Chapter Summaries

Yano fought Karn through the Knight Trial, awakened a new sword technique, and defeated the formal knight. His victory earned him the Sword Knight title, while Nili was left owing Chen Yu her secret formula.

• Karn intensified the trial, using his speed, insight, and endurance to overwhelm Yano with spear and lance attacks.
• Yano endured the assault and developed Sword's Cry, turning his growing battle intent into powerful, precise strikes.
• Yano's strength and riding coordination surged until he disarmed Karn and won the duel.
• Yano received the Sword Knight title, which enhanced his riding speed, strength training, and sword skills.
• Karn conceded defeat, and Nili acknowledged Yano's victory as Chen Yu demanded her secret formula.

Yano received Shadow Dust after winning his Knight Trial and prepared for the Shadow Trial with Chen Yu’s skills. Elsewhere, the Vampires agreed to pay the undead and planned to disrupt the Stonekin trial, while Chen Yu continued developing defenses and met Casimir, who returned with a surprise.

• Nili gave Yano Shadow Dust and warned him that other Stonekin would target him during the Shadow Trial.
• Yano demonstrated his new Sword Knight strength by snapping an iron sword, and Chen Yu assured him that he had skills prepared for the trial.
• Casimir told Deng Lun that the undead wanted the Goblin Legion’s mission reward, and Deng Lun agreed to pay them while sharing warnings about demons and the Stonekin.
• Deng Lun revealed that Salazar had released an altered Shadow Creature near Gorr to cause trouble during the Shadow Trial.
• Chen Yu surveyed Cracked Stone Pass, noted that his fortress defenses were nearing completion, and resolved to prepare secret weapons against the Goblins.
• Casimir returned to the East Swamp Fortress with gold-trimmed chests and told the Undead Lord that he had brought a surprise.

Chen Yu accepted the Vampires’ gold and alliance offer, then used a talent orb hidden in his gel to make Casimir reveal intelligence about a demonic threat and the Vampires’ plans. After Casimir left, Chen Yu relayed the warning to Yano in Stone Castle Town, who promised to contact Nili.

• Casimir delivered 1,768 gold coins from Lord Salazar, and Chen Yu accepted the money and declared the Vampires allies of the Undead Race.
• Chen Yu gave Casimir gel containing a talent orb, prompting Casimir to reveal that demonic aura was spreading near the Goblin Legion and that Salazar planned to use a modified Shadow Creature against the Stoneborn in Gore.
• Chen Yu sent Casimir away with more life-energy gel, then switched his consciousness to his Slime body in Stone Castle Town.
• Chen Yu told Yano about the demonic threat and the Vampires’ plan, withholding the details of the alliance and his source.
• Yano took the intelligence seriously and said he would find a way to contact Aunt Nili.

Chen Yu told Nili that Vampires were planning trouble during the Shadow Trial, and she left to verify the intelligence without paying him. The next morning, Yano gathered with the other Stoneborn contestants, and Nili led them toward Fluorescent Forest, where their ancestors were waiting.

• Nili returned to the cabin, and Chen Yu demanded payment before revealing that Salazar had altered and released a Shadow Creature into Gore to interfere with the trial.
• Nili doubted the report but left to investigate, promising to pay Chen Yu after confirming its truth and value.
• Yano and Chen Yu prepared for the trial, and Yano wondered whether the Vampire threat might delay it before falling asleep.
• Yano bought Chen Yu a night-blueberry cake, armed himself, and joined the waiting Stoneborn contestants at Fluorescent Forest.
• Ella and the others greeted Yano, while Nili arrived looking exhausted and told the young Stoneborn to follow her into the forest to meet their ancestors.

Yano began the Shadow Trial in the Fluorescent Forest, where he had three days to find a Shadow Creature willing to form a contract with him. After leaving Chen Yu with Nili, Yano entered the forest alone, while Nili and Chen Yu secretly followed to watch him.

