Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• Queller reveals that the white worm sleeps during the ghost tide, which is when they should perform the Cthugha summoning ritual.
• Ning Xiuyuan agrees to cooperate with Queller, but Queller leaves without discussing the Elder Sign.
• Ning Xiuyuan realizes that his divination proverb hints at a threat from the striped goat pupil, not the white worm or Cthugha.
• Ning Xiuyuan discovers that he can't trade for Valentina's Dual Body Same Soul ability, but he figures out how to borrow it.

Character Developments

• Queller: Showcases his knowledge of the white worm's habits and his determination to summon Cthugha, despite the risks.
• Ning Xiuyuan: Becomes increasingly suspicious of the striped goat pupil and its potential threat. He also becomes more determined to escape Great Iceberg Igirz and find a way to borrow Valentina's Dual Body Same Soul ability.

Significant Themes

• Trust and cooperation: Queller and Ning Xiuyuan must work together to escape Great Iceberg Igirz, but they both have their own agendas and secrets.
• Divination and prophecy: Ning Xiuyuan's divination proverb provides crucial information but also creates uncertainty and unease.
• Power and survival: Characters seek power to survive and escape, but power also brings new challenges and threats.

Character Interactions

• Queller and Ning Xiuyuan: They discuss the summoning ritual and agree to cooperate, but their conversation is tense and guarded, with each suspecting the other's true intentions.
• Ning Xiuyuan and the striped goat pupil: Ning Xiuyuan becomes increasingly wary of the striped goat pupil and its potential threat, but he can't act against it yet.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ning Xiuyuan (Victor) discovers the Serpent of Fate's location using the Guiding Candle and learns it has stolen a man's fate.
• He summons Wallis, a Shoggoth, and orders the Those Who Go To Their Deaths to prepare for a mission.
• Queller invites Morgan, leader of Bavaria, to join his prison break plan, offering the Elder Sign as payment.
• Victor pursues the Serpent of Fate into Bavaria's territory, killing Henrietta and leaving Morgan's core member, Henri, injured.

Character Developments

• Ning Xiuyuan (Victor): He shows increased caution and strategic thinking, using the Guiding Candle to find the Serpent of Fate and acting decisively against Bavaria.
• Queller: He reveals his plan to escape Y'golonac to Morgan, showing desperation and willingness to take risks.
• Morgan: He agrees to Queller's plan, demonstrating his opportunistic nature and willingness to take risks for potential gain.

Significant Themes

• Fate and Destiny: The Serpent of Fate's ability to alter destiny is a central theme, with Victor pursuing it to change his own fate.
• Power and Control: The struggle for power and control within the Those Who Go To Their Deaths organization is evident, with Victor asserting his authority.
• Risk and Reward: Both Queller and Morgan are willing to take significant risks for potential rewards, whether it's escaping Y'golonac or gaining the Elder Sign.

Character Interactions

• Victor and Wallis: Victor gives Wallis orders, showing his growing authority over the Those Who Go To Their Deaths.
• Queller and Morgan: They discuss the prison break plan, demonstrating their alliance and shared goals.
• Victor and Morgan: Their indirect confrontation, with Victor killing Henrietta and injuring Henri, highlights their growing conflict.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Morgan, enraged by Victor's actions, wants to attack Those Who Go To Their Deaths.
• Queller prevents Morgan from acting rashly, emphasizing the importance of Victor's control over the Forest Affinity for their escape plan.
• Several organizations send envoys to Those Who Go To Their Deaths, demanding an explanation for Victor's actions.
• Victor returns and dismisses the envoys, using his power to expel them from the Main Hall.

Character Developments

• Morgan: Shows impulsive behavior due to anger but is willing to listen to Queller's advice.
• Queller: Demonstrates wisdom and restraint, advising Morgan to act cautiously.
• Victor/Ning Xiuyuan: Shows no remorse for his actions, dismissing the envoys and using his power to assert dominance.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics and manipulation: Victor uses his power to control the situation, while Morgan and Queller navigate their relationship based on power dynamics.
• Trust and betrayal: Morgan's suspicion of Victor highlights the theme of trust and betrayal in their relationship.
• Consequences of actions: Victor's actions have severe consequences, drawing the ire of multiple organizations.

