Chapter Summaries

Zhao Xu prepared himself and his companions with powerful spells before entering the burned-out house, where an Old Hag attacked them with magical darkness and a Sleep Spell. He woke the fallen party and used Radiant Armor on Zheng Xinyun to flood the room with daylight, leaving the Old Hag exposed as the fight began.

• Zhao Xu cast Praise on the group and Dragonhide on himself, then had Chuck test his defenses with a greatsword strike that could not reach him.
• Zhao Xu entered the burned-out house with his companions and lit the dark interior with his scepter.
• An Old Hag extinguished the party’s torches and attacked Zhao Xu with a Sleep Spell, knocking most of the cavalrymen unconscious.
• Zhao Xu used Dark Knowledge and Knowledge Devotion to improve his and his companions’ attacks, then cast Dawn to awaken everyone.
• Zhao Xu placed Radiant Armor on Zheng Xinyun, and its Daylight effect drove the darkness from the room.

Zhao Xu countered an Old Hag’s opening spells and protected the group from her second Sleep Spell, allowing the guards to attack. Their crossbows pierced her skin but failed to overcome her Damage Reduction, and she charged at Zhao Xu as he began casting another spell.

• Zhao Xu used Dawn and Daylight Spell to wake the party and dispel the darkness, revealing an Old Hag perched above them.
• As the Old Hag began casting Sleep Spell again, Zhao Xu cast Magic Circle against Evil on Zheng Xinyun, granting the nearby group protection from the spell.
• Chuck ordered the guards to fire their Light Crossbows, and a few bolts pierced the Old Hag’s wounds.
• Eliton identified the Old Hag’s Damage Reduction and warned that only Magic or Cold Iron weapons could penetrate it.
• The Old Hag leapt down and charged Zhao Xu, who calmly began casting another spell and raised the Scepter of Supreme Magic.

Zhao Xu drove off an Old Hag with Vampiric Touch, then learned she had escaped using the ninth-ring spell Astral Projection. After reaching Frost Dew Town and staying with Lady Betty’s family, he received a black-covered invitation to an auction scheduled for that night.

• Zhao Xu struck the Old Hag with Vampiric Touch, dealing 20 damage and gaining 20 temporary HP despite her Damage Reduction.
• The Old Hag fled to another plane using Astral Projection, leaving Zhao Xu and the terrified cavalrymen behind.
• Zhao Xu explained the escape, and Lady Betty revealed that Astral Projection was a ninth-ring spell.
• Zhao Xu ordered a search of the burned house, but the group found no clues before continuing to Frost Dew Town.
• The group stayed at Lady Betty’s family home, and Zhao Xu received an invitation to an auction taking place that night.

Zhao Xu prepared to attend the Frost Dew Town auction alone after failing to find the old witch he was seeking. He enhanced Divine Step with Spell Endurance, gaining a full day of flight and an enormous potential burst of speed, then set out with an escape advantage for the night ahead.

• Zhao Xu learned from Lady Betty that several old witches lived in Frost Dew Town, explaining why his target had not appeared.
• Zheng Xinyun skipped the evening gathering, while Eliton visited a distant relative, leaving Zhao Xu to prepare for the auction alone.
• Zhao Xu studied the venue plans and chose Divine Step over Swift Fly for the night's special circumstances.
• Zhao Xu cast Spell Endurance-enhanced Divine Step using the Goddess of Magic, gaining flight for twenty-four hours and perfect maneuverability.
• Zhao Xu realized dismissing the spell could give him tremendous speed, but restrained himself to avoid being killed by the acceleration.

Zhao Xu prepared long-lasting tentacle and blade attacks before heading into Frost Dew Town to search the market and prepare for an auction. When a Halfling Rogue tried to rob him, Zhao Xu silently restrained and cut him, leaving the Rogue and his companions wary of the Cleric’s strength.

• Zhao Xu used Spell Endurance to gain two concealed tentacle attacks and a recurring blade-energy attack that could last twenty-four hours.
• Zhao Xu returned to Frost Dew Town, where he overheard a four-player party discussing an auction they were escorting an employer to attend.
• The Halfling Rogue decided to steal from Zhao Xu, while the Gnome Bard recognized his ceremonial robe as unusually well made.
• Zhao Xu warned the Rogue that theft was forbidden, secretly bound his legs with tentacles, and left him with a small cut from his blade energy.
• The Rogue told his companions what had happened, and the party concluded Zhao Xu was a dangerous, high-level Cleric.