• Nili led the young stonekin through the Fluorescent Forest and explained that the buried stones were remains of those who had helped the stonekin ancestors resist the Stone Giants.
• At the stone altar, shadows gathered into figures resembling Solomon, Lancelot, and Cameron, and Nili announced the trial's rules and three-day deadline.
• Nili barred Chen Yu from accompanying Yano into the trial area, so Chen Yu stayed with her as Yano headed alone into the forest.
• Nili asked Chen Yu whether Yano could pass, and Chen Yu claimed Yano could fight three people by himself.
• Nili and Chen Yu used shadow travel to reach a Nightglow Fir and secretly watch Yano proceed deeper into the forest.

Yano defeated several stonefolk challengers and revealed master-level Stealth as he searched the Fluorescent Forest for Shadow Creatures. At the forest boundary, a strange, aggressive Shadow Creature appeared and attacked a guardian, so Nili set out with Chen Yu to find it.

• Two young stonefolk challenged Yano, but he caught their attacks, threw them aside, and felled a Nightglow Fir with his broadsword until they conceded.
• Yano demonstrated master-level Stealth, prompting Nili to suspect Chen Yu had helped train him; Chen Yu revealed he had given Yano Stealth and several other talents.
• Yano traveled deeper into the forest, defeating more challengers before reaching the dark boundary, where Lyon told him another participant had already bonded with a Shadow Creature.
• A black shadow flashed out from beyond the boundary, and Yano, Lyon, and other stonefolk chased after it; a damaged humanoid shadow later appeared briefly among the boundary statues.
• Nili learned that the strange Shadow Creature Chen Yu had mentioned had attacked a Shadow Creature guarding the Fluorescent Forest, and she left with Chen Yu to find it.

Yano chased a Heart-Snatcher Shadow, then contracted it after Nili rescued him and explained how Shadow Dust worked. The creature revealed that an unstable Planar Rift deep in the Fluorescent Forest connected to a rift controlled by vampires and might also lead to the Swamp.

• Lyon, Max, and the Stoneborn pursued the Heart-Snatcher Shadow until it stopped at a collapsed temple, where it seemed to approach Yano.
• Nili intervened when the Shadow Creature turned hostile, split it apart with her blade, and trapped the escaping shadow with gathered shadow figures.
• Nili identified the creature as a Heart-Snatcher Shadow and told Yano to use Shadow Dust to touch and tame it; Chen Yu devoured the remains and gained Shadow Walk Lv.1.
• Yano used Shadow Dust to perceive shadows, subdued the Heart-Snatcher Shadow, and formed a contract that earned him the Shadow Companion title and shadow abilities.
• Yano learned from his new companion that an unstable Planar Rift in the forest connected to the vampires' rift and might also lead to the Swamp.

Chen Yu and Nili investigated a Planar Rift leading to a frozen wasteland and discovered Spirit Chains binding a colossal castle. After escaping through a rift into the West Marsh, Chen Yu returned to Cracked Stone Fortress, where he tested his new Shadow Walk and headed for the Obsidian Mining Area.

• Nili reasoned that the vampires had exposed their rift to lure others into exploring a dangerous castle, then led Yano and Chen Yu to investigate it.
• Yano discovered that he had gained the Heart-Snatcher Shadow’s abilities, including Shadow Walk and shadow-based spying and attacks.
• Chen Yu crossed the rift with Nili’s Shadow Companion and saw Spirit Chains stretching across the ice field to a gigantic castle, but the cold forced them to retreat through another rift.
• Nili brought Chen Yu’s clone through the rift into the West Marsh, where Pei Qi was guarding it; Chen Yu woke and recognized her.
• Chen Yu went with Little Card toward the Obsidian Mining Area and tested Shadow Walk, startling Little Card with their sudden burst of speed.

Chen Yu oversaw the Slime alchemists’ first successful batch of Knight Potions and approved costly purchases to support the kingdom’s plans. He then set out for the Treant territory after learning that Little Flower and Isolde had made progress on magical Treants, where Isolde studied an alchemical design beneath the moonlight.