Character Interactions

• Morgan and Queller: Morgan's impulsiveness is balanced by Queller's wisdom and restraint, showing a dynamic between a hot-headed leader and a cautious advisor.
• Victor and the envoys: Victor's dismissive attitude towards the envoys highlights his disregard for the consequences of his actions and his willingness to use force to assert his dominance.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Victor, leader of Those Who Go To Their Deaths, returns with the Serpent of Fate, a powerful creature of destiny.
• Ning Xiuyuan, having captured the Serpent of Fate, plans to use its power to replace Valentina's destiny and rebirth himself.
• The various factions within Y'golonac discuss and agree to participate in Queller's plan to escape, with some considering using Victor as a sacrifice to appease the white worm.

Character Developments

• Ning Xiuyuan: Becomes more determined and strategic in his plans, showing deeper understanding of destiny and loss of control.
• Victor: Gains respect and awe from his followers for his actions and leadership.
• Morgan (Bavaria's leader): Shows cunning and manipulative tendencies, suggesting using Victor as a sacrifice.

Significant Themes

• Destiny and Control: Ning Xiuyuan's struggle to control and manipulate destiny, and the consequences of losing control.
• Leadership and Power: The dynamics between Victor and his followers, and Morgan's manipulation of other faction leaders.
• Survival and Escape: The desperate measures taken by the factions to escape Y'golonac.

Character Interactions

• Ning Xiuyuan and the Serpent of Fate: Ning Xiuyuan captures and confines the Serpent of Fate, planning to use its power.
• Victor and Those Who Go To Their Deaths: Victor gains respect and awe from his followers for his actions.
• Faction Leaders: The leaders discuss and agree on Queller's plan, with Morgan suggesting using Victor as a sacrifice.

Key Plot Points and Events

• A young man is sacrificed to the white worm, which then disappears.
• Those Who Go To Their Deaths reach the destination, a vast ice field with a magic circle.
• Other factions arrive, and tension builds as they await the ghost tide.
• The ghost tide arrives, and countless resentful spirits and malevolent ghosts surround the magic circle.
• The ghouls, awakened by the white worm's slumber, threaten the huddled herd on the ice field.
• Ning Xiuyuan activates a defensive barrier of trees, and everyone awaits the descent of another Old One, Cthugha.

Character Developments

• Ning Xiuyuan understands the true nature of the white worm and its connection to the ghouls.
• Queller takes a leadership role in preparing for the ghost tide and Cthugha's descent.
• The beings within the magic circle experience terror and regret as the ghost tide arrives.

Significant Themes

• Sacrifice and its consequences.
• The indifference and brutality of the world's tests and torments.
• The oppressive atmosphere of waiting for an inevitable, terrifying event.
• The unity of the factions in the face of a common enemy.

Character Interactions

• Ning Xiuyuan and Queller work together to defend against the ghost tide.
• The factions come together to await the ghost tide and Cthugha's descent, setting aside past grievances.
• The beings within the magic circle share a collective unease and fear as the ghost tide arrives.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Flame Demon transforms Ning Xiuyuan's eye, allowing him to perceive the Verdant Form, a terrifying entity, at the end of the Great Iceberg Igirz.
• A colossal, indescribable ghoul, the Holy Filth Fool King, appears, threatening the magical barrier protecting Igirz.
• Queller casts a spell, summoning Cthugha, a blazing sun, which melts the barrier and transports everyone to the Dreamland.
• Victor, leader of Those Who Go To Their Deaths, is killed by Brian of Boiling Blood upon their arrival in the Dreamland.

Character Developments

• Ning Xiuyuan: Discovers he can perceive the Verdant Form through his transformed eye.
• Queller: Successfully summons Cthugha, leading to their escape from Igirz.
• Victor: Dies at the hands of Brian, leaving Those Who Go To Their Deaths leaderless.
• Brian: Ambushes and kills Victor, demonstrating his cunning and ruthlessness.

Significant Themes

• Perception and Reality: Ning Xiuyuan's newfound ability allows him to perceive the true nature of their reality, revealing the terrifying Verdant Form.
• Power and Manipulation: Queller's spell summons Cthugha, but its true nature and intentions remain unknown, raising questions about the cost of their escape.
• Survival and Betrayal: Upon arriving in the Dreamland, Victor's death highlights the cutthroat nature of their new environment, where alliances shift and betrayals occur.

