Chapter Summaries

Two months after Zhongli cleansed the world, faith in the Divine Dragon empowered its followers and helped humanity resist the Ancient Gods. As Zhongli learned that new powers and offworld travelers had appeared, four Contractors arrived to investigate an Ancient God, but their meeting ended in a deadly ambush.

• Humanity’s upper ranks revealed that Zhongli’s Divine Dragon had purged the world, and worshippers who prayed at the Rock Spears gained power while fake Divine Dragon Sects were exposed and crushed.
• Daha El cheated Zhong Li at a game, and the two fought while Zhongli asked Li Xinyue about recent events.
• Li Xinyue told Zhongli that the Divine Dragon Sect had limited the damage from several Ancient God descents and that powerful people wielding elemental and transformation abilities had appeared.
• Kuang Xi, Xiao Mang, a frail young man, and a young boy discussed their arrival in the cleaner-than-expected world and went to investigate a reported hunt for an Ancient God.
• After the frail young man left, a black spike pierced Xiao Mang, Kuang Xi revealed his poisoned state, and the young boy attacked them as Kuang Xi shattered into stone and Xiao Mang dissolved into black mist.

Xiao Mang, Kuang Xi, and the sickly man trapped the young man in demon form by disguising him as an Ancient God and directing human forces toward him. The humans killed him with overwhelming firepower, while Xiao Mang watched from a distance and realized how fearlessly they fought.

• The young man failed to escape through the hardened wall or decayed door and transformed into a demon as Xiao Mang and Kuang Xi watched from hiding.
• Xiao Mang and Kuang Xi called out that an Ancient God had appeared, while the sickly man turned back and exploded into filth that drew more attention to the young man.
• At the Zhongli Family residence, Zhongli sensed the target was not an Ancient God, while Li Xinyue and Zhong Li discussed what to do with him.
• The Divine Dragon Sect and Morax's believers confronted the demon youth, mistook his claims of peaceful intentions for an Ancient God's deception, and ordered an attack.
• Human forces bombarded the demon youth with missiles and guns until he lay near death, and a brave believer approached and tore his body apart.
• Xiao Mang watched from a distant watchtower and reflected that the humans had fought far more fearlessly than he expected.

Kuang Xi and Xiao Mang profited from the Divine Dragon Sect Apostles and Morax believers’ campaign against the ancient gods, while Xiao Mang encountered Zhong Li and discovered her extraordinary appetite and strength. Daha El appeared, restrained Zhong Li, revealed Xiao Mang’s status as a Contractor, and summoned Kuang Xi to the watchtower.

• Kuang Xi wrote and paywalled an article identifying twenty human powerhouses, then agreed to split the photo profits with Xiao Mang.
• Zhong Li confronted Xiao Mang, described eating an ancient god’s limbs, and swallowed the cursed gray stone he offered her.
• Daha El appeared, pinned Zhong Li down, and Xiao Mang’s strength assessment indicated that Daha El was at least five major ranks stronger than him.
• Xiao Mang told Daha El that he was a Contractor from the Void Tree and named Kuang Xi as his friend and partner.
• Daha El questioned Xiao Mang about the plot involving an ancient god and asked him to bring Kuang Xi over.
• Xiao Mang lured Kuang Xi to the watchtower with a false claim about treasure, where Kuang Xi sensed Daha El’s pressure and realized he had been tricked.

Zhongli disguised himself as Wendi and joined the Contractors fighting the Ancient God's avatar, where Lei Ye invited him into the Void Tree. After the system classified Zhongli as Ninth Order, it offered him a path to travel between worlds by serving as a World War Adjudicator.

• Zhong Li arranged for Zhong Li's new contract with Xiao Mang to be checked by Daha El, who ensured it had no loopholes and claimed thirty percent of Zhong Li's earnings.
• Zhongli changed his appearance and traveled to the Contractors' expedition at Kalaway Bay, where he met Lei Ye and introduced himself as Wendi from Liyue.
• Zhongli showed Lei Ye a Wind God's Eye and agreed to join his team, then accepted Lei Ye's invitation to the Void Tree.
• The Void Tree classified Zhongli as Ninth Order, and Zhongli concealed his rank by displaying himself as Third Order before joining Lei Ye's team.
• Zhongli asked the Void Tree how he could visit other worlds, and it offered him travel opportunities if he served as a World War Adjudicator and adjudicated at least one war every six months.