• Kem and Dem completed the first batch of pills, and Chen Yu tested one and confirmed that the Knight Potions worked.
• Chen Yu ordered Isolde to buy as many Purification Potions as possible from human caravans for training the Lizardfolk.
• Anvil requested funding for enchanted mining equipment to make stronger blacksteel parts for the Goblin Ripper-II, and Chen Yu approved it.
• Anvil told Chen Yu that Little Flower and Isolde had made progress on the magical Treant project, so Chen Yu rode Little Card to the Treant territory.
• Isolde studied a moonlit alchemical formula and energy circuit diagram that converged on a hand-drawn oak tree.

Isolde sought Magic Leaves suited to her Rune Oak Guardian project, while Chen Yu spent the night in the Treant territory producing wood-attributed leaves for her to test. Elsewhere, Camisir persuaded Zoran to investigate the irresistible green gel, and the chapter ended with Isolde inviting Chen Yu to inscribe runes on an oak guardian.

• Isolde explained to Viola that the Magic Leaves supplied by the Slime Kingdom did not match the Rune Oak Guardian’s energy circuit, and Viola proposed waiting for a true Slime Kingdom before the elves offered their knowledge and loyalty.
• Chen Yu arrived in the Treant territory and learned that Isolde needed Magic Leaves with different attributes, so he decided to return his consciousness to Xuxuantian and acquire wood-element talismans.
• In the Eternal Night Territory, Camisir told Zoran that green gel offered a pleasure greater than cigarettes and invited him to try it; Zoran agreed to go with him.
• Camisir learned that the stonekin had discovered the rift and that Salazar had sent him to lure undead into attacking the goblins.
• By dawn, Chen Yu had produced several wood-attributed Magic Leaves, and Isolde confirmed they were sufficient and invited him to help bestow runes upon an oak guardian.

Isolde and Chen Yu transformed Faldorn into the first Mystic Ancient Tree, a powerful spellcasting Rune Oak Guardian. As Chen Yu worried about the rare resin’s cost, Sharp Tooth arrived from East Swamp with another vampire and an offer of intelligence and cooperation.

• Isolde examined Faldorn’s completed energy circuits and asked Chen Yu what spells the Magic Leaves could produce.
• Isolde coated Faldorn with potion, connected five Magic Leaves to its circuits, and explained the oak’s Silver Leaf heritage.
• Chen Yu used Xixiulong to enrich the soil, providing the mystic energy Faldorn needed to transform into a Mystic Ancient Tree.
• Faldorn healed its scars and demonstrated powerful healing and lightning magic, while Isolde warned that expanding the process required expensive ancient resin.
• A messenger told Chen Yu that Sharp Tooth and another sharp-fanged visitor had arrived from East Swamp seeking a face-to-face meeting about intelligence and further cooperation.

Sir Casimir and Sir Zoran visited Chen Yu to discuss the goblins and discovered how much the vampires craved his life-energy gel. They agreed to trade gel for at least three thousand gold coins, leaving Casimir poised to deceive Salazar while Chen Yu planned to send a caravan to the White Horse Kingdom.

• Casimir brought Zoran through the swamp to meet Chen Yu, where they saw Slimes building treehouses and serving as guards.
• Chen Yu asked the vampires for three thousand gold coins to expand his armaments, and Casimir balked at the sum.
• Chen Yu gave Casimir and Zoran emerald-green gel, and Zoran eagerly consumed his portion.
• Casimir offered to secure three thousand gold coins or more in exchange for a steady supply of gel and proposed spreading false news about the undead confronting the Goblin Legion.
• Casimir and Zoran left with sealed jars of gel, while Chen Yu decided to prepare a trade caravan for the White Horse Kingdom.

As Blood of Life transformed the Vampire nobles’ dealings in Eternal Night Territory, Deng Lun relayed an aid demand from East Swamp and received Salazar’s approval. Back in East Swamp, Chen Yu collected the gold and supplies, arranged a trade mission to Iron Boot Town, and reflected on how close he was to Foundation Establishment.

