Chapter Summaries

Su Yu resumed training in the Mage Tower while watching Snowflake Leopard stream the start of the Illusionary Duel. Morningstar recognized the Illusionary Envoy as an Illusionary Worm and warned that its presence could eventually draw the Astral Birds to invade the Main Plane.

• Su Yu returned to the Mage Tower, planned his final training before reaching Tier 5, and began absorbing magic power with Kacie and Morningstar.
• Su Yu projected Snowflake Leopard’s livestream onto the Mage Tower wall, and Snowflake Leopard explained that he was streaming to demonstrate Druid PvP skills in the Illusionary Duel.
• At eight o’clock, the Illusionary Envoy opened twelve Teleportation Arrays in Broom City, and Snowflake Leopard joined the players entering them.
• Morningstar identified the Illusionary Envoy and the creatures maintaining the portals as Illusionary Worms, prized by Astral Birds for soul transformation.
• Morningstar warned Su Yu that the Astral Birds could unite and invade the Main Plane if they learned how many Illusionary Worms had appeared there.

Snowflake Leopard entered the Illusionary Duel and used his combat skill to eliminate opponents, earning an SS rating and a Tier 2 Druid skill book. He returned to Gorse Flower’s central square as the game began a countdown to the next round.

• Snowflake Leopard ambushed an Archer girl shortly after entering the mountain forest and defeated her after she mistakenly slid toward him.
• Morningstar praised Snowflake Leopard’s skill, and Su Yu said he was the strongest player before Morningstar offered to introduce him to Arch Druids who might take him as a disciple.
• Snowflake Leopard gained a stacking Blood’s Aura buff for killing players, then hunted down opponents while collecting equipment.
• Snowflake Leopard eliminated all competitors in the first round and received an SS rating and a Tier 2 Random Rare Druid Skill Book.
• Snowflake Leopard vanished from the forest and returned to Gorse Flower’s central square with the other players.

Snowflake Leopard and his teammates compared their first-round rewards before entering the second Illusionary Duel map, where he spotted Qing Li, Skycutter Sword’s assistant, and attacked her. The duel began with Qing Li entering stealth to counter him.

• Snowflake Leopard learned that Old Li had received only 100 Psionic Coins after losing to Thousand Cups Not Drunk in the first round.
• Old Li told Snowflake Leopard to pass along Princess Arwen’s message to Boss Ke, prompting Morning Star to question Su Yu about her.
• Snowflake Leopard’s livestream audience surged as viewers tuned in to watch the next round.
• Snowflake Leopard and his teammates entered the second-round map, a town where his passive skill made NPCs call him an idiot.
• Snowflake Leopard recognized Qing Li among the players and lunged at her in Leopard Form, while Qing Li drew her dagger and entered stealth.

Snowflake Leopard defeated Qing Li, then encountered the disguised Martial Artist Thousand Cups Not Drunk. They agreed to gather buffs and equipment before fighting fairly, but after 35 minutes Snowflake Leopard had grown stronger and still had no sign of his rival.

• Snowflake Leopard used Bear Form and Blood Scent to defeat Qing Li, while retaining 70% of his health.
• The Priest revealed himself as Thousand Cups Not Drunk, the game's only known Martial Artist, surprising Snowflake Leopard, Su Yu, and the livestream viewers.
• Snowflake Leopard proposed that they each hunt players and monsters for buffs and items before having a fair final duel, and Thousand Cups Not Drunk agreed.
• After 35 minutes, Snowflake Leopard had acquired four pieces of equipment and stacked 18 layers of Blood's Aura, greatly increasing his strength.
• Snowflake Leopard grew uneasy because he had not encountered Thousand Cups Not Drunk again or detected his bloody scent.

Snowflake Leopard and Thousand Cups Not Drunk faced off as the last two players in the duel. Thousand Cups Not Drunk used a Hidden Quest reward to trap Snowflake Leopard in a wine gourd, but Snowflake Leopard escaped with his Dream Avatar and won; he then returned to Gorse Flower Plaza with an S-rated settlement.

• Snowflake Leopard and Thousand Cups Not Drunk became the final two players after everyone else was eliminated.
• Thousand Cups Not Drunk revealed that he had completed Hidden Quests and used the upgraded wine gourd to suck in Snowflake Leopard.
• Snowflake Leopard revealed himself behind Thousand Cups Not Drunk after switching places with his Dream Avatar, which had been captured instead.
• Snowflake Leopard overwhelmed Thousand Cups Not Drunk, who conceded and vanished from the duel.
• Snowflake Leopard received an S rating, a Thunder Lizard Egg, 2 World Reputation, and 10,000 Psionic Coins before returning to Gorse Flower Plaza.

