Chapter Summaries

Li Yao tested how Spring Rain Swordplay interacted with his second specialization and discovered that its sword-qi threads could help regulate the magic and rule auras in his Magic Spirit Pool. After Lin Xiaowei suggested trying another spell, Li Yao sensed an unexpected difference between himself and other mages, but the chapter ended before he explained it.

• Li Yao used Spring Rain Swordplay and found that its sword-qi threads released pressure in his Magic Spirit Pool while harmonizing the Evocation School and Transmutation Faction auras.
• Li Yao told Lin Xiaowei he had discovered a god-tier skill, and she asked him to test Flame Hand instead.
• Li Yao cast Flame Hand and found that it consumed Evocation School aura while also drawing on the Transmutation Faction's precise-control traits.
• Lin Xiaowei praised Li Yao's observation and comprehension, and Li Yao initially dismissed her praise.
• Li Yao sensed something unexpected and told Lin Xiaowei that their circumstances were different.

Li Yao tested Spring Rain Swordplay and discovered that its threadlike sword qi could accommodate and regulate different kinds of spiritual power. He and Lin Xiaowei agreed to rename the technique, leaving Li Yao responsible for choosing a suitable name.

• Li Yao explained to Lin Xiaowei that Spring Rain Swordplay might relieve pressure in a mage’s Magic Spirit Pool without the limitations of spell-based methods.
• Li Yao tested the swordplay in a nearby grove, shattering deadwood and stones as he examined its effects.
• Li Yao realized Spring Rain Swordplay could accommodate conflicting powers because its sword qi formed separate threads.
• Li Yao told Lin Xiaowei that the technique worked, and she suggested renaming it for mages on the Main World.
• Lin Xiaowei rejected Li Yao’s proposed translation and entrusted him with choosing a normal, imposing name for official registration.

Li Yao proposed a name for the sword qi technique he had developed, and Lin Xiaowei registered it with the Magic Association. The spell drew the attention of Legendary Mage Moganton, who asked Lin Xiaowei about the “Li” in its name.

• Li Yao suggested calling the technique the “Great Freedom Formless Eight-Colored Sword Qi,” but Lin Xiaowei rejected the name.
• Lin Xiaowei helped Li Yao settle on “Li-Lin Clan Extraction Sword Qi,” which fit the Main World’s naming style.
• Lin Xiaowei went to the Magic Association and submitted the technique’s principles, process, name, and effects for review.
• A reviewing mage judged the spell significant for low- and mid-level mages and summoned Legendary Mage Moganton.
• Moganton asked Lin Xiaowei why she had placed Li’s surname before her own in the spell’s name.

Lin Xiaowei tried to undo the spell report that credited both her and Li Yao, but Mage Moganton had already registered it with the Magic Association. After Lin Xiaowei hoped the submission would go unnoticed, her terminal’s alert revealed that someone had posted about it on the Mage Forum, and she rushed to delete the post.

• Lin Xiaowei realized she had forgotten that Li Yao had put both their names on the spell and asked Mage Moganton to revise the report.
• Mage Moganton told Lin Xiaowei he had already registered the spell in the Magic Association’s storage hub, though he promised to change the name when possible.
• Mage Moganton praised the spell’s practical, groundbreaking approach and said Lin Xiaowei and Li Yao deserved more Points.
• Lin Xiaowei returned to her residence and monitored the Mage Forum, relieved when no one noticed the submission for several hours.
• Lin Xiaowei set keyword alerts on her terminal, but an alarm soon sounded, and she rushed from her bath to delete the post on the Mage Forum.

A young noble mage discovered that Gwenia Lin Indis Ostaggu’s newly registered spell could help mages imprint multiple Specialized Magic Runes, then noticed she had placed someone else’s surname before her middle name. After his forum post about the name was deleted and his account muted, he privately told a close friend that he had uncovered a secret.

• The young mage exchanged ten thousand Points for Gwenia’s spell and realized it could help mages manage aura conflicts while imprinting Specialized Magic Runes.
• He recognized that Gwenia had registered the spell under the name “Li-Lin Clan Extraction Sword Qi” and wondered who “Li” was.
• The young mage posted his discovery on the Mage Forum, but the post was deleted and his account was muted.
• After imagining the possible implications, he messaged a close friend that he had discovered an incredible secret and asked them to keep it private.