Zhao Xu learned that the Swift Sword Squad had pursued the Red Bride before their return to Frost Dew Town, but a confrontation with a powerful Mage Family’s heir disrupted the tavern. The chapter ended with Zhao Xu standing as the heir threatened Latir and the squad.

• Zhao Xu entered a tavern after browsing the market and overheard children singing a nursery rhyme about a bride in red.
• Zhao Xu learned from an elderly mercenary that the Red Bride had abducted a girl in Frost Dew Town and that the Swift Sword Squad had searched for it.
• A richly dressed young man arrived with a powerful Wizard and four armed guards, then confronted the Swift Sword Squad over a Magic Item taken from his ancestor’s grave.
• Captain Molo offered to return the item and withdraw, but the young man demanded that Latir spend a night with him.
• Zhao Xu stood up, drawing the tavern’s attention, and the young man mocked him as a possible helper.

Zhao Xu witnessed a Wizard use Dominate Person to control Latir and force the Swift Sword Squad to submit. He intervened with Mordenkainen's Faithful Hound and a concealed Chill Touch, leaving the Wizard helpless.

• The richly dressed young man demanded that the Swift Sword Squad hand over Latir, and his Wizard companion silently cast Dominate Person on her.
• Latir abandoned her bow, walked to the young man, and obediently sat beside him as the squad realized she might be under magical control.
• Zhao Xu prepared his spells and decided to intervene after the young man mocked the squad and claimed Latir as his own.
• Zhao Xu stood and cast Mordenkainen's Faithful Hound, sending three translucent unicorns charging at the guards.
• As the Wizard reacted to Zhao Xu's attack, Zhao Xu's Ghost Hand struck him with Chill Touch, reducing his Dexterity to zero and leaving him helpless.

Zhao Xu freed Latir and others from mind control while the tavern erupted into a brawl, then noticed the auction residence burning as cavalry pursued fleeing riders. He transformed himself to resemble the richly dressed young man and approached the residence, where the cavalry greeted him as their young master.

• Locke attacked a guard with Ray of Enfeeblement, prompting the tavern patrons and Swift Sword Squad to fight the remaining guards.
• Zhao Xu used Calm Emotions to end Latir’s Dominate Person spell and free her from mental control.
• Zhao Xu left the tavern, warmed himself with Endure Environment, and noticed his alignment had shifted slightly toward Good and Chaos.
• Fleeing riders and pursuing cavalry raced through the street as a nearby fire revealed that the auction residence had been attacked.
• Zhao Xu transformed himself into the richly dressed young man and walked toward the residence, where searching cavalrymen dismounted and greeted him.

Zhao Xu watched the Mage Families seize the auction house’s goods and burn its estate, learning that Frost Dew Town’s Old Hags were created with a mysterious treasure tied to a dangerous former emperor. When the family patriarch questioned how Zhao Xu uncovered their fabricated connection to the tomb relics, Antinoa arrived and requisitioned him under Association Order No. 233.

• Zhao Xu arrived at the burning auction estate and learned from the young nobleman’s elder brother and the steward that the Floating City feared intervening because the treasure behind Frost Dew Town’s Old Hags might be connected to a former emperor.
• Zhao Xu pieced together how the Old Hags had been created and decided to warn the middle-aged woman to stay in Mystra rather than get involved.
• After a carriage spilled its cargo, Zhao Xu realized the Mage Families had targeted the merchant association for its accumulated wealth and asked whether they could safely disguise the tomb relics’ Wizard as a family ancestor.
• The elder brother explained how the family had fabricated its connection to the Wizard and demanded to know how Zhao Xu saw through the deception.
• Zhao Xu dispelled his disguise, and Antinoa appeared and declared that the Association had requisitioned him under Order No. 233.

Antinoa rescued Zhao Xu from the Tuster Family’s attempted gift and took him away to meet the mysterious being behind Frost Dew Town’s unusual Old Hag. She revealed that this being was an extraordinarily lucky former shepherd girl who had once become Archmage Throne Ernest’s first believer.

• Antinoa appeared as a Legendary Mage, rejected the middle-aged man’s offer of a +6 Intelligence Headband, and teleported away with Zhao Xu.
• Zhao Xu asked about Antinoa’s transfer order, and she admitted she had made it up to avoid an argument.
• Antinoa explained that she had come to persuade the mysterious person connected to Frost Dew Town’s unusual Old Hag to stop.
• Antinoa said the person was an ordinary shepherd girl who had become Ernest’s first believer and might have become the second Goddess of Magic if she had pursued magic instead of becoming a Sorcerer.

