Chapter Summaries

The adventurers followed their Guides through the corridor, where their desires were fulfilled as they mutated into grotesque creatures. After about ten minutes, they regained their composure and realized they were trapped in a place that twisted both flesh and soul.

• Sandra took an Enlarging Secret Medicine from the Rat Servant's chest, and Tang Qi and the cloaked girl each took a bottle as well.
• Guides appeared before the adventurers and led them to rewards that fed their desires, while Tang Qi and the cloaked girl watched from apart.
• Sandra entered a treasure-filled room and transformed into a Rotten Mother Dragon.
• Other adventurers entered rooms shaped by their fantasies and changed into grotesque forms, including a plump woman who became frog-like and a Giant adventurer who became a dwarf.
• The adventurers regained their senses and grew furious, but a Guide let her head roll off her neck, revealing the corridor's absurd, soul-twisting nature.

Tang Qi and the Red-Capped Girl followed the Transcendents through a corridor of doors that tempted visitors with treasures while contaminating their souls with madness. Sandra reached the Wonderland doorway, but its radiant young master claimed her as a servant, leaving Tang Qi stunned.

• A Giant-blooded Transcendent lost control, destroyed the room with his greatsword, and killed himself; the room and its occupants later regenerated, leaving him as a trapped ghost.
• Sandra led the other Transcendents deeper into the corridor as Tang Qi and the Red-Capped Girl stayed behind, and the girl said the Wonderland master's gaze had shifted away.
• Tang Qi followed the Red-Capped Girl through the endless corridor, where open doors revealed tempting worlds filled with treasures and other rewards.
• Near the corridor's end, the remaining Transcendents succumbed to the illusions and were dragged into rooms, while Sandra resisted and opened the Wonderland doorway.
• A radiant young girl emerged from the Wonderland and welcomed Sandra, who touched her hands and called her Master; Tang Qi reacted in shock.

Tang Qi and Red-Capped Girl encountered the Mad Fairy, whose corrupted Wonderland had swallowed Sandra and threatened to consume them as well. As Tyrone rescued them with his hat, he sacrificed his fading phantom to approach the monster and confessed that he missed her.

• Sandra surrendered to the Holy Maiden and began merging into the flesh of Wonderland.
• Tang Qi saw through the illusion and recognized the world as the body of the Mad Fairy, but she discovered him and Red-Capped Girl.
• The Mad Fairy attacked them with contamination, and Tang Qi unleashed golden Furnace flames to drive it back.
• Red-Capped Girl stopped Tang Qi from attacking, then fired her shotgun at the Fairy's head.
• Tyrone's Giant Black Gentleman's Hat shielded Tang Qi and Red-Capped Girl and carried them away.
• Tyrone's phantom approached the Mad Fairy, dissipated from contamination, and told her he missed her.

Tang Qi met Tyrone, who revealed that the Mother’s fall had corrupted Wonderland and that Ralph had left something in Deborah Town. The chapter left Tang Qi preparing to investigate the object that might save the Mother and the world.

• Amanda introduced Tyrone as her companion and explained that Fairy had been his lover before mutating.
• Tyrone welcomed Tang Qi by trying to measure his head for a hat, while Tang Qi warned him that the rabbit and mouse could not be saved unless the source of the corruption was resolved.
• Tyrone told Tang Qi that the Mother had fallen and that Wonderland had grown distant from Deborah Town as corruption spread.
• Tyrone revealed that Ralph had caused the Mother’s fall and left something hidden in Deborah Town that might save her and Wonderland.
• Tang Qi connected Tyrone’s account to Ralph’s later actions and suspected that the hidden object could control the Mother.

Tang Qi and Amanda fought Mad Fairy while Tyrone sacrificed himself to destroy her from within and send a warning to other nodes. As Wonderland collapsed, Amanda became a giant wolf and carried Tang Qi onward, while a mysterious flutist led the pursuing abnormalities away.

• Tyrone explained that creatures born in Deborah Town could never return there, and that repeated deaths left uncorrupted beings vulnerable to corruption.
• Tyrone judged Tang Qi’s intentions and then used a dance and a succession of magical hats to send information to other nodes.
• Mad Fairy emerged and attacked, corrupting the rabbit and mouse; Tyrone killed them with Needles of Purification while Tang Qi and Amanda held back the assault.
• Tyrone embraced Mad Fairy and merged with her, while Amanda transformed into a giant wolf and carried Tang Qi through the collapsing Wonderland.
• A strange young man played a flute, luring the pursuing Wilderness Abnormalities away from Tang Qi and Amanda.

