Chapter Summaries

Xia Lin and Lily discussed her decision to remain in Restov with her recovering adoptive father, and he sang her a song before she kissed him goodbye. With Lily staying behind, Xia Lin prepared to leave with Sera and Kade for their next adventure.

• Lily told Xia Lin that her adoptive father was recovering and explained how the female Dwarf had used diluted lizard venom to fake his death.
• Xia Lin explained that he had let Lily’s adoptive father live as an obedient pawn to help the authorities control the Underground World.
• Lily decided to stay in her homeland with her adoptive father and atone for their sins, while Xia Lin invited her to join his adventures.
• Xia Lin taught Lily his song about a lonely hero, and Lily kissed him before running back to the stone house.
• Sera and Kade revealed they had witnessed the moment, and Xia Lin set off with them toward their next adventure.

Xia Lin, Kade, and Sera traveled toward New Stefan, discussing their plans and Sera’s new familiar. Meanwhile, a hooded former adventurer visited Sesti and revealed an AJ tattoo before asking about the Misty Hand’s recent activities in Restov.

• Xia Lin explained that the Misty Hand’s supposed treasure was a deadly trap and said the party was heading to New Stefan for Kade’s Divine Grace ritual and their Black Iron registration.
• Sera showed off her newly acquired Abyssal Pseudo Dragon familiar while she and Kade bickered about their patrons.
• A hooded former Gold-rank adventurer arrived at Sesti’s courtyard, and the two old companions traded stories and insults.
• The hooded man revealed an AJ tattoo on his neck and asked Sesti about the Misty Hand’s recent events in Restov.

Sesti confronted Alex Jennings about revealing the Misty Seed secret to Valerius, then gave him a supposed lead on the Misty Hand's hidden treasure site. Alex’s search ended in a trap-filled manor, while a distant council witnessed the star representing Salatas go dark and discussed a weakening seal on the mortal world.

• Alex admitted that he had told Valerius the secret of the Misty Seed, and Sesti accused him of seeking information about Zane.
• Alex explained that his employer had commissioned him to investigate Starfarer ruins, including the Misty Hand's stronghold at Anvil Mine.
• Sesti said the Misty Hand's leaders had been wiped out in a mysterious underground realm but withheld what he knew about Xia Lin and the Pantheon.
• Sesti directed Alex to a supposed treasure spot in the Misty Hand's ancestral home, and Alex hurried into its deadly traps.
• Alex escaped the manor, crossed Restov off his employer's list, and set off through the marsh toward another target.
• A council of transcendent beings saw Salatas's star go dark, discussed the weakening seal on the mortal world, and received a late-arriving girl who blamed her pet Xiao Wei.

A tardy figure was assigned to investigate the new variable in the mortal world after Salatas's star vanished. On the road to New Stefan, Xia Lin, Kade, and Sera left the highway to investigate smoke from an unmarked village.

• The supreme ruler ordered the petite figure to find the new variable, assess its threat, and decide whether to eliminate or control it.
• Xia Lin, Kade, and Sera continued along the increasingly prosperous highway toward New Stefan.
• Xia Lin told a joke about mages using Grease and fire to cook a roast, which Kade admired and Sera mocked.
• Xia Lin spotted cooking smoke near the hills and suggested looking for shelter before nightfall.
• Xia Lin, Kade, and Sera left the highway and reached a small village absent from their map.

Xia Lin, Kade, and Sera arrived at Quiet Stream Village, where the villagers’ exaggerated welcome concealed fear and another motive. Kade agreed to protect the village from beasts controlled by an unseen force, while Xia Lin accepted only to investigate and prepared the villagers for the coming night.

• The villagers crowded around Xia Lin, Kade, and Sera with an unusually enthusiastic welcome as they entered Quiet Stream Village.
• Xia Lin noticed bloodied defenses, injured villagers, and carcasses of large beasts, prompting Old Hawke to beg the party for help against nightly attacks.
• Kade examined the beasts and used his divine senses to discover a Coercive Aura controlling them, while Xia Lin’s appraisal revealed the villagers’ anxious anticipation.
• The village chief offered five gold coins and herbs for protection, and Kade accepted the request as his duty to Iomedae.
• Xia Lin agreed to investigate despite suspecting a trap, then ordered the villagers to prepare a surprise before nightfall.

Xia Lin and the villagers fought off a renewed beast assault while Sera supported them and Kade held the defensive gap. Xia Lin confronted the masked ranger who led the attack, and her furious words suggested a painful history with the villagers.