Character Interactions

• Ning Xiuyuan and the Verdant Form: Ning Xiuyuan perceives the Verdant Form, feeling its presence and realizing its connection to the Holy Filth Fool King.
• Queller and Cthugha: Queller summons Cthugha, but the entity's true nature and intentions remain unclear, raising questions about their alliance.
• Brian and Victor: Brian ambushes and kills Victor, demonstrating the shifting alliances and betrayals among the factions in the Dreamland.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Brian, leader of Boiling Blood, retreats after being shocked by Victor's power.
• Boiling Blood transforms into a single entity, a giant blood vessel tree with living corpses.
• Dreamland collapses and freezes, and everyone returns to the Great Iceberg Igirz.
• Cthugha's departure causes wandering ghouls to appear.
• A colossal, unnamable entity appears, controlled by Victor.
• Victor kills Brian and Morgan, leaders of Boiling Blood and the Chagga Swarm, for their betrayal.
• Victor leaves, ordering the ghouls not to harm Wallis of the Chagga Swarm.

Character Developments

• Victor: Reveals his true power and control over the unnamable entity, instilling fear in his enemies. He shows mercy to Wallis, indicating a level of respect or interest in the Chagga Swarm.
• Brian (Boiling Blood): Loses control of his subordinates and is killed by Victor for his betrayal.
• Morgan (Chagga Swarm): Abandoned by his subordinates, he is also killed by Victor for his role in the betrayal.
• Wallis (Chagga Swarm): Offers his loyalty to Victor, who spares him and promises to take him along after killing the white worm.

Significant Themes

• Power and Control: Victor's display of power and control over the unnamable entity and the ghouls solidifies his position as the dominant force.
• Loyalty and Betrayal: Betrayal is punished severely (Brian and Morgan), while loyalty is rewarded (Wallis).
• Fear and Despair: The characters experience deep fear and despair in the face of Victor's power and the unnamable entity.

Character Interactions

• Victor and Brian/Morgan: Victor kills Brian and Morgan for their betrayal, demonstrating his power and lack of mercy towards traitors.
• Victor and Wallis: Victor spares Wallis and expresses interest in him, indicating a potential alliance or subjugation.
• Leaders and their subordinates: Subordinates abandon their leaders (Brian and Morgan) when faced with Victor's power, highlighting the fragile nature of loyalty in the face of overwhelming force.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Victor, a ghoul-like entity, strides towards the white worm, a colossal Old One, with the intent to assassinate it.
• Ning Xiuyuan, bound to the Verdant Form (a child of Shub-Niggurath), learns the white worm's weakness and decides to kill it.
• The Verdant Form, with Ning Xiuyuan, navigates through the white worm's lair and approaches its throne.
• Ning Xiuyuan prepares to use Valentina's corpse as a weapon to kill the white worm.

Character Developments

• Victor: Shows immense courage and determination in facing the white worm.
• Ning Xiuyuan: Gains new knowledge about the white worm's weakness and decides to kill it, demonstrating his resolve and resourcefulness.
• The Verdant Form: Reveals its extreme rage towards the white worm and agrees with Ning Xiuyuan's plan to kill it.

Significant Themes

• Despair and Hope: Characters face overwhelming odds but find reasons to fight and hope for survival.
• Power and Weakness: The white worm's power is juxtaposed with its hidden weakness, highlighting the balance in the cosmic order.
• Sacrifice: Characters are willing to make significant sacrifices for their goals, such as Victor's decision to confront the white worm.

Character Interactions

• Ning Xiuyuan and the Verdant Form: They form a symbiotic relationship, sharing knowledge and agreeing on a plan to kill the white worm.
• Victor and the Other Factions: Victor's action sparks disbelief and awe among the other factions, showing his influence and their respect for his daring move.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Princess Valentine, first in line for the throne of Harrington Kingdom, has been hosting daily parties since her prestige plummeted after a failed assassination attempt, which also stripped her of her transcendent abilities.
• At a grand party in Haishizi Palace, Whittier, the wife of Governor of the Navy Lambert, approaches Valentine, mentioning the foreign race, Arthas, and her husband's mission to rescue him.
• Valentine, drunk and disinterested, retires early and falls asleep in the corridor. She then enters a dark cycle and encounters the Pig-nosed Masked Man.
• The Masked Man takes her to witness the Old One, a terrifying, otherworldly being known as the white worm, enthroned on an ice throne.
• The Masked Man reveals his intention to kill the white worm and asks Valentine for her help.

