Chapter Summaries

Tang Qi subdued the Bag of Gluttony with Furnace Power, and it acknowledged him as its master. He opened its Pocket Space and found three Curios whose former owner seemed to be responsible for the Bag’s hatred of humanity.

• Tang Qi discovered that the Bag of Gluttony contained an ownerless Pocket Space that needed the creature’s cooperation to access.
• Tang Qi tried to persuade the Bag of Gluttony to accept him, but it refused and attempted to flee when he threatened it with the Corroder Stomach.
• Tang Qi seized the Bag of Gluttony’s tongue and used Furnace Power, causing it to acknowledge him as its master.
• Tang Qi opened the Pocket Space and retrieved a messy manuscript, an exquisite cleaver, and a bowl of meat soup.
• The Bag of Gluttony cowered in the corner, and Tang Qi realized that the three Curios had belonged to the former owner who had mistreated it.

Tang Qi examined three curios: a cookbook of supernatural creatures, a fragile but exceptionally sharp kitchen knife, and a bowl of meat soup that could strengthen whoever ate it. After testing the soup on the Night Beast, he decided to study the cookbook and sent the Night Beast and Bag of Gluttony to deal with the Bag’s temporary owner.

• Tang Qi identified the manuscript as the Supernatural Creature Culinary Guide, the knife as Delicious Helper, and the soup as edible, non-toxic, and potentially beneficial.
• Tang Qi found the soup’s recipe in the cookbook and fed a portion to the Night Beast as a test.
• The Night Beast reacted to the soup’s horrible taste by bouncing around and collapsing, but Tang Qi concluded that it had gained strength.
• Tang Qi refused to taste the remaining soup and stored it in Pocket Space, deciding that the cookbook’s recipes might serve as secret medicines.
• Tang Qi assigned the Night Beast and Bag of Gluttony to eliminate the evil young man who had tried to trap supernatural beings with the bag.

Tang Qi brewed the Wind's Whisper Secret Medicine successfully, advancing his Secret Medicine Studies progress into the sixty-percent range while still needing a Rubber Fruit to become an apprentice. As he headed upstairs to train, the Night Beast returned with the Bag of Gluttony, which presented him with an object.

• Tang Qi prepared supernatural materials and brewed the Wind's Whisper Secret Medicine, using the Wind Sprite and Desiccated Earless Mouse Corpse.
• Tang Qi inspected the finished medicine and learned it could grant the ability to hear information in the wind and perceive one's surroundings.
• Tang Qi put the medicine away and saw that his Secret Medicine Studies progress had entered the sixty-percent range.
• Tang Qi thought about needing a Rubber Fruit to advance to apprentice, then headed upstairs to train.
• The Night Beast returned with the Bag of Gluttony, which broke free and presented an object to Tang Qi.

Tang Qi added the Water Fairy ring to his collection after Night Beast and Gluttony killed a Nameless One, then spent several days training while waiting for Sally’s investigation. Stana invited him to dinner, and he arrived at her apartment to find her dressed for a farewell banquet.

• Night Beast ambushed and killed the Nameless One, and Gluttony brought Tang Qi the Water Fairy ring as a curio.
• Tang Qi decided to keep the ring among the collectibles he could sell and rewarded Night Beast and Gluttony.
• Tang Qi focused on training and practiced the Furnace Tempering Method, Chaga Combat Technique, and witchcraft from Ralph's Grimoire while waiting for Sally's investigation.
• Tang Qi visited Mysterious Valley's Temporary Market several times and got free drinks from Savoy.
• Stana invited Tang Qi to dinner, and he found her in a black evening gown after she returned from a farewell banquet.

Tang Qi shared a farewell dinner with Stana, whose cooking tested his endurance as much as her announcement that she would leave Messer City for the Church of Light's assessment. After they parted, Tang Qi returned to the Bronx District, convinced they would meet again soon.

• Stana placed her Crimson Rhino on the table and insisted on cooking dinner herself while Tang Qi waited in her apartment.
• Stana served Tang Qi a lavish meal, and he forced down the dishes despite their poor taste because she had prepared them for him.
• Stana told Tang Qi she would leave Messer City the next day and take the Church of Light's assessment, and Tang Qi said she would pass and that they would meet again soon.
• Tang Qi returned to a street in the Bronx District and reflected on Stana's teasing as she headed to the bathroom after dinner.

