Chapter Summaries

Xu Yue of the Human Path used his investigation with Khadgar to pursue his own plans, while ending his agreement with the Reincarnators by giving each a Demon Seed. He and Khadgar traveled with an escort to the Swamp of Sorrows, where Xu Yue sensed something troubling and suspected a Reincarnator had disturbed an ancient temple seal.

• Xu Yue of the Human Path agreed to investigate with Khadgar while concealing his deeper interest in Medivh.
• Xu Yue told the Reincarnators he would leave to handle other matters and offered to terminate their contract in exchange for Demon Seeds.
• Jips accepted a seed as Xu Yue explained that using it would let them bargain with a demon for power, at a price.
• Xu Yue and Khadgar set out for the Swamp of Sorrows with twelve elite knights dispatched by Llane and Lothar.
• Khadgar noted that the swamp's atmosphere had worsened, and Xu Yue considered Medivh's experiments and the sealed Temple of Atal'Hakkar.
• Xu Yue wondered which Reincarnator had loosened the temple's seal.

Xu Yue and Khadgar investigated a disturbance at Hakkar Temple and concluded that Medivh might be preparing an ancient portal. They encountered the Reincarnator Belis, who revealed that his group had run into a troublesome barrier and asked Xu Yue for help.

• Xu Yue told Khadgar that an ancient seal beneath the Swamp of Sorrows was breaking, but advised against intervening for now.
• Xu Yue recognized that materials Medivh had gathered could be used to create an ancient portal, possibly to summon Hakkar or something more dangerous.
• A disguised rogue approached Xu Yue and Khadgar, then revealed himself as Belis.
• Belis asked Xu Yue to help his group overcome a troublesome barrier, confirming that they were likely connected to the damaged temple seal.

Xu Yue encountered Belis while investigating anomalies in the Swamp of Sorrows and learned that Belis’s group had uncovered ancient ruins behind a powerful barrier. Belis invited Xu Yue and his companions to investigate with his adventuring party, which included Shirley.

• Xu Yue rebuked Belis for disrespecting Khadgar and introduced Khadgar and the Stormwind Royal Knights.
• Belis learned that Xu Yue had gained the standing of an Archmage in the Kingdom of Stormwind and apologized for his attitude.
• Belis explained that his group had found ancient ruins beneath a hidden barrier while searching the Swamp of Sorrows for clues about the Dark Portal.
• Xu Yue asked what Belis had discovered, and Belis invited him and his companions to join the adventuring party’s investigation.
• Belis mentioned that Shirley was part of the party, prompting Xu Yue to recognize her as an old acquaintance.

Human Path Xu Yue joined Belis, Khadgar, and the Guardian Knights on an expedition to an underwater temple where Shirley and other Reincarnators were breaking a barrier. Khadgar warned that the seal contained a terrifying evil god, but Belis insisted they should enter and destroy the evil before it escaped.

• Belis agreed to let Khadgar and the twelve Guardian Knights accompany Human Path Xu Yue into the swamp.
• The group left their horses behind, crossed the dangerous water, and found troll corpses near the temple shore.
• Belis introduced Khadgar and the knights to the Reincarnators gathered outside the temple, and they coordinated their plan through the Team channel.
• Belis, Bull Demon, Human Path Xu Yue, Khadgar, and Mogsa swam to the underwater entrance and reached Shirley and her assistant, who were breaking the barrier.
• Khadgar warned Shirley that the barrier sealed a terrifying evil god, but Belis argued that they needed to enter and eliminate the threat.

Xu Yue of the Human Path led the Reincarnators into the Temple of Atal'Hakkar, where they discovered powerful A'talai trolls fighting an injured guardian dragon. After Shirley stayed behind to guard the entrance, the group infiltrated the temple and advanced under Xu Yue's effective command.

• Xu Yue of the Human Path found a way around the temple's seal, and the group entered through a breach the A'talai had opened.
• Bull Demon and two other Reincarnators killed the guards at the entrance, discovering that the trolls inside were far stronger than those outside.
• Xu Yue of the Human Path and Khadgar controlled a patrol while Shirley froze the remaining trolls, and the group eliminated them without raising an alarm.
• The group heard an injured dragon roar, and Xu Yue of the Human Path and Khadgar persuaded the others to continue deeper and help the guardian dragon.
• Shirley stayed behind to guard the entrance as the squad began secretly eliminating troll patrols under Xu Yue of the Human Path's direction.

Prophet Gamalan learned that his warriors near the temple entrance had gone silent and led the Atalai trolls to investigate, while Human Path Xu Yue prepared the Reincarnator squad for their arrival. Xu Yue and Khadgar blasted one passage shut, but hostile trolls approached from the other direction.