Character Developments

• Princess Valentine: She has become reckless and hedonistic since losing her transcendent abilities and prestige. She is deeply affected by the sight of the Old One but maintains her composure.
• Pig-nosed Masked Man: He is revealed to be an enemy of the Old One and seeks Valentine's help to kill it. He seems to have a plan and knows the right time and method to kill the white worm.

Significant Themes

• The fragility of power and prestige: Valentine's loss of her transcendent abilities and subsequent decline in status highlight the transient nature of power.
• The horror of the unknown: The Old One, or white worm, represents an otherworldly, terrifying force that challenges human understanding and comprehension.
• The cost of action: The Masked Man implies that killing the white worm will require a great sacrifice, raising questions about the value of the act and the price one is willing to pay.

Character Interactions

• Valentine and Whittier: Whittier tries to provoke Valentine by mentioning Francis and Arthas, but Valentine shows little interest.
• Valentine and the Pig-nosed Masked Man: The Masked Man takes Valentine to witness the Old One and asks for her help in killing it, showing trust in her abilities despite her initial shock and disbelief.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Valentina is shocked and fearful upon seeing the white worm and the Pig-nosed Masked Man (Ning Xiuyuan).
• Ning Xiuyuan reveals that Valentina will die but can be revived on her secondary body, though he's unsure if the white worm's curse extends to it.
• Valentina agrees to help kill the white worm, believing it's part of Ning Xiuyuan's grand scheme.
• Ning Xiuyuan provides Valentina with an ice blade and guides her to kill the white worm.
• Valentina, overwhelmed by the white worm's presence, experiences a loss of control but is stabilized by Ning Xiuyuan's power.
• Valentina stabs the white worm repeatedly, causing it to bleed a corrosive black liquid. She dies from the corrosion, but her body is taken by a tentacle.
• The white worm attempts to revive but fails, and its blood covers the Great Iceberg Igirz.
• Ning Xiuyuan struggles to maintain his misplaced space and uses the Trade Judge to strip away the Old Ones' extraordinary characteristics.

Character Developments

• Valentina: Overwhelmed by the situation, she initially struggles with fear and disbelief but ultimately agrees to kill the white worm, driven by desperation and the desire for power.
• Ning Xiuyuan: He maintains his enigmatic and powerful demeanor, guiding Valentina to kill the white worm while keeping his true intentions hidden.

Significant Themes

• Power and Control: Ning Xiuyuan's power and control over Valentina and the situation are evident, while Valentina struggles with her own control and powerlessness.
• Death and Mortality: The theme of death is prevalent, with Valentina facing her own mortality and the white worm's impending death.
• Manipulation and Schemes: Ning Xiuyuan's grand scheme and manipulation of Valentina are central to the chapter.

Character Interactions

• Valentina and Ning Xiuyuan: Their interaction is tense and unequal, with Ning Xiuyuan holding the power and knowledge, and Valentina struggling to understand and keep up.
• Valentina and the White Worm: Their interaction is one of fear, desperation, and ultimately, violence, as Valentina kills the white worm.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ning Xiuyuan attempts to trade for the white worm's characteristic using the Trade Judge, initially failing due to status difference.
• Unexpectedly, he succeeds in obtaining a high-tier characteristic, realizing he has gained the status of an Old One due to Fate Unity with the striped goat pupil.
• The white worm falls into an eternal slumber, causing Ning Xiuyuan's Old One status to also fall. He attempts to steal the white worm's destiny.
• The Great Iceberg Igirz experiences anomalies: the disappearance of ghouls and the emergence of a black tide, indicating significant changes.
• Mages flee into Dreamland, but Governor-General Lambert of the Harrington Kingdom's Navy captures some, seeking information about the events and a black-eyed man named Arthur (later revealed to be Ning Xiuyuan).

Character Developments

• Ning Xiuyuan: Gains the status of an Old One, attempts to steal the white worm's destiny, and is referred to as Mister Victor by others.
• Governor-General Lambert: Seeks information about Arthur and the events on Igirz, showing determination and resourcefulness.

Significant Themes

• The power of status and its influence on trades and interactions with Old Ones.
• The consequences of binding one's destiny with powerful entities, as seen with Ning Xiuyuan and the striped goat pupil.
• The desperation and resourcefulness of humans facing overwhelming power, as demonstrated by the mages and Lambert.