Lin Xiaowei struggled to contain forum gossip claiming Gwenia had someone in her heart, then considered exposing another mage’s romance to redirect attention. Master Kentji visited and, believing the rumors, urged Gwenia to introduce her supposed suitor to him.

• Lin Xiaowei saw the forum fill with posts about Li and Gwenia, and realized deleting them only encouraged more gossip.
• Lin Xiaowei considered leaking a story about a female mage’s romance, then settled on Arundel and Ace Jack before deciding the exposure felt unethical.
• Master Kentji arrived to ask whether Gwenia had fallen for a mage, and Lin Xiaowei opened the door irritably.
• Kentji praised the imagined suitor and urged Gwenia to bring him over for an introduction.
• Lin Xiaowei was stunned that Kentji was pushing her toward marriage despite the rumors being false.

Lin Xiaowei decided to divert public attention by exposing scandals about evil gods, demons, and devils, but she lacked the writing skills to make the gossip compelling. She contacted her friend Li Yao for help, leaving the plan waiting on his reply.

• Lin Xiaowei considered leaking gossip and threatened to reveal Master Kentji's past romance with the Dragon Princess and his powerful Spirit World friend.
• Master Kentji panicked at the prospect of his old secrets becoming public, then hurried away after warning Lin Xiaowei not to talk about them.
• Lin Xiaowei decided not to expose the private affairs of her allies and instead planned to reveal scandals involving evil gods, demons, and devils.
• Lin Xiaowei opened the magical interface but could not figure out how to write the gossip effectively.
• Lin Xiaowei contacted her friend Li Yao, who had experience writing articles, and asked him to help, but he did not reply.

Li Yao caught up with Lin Xiaowei after missing her messages and agreed to write a sensational article from her materials. They discussed news from home, and the chapter ended after they finalized the article at three in the morning.

• After seeing Xisen, Selma, and the others off, Li Yao found Lin Xiaowei’s messages and asked what she needed.
• Lin Xiaowei sent Li Yao secret materials and ordered him to write vivid promotional copy with an eye-catching title.
• Li Yao realized the materials described Grenez and the Spider Goddess, and he worried the article would amount to porn and expose the Godbinder Spider Goddess Sect.
• Li Yao and Lin Xiaowei joked about the story before he told her about tensions in the American Federation and recent events at home.
• Lin Xiaowei told Li Yao to wait for her to come back, and they revised the article until they finalized it at three in the morning.

Li Yao oversaw plans for the Spiritual Research Academy and spoke with Xisen, who was bored by the peaceful life at Bagua Continent. Their conversation turned to Da Jin and Xisen's past attempts to imitate his clan's elders.

• After waking late, Li Yao trained and reviewed the Academy's relocation negotiations, construction costs, and partnership with the Wallfacers and Maeve Manufacturing.
• Xisen told Li Yao that his group had settled in but wanted more exciting missions because their patrols were uneventful.
• Li Yao rejected Xisen's request for combat and told him to call himself a vampire instead of a noble Blood Clan member.
• Li Yao and Xisen toasted Da Jin, and Xisen reflected that he had matured and no longer needed to imitate the elders of his clan.
• Li Yao joked that Xisen had realized adults did not have much hair, imagining a bald vampire that he found hard on the eyes.

Xisen brought Madam Fladis’s offer of friendship to Li Yao, who directed him to contact the Wallfacers through Big Sis Feng Li. After Xisen reported that the American Federation was approaching a major restructuring, Li Yao reflected on the Wallfacers’ strategy before a message from Maeve startled him.

• Xisen tried to discuss business with Li Yao, but Sauron broke through his barrier and interrupted them.
• Xisen delivered Madam Fladis’s offer to establish ties with Li Yao, his backing, and the Wallfacers; Li Yao sent him Big Sis Feng Li’s contact information.
• Xisen told Fladis to contact Feng Li through WeChat, and she agreed.
• Xisen warned Li Yao that the American Federation’s security department and foreign policy were likely to be restructured soon.
• Li Yao considered how Madam Qian had pressured Morgan into negotiations and sent Xisen away before returning to his magic studies.
• Maeve messaged Li Yao that afternoon, making him leap out of his recliner.

After Old Man Lu learned that the first military souls were ready to revive, he rushed Li Yao through the spirit realm to the Phoenix Legion camp. They reached the heavily secured facility, where the revival was scheduled to begin within two hours.

