Country.
• After the video appeared to end, a third-stage BGM began as Huanlong appeared and challenged Jing Yuan.
• Jing Yuan faced Huanlong alongside Welt, remaining defiant despite appearing exhausted and disadvantaged.
• Huanlong contemplated turning Jing Yuan into a Mara-Struck Soldier and causing another civil war on the Luofu.

Su Qian’s livestream crashed after viewers watched MiHoYo’s Star Rail video, but the video quickly became an online sensation. Official media praised its three songs for incorporating Dong People’s Grand Song and celebrating Dragon Country’s cultural heritage, while MiHoYo’s staff saw the ensuing online discussion the next day.

• Su Qian learned her livestream had crashed and asked her manager for access to her Weibo account so she could share her excitement.
• Viewers flocked to MiHoYo’s official website to replay the video, and self-media outlets rushed to publish clips and articles as Star Rail topics reached trending searches.
• An official Dragon Country media outlet identified the songs’ vocal style as Dong People’s Grand Song and praised the music for blending cultural heritage with the Xianzhou’s heroic spirit.
• Netizens praised the official post, while Tencent, NetEase, and other game companies admitted MiHoYo’s cultural success was beyond their ability to imitate.
• The day after Mo Li released the video, MiHoYo’s staff browsed the internet and saw the heated discussion about the game.

Kiana brought news that official media had praised the Studio again, but the group soon discovered that the latest attention centered on the Honkai: Star Rail gameplay showcase. After watching its music, characters, and combat animations, the girls were amazed and turned their attention to Mo Li.

• Kiana interrupted Tingyun’s recording session to show Mo Li and the others that official media had praised the Studio again.
• Mo Li changed the subject from the girls’ teasing and led them to check which media outlets had praised their work.
• Kafka and the others found that Star Rail had sparked discussion, teased Fu Xuan over a comment, and watched the gameplay showcase on the MiHoYo Official Website.
• The girls reacted enthusiastically to the showcase’s music and character animations, especially Jing Yuan, Jingliu, and Fu Xuan.
• After the video ended, the girls stared at Mo Li, while Jingliu remained fixed on his back and Kiana urged her to replay it.