Zhongli joined the Void Tree as a Ninth Order Arbiter and discovered that his panel had assimilated a higher-level Void Tree subsystem, revealing his extraordinary powers. He met Wendy through a private message, sent her powerful God's Eyes, and began questioning how their cross-world communication had become possible.

• Zhongli accepted the Arbiter position and learned that his Void Space could hold one million cubic meters.
• Zhongli opened his panel, which completed its assimilation of a Void Tree subsystem and revealed his Ninth Order rank, immense attributes, and powerful Geo Archon and Emperor Dragon Body abilities.
• Lei Ye explained Attribute Breakthroughs and told Zhongli that the Contractors would attack an ancient god's avatar at five that evening.
• Wendy contacted Zhongli, explained that she had acknowledged him as her father to seek help from a powerful person, and received a Seventh Order Wind God's Eye from him.
• Zhongli sent Wendy a Ninth Order Geo God's Eye and asked about cross-world messages, while Wendy realized she had no known means of communicating across worlds.

Zhongli learned from Wendy about Contractor trafficking and realized Lei Ye had recruited him to track his location, so he forcefully canceled their team and planned to confront him. He discovered Wendy was also in the world and sent her a Geo God's Eye, while Wendy and other Contractors maneuvered around one another on the public channel.

• Wendy warned Zhongli that Lei Ye's friendly behavior and Decisive Battle Mode team invitation matched known trafficking tactics, and Zhongli realized he had nearly been targeted.
• Zhongli told Wendy he was a Ninth Order powerhouse hiding his rank, and she shared an Anti-Fraud Manual in exchange for a Geo God's Eye.
• After reading the manual, Zhongli forcefully canceled his team with Lei Ye and decided to confront him while revealing his strength if necessary.
• Zhongli saw public-channel messages suggesting Wendy was in the same world, while Xiao Mang and Wendi obscured her identity and Ice Wolf challenged Kuang Xi.
• Wendi offered to help Zhongli and declined another gift, and Zhongli praised her for not being greedy.

Zhongli arranged for contractors to mine valuable ore formed by his Rock Spears, while Daha El managed the operation and negotiated a share with Zhong Li. Meanwhile, Zhongli posed as a new Third Order recruit and joined Sea Emperor’s team, leaving Sea Emperor suspicious of his real rank and eager to betray Lei Ye.

• Zhongli decided to keep chatting with Lei Ye while quietly preparing to make him pay for his mistake.
• Ice Wolf met Daha El underground, discovered she was an Eighth Order powerhouse, and agreed to mine ore for a one-percent commission.
• Daha El brought Ice Wolf to the mining crew, where he found Kuang Xi and Xiao Mang already working alongside Zhong Li.
• Zhong Li demanded a share of the mining profits for supplying the pickaxes and secured twenty percent from Daha El.
• Zhongli introduced himself to Sea Emperor as Wendi, accepted a transfer of five hundred points, and made Sea Emperor suspect he was much stronger than Third Order.
• Sea Emperor resolved to find a chance to betray Lei Ye and win Zhongli’s favor.

Zhongli learned he could return to his old world by earning Void Crystals, while Lei Ye’s attempt to draw him into a contract unraveled after Sea Emperor transferred him points. The contractors’ attack on the ancient god failed, and Zhongli left the shoreline to scout as the creature launched its counterattack.

• Zhongli discovered that returning to his old world required one hundred Void Crystals and signed up to arbitrate world wars to earn them.
• Lei Ye offered Zhongli a contract, but Zhongli declined and thanked Sea Emperor for transferring him five hundred points, alarming Lei Ye about Zhongli’s rank.
• The contractors began their extermination attempt at five, and their attacks wounded the ancient god before it unleashed Filth Power and vanished.
• Zhongli flew into the sky to scout, and the ancient god burst from the water near Sea Emperor and Lei Ye, forcing contractors to flee.
• The extermination attempt failed, two contractors died, and the survivors gained a clearer sense of the ancient god’s strength.

