Chapter Summaries

Bai Xiaowen exposed Aquit as an impostor working with the Ironthorn Clan, killed him, and imprisoned Harold. At the City Lord’s Manor, Bai Xiaowen persuaded Zombie Doctor to study Norton’s research notes, leaving him eager to master Kane Plane alchemy.

• Bai Xiaowen dodged Aquit’s Blade Toss, overwhelmed him with summoned creatures, and revealed the mask concealing his identity.
• Bai Xiaowen used the Silver Thorn Seal and signed contracts to challenge Harold, then ordered Harold imprisoned and Aquit killed.
• Bai Xiaowen sent two Ironthorn servants to Blackrock City with news and displayed Aquit’s corpse outside White Stone City.
• Cecilia questioned Bai Xiaowen about killing Aquit, and he explained the Ironthorn Clan’s plan to take control of White Stone City.
• Zombie Doctor told Bai Xiaowen he had fulfilled his task quotas by making Zombie medicine for Cecilia’s campaigns.
• Bai Xiaowen tempted Zombie Doctor with Norton’s research notes, and Zombie Doctor gave up his vacation to study them and pursue alchemy.

Bai Xiaowen entrusted Zombie Doctor with Norton’s research notes and asked him to find a way to awaken Fatty’s consciousness, then spent a leisurely day with Cecilia before inspecting White Stone City’s garrison. After Cecilia outlined her plans to strengthen the army, Bai Xiaowen proposed using the Ironthorn Family’s concern for its reputation to obtain blacksmiths.

• Bai Xiaowen gave Zombie Doctor Norton’s research notes and ordered him to develop a plan to awaken Fatty’s consciousness.
• Bai Xiaowen and Cecilia spent the night together, and he learned that her Infatuation Level had reached Devotion.
• Bai Xiaowen inspected White Stone City’s 650 soldiers, including longbowmen, guards, and Light Cavalry.
• Cecilia explained that the city needed better facilities and skilled blacksmiths to produce powerful bows and train powerful bowmen.
• Bai Xiaowen showed Cecilia a silver seal bearing the Ironthorn Family’s emblem and suggested that the family might pay to protect its reputation.

Zombie Doctor removed Fatty’s Voodoo Core to study it, leaving Fatty dormant and at risk of permanent death unless the core was restored within three days. Later, Baron Albert Standin denied the Ironthorn Family’s involvement in an assassination attempt, but Bai Xiaowen rejected his excuses and hinted that he would use the genuine family seal against them.

• Zombie Doctor dissected Fatty twice before finding and removing the Voodoo Core, and the Spirit Realm Rules warned Bai Xiaowen that Fatty would die permanently if the core was not restored within three days.
• Bai Xiaowen threatened to hand Zombie Doctor over to Delifa or use Norton’s soul unless he returned the core and saved Fatty within three days.
• Baron Albert Standin visited Bai Xiaowen and Cecilia, praised them, and denied that the Wandering Swordsman was connected to the Ironthorn Family.
• Bai Xiaowen showed Baron Standin the genuine Silver Thorn Seal and challenged his claim that the Wandering Swordsman had stolen it and acted alone.
• Baron Standin admitted Harold was the Ironthorn steward but claimed he had been coerced, and Bai Xiaowen dismissed him for refusing to face the facts.
• Bai Xiaowen warned that he could publicize the conspiracy in theaters across the Empire and hinted that he would make use of the seal.

Bai Xiaowen threatened the Ironthorn Family with war unless it compensated White Stone Fief for its assassination plot, then negotiated a settlement with Baron Stantin. The agreement provided White Stone City with gold, supplies, skilled workers, and access to Blackrock City's trade district, setting the fief up for rapid development.