• Gamalan decided to pause his assault on the green dragons and personally investigate the missing warriors with his elite trolls.
• Xiao Xiao detected that an enemy had dismantled her sensory barrier, and Xu Yue realized trolls were approaching from both sides of the circular temple level.
• Xu Yue ordered Khadgar to join him, and the two mages cast four Pyroblasts in quick succession.
• The Pyroblasts collapsed a passage and blocked one route of the trolls' advance.
• Atal'Alarion cursed the Reincarnators from the other direction.

Xu Yue of the Human Path used a portal to rescue the Reincarnators from the trolls, but Bernard stayed behind to fulfill their contract and was left in the temple. Xu Yue then revealed to Gamalan that he shared the trolls’ goal of resurrecting Hakkar and offered powerful sealed souls.

• Belis tried to sneak up on the Witch Doctor but was struck by a poisonous vine and incapacitated.
• Xu Yue of the Human Path offered to save the group for an S-Rank Plot Point, and Honey Badger agreed to pay in exchange for a safe escape.
• Xu Yue sent the Reincarnators through a mage portal, but Bernard missed his chance and remained behind as Gamalan emerged from the rubble.
• Xu Yue revealed his sealed Great Hollow soul to Gamalan and said he wanted Hakkar resurrected too.
• Gamalan saw Xu Yue’s bundle of soul-sealing scrolls and chose to believe him for the moment.

Human Path Xu Yue struck a deal with Gamalan to summon Hakkar the Soulflayer, supplying Great Hollow souls in exchange for a promised blessing of immortality. As Hakkar’s vessel neared completion, reinforcements led by Lothar and Khadgar hurried toward the Swamp of Sorrows beneath a gathering storm.

• Human Path Xu Yue agreed to provide high-quality souls for Hakkar’s summoning but refused to help Gamalan fight the green dragons.
• Gamalan and Human Path Xu Yue drove the dragons into the side halls, then began the summoning ritual, and Hakkar’s phantom appeared after the first Great Hollow was sacrificed.
• Human Path Xu Yue continued feeding souls to the ritual while Gamalan explained that the A'talai had prepared an enormous Wind Serpent skeleton as Hakkar’s vessel.
• Human Path Xu Yue warned Gamalan that a human reconnaissance force might arrive, then supplied ten more Great Hollow souls at Hakkar’s demand.
• Lothar, Khadgar, and the Dalaran reinforcements reached the Swamp of Sorrows as dark clouds gathered over the temple.

Xu Yue of the Human Path let Hakkar descend far enough to expose himself, then used the Gemstone Sword, sealing marks, and a blue dragon claw to defeat him and take his divine spark. The temple collapsed into the swamp, and Xu Yue emerged with the green dragons to reunite with Shirley, Lothar, Khadgar, and the Reincarnators.

• Hakkar completed his descent, drained the souls of several Atalai Trolls, and tried to absorb Xu Yue of the Human Path as a reward.
• Xu Yue of the Human Path summoned the Gemstone Sword through a portal, while a blue dragon claw restrained Hakkar and sealing marks covered the blood-glow in his mouth.
• The Gemstone Sword split Hakkar's skull, and the portal drew in his Profound Mystery symbol and divine spark.
• Xu Yue of the Human Path dragged Hakkar's still-living corpse through the Flying Thunder God Barrier before the temple collapsed into the swamp.
• The figures fighting Shirley withdrew, and Lothar, Khadgar, and the Reincarnators arrived after Bernard sent them back.
• Xu Yue of the Human Path emerged from the lake atop a green dragon and greeted Shirley and the others.

Xu Yue returned safely with the green dragons, while Lothar learned that the newly discovered humanoid corpse belonged to an orc. At the frozen Nexus, Xu Yue asked Malygos to support his plan despite a prophecy that Malygos would die, and Malygos agreed to fulfill his duty.

• Khadgar and Lothar welcomed Xu Yue, who told the Reincarnators that he had used the dragons to achieve his goal without revealing the details.
• Xu Yue sent Morthos and the green dragons back to the Emerald Dream to revive Lord Ilanicus, and Morthos promised the friendship of the Emerald green dragons.
• Lothar questioned his knights about a humanoid corpse, and Belis identified the creature as an orc and began explaining the orcs to him.
• At the frozen Nexus, Malygos dismissed Hakkar's divine spark, and Xu Yue warned him that the Bronze Dragon King's prophecy foretold his death.
• Malygos insisted that fulfilling his mission for Norgannon mattered despite the danger, and Xu Yue asked for his full support to achieve his goal.

