Chapter Summaries

Zong Shen reached the final passage on the left branch of the Azshara Sewers and discovered Bone Sky, a powerful awakened skeletal spellcaster with immense potential. He inspected Bone Sky’s attributes and learned that it might be possible to recruit it as a subordinate.

• Zong Shen organized his warriors while Doris, Favid, and the Fire mages began incinerating the bones in the previous passage.
• Zong Shen advanced through the final passage with his warriors and found a collapsed hall, several treasure markers, and a red-glowing skeletal monster.
• The strange skeleton raised its head and watched Zong Shen from across the hall.
• Zong Shen used the Strategy Module to inspect the creature and learned its name was Bone Sky and that it possessed extraordinary powers and growth potential.

Zong Shen befriended Bone Sky, an intelligent skeleton trapped inside a dimensional force field, and learned that a rare spatial mage could potentially free him. After arranging for Tasia to visit Bone Sky, Zong Shen finished exploring the fortress and unearthed a golden-grade War Ancient seed.

• Bone Sky initiated a conversation with Zong Shen and explained that he had never left the force field surrounding his throne.
• Zong Shen confirmed through the Strategy Module that Bone Sky was sincere and that a sixth-tier spatial grand mage could open a passage through the dimensional boundary.
• Zong Shen asked Bone Sky to follow him if he could free him, and Bone Sky wondered whether joining him would mean losing his freedom.
• Zong Shen told Bone Sky that Tasia would visit him, then led his warriors onward to finish exploring the hall.
• Zong Shen's warriors recovered platinum- and gold-marked treasure chests and dug up a giant golden-grade [War Ancient (Gold)] seed.

Zong Shen inspected the Seed of the War Ancient, learned how it could grow into a mobile fortress that summoned Elf warriors, and chose to cultivate it with Moon Goddess Spring after the Defense Challenge. He returned to his territory, surveyed its defenses, and prepared to stay there until the challenge began.

• Zong Shen examined the War Ancient seed’s growth stages and discovered that its mature form could become a mobile fortress and produce Elf Fruits that summoned warriors.
• Zong Shen consulted the Strategy Module, rejected three impractical rapid-growth methods, and planned to plant the seed with Moon Goddess Spring and vitality-rich materials.
• Zong Shen ended the exploration, returned through the gate Corridor, and restored the High-grade Poison Bead to the Poison Mist Swamp.
• Zong Shen rode Little Blackie back to his territory and surveyed its nearly completed walls, traps, and defenses from above.
• Zong Shen decided not to leave the territory before the Defense Challenge and returned to the Lord’s Fortress while his Warriors continued working.

Zong Shen prepared his territory for a level-up mission and began upgrading it from LV18 to LV19, aiming to stay ahead on the Territory Level Leaderboard before its rewards were settled. The first wave of hostile beasts was swiftly eliminated, and he waited for the remaining targets to arrive.

• Zong Shen woke to find Luna gone, checked the Territory Level Leaderboard, and decided to raise his territory by two levels.
• Zong Shen ordered Vereesa, Luna, San Pang, Maryl, and Howie to bring farmers inside the defenses, organize warrior patrols, and disable indiscriminate tower attacks.
• Zong Shen began the upgrade mission from territory level LV18 to LV19, which attracted 190 hostile targets from within 95 kilometers.
• Sixteen Grassland Bulls and a pack of more than sixty Grassland Wolves arrived first, but the Giant Crossbow Towers and territory warriors killed them within minutes.
• Zong Shen had the beast carcasses brought back for food and materials, then waited for the next wave of hostile targets.

Zong Shen intercepted Richardson, the undead commander of the Silver Lion Knights, and tried to recruit him by presenting the order’s war banner. Richardson stopped his charge and acknowledged the assembled knights, but his decision to join Zong Shen’s territory remained uncertain.