Snowflake Leopard entered the third-round arena, a moonlit primeval forest, and cautiously hunted other players. After a suspicious wolf howl drew the remaining contestants together, they discovered Sky Dragon riding her powerful Howling Moon Wolf with a panda at her side.

• Snowflake Leopard and Old Meng said they had passed the second round, while March of the Steel Torrent and Old Qu described their losses.
• Su Yu recognized the wolf howl as Shirley’s and told Morning Star that Sky Dragon was the little girl who had wanted to live with him.
• Snowflake Leopard ignored the first howl and continued searching the forest, while other players moved toward its source.
• After hearing a second, seemingly dying howl, Snowflake Leopard suspected a trap and rushed toward it with other players.
• The players found Sky Dragon unharmed, mounted on Shirley, whose epic quality granted a moonlight attribute boost, with a panda beside them.

Xiao Tian used two early Illusionary Equipment pieces and her pets to ambush players, building a huge advantage before defeating Snowflake Leopard. After his elimination, viewers speculated that she was powerful because she was Su Yu’s girlfriend, and Snowflake Leopard ended his livestream.

• Xiao Tian defeated two Forest Spirits, gained two Illusionary Equipment pieces, and used Shirley’s howl to lure players into her ambush.
• Xiao Tian killed arriving players until she had twelve buff stacks and three Illusionary Equipment pieces, then repeated the howl lure.
• Xiao Tian targeted Snowflake Leopard, whose three buff stacks could not overcome her equipment and attribute advantage, and eliminated him.
• Livestream viewers debated Xiao Tian’s success and claimed Su Yu had supplied her with powerful gear, though Su Yu had given her no equipment.
• Snowflake Leopard ended his livestream after being eliminated.

Xiao Tian won the Illusionary Duel final after defeating Iced Tea with almost no health remaining, earning five Root-Strengthening Potions. Su Yu offered to help her absorb them, and she revealed she was already near his Mage Tower and could visit immediately.

• Su Yu and Morning Star found Blue Spirit Monkey's livestream and watched Xiao Tian defeat the remaining players, including Blue Spirit Monkey, to win her third-round duel.
• Su Yu congratulated Xiao Tian, learned that she had defeated Snowflake Leopard without recognizing him, and forwarded their chat to Snowflake Leopard.
• Su Yu searched for a livestream of the final but found none, so he returned to cultivating while the match continued.
• Thirty-seven minutes later, Xiao Tian told Su Yu she had won the final by counter-killing Iced Tea with almost no health left, and the guild celebrated her victory.
• Xiao Tian received five Root-Strengthening Potions, and Su Yu offered to help her absorb them at his Mage Tower.
• Xiao Tian said she was already in Apuxi City, less than five hundred meters from the Mage Tower, and told Su Yu to open the doors for her visit.

After Xiao Tian celebrated her championship with Su Yu, the game announced a server shutdown and the launch of the Clash of Kings expansion. Su Yu reviewed the update details, which revealed a war between the Golden Flower Empire and its neighbors and added new regions, factions, races, and classes.

• Xiao Tian told Su Yu she had won the championship, but their celebration was interrupted when the game announced the Clash of Kings expansion and a server shutdown.
• Su Yu gave Kacie instructions and logged off with Morningstar as players rushed to check the official website.
• Su Yu watched three CG videos showing the Golden Flower Empire's reunification, Flandre Strife urging the Rhine Empire to declare war, and the Imperial Navy being betrayed by Grand Marshal Grantex.
• Su Yu read that the update added five regions, two selectable factions, four races, and four classes, with free opportunities for players to change race and class.

Su Yu posted advice on choosing factions, classes, and races, then prepared to break through to Tier Five. After entering the game, he began helping Xiao Tian improve her template and learned that she wanted to follow the Beastmaster Style, just as someone knocked at the Mage Tower.

• Players flooded the Official Forum with questions about factions, classes, and races, and Su Yu posted his personal recommendations.
• Su Yu went to bed, woke to find Chenxing sleeping on his chest, and entered the game at eight o'clock.
• Xiao Tian visited Su Yu and proudly told him she had won first place in the Illusionary Duel.
• Su Yu took Xiao Tian to the Magic Pool and planned to use a Tier Five material to maximize the Root-Strengthening Potion's effects.
• Xiao Tian chose the Beastmaster Style, and a knock sounded at the Mage Tower.

Princess Arwen visited Su Yu to pursue their Marriage Contract, and Su Yu told her it required approval from Alijeh and Tina Garcia. Tina gave Su Yu a good-luck amulet, but Alijeh’s voice declared that Arwen would not convince her.