• Xia Lin connected Sera's discovery of a black pendant with the villagers' unusual concern for the barn and quietly gave her instructions.
• A larger pack of beasts attacked Quiet Stream Village, and Sera and Xia Lin helped Kade and the villagers hold the defensive line.
• A masked ranger riding a Direwolf shot Kade with a poisoned arrow and drove the beasts into a renewed frenzy with a bone whistle.
• The ranger charged toward the sealed barn, and the village chief reacted to her words by asking how any survivors could remain.
• Xia Lin left Kade and Sera to defend the village and attacked the ranger, who evaded his spells and revealed bark-like skin.
• The ranger cursed Xia Lin and the villagers, accusing them of turning the tables on her and swearing she would never forgive them.

Xia Lin confronted the Wild Elf Iliya La, who was trying to reach a friend inside the barn, and learned that a sealed cellar beneath it held something strange. After Sera confirmed the danger and Xia Lin persuaded Iliya La they could work together, the hostile standoff became a wary alliance.

• Xia Lin faced Iliya La, who removed her mask, revealed she was a Wild Elf Ranger, and threatened him if he blocked her from reaching the barn.
• Iliya La began casting [Hurricane Bow], but Xia Lin sheathed his sword and said he believed her warning.
• Sera appeared with the Abyssal Pseudo Dragon and reported that Kade and the villagers could handle the remaining attackers, while she sensed something strange in the barn and a sealed cellar below it.
• Xia Lin argued that Iliya La could not defeat him and Sera if they were working with the villagers, and she lowered her bow after warning him not to deceive her.
• Xia Lin offered to start over and introduced himself, but Iliya La refused his hand and gave only her name: Iliya La.

Xia Lin, Iliya La, and Sera found the tortured Elf girl Neria hidden beneath the barn, but the village chief and armed villagers trapped them in a basement packed with gunpowder. The chief revealed that Neria was to be the final sacrifice in a ritual for Lady Anlin, leaving everyone facing an imminent explosion.

• Xia Lin failed to pick the barn lock, so Iliya La kicked the door open and entered with Sera.
• Sera detected a concealed trapdoor beneath a haystack, and the three opened it and descended into the basement.
• Iliya La found Neria hanging and severely tortured, cut her bonds, and caught her as Xia Lin urged immediate treatment.
• The village chief arrived with villagers carrying torches and declared that Neria had to become Lady Anlin's sacrifice.
• Xia Lin and Iliya La confronted the chief, who revealed that gunpowder filled the basement and claimed Neria's death would complete the ritual and save the village.

Xia Lin and his companions escaped the barn after Sera’s spell and Iliya La stopped the villagers from igniting the gunpowder. They confronted Kade and Old Hawke in the square, but the black dragon the villagers feared arrived before they could resolve the truth about Neria.

• Iliya La nearly lost control, but Xia Lin calmed her and gave Sera time to cast Hypnotic Pattern on the villagers.
• The village elder threw a torch toward the gunpowder, but Iliya La shot his hand and Xia Lin used Dimension Door to catch the torch and throw it into a puddle.
• Xia Lin, Iliya La, and Sera fled the barn with the unconscious Neria and found Kade surrounded by villagers while Old Hawke’s militia aimed weapons at them.
• Iliya La showed Kade Neria’s injuries, and Kade demanded that Old Hawke tell him the truth.
• Old Hawke urged the villagers to kill Neria before the feared creature returned, but a black dragon descended into the square.

Xia Lin and his companions faced a black dragon that demanded an offering for Lady Anlin, while its acid breath killed villagers and threatened the group. Kade held off one blast, but the dragon knocked Iliya La unconscious and fixed its attention on Xia Lin and Neria.

• The black dragon dissolved several villagers with its acid breath, and Kade used Aura of Courage to steady Xia Lin and the others.
• The dragon demanded an offering for Lady Anlin, and Xia Lin identified it as a young adult black dragon with Item Appraisal.
• Iliya La shot at the dragon, then entrusted Neria to Xia Lin and charged to draw its attention.
• The dragon aimed its acid breath at Sera, but Xia Lin pushed her and Neria aside while Kade blocked the blast with his shield and Xia Lin's acid-protection spell.
• Iliya La attacked the dragon's exposed eye from a rooftop, but its tail struck her unconscious.
• The dragon demanded the offering again and targeted Xia Lin, who was struggling to his feet with Neria in his arms.