• Dragonhawks near the northern Outpost became agitated under the influence of Zong Shen’s territory expansion, then calmed when their knights soothed them.
• A dormant skeletal knight on the Land of Buried Bones awakened and charged toward Zong Shen’s territory.
• After Richardson was reported approaching from the northwest, Zong Shen ordered nearby troops to withdraw and defensive structures to treat him as non-hostile.
• Zong Shen used Reese Ulysses’s Blink to meet Richardson and stopped his charge by displaying the Silver Lion War Banner.
• Richardson saluted the banner, and the assembled Lion Skeleton Knights and Lion Knights saluted and knelt before Zong Shen.
• Zong Shen invited Richardson to join his territory, but Richardson remained hesitant and gave no clear answer.

Zong Shen recruited Lion Skeleton Knight Richardson, whose exceptional abilities and knightly will made him a powerful new hero. He then rushed to the northeast, where Blood Wolf Gugat and the Wolf Cavalry were trying to capture a giant Blood-Toothed Wild Boar King alive.

• Vereesa reported that seventy to eighty Blood-Toothed Wild Boars and their enormous king had appeared northeast of the territory, and Zong Shen ordered his troops to capture the king without harming the herd.
• Richardson dismounted, knelt, and submitted to Zong Shen, who discovered that the undead knight was a level 55 Epic hero with powerful skills and 99 Loyalty.
• Zong Shen ordered the Lion Skeleton Knights to obey Richardson and sent Richardson and Tasia toward the northeast with the Lion Knights.
• Zong Shen used Blink to reach the northeast with Reese Ulysses, where the Wolf Cavalry surrounded the boars with Capture Nets and Vereesa assisted their efforts.
• Blood Wolf Gugat fought the Overlord Grade Blood-Toothed Wild Boar King, wearing it down while preparing to restrain it alive.

Zong Shen watched the Wolf Cavalry try to capture a herd of Blood-Toothed Wild Boars while planning to breed them as mounts and livestock. When the Boar King’s rage drove the herd into a frenzy, he ordered Tasia and the Lion Knights to help contain them.

• The Wolf Cavalry wore down the Blood-Toothed Wild Boars while Blood Wolf Gugat fought the Boar King, and Zong Shen watched from the sidelines.
• Zong Shen considered using captured boars to establish a breeding base and develop a boar-knight force.
• Lion Skeleton Knight Richardson arrived with the Lion Knights, knelt before Zong Shen, and was acknowledged as his first hero-grade Undead talent.
• Blood Wolf Gugat cut off the Boar King’s tail, triggering a frenzy that strengthened the entire herd and injured several Wolf Cavalrymen.
• Zong Shen called Tasia down and ordered the Lion Knights to help the Wolf Cavalry contain the boars without killing them.

Zong Shen’s forces subdued Blood-Toothed Boar King Chacha and bound it with a Pet Contract, gaining control of its herd. After raising his territory to Level 19, he left Chacha recovering from its wounds and considered how to use the boars.

• Arig led Lion Knights in containing the berserk Blood-Toothed Boars while Blood Wolf Gugat fought Chacha one-on-one.
• Zong Shen inspected Chacha’s attributes and let Gugat continue the fight without intervening.
• After half an hour, Gugat brought Chacha close to death, and the soldiers tied up the remaining boars and subdued them.
• Zong Shen used a Pet Contract on unconscious Chacha, and the contract succeeded after several minutes, healing some of its injuries.
• Zong Shen received notice that the territory expansion mission had succeeded and that his territory had reached Level 19.
• Zong Shen checked Chacha’s new status and began considering ways to put the boar herd to use.

Zong Shen subdued Blood-Toothed Boar King Chacha and organized the newly acquired herd for breeding, meat production, and transport-platform development. As he prepared to move the boars to the Agricultural District, Time Stop began at noon.

• Zong Shen successfully tamed Chacha without any deaths and considered how different tiers of Blood-Toothed Boars could serve as mounts, transport platforms, or meat livestock.
• Zong Shen sensed Chacha's temperament and breeding ability, then planned to use a Wild Seed on Bajie so he could advance and mate with the Boar King.
• Zong Shen rode Chacha back to the territory, where Chacha brought the subdued herd under control and the Wolf Cavalry freed the boars from their ropes.
• Zong Shen counted 86 boars, divided them into groups by tier and intended use, and asked Maryl to establish a piggy territory in the Agricultural District.
• Zong Shen was about to lead the herd to the Agricultural District when white light engulfed his vision and he recognized the return of Time Stop at noon.