Zhongli arrived in Twin World as Void Tree’s Adjudicator and learned that victory required establishing core formations across six forbidden lands. After meeting the first Contractors, he agreed to help target the opposing Adjudicator, Ka Las, whose identity and abilities Dong Bo had researched.

• Zhongli reviewed Twin World’s rules, including the Contractors’ faction-joining mission and his authority to stop violations and eliminate harmful allies.
• Xi Di, Dong Bo, and Hua Xi arrived, and Dong Bo proposed that they focus their efforts on killing the enemy Adjudicator.
• Dong Bo identified the target as Ka Las and showed Zhongli a report describing his powerful attributes and abilities.
• Zhongli revealed that he was a Demon God and showed his status panel, shocking Dong Bo, Xi Di, and Hua Xi.
• Dong Bo gave Zhongli a Divine Void Jade - Child for communication, then he and Xi Di left to complete their missions while Hua Xi stayed behind.
• A notice announced that the second wave of Contractors would arrive in one hour and that mission timers began upon deployment.

Zhongli concealed his identity as an Adjudicator and entered the Twin World disguised as a wandering bard, while considering how to exploit the war’s rules. After observing the local people and winning their attention with his Sky Lyre, he asked an elderly man to tell him about his past.

• The Adjudicator Authority Radar activated, and Zhongli reviewed the rules governing Adjudicators and Contractors in the war.
• Zhongli decided to hide his identity and pose as a bard, then created an Eighth Order lyre called the Sky Lyre.
• Zhongli learned that he could retaliate against enemy Contractors who provoked him only after stating his identity, and considered how to use that rule without revealing himself permanently.
• Zhongli explored the city, studied its people and customs, and learned that the Reverse World’s darkness had shaped the world’s history and combat system.
• Zhongli played the Sky Lyre outside a restaurant, drew a crowd, and received applause from the listeners.
• Zhongli approached an elderly man and asked him to share stories about his past.

Zhongli learned the history of the Black King and teased Gulas while trying to uncover his connection to the Hunter's Lodge. Meanwhile, Xi Ti, Dong Bo, and Hua Xi infiltrated the world’s major organizations and began preparing for an assault on the Three Great Forbidden Lands.

• Gulas told Zhongli how the Black King invaded the Surface World and how three legendary experts sealed him in the Reverse World.
• Zhongli sensed Gulas’s strength and guessed he was connected to the Hunter's Lodge, then traded jokes with him over wine and their names.
• Xi Ti joined the Black Hall, while Dong Bo replaced a Hunter's Lodge hunter and Hua Xi joined the Lodge under his support.
• Using Dong Bo’s ability to uncover the dead hunter’s memories, the three Contractors quickly secured positions and began courting powerful figures for their planned assault.
• The narration described how Void Tree Contractors had once taken over a world’s military forces, while warning that World War victories often ended in devastating internal conflict.

Dong Bo, disguised as the Hunter's Lodge elder Jielasika, used a poisoned tea scheme to target Void Karma Fire contractors while Hua Xi helped him recruit victims. He planned to refine the explosive drink into a profitable commodity as more contractors arrived in the world.

• Dong Bo posed as Jielasika and arranged an additional interview for an Eighth Order Void Karma Fire contractor, while Hua Xi prepared tea containing Liquid No. to9558.
• The contractor drank the tea and passed Dong Bo's interview, unaware that the substance could later detonate inside him.
• Dong Bo instructed Hua Xi to attract more strong candidates with tea and local hospitality, while Xi Ti reported assassinating an Eighth Order contractor and preparing to pressure the enemy openly.
• Dong Bo sent the contractor away after he asked for more tea, then planned to improve Liquid No. to9558 so it could boost attributes and be sold to Void Karma Fire contractors.
• A third batch of contractors descended, tasked with gathering information and competing with local contractors as earlier arrivals continued their infiltration.