• Su Yu welcomed Princess Arwen to his Mage Tower, where she brought him gifts of elf specialties and met Xiao Tian.
• Xiao Tian called Arwen Su Yu’s “new harem,” and Su Yu claimed the word meant a reliable companion; Arwen gladly accepted the label.
• Arwen asked Su Yu to reconsider their Marriage Contract, and he said he would agree if Alijeh and Tina Garcia approved it.
• Tina arrived to say farewell before taking up her post in Pearl City and gave Su Yu her amulet, which increased luck.
• Arwen asked Tina whether she approved of the marriage, and Tina deferred the decision to Alijeh, whose voice immediately declared that Arwen would not convince her.

Alijeh grew jealous when she found Kexing surrounded by women and left him a dinner she had cooked herself. After he calmed her down, Su Yu returned to the Mage Tower to help Xiao Tian absorb a potion with a material Alijeh had given her, then planned to take her to Gorse Flower Imperial Palace.

• Alijeh arrived at Kexing's territory, angrily rejected Arwen's marriage proposal, and gave Kexing a Small Space Ring containing her heartfelt dinner.
• Tina took Arwen aside to explain the situation in Gorse Flower, while Kacie and Xiao Tian returned to their work.
• Su Yu flew after Alijeh and later returned to the Mage Tower, saying he had explained everything and calmed her down.
• Su Yu prepared to help Xiao Tian absorb the Root-Strengthening Potion using a Deep Rock Bear's Rock Core that Alijeh had given her.
• Xiao Tian offered to gather intelligence about Flandre for Alijeh, and Su Yu said he would take her to Gorse Flower Imperial Palace after the potion was absorbed.

Su Yu completed his secluded cultivation, broke through to Tier Five, and then prepared to advance to Tier Six at the Lingwu Mountain Psionic Spring. The chapter ended as he put on his Game Helmet and leaped into the spring to begin his breakthrough.

• Su Yu used the Magic Pool to upgrade Xiao Tian's template to elite, boosting her attributes and granting her Petrifying Arrow Rain, while his own template upgrade increased his health and mana to seven times their original amounts.
• Su Yu introduced Xiao Tian to Alijeh, then entered secluded cultivation in his Mage Tower and announced he would not leave until reaching the sixth tier.
• On August 2, Su Yu used the Heart of the Storm Young Dragon and Thunder Lizard's Horn to break through to Tier Five, then continued cultivating without leaving the Mage Tower.
• Over the next twenty days, Su Yu's level rose to 74 and stalled, while visitors came to see him and players speculated that he was nearing another breakthrough.
• On August 22, Su Yu met Xue Wenli, Political Commissar Zhang, Zhu Guorui, and Chancellor Cao at the Lingwu Mountain Psionic Spring, where he prepared to become a Tier Six Saint Domain Expert.
• Su Yu put on his Game Helmet and leaped into the Psionic Spring to begin his breakthrough, while Morningstar and the others watched.

Su Yu began his breakthrough to Tier 6 in the Psionic Spring and Mage Tower, with Shalan helping him and several Legends guarding the area. As the ritual grew more dangerous, the observers kept the city safe and discussed the unusual children of players and natives.

• The Psionic Spring erupted with five-colored energy after Su Yu entered, so Chancellor Cao and Zhu Guorui protected the observers from its effects.
• Su Yu entered the game and prepared for his breakthrough with Shalan in the Mage Tower, using the Heart of the Blue Dragon Skadi and the World Tree Heart.
• The Magic Pool exploded during the ritual, shaking the Mage Tower until Shalan cast Ice Tomb to hold it together as elemental energy blasted through its spire.
• Alijeh and three Tier 7 Legends watched from outside, while Roland raised barriers to protect Apuxi City and Andrew reported that children of players and natives might be immortal.
• A second explosion threatened to shatter the ice, but Shalan reported that she and Su Yu were unharmed, and Cecilia noted that Su Yu's breakthrough materials were exceptional.

Su Yu broke through to the Saint Domain, and the magical energy from his breakthrough blessed Apuxi City. Before he could emerge from the Mage Tower, Anduin arrived with the Thunder God and Archmage Khadgar, leaving their intentions unclear.

• Roland and Andrew said they could not provide treasures like the Heart of the Blue Dragon Skadi or the World Tree Heart, and Alijeh confirmed she would not have spent such relics on her own breakthrough.
• Players and residents gathered around Su Yu’s Mage Tower to witness his breakthrough.
• Su Yu shattered his Tier 6 bottleneck, and the resulting spiritual rain healed residents and rapidly increased players’ experience.
• Alijeh and the others sensed three powerful arrivals approaching from the southwest.
• Anduin flew toward the Mage Tower ahead of the Thunder God and Archmage Khadgar.