Xia Lin tricked the black dragon into hesitating by claiming he and his companions served Dahak, then escaped with Sera and Kade amid a beast attack and smoke. The dragon stayed behind and chose the villagers as a replacement sacrifice.

• The black dragon demanded that Xia Lin hand over Neria, but recognized Dahak's presence on a charred pendant Sera gave him.
• Xia Lin used the pendant to claim that he and his companions were supervisors overseeing the sacrifice for Lady Darkscale.
• Iliya La played her bone flute, summoning beasts that charged the black dragon and distracted it.
• Xia Lin used a Haste scroll while Sera threw smoke bombs, and they fled into the forest carrying the two unconscious elves.
• The black dragon confronted the villagers, accused them of breaking their pact, and declared that the village would serve as the new sacrifice.

Xia Lin and his companions escaped the black dragon and learned why the villagers of Quiet Stream Village had betrayed the Elves. The chapter ended with Xia Lin questioning how the dragon could operate near Brevor’s capital and who Lady Anlin was.

• Xia Lin treated Neria and Iliya La with healing potions, then discovered that Neria still suffered from mental shackles.
• Sera asked Xia Lin about his claim that the black dragon’s ritual involved an Offspring Resurrection, and Xia Lin explained that he had improvised the lie using clues about Dahak and Lady Anlin.
• Kade doubted his faith after [Detect Evil] had failed to identify the villagers, but Xia Lin reassured him that the dragon might have blocked the Divine Art.
• Iliya La explained that the villagers had sheltered her group before drugging and handing over the Elves to the black dragon’s minions to protect their own families.
• Iliya La’s account helped Kade understand that the villagers’ selective kindness did not make them evil, and Xia Lin asked why the dragon was near Brevor’s capital and who Lady Anlin was.

After deciding to report the black dragon and the scattered clues about the Evil Dragon cult, Xia Lin and his companions helped Iliya La and Neria set out for the Howling Moon Clan. The sisters departed after giving Xia Lin the Call of the Wild, while Xia Lin, Sera, and Kade headed toward New Stefan.

• Xia Lin and his companions agreed to report the black dragon threat to the Adventurer's Guild and New Stefan's authorities rather than investigate it themselves.
• Iliya La said she would take Neria to the Howling Moon Clan, then travel to Qiongnin so the Oak Sages could heal her sister's mental wounds.
• Xia Lin gave the sisters supplies, and Iliya La gifted him the Call of the Wild bone flute.
• Neria awoke, thanked Xia Lin, Sera, and Kade, and joined Iliya La in giving them the Wild Elves' Oath of Stars and Moon.
• Iliya La and Neria left on a Direwolf, and Xia Lin, Sera, and Kade set off toward the main road for New Stefan.

Xia Lin, Sera, and Kade reached New Stefan and entered the capital by canal after its east gate closed for Swordplay Demonstration Day. They arrived at the Adventurer's Guild amid signs of the city's splendor and unease over children disappearing, leaving their next business in the city about to begin.

• Kade marveled at New Stefan while Xia Lin and Sera teased him and considered what they hoped to find in the capital.
• Xia Lin, Sera, and Kade found the east gate closed, then negotiated passage with Old Fisher by boat after Xia Lin hid his legs in his Space Bag to avoid the fare.
• Old Fisher showed them the Sword Lord Spire and sang a rhyme about children disappearing from the city over the past two months.
• Xia Lin became dizzy and vomited after pulling his legs from the Space Bag, then recovered and bought a map with his companions.
• Xia Lin, Sera, and Kade crossed Merchants' Avenue and reached the Adventurer's Guild, housed in a decommissioned warship.

Xia Lin and Sera updated their adventurer ranks in New Stefan and reported the destruction of Quiet Stream Village, then settled into a temporary base. Seeking replacement armor, Xia Lin agreed to retrieve a Frost Toad from the dangerous High-top Area in exchange for a free suit of Mithril armor.

• Xia Lin and Sera were promoted to Black Iron-rank adventurers, while Kade registered as a White Porcelain-rank adventurer.
• Xia Lin reported that a black dragon had destroyed Quiet Stream Village, and Kade left to visit the Goddess's temple.
• Xia Lin and Sera rented a building, sold their collected materials, and counted their funds at 217 gold coins.
• Sera went to study Ras Veen's diary, the Obsidian Shard, and her sect master's whispers while Xia Lin considered replacing his ruined armor.
• Xia Lin visited Iron Arm Thorin, who said he needed a Frost Toad's poison sac for an anniversary gift and could not take on armor work.
• Xia Lin agreed to find a Frost Toad among the Galt refugees in the High-top Area, and Thorin promised to forge his armor for free.