• Bai Xiaowen rejected Baron Stantin's threats and demanded compensation, warning that the White Stone Army would march on Blackrock City if the Ironthorn Family refused.
• Bai Xiaowen privately told Cecilia that he lacked the time to conquer Blackrock City and preferred to negotiate rather than leave her to handle the aftermath.
• Cecilia said that even a few intermediate blacksmiths and apprentices would strengthen White Stone City's defenses.
• After several rounds of negotiations, the Ironthorn Family agreed to pay thirty thousand gold coins and provide resources worth one hundred thousand gold coins.
• The Ironthorn Family agreed to send forty-two specialized professionals and open its trade district to White Stone City's merchants, but refused tax exemptions.
• Baron Stantin signed the settlement and took Harold and the Silver Thorn Seal, while Bai Xiaowen accepted the reparations and agreed not to pursue the matter further.

After White Stone City's production buildings upgraded, Bai Xiaowen learned that Zombie Doctor had modified Fatty's Voodoo Core so the Stitched Monster could use psionic equipment. Fatty revived and evolved into Butcher, leaving Bai Xiaowen excited about the strength his summoned creatures could gain from equipment.

• Bai Xiaowen discovered that the Level 3 Blacksmith Shop could mass-produce Elite Tier Blue Gear and that the upgraded Mill could produce Rye Pastry.
• Bai Xiaowen inspected White Stone City with Cecilia while Zombie Doctor spent three days modifying Fatty's Voodoo Core.
• Zombie Doctor reported that Fatty could resonate with psionic equipment, and Bai Xiaowen ordered him to implant the modified core and revive Fatty.
• Bai Xiaowen used Telepathy to awaken Fatty after Zombie Doctor's first attempts failed, and the Spirit Realm Rules announced that Fatty had evolved into Butcher.
• Bai Xiaowen examined Butcher's new skills and equipment slots and realized that equipping his summoned creatures could greatly increase their strength.

Bai Xiaowen learned why only the Butcher could use psionic equipment and tasked the Zombie Doctor with developing Voodoo Cores for other summons. While staying with Cecilia on the Kane Plane, he opened Aquit’s treasure chest and improved his shooting specialty to level four.

• Bai Xiaowen realized summoned creatures needed independent consciousness to resonate with Psionic Particles, which left the Butcher as the only eligible summon.
• Bai Xiaowen ordered the Zombie Doctor to develop Voodoo Cores for other summoned creatures and assigned Harvey to supervise him.
• Bai Xiaowen opened Aquit’s treasure chest and obtained a Chameleon Blood Potion and a Gold Equipment trench coat, which he stored away.
• Bai Xiaowen spent several days learning marksmanship from Cecilia and raised his Ranged Shooting Specialty to level four.

Bai Xiaowen returned from Kane Plane to Earth, reunited with Li Shuyi, and learned that the National Championship draw was approaching. During a holographic call, Sister Zheng told him that complaints about his difficult-to-control Virtual Battle Platform template had hurt its sales, and she began explaining her response.

• Bai Xiaowen warned Cecilia to watch the Ironthorn Clan's personnel and use crude-quality jewelry in the warehouse to signal a serious threat before returning to Earth.
• Bai Xiaowen arrived at Li Beihai's home, where Li Shuyi welcomed him with pork rib soup and discussed their training plans and new territory products.
• Li Shuyi told Bai Xiaowen that Teacher Yan had asked the University Team members to avoid Spirit Realm trips while the National Championship draw approached.
• Sister Zheng called Bai Xiaowen and reported that players were criticizing his Spirit Channeling Prince template for being difficult to control and that its sales had fallen.
• Bai Xiaowen rejected the idea that the template's basic combat strength would satisfy players as Sister Zheng began outlining an emergency measure.

Bai Xiaowen and Sister Zheng planned to improve the Spirit Channeling Prince’s reputation by presenting it as a difficult template with great potential, then having Bai demonstrate its limits in livestreamed battles. They discussed a player’s guide to using the template, which offered a practical approach for less experienced controllers.