Su Yu successfully advanced to Tier Six, thanked the players whose Monster Materials helped him break through, and resolved to drive back the Skrull and punish the Singer Civilization. Roland gave him access to the Silver Pine Spire Grand Library so he could learn standard Tier Four and Tier Five spells.

• Anduin told Alijeh that absorbing Xifan's Soul Fragment had helped him reach Tier Six, and he waited to congratulate Su Yu.
• After the Psionic rain granted Apuxi City's players experience, Su Yu emerged from the Mage Tower and confirmed his breakthrough to Alijeh.
• Su Yu thanked the players for collecting Monster Materials and bowed to them, while they cheered and encouraged him.
• Su Yu sensed the players' unity and vowed to defeat the Skrull and make the Singer Civilization pay.
• Roland gave Su Yu a Silver Pine Spire Grand Library Access Rune so he could learn Tier Four and Tier Five spells.

After Su Yu reached the Saint Realm, Roland, Andrew, Cecilia Nightblade, Anduin, the Thunder God, and Khadgar gave him gifts. Anduin then explained that he had come to establish a direct trade route for goods from the Elf Kingdom, and Su Yu understood the proposal.

• Roland gave Su Yu a blue rune, and Andrew gave him Astral Salmon for Morningstar.
• Cecilia Nightblade gave Su Yu the Hidden Thorn badge, which could summon her to fight once; Su Yu posted its attributes on the Official Forum, astonishing players, especially Assassins.
• Anduin, the Thunder God, and Khadgar gave Su Yu a Shadow Magic amplifier, a Tier 5 skill scroll, and an Arcane Magic book.
• Anduin asked Su Yu to open an independent trade route between the Elf Kingdom and his country to cut out middlemen who drove up prices.
• Su Yu recalled that Elf Kingdom goods were scarce and hugely profitable, and understood why Anduin wanted direct trade.

After Su Yu reached Sanctuary, he approved Anduin’s proposal to resume trade between the two nations and sent Winged God Dragon to negotiate the details. He then prepared to consolidate his new strength before carrying out his dangerous plan to travel to Skoru Star.

• Su Yu and Alijeh approved a trade route with Anduin’s nation, allowing trade in everything except war supplies.
• Su Yu assigned Winged God Dragon to handle the trade negotiations with Anduin.
• Alijeh supported Su Yu’s plan to travel to Skoru Star and left to arrange a celebration of his breakthrough.
• Su Yu returned to the Mage Tower, where Ms. Shalan departed after recovering from helping with his breakthrough.
• Su Yu examined his sixth-tier abilities and greatly increased attributes after his template rose from Elite to Boss.

After breaking through to the Sanctuary in the game, Su Yu also advanced to Tier 6 in reality and planned to set out in one week, when Chancellor Cao and Zhu Guorui expected to regain the Fenshen Stage. He celebrated in Broom City, learned Incarnate Thunder, and spent his nights studying magic at the Silver Pine Spire.

• Su Yu broke through the Tier 6 bottleneck in reality, and Chancellor Cao, Zhu Guorui, and Political Commissar Zhang congratulated him.
• Su Yu learned that Chancellor Cao and Zhu Guorui expected to recover to the Fenshen Stage within a week, so he set their departure for then and asked Political Commissar Zhang to contact the Skrull Game Inspector.
• Su Yu learned Incarnate Thunder and tested it, discovering that it let him fly faster than sound but consumed substantial mana.
• Alijeh held a week-long celebration for Su Yu's Sanctuary breakthrough, drawing nobles, citizens, and players to Broom City.
• Su Yu attended the celebrations by day and studied spells at the Silver Pine Spire at night, where he considered the difficulties of obtaining high-tier Skill Scrolls.

Su Yu used learning potions to accelerate his study of high-level magic at the Silver Pine Spire Grand Library. By August 29, he had mastered every sixth-tier-and-lower Ice Spell, including two Forbidden Spells, and learned more than half of the fourth- and fifth-tier Fire Spells.

• Neon Nuclear Wastewater delivered Su Yu eight types of learning potions and reported that his party had bought them from Master Alchemist Drake at a steep discount.
• Su Yu rewarded Neon Nuclear Wastewater's party with thirty percent of the price difference and urged them to grow stronger for the central battlefield against the Skrull.
• Su Yu drank the potions and studied Ice Magic Books, learning spells including Chain Ice Shards, Blizzard, Ice Dragon's Roar, and Ice Barrier.
• Su Yu continued studying at the Grand Library, using another eighty bottles of potions Neon Nuclear Wastewater bought for him.
• By August 29, Su Yu had mastered every sixth-tier-and-lower Ice Spell, including Absolute Zero and Abyssal Frost, and learned more than half of the fourth- and fifth-tier Fire Spells.