Tang Qi rushed to Sally’s home after the Misfortune Mark warned him that she was in danger. He slipped past a sleep-inducing barrier and found Sally and three women trapped behind a magical shield with a group of Skinned Monsters.

• Tang Qi left Stana a box of bullets, a communication iron plate, and Wind's Whisper Secret Medicine before leaving.
• The Misfortune Mark flared, and Tang Qi sensed that something had happened to Sally.
• Tang Qi used the Night Beast’s shadow bubble to enter the barrier around Sally’s building without alerting its creator.
• Tang Qi found the residents asleep, Sally weakened, and three women shielding her while an unconscious middle-aged woman lay nearby.
• Tang Qi saw a dozen Skinned Monsters surrounding the shield, including creatures that could transform into animal-like forms.

Tang Qi discovered that the Immortal Council had sent a Dark Witch to capture Sally, while three Gypsy Witches had come to reinforce the seal within her. When the Dark Witch threatened Sally’s unconscious mother, Sally’s magic surged and she stepped out of the shield, declaring that there could not be Skinned Monsters in her home.

• Tang Qi identified the black-robed man as an Immortal Council assassin and learned that the three Gypsy Witches had come to reinforce Sally’s seal and escort her to become their next leader.
• The Dark Witch threatened to have his Skinned Monsters kill Sally’s mother unless Sally lowered the shield.
• Sally’s magic power surged as she saw her mother threatened, and she rose from the shield with a cold expression.
• The Dark Witch ordered the Skinned Monsters to seize Sally’s mother, believing Sally could not harm him.
• Sally stepped out of the shield and said, “There cannot be Skinned Monsters in Sally’s home!”

Sally exhausted her magic power fighting the Dark Witch, leaving her and the three Witches near death as a blood python threatened to capture her. A mysterious figure identified as a descendant of Harmon appeared and killed the Dark Witch, leaving the living room calm again.

• Sally used the Word Spirit Curse to annihilate the Skinned Monsters, then tried to destroy the Dark Witch as well.
• The Dark Witch resisted Sally's curse as her magic power dwindled, and a blood python emerged from his sleeve to attack her.
• Sally collapsed after spitting blood, while the three Witches were left near death from exhaustion.
• A shadowy figure appeared behind the Dark Witch and began draining his life force.
• The Dark Witch pleaded with the figure, calling it a descendant of Harmon and naming himself a bounty hunter of the Immortal Council, but the figure refused and made him crumble to ash.

Sally defeated the Harmon Descendant by using Mind Out of Control to turn the creature’s shriek against her, but the black Witch Robe suddenly attacked Sally. Tang Qi noticed the ambush as it unfolded.

• The Black Gel Creature silenced the three wounded Witches and approached Sally, while Tang Qi identified her as a descendant of the Harmon Family and guided Sally’s thoughts.
• Sally’s purity prevented the creature from stirring her desires or devouring her life force.
• Sally cast Mind Out of Control, causing the Black Gel Creature’s shriek to torment her until her skull shattered.
• A mass of black Gelatinous Substance burst from the black Witch Robe and covered Sally, while Tang Qi alone reacted in time.

Tang Qi killed the Black Gel Creature after it tried to devour him and learned that the Immortal Council was made up of the Harmon, Ragnar, Anna, Vite, and Rudolf Families. He revived the three Witches and protected Sally’s mother before Gluttony swallowed the creature as it tried to escape.

• The Black Gel Creature abandoned its attack on Sally and lunged at Tang Qi, but his Golden Flame burned away the gelatinous substance that had entered his body.
• The creature threatened Tang Qi and revealed the names of the Immortal Council’s ruling families, but it resisted his Illusion Incantation before he burned it into ash.
• Tang Qi used a Badge of Light to heal the three Witches, then noticed the creature had covered Sally’s mother and drove it away with a Golden Flame lash.
• The creature threatened the others and tried to flee, but it followed Tang Qi’s warning toward danger and Gluttony swallowed it.