Human Path Xu Yue and Lothar returned to Stormwind City after destroying the Orc test subjects and thwarting Hakkar’s plan, while Khadgar reported the threat of a future portal to Dalaran. During the heroes’ royal commendation, Lord Daval Presstor recognized Xu Yue’s hidden identity and warned him to keep playing along, leaving Xu Yue facing the arrival of another powerful enemy.

• Human Path Xu Yue and Lothar brought the Orc corpses to Stormwind City, and Lothar backed Bernard’s proposal to fortify the Redridge Mountains.
• Human Path Xu Yue told Khadgar that the Orcs had arrived through teleportation tests ahead of a large-scale portal, and Khadgar said he had alerted the Kirin Tor Council.
• The Reincarnators discussed their attack on Shirley, Belis’s efforts to gain Lothar’s attention, and their desire to claim rewards alongside Bernard.
• King Llane commended the heroes and introduced Lord Daval Presstor, a nobleman from Alterac.
• Lord Daval Presstor privately revealed that he had noticed Human Path Xu Yue’s identity and told him not to expose the game prematurely.

Xu Yue of the Human Path tried to win Deathwing’s favor by praising Lord Presstor and later sought a private meeting with him. He revealed that he had touched a fragment of Aman'Thul’s soul and witnessed the End of Time, leaving Neltharion intrigued.

• Xu Yue of the Human Path recognized that Deathwing had chosen his own path and decided that cooperation required proving his value.
• Xu Yue of the Human Path praised Lord Presstor as the only person fit to become Alterac’s true king, surprising Llane, Lothar, and the other Reincarnators.
• After the ceremony, the Reincarnators settled in Stormwind, and the hangers-on who had followed Xu Yue switched their allegiance to Belis and his group.
• Xu Yue of the Human Path visited Lord Presstor’s manor that night and offered to meet Neltharion in person after three days.
• Xu Yue of the Human Path told Neltharion that he had touched a fragment of Aman'Thul’s soul, witnessed the End of Time, and seen Neltharion destined to destroy the world.

Human Path Xu Yue persuaded Neltharion to pursue the Dragon Soul and capture the Red Dragon Queen to increase the Black Dragonflight’s numbers. Xu Yue’s main body returned to Stormwind City, where Neltharion marked him with a new blessing as orcs gathered in the Swamp of Sorrows and the Guardian appeared.

• Human Path Xu Yue proposed using the Dragon Soul to capture a Dragon King and obtain descendants for the Black Dragonflight.
• Human Path Xu Yue told Neltharion that Medivh was possessed by Sargeras and outlined a plan to use the incoming orcs to find the Dragon Soul, capture the Red Dragon Queen, and steal her eggs.
• After three days of talks, Archmage Xu Yue left the Nexus through a Gate of Opening and returned to Stormwind City.
• Neltharion questioned Xu Yue about his Titan aura, then branded him with the World Ender's Gaze blessing.
• Small groups of orcs appeared in the Swamp of Sorrows, and the Guardian showed himself in Stormwind City.

Xu Yue and Medivh reunited in Stormwind, where their hostility exposed their conflicting plans and left King Llane and Lothar caught between them. As orc numbers rose in the Swamp of Sorrows, Belis identified Xu Yue as a promising Veteran Reincarnator, and Shirley confirmed she had met him.

• Xu Yue and Medivh met at Llane’s palace, each insisting he had come only to see Llane and Lothar.
• Medivh accused Xu Yue of involving the Blue Dragon King and Deathwing against him, while Xu Yue condemned magic and its role in his father’s death.
• Medivh considered whether he could persuade Xu Yue to join his cause, despite their strained relationship.
• At Llane’s banquet, Medivh insulted the nobles and left by magic, making his return to Stormwind deeply unfriendly.
• Patrol teams reported that the green-skinned monsters in the Swamp of Sorrows had grown in number and established an outpost.
• Belis showed the Reincarnators an image of Xu Yue and described him as a promising Veteran Reincarnator; Shirley said she had met him.

Xu Yue joined the Intruders’ cooperative team for the Promotion Mission, while Shirley warned him that both natives and hostile Reincarnators posed serious dangers. At the team’s briefing, Shirley overruled Belis’s proposed spoils contract and ordered rewards to be divided according to contribution.

• Belis explained Xu Yue’s reputation and past achievements to Jips and the others, who agreed to bring him into the team.
• After spending the night with Xu Yue, Shirley warned him that a powerful covert squad of Reincarnators had attacked her and told him to stay close while keeping their familiarity secret.
• Belis presented a contract reserving all final spoils for the Intruders, but Xu Yue objected and proposed dividing them according to contribution.
• Bernard supported Xu Yue’s proposal, and Shirley used her authority to make contribution-based rewards the team’s rule.