• Li Yao told Old Man Lu that the first military souls were ready, and Old Man Lu dragged him through the spirit realm to Purple Mountain.
• Li Yao vomited after returning to reality and scolded Old Man Lu for taking him through the dangerous spirit realm.
• Maeve arrived and treated Li Yao as her boss, while Old Man Lu learned that the revival had already begun and the military souls would wake in two hours.
• Li Yao and Lu Xingshen bickered as they headed to the Phoenix Legion camp’s restricted area.
• Li Yao, Lu Xingshen, and Maeve presented their credentials and entered the heavily guarded factory, where they saw numerous installations.

Lu Xingshen found the resurrected military souls in the Life Support Pods and recognized his old squad leader among them. As the pods began preparing their bodies for awakening, he waited nervously beside his former comrade.

• Li Yao, Maeve, and Lu Xingshen entered a factory containing hundreds of Life Support Pods holding bodies prepared for military souls.
• Lu Xingshen recognized the body of his Old Squad Leader and recalled how the man had died charging with his unit on the Korean Battlefield.
• Maeve explained that she and the soldiers had used descendants’ genetic information to match the revived souls with bodies and prevent mistaken reunions.
• Madam Qian arrived with Feng Li and asked the others not to disturb Lu Xingshen, calling the moment part of his cultivation.
• The Life Support Pods finished draining their fluid, staff began checking the bodies, and Lu Xingshen saw the Old Squad Leader’s eyes move beneath his eyelids.

Old Squad Leader woke in a Life Support Pod and discovered that Lu Xingshen had brought him back to life in a future version of their country. Still bewildered by the unfamiliar world, he told Lu Xingshen that he was hungry, and Lu promised him a feast.

• Old Squad Leader awoke in a Life Support Pod and mistook the bright factory for Heaven.
• Lu Xingshen identified himself as Lu Wa Zi and told Old Squad Leader that he was alive in their country.
• Old Squad Leader struggled to make sense of the unfamiliar surroundings and said he was hungry.
• Lu Xingshen promised Old Squad Leader white rice, rich soup, braised pork, and many other foods, assuring him they would never go hungry again.

Lu Xingshen brought the resurrected Army Soul soldiers to the Main Canteen, where they ate field rations and braised pork. As Old Squad Leader GuoTou served food to the soldiers, Old Man Lu wept, and GuoTou brought him a piled-high tray and invited him to eat.

• Lu Xingshen greeted the revived soldiers and led them to the Main Canteen, where staff handed out field rations.
• Old Squad Leader hesitated to eat until Lu Xingshen assured him the food was for him, then eagerly devoured his serving.
• The chefs brought out braised pork, and Old Squad Leader GuoTou began serving the soldiers after Lu Xingshen urged him to lead.
• Kidney and Tie Shuan recognized Old Squad Leader GuoTou, and he served them generous portions of meat.
• Old Man Lu watched the soldiers gather around GuoTou and cried, so GuoTou brought him a loaded tray and told him to eat his fill.

Li Yao spoke with Madam Qian about the resurrected soldiers and the future of international esper affairs, then left the Phoenix Legion’s camp. He went to the Lost Tavern on Drum Tower Road, only to find it locked and not yet open.

• Li Yao stayed outside the Main Canteen while Madam Qian joined him and discussed how the resurrected military soul soldiers would be integrated into the Phoenix Legion.
• Li Yao shared his thoughts about patriotism and Pro-Foreign people, and Madam Qian encouraged him to influence others while keeping a clear conscience.
• Madam Qian told Li Yao that she planned to recommend him for a role in the International Esper Unified Administration’s Technology Research and Logistics Support Division.
• Madam Qian left for the capital, and Li Yao realized she had subtly recruited him into the Wallfacer Organization’s sphere of influence.
• Li Yao left the camp in a military vehicle and went to the Lost Tavern on Drum Tower Road, where he found the doors locked.

Li Yao reopened Lost Tavern for a quiet summer evening, prepared food and drinks, and invited Cao Rui and Chen Tao to join him. As he reached for his phone to call Chen Tao, Li Yao sensed something and looked toward Drum Tower Road.