After Tang Qi defeated the Black Gel Creature, a dying Witch revealed that the Witch Leader had foreseen him as the Child of the Furnace destined to accompany Sally, the Daughter of Destiny. Tang Qi agreed to escort Sally to the Land of Termination in exchange for a reward from the Witch Leader.

• Tang Qi confirmed there were no other monsters and helped Sally revive her mother.
• The middle-aged Witch recognized Tang Qi as a Child of the Furnace and explained that the Witch Leader had foretold his connection to Sally.
• The Witch revealed that the Witch Leader had sealed Sally's Power of Misfortune and hidden her from cursed monsters, but Sally's power was the only key to ending the curse.
• The middle-aged Witch said Cynthia and Iola had died, and that the three Witches had sacrificed themselves to delay the monsters and protect Sally.
• The Witch warned that the monsters would sense Sally once the Witch Leader's protection failed and asked Tang Qi to escort her to the Land of Termination.
• Tang Qi agreed to the Witch Leader's promised reward.

After Elena and the other Witches died, Tang Qi agreed to escort Sally to the Land of Termination to find the Witch Leader and confront the danger surrounding the Daughter of Destiny. He gave Sally and her mother one day together and prepared to leave Messer City, possibly for Mihuang City.

• Elena handed Tang Qi a wooden box before she and the other Witches vanished, leaving their account and Sally’s connection to the Daughter of Destiny behind.
• Sally realized Tang Qi would take her away from her mother and embraced her as Tang Qi gave them time alone.
• Tang Qi considered the Witch Group’s motives and the threats posed by cursed monsters, then decided to escort Sally to the Land of Termination.
• Tang Qi planned to spend a day handling his affairs in Messer City and thought about following Stana to Mihuang City.

Tang Qi prepared to leave Messer City, delegated his Special Consultant duties to McAuley, and opened the mysterious wooden box Elena had given him. Inside, he found a comic by Esmeralda and overlapping maps that pointed him toward Winston Town.

• Tang Qi packed his Curios and possessions, handled his arrangements in Messer City, and left a message for Savoy about the wine he owed.
• Tang Qi arranged Sally's leave from school and contacted McAuley, appointing him as the Messer Police Department's new Special Consultant.
• Tang Qi opened the wooden box while protected by a curse and found an old comic titled "Legend of the Immortals" by Esmeralda.
• Tang Qi examined two overlapping maps and discovered that the old Immortal Earldom corresponded to present-day Winston Town.

Tang Qi and Sally left Messer City by train for Winston Town, where they planned to investigate the curse. When Tang Qi opened a comic by Esmeralda, he discovered that it was a Curio showing a masked man in a blood-colored cloak.

• Sally's mother tearfully entrusted Sally to Tang Qi, and they boarded a bus to Messer Train Station.
• Tang Qi and Sally traveled through Messer City toward the outskirts as dawn broke.
• Sally grew excited by the lavish train carriage, while Tang Qi let her enjoy the journey without interrupting her thoughts.
• Tang Qi opened Esmeralda's comic, Legend of the Immortals, and found a portrait instead of the story's opening.
• The portrait's masked man met Tang Qi's gaze, and an eerie glow revealed the comic was a Curio.

Tang Qi passed the Witch Comic Book’s assessment by defeating the Noble Puppet with physical strength alone. He began reading its mind-rendered story, which introduced Samuel Winston, the Immortal Count.

• The comic’s magic assessed Tang Qi and transported him to an illusion aboard a pirate ship.
• The Noble Puppet attacked Tang Qi, and the assessment prevented him from using his magic.
• Tang Qi used the Chaga Combat Technique to overpower the puppet and snap its neck.
• The assessment ended before Tang Qi could remove the puppet’s mask, and the comic confirmed that he had passed.
• Tang Qi opened the comic and experienced its story in his mind, learning that its protagonist was the legendary pirate and explorer Samuel Winston.

Tang Qi read the comic book’s account of Samuel Winston, the Blood of the Deity, and the origins of the Thirteen Progenitors and the Immortal Council. The story ended with the Witch Progenitor’s prophecy that the Daughter of Destiny must be brought to the Land of Termination when the Mysterious Meteor crossed Blue Star again.