• Sister Zheng told Bai Xiaowen she wanted to recast the Spirit Channeling Prince as easy to use at a basic level but powerful once mastered, with an unmatched ceiling.
• Sister Zheng proposed that Bai livestream battles on the Awakened Battle Platform and climb to a rank no same-level Hero Class could reach.
• Bai agreed to livestream and let Sister Zheng seek a short-term contract with a platform other than Shark Livestream Platform.
• Sister Zheng sent Bai a forum post arguing that the Spirit Channeling Prince was difficult to master rather than weak.
• The post’s author recommended ordering the summons to attack while personally controlling the Prince, using Talisman Switching and predicted Spell Talisman hits to control opponents until the summons could surround and defeat them.

Bai Xiaowen discussed Han Xu’s contract negotiations and the stalled investigation into the attack on him, then proposed using public opinion to pressure Boutu Guild. He also revealed plans to form a new Super God Guild team, while Li Beihai arranged to recruit Han Xu.

• Bai Xiaowen read Wu Mengchen’s post praising the Spirit Channeling Prince and discussed the character with Sister Zheng.
• Sister Zheng reported that Jingwu Guild’s contract offer to Han Xu contained traps, and Bai Xiaowen urged Li Shuyi to have her father invite Han Xu to Super God Guild.
• Li Beihai explained that Zhao Yannian had denied involvement in the attack and that the investigation was likely to stall, so Bai Xiaowen proposed publishing the evidence to build public pressure.
• Li Shuyi told Li Beihai about Han Xu, and Li Beihai agreed to arrange a generous offer to recruit him.
• Bai Xiaowen admitted he planned to form his own Super God Guild team after graduation, and declared confidence that his chosen university would win the CUAA championship.

Bai Xiaowen began selling Bind-on-Equip Blue Gear and Rye Pastry through The More Knives, the More Victims, earning high profits and attracting customer interest. Zhang Bo joined the shop as a full-time employee, and his renewed enthusiasm helped increase sales.

• Bai Xiaowen transferred Refined Longswords and Refined Iron Armor from White Stone Fief and listed each Blue Gear item for 5,000 Psionic Points.
• Bai Xiaowen offered Rye Pastry for 998 points, and Awakened complained about the price even as some secretly ordered it.
• Zhang Bo asked Bai Xiaowen to make him a full-time employee after deciding the shop offered better prospects than his Awakened career.
• Bai Xiaowen signed Zhang Bo to a long-term contract with good terms and promised bonuses for each rise in the shop's credit rating.
• Zhang Bo threw himself into reviewing goods and serving customers, and sales at The More Knives, the More Victims steadily increased.

Han Xu left the Jingwu Guild after its representatives challenged his friendship with Bai Xiaowen, then agreed to join the Super God Guild. Bai Xiaowen led the University Team through grueling training as they prepared for the CUAA National Championship.

• Bai Xiaowen handed the online publicity campaign about the assassination incident to Sister Zheng and returned to school after completing work on his store and signing Zhang Bo.
• Yan Xiaoxin announced Jinghai University's upcoming CUAA draw and took responsibility for representing the school, while Bai Xiaowen began planning the team's training.
• Sister Zheng defended Han Xu during negotiations with the Jingwu Guild, and Han Xu thanked the guild before refusing to renew his contract.
• Bai Xiaowen invited Han Xu to join the Super God Guild, and Han Xu agreed to go there with Sister Zheng to finalize a contract.
• Bai Xiaowen trained the University Team in the S-01 Psionic Training Ground, where his summons impressed the exhausted Chen Guowei and Xiang Hui.

Bai Xiaowen reached Alchemist level 5 while balancing potion-making and University Team training, then decided to challenge a player who had been disparaging Spirit Channeling Prince. As the duel began, Navy Marshal recognized Teacher Qiao, leaving Bai Xiaowen puzzled by her involvement.