Zhao Xu learned that Metamagic: Widen Spell could not heighten spells beyond the ninth ring without a legendary feat, making his new feat choice less useful than he had expected. Antinoa offered to replace it, and Zhao Xu was prompted to accept an abyssal spell that would grant a qualifying feat while removing one he already had.

• As they walked through the mountain valley, Antinoa asked Zhao Xu which level-six feat he had chosen, and he said Metamagic: Widen Spell.
• Antinoa explained that Widen Spell had limited long-term value and could not raise spells past the ninth ring without the legendary feat Empowered Spell Advancement.
• Zhao Xu realized that tenth-ring spell slots were available only to legendary characters through the Advanced Spell Slot feat.
• After Zhao Xu regretted his choice, Antinoa offered to change the feat, and he agreed.
• Antinoa touched Zhao Xu's chest and presented a prompt asking him to accept the eight-ring spell Adhere Chaos in exchange for an abyssal-bloodline feat and the loss of an existing feat.

Zhao Xu exchanged Metamagic: Widen Spell for Metamagic: Twin Spell with Antinoa’s help, then learned why she had brought him to a mysterious cave: they were there to address a succubus Paladin and her Old Hag family. At the cave entrance, Antinoa told him to enter a Metamagic Storm and claim its temporary Feat.

• Zhao Xu chose Metamagic: Twin Spell, and Antinoa used Abjure Chaos to replace his Abyssal Feat with it.
• Antinoa explained that she wanted to stop a woman who had turned dead women into Old Hags and sent them back for revenge.
• Antinoa revealed that a Paladin had entered Mystra, but the Paladin was a succubus once associated with Emperor Ernest.
• Zhao Xu and Antinoa arrived at the woman’s mysterious cave and found a Metamagic Storm at its entrance.
• Antinoa told Zhao Xu the storm could grant a metamagic Feat for one year and urged him to enter and claim it.

Zhao Xu began awakening the Empower Spell metamagic ability while Antinoa confronted May over the cave and learned that Vivian would protect him for a year. Antinoa then revealed that Zhao Xu had been appointed Vice President of the Wizard branch in Starfall Town, and gave him a +6 Intelligence Headband as the Association’s reward.

• Zhao Xu entered the Metamagic Storm to awaken Empower Spell, and Antinoa told him to meditate for eight hours.
• Antinoa summoned a powerful Disintegration Spell toward the cave, but Vivian appeared and said May did not wish to meet her.
• Vivian relayed that May would seal the mountain and wait for history to repeat itself, while Antinoa insisted the ten-thousand-year plan must not change.
• Vivian agreed to protect Zhao Xu for one year, and Antinoa assured him he was himself, not anyone’s reincarnation.
• Antinoa told Zhao Xu he would serve as Vice President of the Wizard branch in Starfall Town for one year and gave him a +6 Intelligence Headband.

After learning that Antinoa was Ernest’s successor, Zhao Xu left school and traveled home for the New Year, where he reunited with his parents and discovered that his childhood friend Xiao Wei was staying with them. He recognized that Xiao Wei played Arthur and remembered that she would die protecting her classmates when the transmigration began.

• Zhao Xu reflected on Antinoa’s place in Ernest’s succession before leaving his dorm to travel home for the New Year.
• At the station, Zhao Xu saw Cui Lu leaving with her parents, then rode the high-speed rail alongside three Arthur players.
• Zhao Xu told his fellow passengers he was headed to Starfall Town and gave them handwritten solutions to their monster-related quest problem before getting off.
• Zhao Xu returned home and found Xiao Wei staying in his room while her father underwent surgery for a tumor.
• Zhao Xu asked Xiao Wei what level she was, and she admitted she played Arthur.
• Zhao Xu remembered that Xiao Wei would die shielding her classmates from monsters at the Beginning of Transmigration.

Zhao Xu learned about Xiao Wei’s struggles as a low-level Sorcerer and returned to Arthur, where Vivian revealed her origins as a vessel created by Cang Ye and showed him the Holy Avenger. As they went to see his mentor, Vivian said the Archmage Throne had not died but had mysteriously vanished.

• Zhao Xu learned Xiao Wei was an Arthur player still stuck in Sorcerer training, and he promised to look for a shortcut to help her awaken a familiar.
• Zhao Xu returned to Arthur and asked Vivian to reveal her real appearance, but she told him it had always been her true form.
• Vivian explained that Cang Ye had created her as a vessel to imprison a Goddess, and that Lady May had later rescued her from that purpose.
• Vivian showed Zhao Xu her Holy Avenger, while his Intelligence Headband raised his Intelligence to 28.
• As Zhao Xu and Vivian went to say goodbye to his mentor, Vivian said the Archmage Throne had mysteriously vanished rather than died.