Xia Lin searched High-top Area for a Frost Toad and found a white-haired girl playing with one in an abandoned square. The girl invited him to play, then bristled when he called her a little girl.

• Xia Lin entered High-top Area and found its Galtan residents wary of outsiders and reluctant to answer his questions about the Frost Toad.
• A Galtan Boy told Xia Lin about his friend’s ice-blue toad after Xia Lin traded him a glowing crystal fragment.
• Xia Lin followed the Boy’s directions to an abandoned square and found a white-haired girl playing with a Frost Toad.
• The girl ignored Xia Lin until he sat beside her, then invited him to play with her and the toad.
• The girl objected when Xia Lin asked why she was playing alone and challenged him for calling her a little girl.

Xia Lin met Laila, a strange girl who agreed to give him her Frost Toad after he impressed her with stories about her trinkets. Just as he reached for it, Laila grabbed his wrist and insisted on telling his fortune.

• Xia Lin apologized to Laila and learned her name was Laila Laila, while she rambled about pie, fish, and her childhood nickname.
• Laila introduced her pet, Mr. Croak, and agreed to give the toad to Xia Lin if he identified its true origin and name.
• Xia Lin used Item Appraisal to identify Mr. Croak as a Frost Toad and impressed Laila with explanations and stories about her other trinkets.
• Laila became absorbed in Xia Lin's stories and handed him the Frost Toad.
• Laila suddenly clamped her hand around Xia Lin's wrist and announced that she would tell his fortune.

Xia Lin met Laila, a young astrologer, and paid her five copper coins to read his fortune. She fell asleep before finishing, then woke to discover his future was absent from the Star Chart and that his presence carried a comforting taste of starlight.

• Laila excitedly told Xia Lin about her strange past predictions and offered to read his fortune for five copper coins.
• Xia Lin used Item Appraisal on Laila and learned she was a level-one human astrologer who was excited and hungry.
• Laila took Xia Lin’s hands and entered a serious trance, but fell asleep before completing the reading.
• Xia Lin left Laila sleeping by the stone steps and departed with the Frost Toad.
• Laila woke after Xia Lin had gone and found that she could not see his future on the Star Chart.
• Laila sensed a familiar, comforting starlight scent on Xia Lin and decided she would finish his reading next time they met.

Xia Lin returned the Frost Toad to the craftsman and received a useful whetstone before shopping for magic items with Sera. After spending most of his money at Laura’s Curio Shop, he spotted a chance to win a valuable discount card by solving a puzzle and stepped forward to try.

• Xia Lin delivered the Frost Toad, and the craftsman promised to forge his Mithril chain shirt in five days and gave him Sorin’s Precision Whetstone.
• Xia Lin trained the next morning, then Sera joined him for a stroll to Miracle Path and Laura’s Curio Shop.
• Xia Lin and Sera admired the unaffordable Sage’s Mind Crown, then Xia Lin bought two Lesser Heavenward Necklaces, several practical items, and a collection of spell scrolls.
• Xia Lin learned that he had missed discounts on his purchase when the shop began a World Knowledge quiz, then watched the attendant announce a challenge for a 60% Discount VIP Card.
• Xia Lin recognized Master Laura’s supposedly unsolvable Star Chart Puzzle Lock as Sudoku and volunteered to solve it.

Xia Lin solved Master Laura’s Star Chart Puzzle Lock and earned a VIP discount card and a wand, then accepted a commission to investigate a vengeful spirit aboard the Tranquil and Peaceful. After finding no evidence of supernatural activity in the ship’s hold, he realized someone was faking the ghostly wails.

• Xia Lin solved the Star Chart Puzzle Lock, impressing the shop customers and Sera.
• Master Laura gave Xia Lin a lifetime 20% Off VIP Card and a Lesser Select Overmagic Wand in gratitude for his puzzle ideas.
• Xia Lin and Sera accepted a guild commission to investigate a vengeful spirit aboard the Tranquil and Peaceful.
• Captain Reed led Xia Lin and Sera to the ship’s hold, where they heard a woman’s wail and searched for signs of a haunting.
• Xia Lin and Sera found clues unrelated to the supernatural, and Xia Lin concluded that someone was making the wailing sounds.