• Bai Xiaowen made potions for Super God Potion Shop and raised his Alchemist level from 4 to 5 over several days.
• Bai Xiaowen and Li Shuyi watched videos of Navy Marshal defeating Spirit Channeling Prince and realized an Awakened player controlled Navy Marshal.
• Bai Xiaowen accepted a six-month streaming contract with Starlight Streaming after the major platforms demanded longer contracts.
• Li Shuyi discovered that the woman challenging Wu Chaojie was Qiao Wei, a teacher from Yanjing University.
• Bai Xiaowen and Li Shuyi entered the Player Platform to spectate as Navy Marshal faced Spirit Channeling Prince, and Navy Marshal recognized Teacher Qiao before the duel began.

Bai Xiaowen watched the Spirit Channeling Prince defeat the Navy Marshal, who surrendered before the fight could develop, and he and Li Shuyi suspected the duel had been arranged through borrowed accounts. After Li Beihai reported that a central directive had forced Taiwan Base City’s Awakened Association to audit the Boutu Guild, Bai Xiaowen concluded that Zhao Yannian was likely finished.

• The Spirit Channeling Prince struck the Navy Marshal with a Binding Talisman, but the Navy Marshal surrendered before using any skills, giving the Spirit Channeling Prince the victory.
• Bai Xiaowen and Li Shuyi noticed that Wu Chaojie’s post had been deleted and suspected that the duel’s accounts had been used by people close to their owners.
• Li Beihai told Bai Xiaowen that Taiwan Base City’s Awakened Association would cooperate with an audit of the Boutu Guild’s accounts.
• Bai Xiaowen read a Publicity Department post stating that Qiao Zhen had ordered a serious investigation into the National Exam Top Scholar assassination.
• Bai Xiaowen concluded that the directive put Zhao Yannian’s position in the Boutu Guild in grave danger.

Bai Xiaowen refused a settlement offered on Zhao Yannian’s behalf, and Zhao was arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment as a central crackdown curbed guild power and Awakened violence. Bai later resumed livestreaming on Starlight, where his audience gradually grew as viewers from his former platform found his new channel.

• Xiang Tian visited Bai Xiaowen and offered fifty thousand Psionic Points, an S-Tier item, sealed Gold Equipment, and a notarized oath in exchange for Bai’s signature settling with Zhao Yannian.
• Bai refused the settlement and told Xiang Tian that Xiang Hui had left because he saw his father trying to use their friendship; Xiang Tian departed with a complicated expression.
• Investigators gathered evidence that Zhao Yannian had bribed Awakened to attack Bai and murdered Tai Shuisheng, and Zhao was arrested within three days of Bai’s refusal.
• Zhao Yannian was sentenced to life imprisonment without commutation or parole, and his property was confiscated; a nationwide campaign then restricted guild authority and targeted conflicts among Awakened.
• Bai resumed his Spirit Channeling Prince livestream on Starlight, and former viewers from Shark gradually joined his new channel.

Bai Xiaowen began a ranked promotion match while teaching viewers how to use Spirit Channeling Prince in a swamp. After encircling his level 8 opponent with summoned soldiers, he watched the Phantom Archer break free with enhanced skills.

• Bai Xiaowen entered ranked mode and was matched with a level 8 opponent in a swamp.
• He explained how Insight revealed the opponent’s Phantom Archer class and how Targeted Airdrop could overcome the swamp’s movement disadvantage.
• Bai Xiaowen summoned four Skeleton Sword-and-Shield Soldiers around the opponent to demonstrate a Cross Encirclement Kill.
• The opponent used Swing to knock a soldier aside, then leaped through the opening and immobilized the soldiers with Shadow Webs.

Bai Xiaowen advanced to Platinum Four during his stream, then attended an emergency meeting where the team reviewed its upcoming opponent, Wannan University. The meeting was interrupted by a fight between Chen Guowei and Liu Fei, and Bai Xiaowen began investigating what had happened.