Zhongli secretly used the rules to shield Gulas from Ka Las, the opposing Ninth Order Arbiter, after Gulas chose to confront him. Ka Las's first punch failed to hurt Gulas, and he prepared to keep attacking.

• Zhongli told Gulas an invented fantasy story in a tavern as Ka Las entered and silently watched them.
• Zhongli and Gulas joked about Ka Las's motives until Ka Las threatened to follow Zhongli, prompting Gulas to challenge him.
• Zhongli checked the Void Tree rules and learned he could shield Gulas without provoking a penalty if Gulas attacked Ka Las of his own will.
• Gulas confronted Ka Las, who received a prompt allowing him to kill Gulas and struck first.
• Zhongli cast Jade Decree Shield on Gulas, whose shield absorbed Ka Las's punch and left Gulas unharmed.
• Ka Las assessed the shield and vowed to keep attacking until his battle-enhancement ability made him strong enough to break it.

Zhongli reinforced the tavern and protected Gulas with a Jade Decree Shield as Ka Las pursued them, believing Gulas was the target. After hours of failing to break the shield, Ka Las learned it had also inflicted a powerful negative status on him, while Gulas remained unharmed and continued taunting him.

• Zhongli reinforced the tavern with Geo power, while Gulas's bullets failed to pierce Ka Las's skin.
• Gulas fled with Zhongli and summoned allies, and Ka Las chased them while avoiding any direct attack on Zhongli.
• Ka Las struck Gulas's Jade Decree Shield repeatedly, but the shield protected Gulas and restored his condition as they escaped the city.
• Ka Las unleashed increasingly powerful black lightning attacks, yet Gulas survived and mocked him from beneath the shield.
• After two hours of fighting, Ka Las used his one origin trace and learned that the Jade Decree Shield's Geo Elemental Erosion had reduced his attributes and resistances.
• Gulas emerged from underground and taunted the exhausted Ka Las again, while Ka Las remained unable to break the shield.

Ka Las struggled against the effects of Zhongli’s Jade Shield as Gulas’s attacks began piercing his defenses. After Ka Las unleashed a Space Slash at Gulas, Gulas’s shield still protected him, leaving Ka Las stunned and in danger.

• Ka Las realized that Geo Elemental Erosion would worsen while he fought, but disengaging would make Heart of Rampage vanish and leave him weakened.
• Zhongli taunted Ka Las from the sky while Gulas’s Geo Elemental Power restored his strength and youth.
• Gulas wounded Ka Las with a dagger and then shot him with a Crimson Flame bullet, exploiting Ka Las’s reduced resistance and regeneration.
• Ka Las tried to destroy Gulas’s dagger, but Zhongli’s shield protected it, and Gulas’s attacks forced Ka Las to retreat in pain.
• Ka Las used a Space Slash card against Gulas, but the blast failed to defeat him, and Gulas emerged protected by the pale yellow shield.

Ka Las unleashed Kuuga Mode and nearly broke Zhongli’s Jade Decree Shield, but Zhongli restored it, driving Ka Las to madness and self-destruction. After the Void announced Ka Las’s death, Dong Bo and Hua Xi planned to gather Void Karma Fire contractors under the pretense of protecting them before eliminating them together.

• Ka Las activated Kuuga Mode and attacked Gulas with concentrated black lightning, despite the deadly backlash consuming his body.
• After three minutes of attacks cracked the Jade Decree Shield, Zhongli used All Streams Flow Together to replace Gulas’s shield and protect himself as well.
• Ka Las lost hope when he saw the new shield, then self-destructed in a black lightning storm while Gulas survived behind his shield.
• The Void announced ten times that Gulas had killed Ka Las, leaving Void Karma Fire without an Arbiter and its contractors vulnerable to rule loopholes.
• Dong Bo suspected Wendi had secretly engineered Ka Las’s death, while Hua Xi proposed detonating contractors who had drunk the explosive.
• Dong Bo rejected immediate attacks and planned to use their connections to offer Void Karma Fire contractors a gathering place, then eliminate them together.