Tang Qi and Amanda crossed the monster-filled nodes of Dark Giant Mountain with help from their companions, who sacrificed themselves to clear the way. They reached the Forest of Ignorance, where Amanda was critically wounded and Tang Qi faced a swarm of Ignorance Living Corpses.

• A flute-playing young man drew the aberrations away, while Tang Qi realized Tyrone and the other uncorrupted beings were sacrificing themselves in a desperate war.
• Tang Qi and Amanda passed three wish-tainted nodes, and Mura gave his life to disperse the blue mist.
• Huntington and Booth attacked the Man-Eating Giant Demons and opened a path for Amanda and Tang Qi before sacrificing themselves.
• Two children melted the Long-haired Demon’s hair, and Amanda used her authority to smash through the remaining nodes, reaching the mountain’s summit near death.
• Tang Qi carried the injured Amanda into the Forest of Ignorance, gave her healing medicines, and used his Protection Curse against the surrounding Ignorance Living Corpses.

Tang Qi burned through the living corpses in the Forest of Ignorance while protecting the sleeping Amanda, then used his advancement opportunity to strengthen Judgment. At the forest’s edge, he found a cold, lifeless plain and saw an antlered shadow approaching through the mist.

• Tang Qi’s Furnace Magic Power erupted, and he charged through the living corpses while carrying Amanda, turning them into fuel for his furnace.
• Tang Qi destroyed the remaining horde in a fiery impact and found that the Golden Furnace Meditation Method had reached eighteen percent and the Chaga Combat Technique sixty percent.
• Tang Qi used his advancement opportunity on Judgment, transforming it into a group attack capable of incinerating any life that met its gaze.
• Tang Qi carried Amanda out of the scorched Forest of Ignorance and reached a dark plain where he sensed no life.
• Tang Qi recalled Ralph’s account of the Dark Plain as an antlered shadow approached through the mist, making him shiver with cold.

Tang Qi encountered the Deer of Devouring at the edge of the Dark Plain, but Amanda warned him to retreat before it could ensnare them. She explained the danger of the Desire Incarnations and revealed that Merlin jumped into Doomsday Volcano after Mother rejected him, leaving his fate uncertain.

• Tang Qi saw the Deer of Devouring and felt its approach distort his thoughts, but Amanda told him to close his eyes and return to the forest.
• Tang Qi followed Amanda's warning and escaped the Dark Plain before the Deer could attack them.
• Amanda described how the corrupted world trapped its former inhabitants and said Merlin had passed on what he knew about the Forest of Ignorance and the Dark Plain.
• Amanda explained that Desire Incarnations were immune to physical and magical attacks, attacked by ambush, and could be resisted only by holding fast to one's convictions.
• Amanda said Merlin had been rejected by Mother, then jumped into Doomsday Volcano, where terrifying roars and shadows followed; Tyrone believed Merlin had fallen.

Tang Qi investigated the Dark Plain’s Desire Incarnations by using himself as bait at the forest’s boundary, hoping to identify a weak target through his special ability. After several encounters drained most of his magic, an enormous monster approached, and Tang Qi chose to face it directly.

• Tang Qi questioned Amanda about the Dark Plain’s monsters and learned what she knew of the Deer of Devouring and other Desire Incarnations.
• Tang Qi used Judgment at the forest’s boundary and retreated after identifying the Bat of Shrieking Laughter without making eye contact.
• Tang Qi repeatedly baited the plain’s monsters, identifying the Fish of Corrupted Love and the Pig of Rampage while preserving his safety.
• After luring the Eyeless Serpent away, Tang Qi returned to the boundary with his Furnace Magic Power nearly exhausted.
• Tang Qi spotted an enormous monster approaching from the mist and held his ground, focusing Judgment on it instead of retreating.

Tang Qi defeated a Silent Beast by letting it become corporeal and burning it with Flame Curse, then gained the Mask of Existence. He showed Amanda the mask’s transformation ability and began meditating to restore his depleted magic power before attempting to cross the Dark Plain.

• The Silent Beast attacked Tang Qi with contamination that stole his ability to express himself, but his magic power halted its spread.
• Tang Qi let the Silent Beast cross into the Forest of Ignorance, touched its hollow body, and burned it to ashes with Flame Curse.
• Tang Qi caught the Mask of Existence dropped by the Silent Beast and learned it could perfectly imitate targets below Legendary level.
• Tang Qi demonstrated the mask’s transformations to Amanda, then gave it to her to examine.
• Tang Qi sat against a tree and began meditating to recover his magic power.

Tang Qi and Amanda entered the Dark Plain using the Mask of Existence and a plan to draw out Incarnations while protecting Tang Qi as prey. Their first encounter was a desperate Middle-aged Man drinking glowing water from a terrifying rotting fish, with horrifying changes beginning to overtake him.