• Nils tried to buy more Blood of Life from George, but learned that Lady Margaret had reserved much of the supply and rushed to reserve the next batch.
• Deng Lun reported that East Swamp wanted three thousand gold coins in aid, and Salazar approved the request and gave him a Bloody Scroll formula.
• Casimir and Zoran returned to East Swamp with gold and supplies, received Blood of Life, and completed the transaction with Chen Yu.
• Chen Yu ordered Little Flower to tell Turk to prepare a trading party with Anvil for Iron Boot Town.
• Chen Yu reviewed his new cultivation and talent levels and noted that he was nearing Foundation Establishment.

Chen Yu learned that Foundation Establishment required harmonizing yin and yang, then discovered the World Tree sapling might serve as an Utmost Yin treasure and realized he needed a matching Utmost Yang treasure. He suspected the Crown of Ignis could fill that role and sent a Slime clone with a trade convoy toward the White Horse Kingdom to find Arthur and Count Bran.

• At the Teaching Hall, Purple Gold Elder explained Foundation Establishment and the use of compatible Yin-Yang Twin Treasures to guide the process.
• Shao Qingsong warned Chen Yu that the treasures had to suit the cultivator, and Chen Yu bought Crimson Sun Grass and Mysterious Yin Jade at Hundred Refinements Pavilion.
• Chen Yu found that the treasures improved his spiritual-power circulation, then returned his consciousness to the World Tree side.
• Chen Yu sensed that the World Tree sapling resonated with his spiritual power and concluded it might serve as an Utmost Yin treasure, leaving him to seek an equally powerful Utmost Yang object.
• Chen Yu recalled the Crown of Ignis and, worried about Arthur and Count Bran, sent an assassin Slime with Anvil and the Lizardfolk's trade convoy to the White Horse Kingdom.

Chen Yu gained Blood Clan talents from the Blood Crystals and considered building a Blood Legion, but learned that goblins had occupied the Ice Elemental Plane. At Cracked Stone Pass, Hammer Bone witnessed the return of Grumg alongside the powerful demon Aeath and a swarm of Abyssal Spawn.

• Chen Yu ate Blood Crystals and acquired Blood Recovery, Blood Shaping, Blood Baptism, and stronger Bat Wings and Blood Frenzy talents.
• Chen Yu used Blood Baptism to create a domain that supplied blood energy to Blood Clan units, then asked Little Flower and the Stinger Bee Queen Bees to search for bloodsucking bees.
• Yano told Chen Yu that goblins had occupied the Ice Elemental Plane beyond the rift, prompting Chen Yu to worry about a surprise attack through the rift near the Treant territory.
• At Cracked Stone Pass, Hammer Bone intimidated the Goblin Shaman while enjoying his growing standing in the Goblin Legion after Grumg's defeat.
• Grumg returned with a massive swarm of Abyssal Spawn and welcomed Lord Aeath, a true demon carrying a dark-red scythe, to Cracked Stone Pass.

Aeath took command of the Goblin Legion and ordered it to seize the Frozen Snowfield as a strategic foothold, while secretly planning to build an Abyssal Demon calamity and eventually destroy the Slime Kingdom. In the snowfield, Chen Yu and his companions learned that the goblins were preparing an invasion, and Chen Yu began considering how the Slimes could profit from the threat.

• Aeath forced Hammer Bone and Grumg to acknowledge him as the new legion commander, then asked whether they had seen an undead and a crow.
• After hearing that the Swamp's known enemies were Slimes, Aeath inspected the fortress and the Planar Rift, then ordered the goblins to equip themselves for the Frozen Snowfield and establish an outpost there.
• Chen Yu gained Ice Affinity by devouring an Ice Wolf, while Pei Qi and Little Card watched goblins build a fortress near the distant castle.
• Yano and Nili contacted Chen Yu through his clone and reported that the goblins were discussing demons and invasion near Gore's Planar Rift.
• Chen Yu recognized that the stonekin could struggle to resist the Goblin Legion and thought that the Slimes could collect protection money.