Character Interactions

• Ning Xiuyuan interacts with the white worm, attempting to trade and later steal its destiny.
• Mages interact with each other, sharing information and fleeing Igirz together.
• Governor-General Lambert interacts with the captured mages, questioning them about the events and Arthur.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Governor-General Lambert learns that Victor, who leads 'Those Who Go To Their Deaths', has black eyes and resembles Arthur, suggesting he might be an angel or controlled by one.
• Lambert concludes that the white worm has been sealed, not truly dead.
• Ning Xiuyuan, now possessing the Old One status of the white worm, returns to the human world and discovers a Dawn Church experiment involving a man chanting the white curse.

Character Developments

• Governor-General Lambert: Realizes the potential threat and significance of Victor/Arthur, decides to return home with the news.
• Ning Xiuyuan: Steals the white worm's fate, gains its Old One status, and understands the difference between an Old One and an avatar. He also discovers the Dawn Church's experiment and decides to avoid them for now.

Significant Themes

• The power and influence of angels and Old Ones.
• The consequences of stealing high-level characteristics and the potential backlash from the Dawn Church.
• The struggle between Ning Xiuyuan's newfound power and his desire to avoid the Church's attention.

Character Interactions

• Ning Xiuyuan interacts with the hunter, Emmanuel, though the latter is asleep.
• Ning Xiuyuan observes the Dawn Church's experiment through the white worm's consciousness, leading to his decision to avoid the Church.
• Lambert interacts with the mages, learning about Victor and the white worm's status.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Valentina experiences a mindset shift after slaying a god, feeling invincible and dismissive of human schemes.
• On the second night after the event, she is summoned by the Pig-nosed Masked Man, revealed to be the "Man of Truth."
• The Man of Truth tasks Valentina with gathering intelligence on Harrington, specifically about the God of Dawn and His Church.
• He offers divine positions as rewards, emphasizing that even divine positions have a price.
• The Man of Truth teaches Valentina a prayer to summon him and his devotees for help.

Character Developments

• Valentina's arrogance grows after slaying a god, but she soon realizes her ignorance and the complexity of divine concepts.
• She becomes more humble and cautious, understanding the magnitude of the Man of Truth's power and the potential rewards and risks involved in serving him.

Significant Themes

• The insignificance of human ambition and perspective compared to divine beings.
• The complexity and mystery of divine concepts, such as death and slumber.
• The price and rewards of serving powerful entities.

Character Interactions

• Valentina interacts with the Man of Truth, who reveals his purpose and tasks her with gathering information.
• The Man of Truth shows mercy and wisdom by providing Valentina with a safe method of communication and summoning.
• Valentina feels flattered by the Man of Truth's apparent care for her, further solidifying her loyalty.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ning Xiuyuan successfully summons Valentina, fulfilling his plan.
• He offers a high-level characteristic to tempt Valentina, gambling on her ambition and the Dawn Church's hesitation.
• Valentina, after being resurrected, is excited and hopeful, understanding the significance of the high-level characteristic and the Man of Truth's prayer.

Character Developments

• Ning Xiuyuan: He shows strategic thinking, using the Dawn Church's tactics against them and gambling on Valentina's ambition. He's now faced with a choice between developing in a big city or a small one.
• Valentina: She gains a deeper understanding of the Man of Truth's power and rank, feeling both awe and dread. She realizes the importance of the high-level characteristic and the Man of Truth's ultimate purpose.

Significant Themes

• Ambition vs. Caution: Both Ning Xiuyuan and Valentina exhibit this theme. Ning Xiuyuan gambles on Valentina's ambition, while Valentina weighs the risks and benefits of her new knowledge.
• Power and Rank: The Man of Truth's power and rank are explored, highlighting the vast differences in power among transcendent beings.
• Choice and Consequence: Both characters face choices with potential consequences, reflecting the theme of cause and effect.

Character Interactions

• Ning Xiuyuan and Valentina: Their interaction is minimal in this chapter, but their actions and thoughts reflect their understanding and manipulation of each other.
• Ning Xiuyuan and the Dawn Church: Their relationship is shown through Ning Xiuyuan's resentment and strategic use of their tactics.
• Valentina and the Dawn Church: Valentina's thoughts hint at her potential manipulation of the Dawn Church, using the high-level characteristic as a bargaining tool.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ava and her brother Brendor enter a dreamscape using a spell.
• They get lost and encounter a headless figure, panicking.
• They meet Ning Xiuyuan, the Dream Merchant, who offers to send them home in exchange for payment.
• Ava and Brendor trade knowledge for the return trip.
• Ava asks about extraordinary characteristics, and Ning Xiuyuan confirms their existence.
• Ava and Brendor return to the real world and discuss their experience.