• Tang Qi learned that Samuel Winston returned from an expedition with a baby girl named Diana, who later fell into an endless slumber after contracting a plague.
• Samuel gathered Transcendents and Curios to cure Diana, but a Bewitching Fiend persuaded him to use a mysterious Curio to seize their powers.
• Samuel’s ritual turned the gathered Transcendents and nearby residents into monsters, and thirteen survivors gained powerful abilities after the Blood of the Deity spread through the region.
• The survivors hunted and executed the Bewitching Fiend, which cursed them and prophesied Samuel’s return to reclaim the blood and resurrect Diana.
• Tang Qi read that the survivors became the Thirteen Progenitors, formed the Immortal Council and a loose alliance, and faced a limit of six hundred and one on their combined descendants.
• The Witch Progenitor prophesied that the Daughter of Destiny must be taken to the Land of Termination when the Mysterious Meteor crossed Blue Star for the second time.

Tang Qi let Sally try the Witch Leader’s Comic Book, whose protective magic initially rejected her. Sally’s Word Spirit Curse forced it to obey her, and Tang Qi watched her begin reading while resolving to use further accidents to uncover the truth behind their arranged journey.

• Tang Qi reflected on the Comic Book’s account of the Dark Era and doubted that it told the whole story about the Melada Witch Group.
• Tang Qi handed Sally the Comic Book and explained that its protective magic would test her.
• Sally failed the test almost immediately, disappointing her.
• Tang Qi suggested Sally use the Word Spirit Curse, and she commanded the Comic Book to let her read it.
• The Comic Book’s magic began to self-destruct, but Sally repeated her command and forcibly made it obey her.
• Sally started reading the Comic Book, while Tang Qi considered creating more accidents to expose the truth behind their journey.

Tang Qi and Sally traveled toward Winston Town as ghosts from the Anna Family surrounded and searched the train for the Daughter of Destiny. Tang Qi suppressed his urge to devour them and watched the ghosts move on without finding Sally.

• Tang Qi cast an Illusion Spell to make himself and Sally appear like ordinary friends as the train entered a dark mountain tunnel.
• A host of ghosts surrounded the train, while the passengers remained unaware of them.
• Tang Qi identified the ghosts as Anna Descendants, members of the Immortal Council searching for the Daughter of Destiny.
• Tang Qi resisted his desire to turn the ghosts into fuel for his Self Furnace and decided to wait for another encounter.
• A Grim Reaper-shaped ghost searched the first-class carriage, passed through Tang Qi, and found no sign of the Daughter of Destiny.
• The ghost moved on to search the next carriage, leaving Tang Qi disappointed that he could not eat it.

Tang Qi watched Anna Family ghosts search the train and drive off three supernatural intruders. One escaped on a magical flying carpet, catching Tang Qi’s interest as he considered whether to pursue the Curio.

• Tang Qi reflected on the supernatural forces drawn to Winston Town and restrained his urge to hunt the ghosts for fuel.
• Using Night Beast’s perspective, Tang Qi watched Anna Family descendants search the train as it entered a tunnel.
• An Anna ghost attacked a disguised young man, whose pendant burned the ghost before he fled through a carriage window.
• Two other supernatural beings were also forced out of the train and escaped by their own methods.
• The young man unfolded a glowing magic carpet, flew toward the tunnel exit, and drew Tang Qi’s attention.
• Tang Qi activated his Special Ability to inspect the flying carpet.

Tang Qi watched an Elder of the Anna Family kill a fleeing Supernatural Creature and collected the shattered Magic Carpet to study its flying patterns. After arriving with Sally in Winston Town, he sensed several Supernatural Creatures among the travelers and realized the town was already becoming dangerous.

• Tang Qi used the Black-Limbed Pupa's arrival to stop the young man from escaping, and the Elder killed him and destroyed the Magic Carpet.
• The remaining Anna Ghosts killed the other two Supernatural Creatures and withdrew after inspecting the train.
• Tang Qi collected the carpet fragments with his shadows so he could study their magic patterns.
• Tang Qi and Sally arrived at Winston Town without further incident aboard the Black Mountain Eagle.
• Tang Qi spotted several Supernatural Creatures among the ordinary-looking travelers at the station.