Chen Yu secured the Stone-Descendants’ agreement to accept Slime military aid in exchange for Shadow Creature corpses, while Yano chose to pursue the Gargoyle Legion’s secret in Gore. After the Blood Legion and Slime builders set out to help defend the Fluorescent Forest, Anvil returned with an elven child, leaving Chen Yu alarmed that the dwarf might be accused of child trafficking.

• Chen Yu and Nili agreed that the Slime Kingdom would help build defenses and send troops to Gore in exchange for Shadow Creature corpses.
• Yano told Chen Yu that the Stone-Descendants knew little about Grand Duke Castor’s trial and resolved to explore Gore to seek the power himself.
• Chen Yu returned to Swamp Fortress, created a Blood-sucking Poison Bee, and appointed Beet commander of the Blood Legion after Beet gained powerful blood-based abilities.
• Chen Yu sent Beet’s legion and Slime builders through the rift to Gore to assist the Stone-Descendants.
• Anvil returned early from the trade caravan with a young elf clinging to his back, and Chen Yu accused him of child trafficking.

Chen Yu and Isolde learned that Little Eileen was a cursed half-elf with only a few years to live, while Viola suggested the Forest Sage Council might know how to help her. Isolde began preparing a ritual with the ancient resin as Chen Yu arranged support, and the chapter ended with Deng Lun returning to Eternal Night Territory uncertain whether the undead would honor their promise to attack the goblins.

• Chen Yu brought Little Eileen to Isolde, who agreed Treant Territory could take her in after warning she was likely a half-elf.
• Little Eileen called Anvil "Daddy" and clung to him, and Isolde concluded that elves from the Ancient Tree Council had cursed her with Root Wither.
• Viola explained the curse and said the Forest Sage Council might be able to resist it, then mentioned an exile castle in the Ice Elemental Plane connected to an alchemist.
• Chen Yu showed Isolde a carriage of ancient resin, and she said it could support a ritual for three oak guards and requested Slime Scholars and Faldorn's help.
• Deng Lun and Casimir returned from negotiating a temporary ceasefire with the goblins, but Casimir could not guarantee the swamp undead would attack when needed.
• Deng Lun left Casimir behind and headed through Eternal Night Territory toward the fortress at the edge of the cliff.

Deng Lun learned that Salazar’s influence might be behind the Planar Rifts and received an ancient codex describing a moving secret realm. Meanwhile, Aeath sent Grumg and the Goblin Legion toward the Gore Rift, and Nili led young Stonekin to a hidden Slime fortress.

• Salazar praised Deng Lun for securing a temporary truce but urged him to act without concern for the Eternal Night Territory, then left him with an ancient alchemy codex labeled “Dong Tian.”
• Deng Lun suspected Salazar had created several Planar Rifts, including the one in The Gloomy Lands.
• Aeath took a human slave’s soul in exchange for freedom, and Hammer Bone feared the demons’ power over souls.
• Aeath accepted the vampires’ gold and ordered Grumg to lead the army of natural disaster and the Goblin Legion toward the Gore Rift.
• Nili brought Yano, Ella, Lyon, Max, and other young Stonekin to a fortress concealed at the edge of the Fluorescent Forest, where they discovered Slimes guarding its walls.

Nili and the young Stoneborn visited Thorn Outpost, where a Goblin Legion assault forced them to witness the Slimes’ defenses and the Blood Legion’s strange magic. The Goblins unleashed Abyssal Spawn, revealing demonic forces behind their campaign, while Yano looked to the Slime resting on his shoulder.

• Nili led the young Stoneborn through Thorn Outpost, where Lyon and Max marveled at the fortress and its organized Slime defenders.
• A warning bell sounded, and Nili, Yano, and three Stoneborn Shadow Assassins climbed onto the walls as the others took cover.
• The Goblin Legion attacked with boulders, Magic Crystal Alchemical Cannons, and alchemical bombs, damaging the fortress defenses.
• Beet ordered the Blood Legion to attack, and the Blood Stinger Bees used blood magic to devastate the Goblins and destroy a cannon.
• Grumg ordered the Abyssal Spawn to charge, and Yano realized demons stood behind the Goblin campaign before looking at the Slime on his shoulder.