Character Developments

• Ava: Shows courage, wit, and initiative in dealing with the Dream Merchant. She's curious and eager to learn about the occult.
• Brendor: Initially reckless in entering the dreamscape, he becomes protective of Ava and is willing to make trades to ensure her safety. He's also eager to learn about extraordinary characteristics.

Significant Themes

• The allure and danger of the occult: Ava and Brendor are drawn to the mysterious and powerful aspects of the occult but also face real dangers and consequences.
• The value of knowledge and experience: Ning Xiuyuan values Brendor's knowledge and experiences, while Ava learns the value of her own wit and initiative.
• The cost of power: Ava learns about the side effects of consuming extraordinary characteristics, highlighting the potential dangers of seeking power.

Character Interactions

• Ava and Brendor: The siblings show a mix of fear, excitement, and protectiveness towards each other as they navigate the dreamscape and interact with the Dream Merchant.
• Ava and Ning Xiuyuan: Ava demonstrates courage and wit in her interactions with the Dream Merchant, showing an eagerness to learn and trade.
• Brendor and Ning Xiuyuan: Brendor is initially cautious and guarded in his interactions with the Dream Merchant but becomes more open to trading as he realizes the potential benefits.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ning Xiuyuan decides to perform the Trade Judge's extraordinary ritual in Egbert, a prosperous port city in the Aztec Empire.
• He observes the city's Black Market, intending to steal a local resident's fate for a legitimate identity.
• Ning Xiuyuan selects a target, Pikol, a transcendent selling cheap supernatural materials and magical items.
• He follows Pikol and, using his powers, strips Pikol of his identity and takes it for himself.

Character Developments

• Ning Xiuyuan demonstrates his strategic thinking and patience in planning the Trade Judge's ritual and selecting a target.
• Pikol is revealed to be a low-level transcendent with questionable business ethics.

Significant Themes

• Control and Manipulation: Ning Xiuyuan's ability to control and manipulate others is emphasized as he plans to steal Pikol's identity.
• Appearance vs Reality: The Black Market's lively atmosphere belies the sinister transactions happening within, reflecting the theme of appearances deceiving reality.

Character Interactions

• Ning Xiuyuan and Pikol's interaction is one-sided, with Ning Xiuyuan observing and manipulating Pikol from the shadows.
• Ning Xiuyuan's internal monologue reveals his thought processes and plans, providing insight into his character.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ning Xiuyuan's body begins to transform due to Pikol's extraordinary characteristic, leading to a loss of control.
• He hears a call from a great entity, Yavm-Zah, the Old One, and sees a vision of Hell.
• He strips away Pikol's destiny, causing Pikol's body to split and separate.
• Ning Xiuyuan flees to the edge of the city and reflects on his near-loss of control.
• He realizes the dangers of destiny-based power and the price of stealing the white worm's destiny.
• He understands that the white worm was a devotee of Yavm-Zah and that he has inherited the white worm's sin.
• He concludes that he won't be able to take any more of the fifth extraordinary characteristic due to the risk of losing control.

Character Developments

• Ning Xiuyuan gains a deeper understanding of destiny-based power and its risks.
• He realizes the consequences of stealing the white worm's destiny and inherits its sin.
• He becomes more cautious and fearful of losing control.

Significant Themes

• The power and danger of destiny-based abilities.
• The consequences of one's actions and the price of power.
• The interconnectedness of the Old Ones and their devotees.

Character Interactions

• Ning Xiuyuan interacts with Pikol's body, stripping away his destiny.
• He reflects on his experiences and realizations in solitude.
• There's no direct interaction with other characters in this chapter.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ning Xiuyuan must resolve Yavm-Zah's call before consuming the fifth extraordinary characteristic.
• He strips Pikol of his extraordinary characteristic, Dream Catcher, but knows it will return upon Pikol's awakening.
• Ning Xiuyuan searches for a buyer for the stripped characteristic.
• Giles, an occultism enthusiast, leads a group to find the Dream Merchant, hoping to purchase extraordinary characteristics.
• The group encounters the Dream Merchant, who offers various magical items but only extraordinary characteristics interest Giles.