An orc raid on Moonlight Town shocked Stormwind, while the Reincarnators planned to fight the vanguard and investigate the Dark Portal. The chapter ended with Krozhus arriving in Azeroth through the portal prototype.

• Orcs marched from their outpost to Moonlight Town, wiped out its defenders, and captured civilians before returning to the Swamp of Sorrows.
• Stormwind approved reinforcements for the Redridge Mountains and Duskwood, while Llane failed to reach Medivh at Karazhan.
• Belis and the Reincarnators discussed the early orc invasion, Xu Yue’s Dalaran connections, and their plans to earn merit and rescue captives.
• Shirley set aside their plan to defect to the orcs and directed the group to fight the vanguard while learning Orcish.
• Krozhus emerged from the Dark Portal prototype with a group of green-skinned figures.

Tendo Xu Yue arrived in the vanguard camp as Warlord Krozhus and urged the orc leaders to expand their campaign while gathering intelligence. He later approached Durotan in private and revealed that he disagreed with Gul'dan's plans to slaughter the weaker races.

• Durotan welcomed Tendo Xu Yue and introduced him to Orgrim Doomhammer and Grommash Hellscream, who valued him as a warrior.
• Grommash asked when Gul'dan would bring more warriors, and Tendo Xu Yue encouraged the leaders to press their advantage against the weak enemy.
• Tendo Xu Yue proposed using warlock methods to learn the captives' language, deepening Durotan's concerns about his mix of caution and aggression.
• Tendo Xu Yue visited Durotan late at night and said that he opposed Gul'dan's plans to slaughter the weaker races.

Tendo Xu Yue persuaded Durotan to turn against Gul’dan and unite the Horde vanguard, then helped bring Orgrim and Grom into the plan. After Xu Yue demonstrated his strength to Belis, the group spotted an orc Worgen Cavalry scouting squad and prepared to engage it.

• Tendo Xu Yue convinced Durotan that Gul’dan was betraying the Horde and proposed cooperating with the humans while secretly satisfying Gul’dan’s demand for souls with local creatures.
• Durotan agreed to persuade Orgrim, and Xu Yue planned to persuade Grom by showing him a vision of the future with Tsukuyomi.
• The Horde vanguard’s three forces united and began preparing to demonstrate their strength to the humans before negotiating.
• Xu Yue sparred with Belis, whose test revealed that Xu Yue already had entry-level Intruder-class attack power.
• Xiao Xiao warned the group that a Worgen Cavalry scouting squad was nearby, and Belis welcomed the encounter as an opportunity to earn mission points.

Xu Yue and the Reincarnators encountered Durotan’s Frostwolf Clan in the Swamp of Sorrows, mistaking the orc Worgen Cavalry for a threat to Stormwind. Durotan killed Belis and the fleeing Reincarnators were pursued and trapped, while Xu Yue, Bernard, Shirley, and the infantry remained behind.

• Xu Yue led the expedition into the Swamp of Sorrows and enhanced the Stormwind infantry’s armor with magic as Durotan prepared the Frostwolf Clan for battle.
• Belis vanished to launch a surprise attack while the Reincarnators coordinated ranged attacks against Durotan and the orc leaders.
• Durotan crushed the incoming attacks, revealed Belis’s stealth, and tore him apart in front of the Reincarnators.
• The terrified Reincarnators fled as the Worgen Cavalry pursued them, while another orc leader warped the landscape to trap them.
• Xu Yue, Bernard, Shirley, and the heavily armored infantry stayed behind, and Shirley recognized that the enemy leader could prevent anyone from escaping.

Xu Yue used a fabricated diplomacy skill to secure the Reincarnators’ release and arrange cooperation between Durotan’s Orcs and the humans. When he returned to the vanguard camp, he discovered that Blackhand had arrived through the reopened Dark Portal and taken command, forcing him to adjust his plans.

• Xu Yue used remote attacks to help the fleeing Reincarnators, but they were brought back by a spatial loop.
• Xu Yue claimed he could raise natives’ favorability, collected Plot Points under contract, and negotiated with Durotan through Krozhus.
• Durotan agreed to release the captives, and the Reincarnators and soldiers were allowed to leave, while Xu Yue arranged to report the proposed alliance in Stormwind City.
• Xu Yue planned to unite the Horde and Alliance so he could take a leading role against Medivh and Gul’dan.
• Durotan and Tendo Xu Yue returned to the vanguard camp and found that the Dark Portal had reopened and Blackhand had taken command.