Gulas mistook his healing and the Void Tree invitation for a dream, then agreed with Zhongli to lead the Surface World in a counterattack against the Reverse World. As the conflict between Void Tree and Void Karma Fire Contractors escalated, Dong Bo urged a divided Hunter's Lodge to resist its new campaign of assassinations.

• Gulas realized his old wounds had healed and insisted that his apparent invitation to the Void Tree and new Contractor panel were part of an illusion.
• Black Hall members, including Xi Ti, emerged after the battle, and Gulas learned that Jenia had died.
• Gulas told the Black Hall that the Surface World could counterattack the Reverse World, and Xi Ti agreed to join him.
• News of Gulas's alliance with the Black Hall and Alchemy Society spread, while Zhongli admitted that Gulas was not dreaming.
• Void Tree Contractors and native residents began assassinating Void Karma Fire Contractors as tensions rose across the city.
• At a Hunter's Lodge meeting, Dong Bo condemned the Lodge's turn toward killing and called on those present to organize against it.

Dong Bo kept the contractors gathered under his influence and used a strength-enhancing tea scheme to manipulate them, while the first counterattack against the Reverse World ended in disaster. After Zhongli killed a contractor for sabotaging his own side and threatened the rest, the Void Tree contractors panicked and began admitting their schemes.

• Dong Bo persuaded people to stay within the Hunter's Lodge, then sold contractors tea that secretly made some of them vulnerable to his explosive water.
• Void Tree and Void Karma Fire deployed equal forces, but Void Karma Fire's survivors dwindled as the Void Tree gained a large numerical advantage.
• The Surface World's counterattack on the Black Abyss ended in crushing defeat because the Void Tree contractors hid, stole kills, or avoided danger while Surface World fighters suffered heavy casualties.
• Gulas mourned the losses and blamed himself, while Zhongli recognized that Gulas had fought bravely under the Jade Decree Shield.
• Zhongli caught Ling Bei plotting against his own side, killed him, and announced that he would kill contractors who kept profiting from the war instead of helping secure victory.
• Contractors flooded the world channel with excuses and confessions, and Xi Ti offered Zhongli a list of people plotting against him.

Zhongli used his authority as Arbiter to expose and extort Void Tree contractors, earning over a million Void Crystals while their fighting against the Reverse World improved. When a Ninth Order Arbiter from Void Karma Fire arrived, he learned she was Bai Nai, a famously timid opponent who had effectively signaled that she would not interfere.

• Zhongli used Xi Ti's list of twenty-six violators to sell access to their records and threaten to erase one contractor each day.
• Dong Bo, Xiu Tan, and other contractors paid Zhongli Void Crystals and supplied further criminal records, rapidly increasing his balance.
• After several days, Void Tree contractors fought harder against the Reverse World, and Gulas charged into battle with what seemed to be a permanent shield.
• A notice announced that a new Void Karma Fire Arbiter had arrived, and Zhongli saw the white-haired, red-eyed Bai Nai enter the tavern.
• Bai Nai dropped Zhongli a note asking him not to target her, and contractors on the world channel identified her as a notorious coward who routinely exploited a loophole to signal surrender.

Zhongli joined Void Karma Fire after a contractor invited him, and the system assimilated into his own, awakening his Fire Elemental Power. He gave Te Ni Ban a powerful Fire Element God's Eye and then tried to wake the sleeping Bai Nai by inviting her to play poker.

• Zhongli identified a Void Karma Fire contractor, and the contractor invited him to join the system.
• Zhongli's panel assimilated the Void Karma Fire subsystem and awakened his Fire Element Authority, granting him the Inexhaustible Fire ability.
• Zhongli gave Te Ni Ban a Fire Element God's Eye, which Te Ni Ban activated and paid 5313 Void Crystals for.
• Te Ni Ban explained the Void Karma Fire system to Zhongli, added him as a friend, and left to develop his new power.
• Zhongli woke Bai Nai and invited her to play poker, and she insisted that she wanted lots of money.