• Bai Xiaowen used an airborne encirclement to defeat Hououin Yoshitsune and won two more matches, advancing to Platinum Four.
• Bai Xiaowen and Li Shuyi went to the training base, where Yan Xiaoxin revealed that Wannan University would be their first National Championship opponent.
• Yan Xiaoxin showed the team footage of Wannan University's captain, Duanmucheng, and Bai Xiaowen said he was confident the team could beat them.
• A crash came from the restroom, and Ding Cheng reported that Chen Guowei and Liu Fei were fighting.
• Liu Fei told Bai Xiaowen that Chen Guowei had kicked him from behind, and that he had fought back after Chen Guowei attacked again.

After Chen Guowei exposed Liu Fei’s role in sabotaging Han Xu’s guild contract, a phone recording proved his accusations. Bai Xiaowen expelled Liu Fei from the University Team and Xiao Mingsheng from the reserve team, then planned a test to fill the vacant main roster spot.

• Bai Xiaowen questioned Chen Guowei about attacking Liu Fei, and Chen explained that Liu Fei had leaked information about Han Xu to the Jingwu Guild.
• Chen Guowei played a recording of Liu Fei and Xiao Mingsheng discussing Han Xu, confirming Liu Fei had helped damage Han Xu’s prospects.
• Han Xu said he was doing well now, and Bai Xiaowen condemned Liu Fei for sabotaging him.
• Yan Xiaoxin agreed when Bai Xiaowen expelled Liu Fei from the University Team and Xiao Mingsheng from the reserve team.
• Bai Xiaowen ordered Chen Guowei to pay for the damage and submit a self-criticism, then announced a test to fill the open main roster spot.

Xiang Hui defeated Ding Cheng and earned the final main roster spot on the Jinghai University Team. Meanwhile, Liu Fei struggled with the fallout from being expelled and met Zhao Yuting, who began confronting him about the support she had given him.

• Bai Xiaowen chose a melee replacement for Liu Fei, and Yan Jun withdrew from consideration because he was a ranged attacker.
• Xiang Hui accepted Ding Cheng’s challenge and defeated him so decisively that Ding Cheng surrendered after one match.
• Bai Xiaowen reviewed Xiang Hui’s Nightblade Assassin abilities and finalized the main roster with Xiang Hui alongside Han Xu, Li Shuyi, Feng Zi'ang, and himself.
• Bai Xiaowen asked Yan Xiaoxin to oversee the selection of substitute players.
• Liu Fei noticed students gossiping about his expulsion and worried that it would ruin his chances of securing a better contract with the Titan Guild.
• After waiting two days, Liu Fei met Zhao Yuting, who told him she had given him more than thirty thousand Psionic Points and ordered him to listen.

Liu Fei was rejected by Zhao Yuting and, isolated from his former friends, called Wu Guangming. Meanwhile, Jinghai University prepared to face Wannan University in the first round of the CUAA National Championship, which began with the teams banning match modes.

• Zhao Yuting ordered Liu Fei to stop contacting her and warned she would demand repayment of his Psionic Points if he ignored her conditions.
• Liu Fei went to a bar, realized his friends had abandoned him, and called Wu Guangming.
• Bai Xiaowen led the University Team through coordination training, and Coach Guan Zhongliu visited before leaving again.
• Jinghai University hosted Wannan University for the first round of the CUAA National Championship, with Bai Yanni replacing Zhao Yuting as host.
• Bai Xiaowen won the coin toss and banned Conquest Mode in SOLO Mode, then Duanmucheng banned King of the Hill Mode in SOLO Mode.

The National Championship knockout match between Jinghai University and Wannan University began with Resource Raid Mode after the teams had already banned both SOLO modes. Bai Xiaowen chose the blue faction, and the teams prepared to enter the battlefield.

• Bai Yanni explained the knockout stage’s best-of-three rules and the overtime procedure for a tied series.
• The random draw selected Resource Raid Mode as the first match.
• Bai Xiaowen chose the blue faction, leaving Wannan University with red.
• Bai Yanni outlined the mode’s resource-building rules, victory condition, resurrection costs, and map layout.
• Bai Xiaowen and his teammates prepared to enter the generated battlefield.