Zhao Xu learned how Antinoa was connected to the Itel Family and received appointment documents for a mission near the Northern Alliance. Before he left, Antinoa granted him three protective contract spells and promised him a wish if he uncovered the secret beneath Falling Star Lake.

• Zhao Xu arrived at Antinoa's office and saw several Itel Family members accuse her of giving the Starfall Cloak and their secret inheritance to her disciple.
• Antinoa explained that the Itel surname came from her and that Ernest had given it to his coachman Joy, while the false treasury had always belonged to her.
• Antinoa gave Zhao Xu his appointment documents and warned him that his route to the Northern Alliance crossed a tense border region with many refugees.
• Antinoa offered Zhao Xu the Death Contract as a reward for helping the church deal with a succubus Cleric, and Zhao Xu accepted it.
• Antinoa also gave Zhao Xu the Recovery Contract and Valor Contract to protect him during his mission, then promised him a wish if he uncovered Falling Star Lake's secret.

Zhao Xu and Vivian traveled through a mass of refugees fleeing Luca City as political conflict in the Xiluo Duchy threatened to become a civil war involving the Northern Alliance and Eastern Land Empire. After learning the cause of the unrest, Zhao Xu and Vivian headed toward the Wasteland Ruins, the fog-covered border between the powers.

• Zhao Xu emerged from the Mage Association branch in Luca City and found its wizards urgently sending him away.
• Zhao Xu asked a Fighter player why the roads were packed with people fleeing the city.
• The Fighter explained that conflict in the Xiluo Duchy's senate, the Eastern Land Empire princess's marriage, and growing involvement by neighboring powers had made war seem imminent.
• Zhao Xu recalled that the unrest would end within a few months and told Vivian they could help the refugees only after they had settled down.
• Vivian worried about the civilians as Zhao Xu and she approached the Wasteland Ruins at the border.

Zhao Xu and Vivian traveled with refugees through a dangerous fog-covered wasteland, while Zhao Xu assessed Vivian’s paladin abilities and their combined defenses. A barbarian player invited them to escort the Alasi Family’s convoy, and Vivian asked what business the family conducted before deciding whether to accept.

• Zhao Xu recalled that merchants and travelers had established safe post roads through the wasteland, and he and Vivian approached the fog with the fleeing crowd.
• Vivian listed her mastered paladin abilities, and Zhao Xu realized her Divine Grace gave her exceptionally high saving throws and that her healing could restore his lost HP.
• Vivian and Zhao Xu readied their defenses when a barbarian player approached, then heard his offer to hire them to protect the Alasi Family’s convoy.
• Vivian asked what business the Alasi Family conducted so she could investigate whether accepting the escort job would conflict with her faith.

Zhao Xu and Vivian traveled with the Alasi Family’s refugee convoy, where players tried to extort protection money from Kamon. When Zhao Xu ordered Vivian to teach the extortionists a lesson, she killed their leader with a single overwhelming strike and sent the others fleeing.

• Zhao Xu agreed to help Kamon’s family travel with the convoy but warned that everyone might have to flee if danger struck.
• Vivian removed her helmet, drawing the attention of the refugees with her succubus allure as she rode beside Zhao Xu.
• A group of Slaughter Guild players demanded an escort fee from Kamon and threatened the caravan when he refused.
• Zhao Xu ordered Vivian to teach the extortionists a lesson, and Vivian charged the Rogue leading them.
• Vivian’s Evil-Breaking Slash pierced the Rogue’s heart, killing him and scattering the other players.

As Zhao Xu's caravan camped in the fog-shrouded Wasteland Ruins, Gord told them legends about the land and its yearly sacrifices. After learning that the caravan had buried only one bird as an offering, Zhao Xu feared the payment was insufficient, and a bard died after falling into the campfire without waking.

• Vivian's sword strike silenced the onlookers, and Zhao Xu's journey through the Wasteland Ruins continued with fewer interruptions.
• Zhao Xu's group camped for the night in thick fog, where Vivian washed with water he created and travelers exchanged ghost stories.
• Gord told the camp that the ruins were created when an immortal deflected an ancient god's attack, draining life from the land.
• A young Rogue claimed the fog was conscious and that people secretly performed yearly sacrifices; Gord admitted the Alasi Family had buried a freshly killed bird before entering.
• Zhao Xu warned Vivian that failing to give enough could bring danger upon everyone, then a woman lightly patted a dozing bard, who fell into the fire and died without waking.