• Li Yao entered Lost Tavern, remembered Chen Xi in the kitchen, and found the bar’s kitchen mostly stocked with snacks, fruit, and alcohol.
• Li Yao bought ingredients nearby and prepared several cold dishes, simmered beef bone soup, and ordered crayfish for the evening.
• Li Yao relaxed outside the tavern as dusk fell, enjoying his chilled drink and the summer breeze.
• Cao Rui arrived, joked with Li Yao about his champagne parties, and went inside to close the tavern and dismiss the staff for the night.
• Li Yao agreed to call Chen Tao, but he sensed something and looked toward one end of Drum Tower Road.

Chen Xi returned to the Lost Tavern, where Li Yao welcomed her with a meal alongside Cao Rui, Chen Tao, and Zhao Yan. As the group ate and drank, Jiang Zhiying arrived and greeted Li Yao, leaving the others ready to watch what would happen.

• Chen Xi returned to Drum Tower Road, and Li Yao invited her home to eat while Cao Rui teased him about missing her.
• Li Yao, Chen Xi, and Cao Rui shared cold dishes and beer, then Chen Tao arrived with his girlfriend, Zhao Yan.
• Zhao Yan drank a bottle of craft beer for Chen Tao, and he hurriedly drank two bottles himself, prompting Cao Rui to complain about their affection.
• The group talked late into the night, and Cao Rui mentioned that a beauty and wellness club owner had repeatedly come looking for Li Yao.
• Jiang Zhiying entered the tavern, approached Li Yao, and greeted him while Cao Rui and Chen Tao prepared to watch the exchange.

Jiang Zhiying came to the Lost Tavern to ask Li Yao whether people with supernatural abilities existed. After Chen Xi demonstrated her sword aura, Jiang Zhiying realized the tavern’s people were extraordinary, while Li Yao noticed that Chen Xi had blasted another leaf from the Osmanthus Tree.

• Jiang Zhiying arrived at the tavern and greeted Li Yao and Chen Xi, while Chen Tao and Cao Rui discovered that they already knew her.
• Cao Rui suggested going dancing, and a drunken Chen Tao reminisced about being poor and joked crudely about brothels before Zhao Yan took him home.
• After Chen Tao and Cao Rui left, Jiang Zhiying asked Li Yao whether people in the world had supernatural abilities.
• Li Yao asked Chen Xi to demonstrate her signature skill, and she released sword aura that turned a leaf on the Osmanthus Tree into powder.
• Jiang Zhiying recognized that Chen Xi was like her and reconsidered the tavern and its occupants, while Li Yao wondered why Chen Xi seemed to target the tree.

Chen Xi returned to the Lost Tavern with stronger sword aura and sword intent, while Li Yao helped Jiang Zhiying find another place to work. The next morning, Old Man Lu called Li Yao and aggressively asked whether Chen Xi was at his place.

• Li Yao recognized the sword intent woven into Chen Xi's sword aura and noted that her personality had remained unchanged.
• Jiang Zhiying asked to become a Soul Ferryman, but Li Yao told her the tavern had no openings and recommended she seek out Fu Qinghua at Bagua Continent.
• Jiang Zhiying thanked Li Yao and invited Chen Xi to visit her Beauty Sanatorium, but Chen Xi said she was rich and announced that the tavern was closing.
• After Jiang Zhiying left, Chen Xi and Li Yao cleaned the tavern together before ending the night in their usual routines.
• The next morning, Li Yao cooled his room with Freezing Rays and received an angry call from Old Man Lu asking whether Chen Xi was at his place.

Li Yao rushed Chen Xi to the Phoenix Legion camp, where Old Man Lu wanted to assess her advancement and the resurrected Army Soul Martyrs’ adjustment to modern life. The chapter ended with Chen Xi playfully conceding defeat before their spar could begin, leaving Old Man Lu and Li Yao baffled.

• Old Man Lu demanded that Li Yao bring Chen Xi to the camp before noon, so Li Yao hurried there with her.
• Old Man Lu welcomed Chen Xi and explained that the camp was expanding to house and help the resurrected Army Soul Martyrs adapt to modern society.
• Li Yao and Chen Xi saw the Army Soul Martyrs living and training alongside Third Division Headquarters soldiers, while Old Squad Leader GuoTou preferred working in the canteen.
• Old Man Lu asked Chen Xi to spar with Li Yao, then threatened to test Li Yao himself when they both resisted.
• Li Yao agreed to spar with Chen Xi, but she stepped back and declared that she had lost, leaving Li Yao and Old Man Lu speechless.