• Tang Qi explained his plan for crossing the Dark Plain and exchanged two Sun Merits for a defensive skill.
• Amanda used the Mask of Existence to transform into a Silent Beast, and she and Tang Qi entered the Dark Plain.
• Tang Qi followed his instincts through the gray mist without meeting any Desire Incarnations.
• Tang Qi and Amanda encountered a wounded Middle-aged Man who had been drawn into the Dark Plain and was begging for water.
• A rotting fish produced glowing spring water for the Middle-aged Man, and his body began to undergo horrifying changes as he drank.

Tang Qi and Amanda traveled through the Dark Plain, where Tang Qi killed several Desire Incarnations and rescued their victims, collecting the Curios they left behind. Near the plain’s exit, a powerful figure emerged from the fog and confronted them, forcing Tang Qi to shield Amanda.

• Tang Qi burned the Fish of Corrupted Love as it tried to devour a transforming man, then rescued the man and collected the Potion of Love it dropped.
• Tang Qi killed a shadow feeding on people transformed into roast meat, rescued its weakened victims, and collected the Collar of the Desireless dropped by the Jackal of Greed.
• Tang Qi and Amanda followed the path through the Dark Plain, ambushing Desire Incarnations and rescuing their victims as the fog began to thin.
• Tang Qi noticed black-red terrain beyond the plain and recognized the scorching colors, but an icy aura surged from behind and dragged them into dense fog.
• Amanda’s Silent Beast form collapsed as a fast-moving, human-shaped figure appeared; Tang Qi shielded her and faced it as danger warnings overwhelmed them.

Tang Qi faced the divinity-bearing Angel of Crimson in the Dark Plain and was nearly transformed after it extinguished his Furnace Magic Power. When the Angel placed its Crimson Crown on him, Tang Qi’s Furnace Witch nature drew divine power from the Master of the Furnace and destroyed the Angel, leaving Tang Qi injured but alive with the crown as spoils.

• The Angel of Crimson immobilized Tang Qi, drained his magic power, and turned his body into a stone-like statue.
• The Angel prepared to devour Tang Qi’s soul and transform him, then placed its Crimson Crown on his head.
• Tang Qi erupted with divine Furnace power, which burned the Angel of Crimson to ash and vanished it.
• Tang Qi recovered in a pit, found Gluttony alive, and realized the divine eruption had badly weakened his soul.
• Tang Qi caught the fallen Crimson Crown and recognized it as the treasure granted for killing an incarnation in the Dark Plain.

Tang Qi and Amanda left the Dark Plain with the Crimson Crown and reached Doomsday Volcano, where they discovered that Grandpa Merlin had become a terrifying Corpse Witch. Tang Qi recognized the danger of the legendary being as it emerged from the Sea of Fire.

• Tang Qi identified the Crimson Crown’s power and contamination risks, then stored it in Gluttony as Amanda watched.
• Tang Qi and Amanda left the Dark Plain and crossed the contaminated smoke surrounding Doomsday Volcano, with Amanda carrying Tang Qi as a giant wolf.
• They emerged above an endless Sea of Fire, where a colossal Giant rose from the flames.
• Amanda suspected the Giant was Grandpa Merlin, and Tang Qi recognized it as a Corpse Witch nourished by a lifeless world.
• Tang Qi recalled that Sothas, the first Corpse Witch, had killed a true god and realized he could not defeat the transformed Merlin.

Tang Qi used Life Curse to restore Merlin’s remnant soul, and Merlin revealed how Ralph transformed Deborah and corrupted her Dream World into the dangerous realm they had entered. The truth explained Ralph’s banishment, while Tang Qi and Amanda still needed to reach Deborah Town.

• Tang Qi and Amanda saw Merlin’s remnant soul struggling inside Merlin’s Book, and it asked them to help save the world.
• Merlin’s remnant soul summoned Tang Qi and Amanda onto the book, but the death tide attacked them and Merlin warned that Airlia’s Touch could save him.
• Tang Qi cast Life Curse on Merlin’s remnant soul, restoring Merlin as a living wizard amid a vision of legendary creatures.
• Tang Qi asked Merlin to explain the world and how to enter Deborah Town, and Merlin showed him and Amanda visions of the world’s origins.
• Merlin revealed that Ralph met Deborah, renamed her Airlia, and reshaped her Dream World into a corrupted realm.
• Merlin showed that the revived Deborah used her authority to banish Ralph from Airlia forever.