Character Developments

• Ning Xiuyuan: Realizes the value of his initial fortunate circumstances and the challenges faced by ordinary occultism enthusiasts.
• Giles: Shows his desperation and determination to acquire extraordinary characteristics, revealing his years of struggle in the occultism circle.

Significant Themes

• The unfairness and challenges in the occultism world.
• The value and curse of extraordinary characteristics.
• The contrast between the fortunate circumstances of transcendent beings and the struggles of ordinary enthusiasts.

Character Interactions

• Ning Xiuyuan and Giles: The Dream Merchant and the eager occultism enthusiast meet, with Giles trying to trade various magical items for extraordinary characteristics, but Ning Xiuyuan only offers them as a last resort.
• Giles and his group: The group of amateurs pester Giles for information, displeasing him but not affecting his determination to find the Dream Merchant.
• Ava and Brenda: The siblings argue about revealing the Dream Merchant, showing their differing attitudes towards the secret.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Giles, a professor, trades his most valuable book, "The Serafino Fragment," containing occult knowledge and rituals, with the Dream Merchant, Ning Xiuyuan, in exchange for an extraordinary characteristic related to dreams.
• After the trade, Giles experiences pain and briefly disappears, demonstrating the power of his new characteristic, Dream Catcher.
• Other characters also attempt to trade with the Dream Merchant but are disappointed as their items are not valuable enough for an extraordinary characteristic.
• Ning Xiuyuan leaves the dream realm after completing all transactions and possessing Pikol's identity.

Character Developments

• Giles: He becomes more cautious and fearful of the Dream Merchant's power after experiencing the impact of the mental imprint from the Dream Catcher characteristic. He also feels gratitude towards the Dream Merchant for not cheating him.
• Ning Xiuyuan (Dream Merchant): He remains calm and collected throughout the transactions, revealing his vast knowledge and power. He shows patience in dealing with the other characters but leaves without any loose ends.

Significant Themes

• Knowledge vs. Power: The Dream Merchant emphasizes that there's a world of difference between knowledge and power, suggesting that while Giles's book contains valuable knowledge, it's not as powerful as the extraordinary characteristics Ning Xiuyuan offers.
• Greed and Disappointment: The other characters' greed for extraordinary characteristics leads to disappointment when they realize their items are not valuable enough. This highlights the theme of unfulfilled desires.

Character Interactions

• Giles and the Dream Merchant: Their interaction is tense yet respectful, with Giles trying to gauge the Dream Merchant's intentions while Ning Xiuyuan remains nonchalant and in control.
• Giles and his colleagues: After returning from the Dreamlands, Giles interacts with Tomlinson, who reveals that they are investigating the Dream Merchant, creating a sense of unease and urgency.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Giles recounts his transaction with the Dream Merchant to Father Palmer.
• Palmer analyzes the Dream Merchant's possible motives and warns Giles about potential danger.
• Palmer offers Giles a position as an outer member of the Church for protection and access to more extraordinary characteristics.
• Ning Xiuyuan (disguised as Pikol) sets up his stall in the Dreamland and encounters Edward, who tells him about the Dream Merchant's recent appearance and Giles's purchase of an extraordinary characteristic.

Character Developments

• Giles: Becomes more cautious and considers joining the Church for protection.
• Father Palmer: Shows strategic thinking and manipulation, aiming to recruit Giles.
• Ning Xiuyuan: Experiences slow progress in his extraordinary ritual and faces a new threat in the Dream Merchant.
• Edward: Reveals himself to be well-connected and knowledgeable about recent events in the Black Market.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation and deception: Palmer manipulates Giles, while the Dream Merchant is suspected of deceiving his customers.
• Power dynamics: The Church seeks to expand its influence, while the Dream Merchant's actions suggest he possesses significant power.
• Trust and betrayal: Giles must decide whether to trust Palmer and the Church, while the Dream Merchant's customers may face betrayal.

Character Interactions

• Giles and Father Palmer: Palmer interrogates Giles and offers him a position in the Church, using fear and manipulation.
• Ning Xiuyuan and Edward: Edward shares information about the Dream Merchant and tries to engage Ning Xiuyuan in business, despite Ning Xiuyuan's attempts to dismiss him.
• The Dream Merchant and his customers: The Dream Merchant's actions suggest he may be deceiving or manipulating his customers, raising concerns about their safety.