Tang Qi learned that Deborah Town held a corrupted Source of Divinity and that Ralph’s notes could open its gateway. As the notes revealed Ralph’s soul was still inside them, Tang Qi sensed the decayed corpse witch Merlin nearby.

• Tang Qi realized that Deborah and Ralph had both lost their chances to become gods, leaving him with a possible path through the Source of Divinity.
• Merlin showed Tang Qi and Amanda Deborah Town and explained that Airlia’s mind remained chaotic, causing the world’s disorder.
• Merlin told Tang Qi that only he could enter Deborah Town and that he needed a key he had obtained long ago.
• Tang Qi produced Ralph’s Mad Witch’s Notes, which transformed into a Key of Light and opened the gateway to Deborah Town.
• Tang Qi’s Special Ability revealed that Ralph’s soul inhabited the notes, and Tang Qi sensed the decayed corpse witch Merlin nearby.

Tang Qi uncovered that Merlin sought immortality and the Source of Divinity, while Ralph had hidden in the journal as Airlia’s creator. After escaping Merlin’s attack with Amanda, Tang Qi watched Ralph confront the Corpse Lich as they fought over access to Deborah Town.

• Tang Qi realized Merlin had become a Corpse Lich to pursue immortality and had arranged to seize the Source of Divinity.
• Tang Qi forced the Life Curse-revived Merlin to reveal that the Corpse Lich’s stolen power came from the Death Gods and that it could not face a true Death God.
• The Death God’s gaze knocked Amanda unconscious and extinguished Tang Qi’s Furnace Magic Power, while the remnant soul of Light Merlin vanished.
• Tang Qi flattered Ralph, then fled with Amanda as the Corpse Lich attacked and extinguished Doomsday Volcano’s flames.
• Diana rescued Tang Qi and Amanda, and Ralph emerged from the journal and reignited the volcano with Airlia’s Wrath.
• Merlin attacked Ralph and tried to widen the gateway to Deborah Town, while Tang Qi woke Amanda and watched their battle.

Tang Qi discovered that Deborah Town lay within the Mystery, where Ralph and Merlin fought over the Source of Divinity. He entered the battle to stop them, striking Ralph with the released power of the Eye of Kels.

• Tang Qi realized Deborah Town was the territory of a growing Source of Divinity, whose control membrane contained a conflict between Deborah and Airlia’s imprints.
• Tang Qi understood that Ralph had created Airlia by corrupting Deborah, while Merlin coveted the Source of Divinity and eternal life.
• Ralph and Merlin fought inside the Mystery, using powerful witchcraft against each other as their battle pushed the gateway toward closing.
• Tang Qi entered the gateway with Diana’s divine power and attacked Merlin with the Curio Sword of the Dead, but Merlin shattered the sword and froze him.
• Tang Qi escaped Merlin’s attack, confronted Ralph, and shattered the Eye of Kels, sending its divine radiance through Ralph and his manuscript pages.

Tang Qi used Ulkar and a blast of the Core of the Sun to destroy Merlin and Ralph’s recovering bodies, but the two adversaries’ fate remained uncertain. Rescued by Amanda aboard the Ship of Fools, Tang Qi set off toward Deborah Town.

• Tang Qi summoned Ulkar with the White Bone Conch and offered Merlin as the sacrifice, prompting Ulkar to use the Death God’s Torn Page to immobilize Merlin.
• Tang Qi used Absolute Purification to dissolve much of Merlin’s body, but Ralph attacked, and Ulkar’s time in the mysteries ran out.
• Merlin consumed monsters to rebuild his body while Ralph stole others’ wisdom to repair his manuscript, causing the world around them to break apart.
• Tang Qi exchanged three rays of sunlight for the Core of the Sun and detonated it, engulfing Merlin, Ralph, and the surrounding area in golden flame.
• As Tang Qi fell, Amanda rescued him aboard the Ship of Fools, and he steered the boat toward Deborah Town.

Tang Qi reached Deborah Town as Merlin’s Light of Death pursued him, and he touched the membrane containing the clashing divine thoughts of Airlia and Deborah. The chapter ended with fantasy radiance engulfing the world and Tang Qi declaring, “I am God!”

• The Ship of Fools attracted a Nightmare Octopus, but it fled in terror after recognizing Tang Qi as inedible.
• Merlin unleashed the Light of Death while Ralph possessed Tang Qi, who sacrificed Ralph to the Sun Furnace.
• Merlin’s Light of Death struck the Ship of Fools, and Diana emerged to face it as Tang Qi flew toward Deborah Town.
• Tang Qi reached through the membrane of light and drew endless radiance from the Source of Divinity into himself.
• The radiance stopped everything in the world, and Tang Qi declared, “I am God!”