With 24 hours remaining before the Final Challenge, Zong Shen studied its rules and called an emergency meeting to prepare his territory. He learned that two new legendary support buildings had been completed as his heroes reported on the territory’s readiness.

• The Lord System announced that each Lord would face an independent 24-hour territory defense challenge, with survival and protecting the Central Stone Pillar required for success.
• Zong Shen concluded that the challenge rules blocked common exploits and that strong performance might earn information about the world’s secrets.
• Zong Shen divined Great Fortune, settled the injured boars in the Agricultural District, warned Flying Tiger to control its Scorpion-tailed Tigers, and summoned his heroes for an emergency meeting.
• Zong Shen told the assembled heroes that the challenge would begin at noon the next day and asked the logistics team to report on construction.
• Maryl reported that the defensive buildings were complete, a Magic Hall and training ground had been fused into a Transcendent Magic Hall, and the Communication Crystal Tower had been upgraded to a 10,000-kilometer range.

Zong Shen reviewed the newly fused Transcendent Magic Hall and entrusted Luna with cultivating a War Ancient seed. Luna invited Sophie to help, and the two elves began reconnecting with Vereesa after more than ten thousand years apart.

• Zong Shen inspected the Transcendent Magic Hall’s enhanced training, observation, and mana-support abilities.
• Zong Shen gave Luna the Seed of the War Ancient and told her to consult Salome Forestspeech about cultivating it.
• Luna recognized Sophie as the former leader of the Azshara Tranquil Prayer Order and asked her to help nurture the seed.
• Sophie accepted Luna’s invitation after Vereesa gave her approval.
• Luna embraced Sophie and Vereesa, recalling their lost comrades and telling Sophie that they could meet again and build a life in Zong Shen’s territory.

Zong Shen assigned preparations for the upcoming Defense Challenge and planned to recruit Bone Sky while considering whether Sophie would join his territory. After his subordinates left, he messaged his younger brother Zong Ze about his preparations and received a reply after a long silence.

• Zong Shen considered recruiting Sophie and assigning different commanders to the territory’s troops, then ordered Tasia to visit Bone Sky in the underground fortress with Richardson.
• Zong Shen told his staff to prepare food, water, and Cellar shelters for the Defense Challenge, and Vereesa organized the warriors, archers, and equipment.
• Zong Shen ordered Colby and Favid to rest and supply their troops, then dismissed everyone to carry out their duties.
• Tasia kissed Zong Shen before Reese Ulysses took her and Richardson toward the underground fortress through a Shadow Wormhole.
• Zong Shen messaged Zong Ze to ask how his preparations were going, and Zong Ze replied after a long silence.

Zong Shen assessed the region’s lords, considered how they would eventually expand against native settlements and cities, and compared their progress with his own. He received pictures of Aze’s mountain territory and congratulated him as the Defense Challenge approached.

• Zong Shen reflected on his relationship with Zong Ze and decided to focus on strengthening himself while his brother pursued his own ambitions in the Kingdom of Rhodok.
• Zong Shen browsed the [World Channel] and [Regional Channel], reviewing market activity, lord survival rates, and the region’s development.
• Zong Shen estimated that lords would eventually raid native settlements and cities to grow their territories, and planned to claim native resources before that conflict began.
• Zong Ze sent Zong Shen pictures of his territory, showing defenses built across mountain slopes and several hundred Defense Towers.
• Zong Shen replied that he was taking it easy, praised Zong Ze’s territory, and noted the Defense Challenge would begin the next day.

Zong Shen learned that Zong Ze had found the Blood Axe Clan Treasury and advised him to investigate Count Bliss, who might hold a key fragment. He then began opening the silver treasure chests from the Azshara Sewers Underground Fortress, leaving the higher-tier chests for later.

• Zong Shen photographed his territory from the fortress Tower and showed Zong Ze how far his defenses had developed.
• Zong Ze told Zong Shen he had found the Blood Axe Clan Treasury and had collected two of its six key fragments.
• Zong Shen learned where the remaining fragments were and suggested Zong Ze visit Count Bliss, who had once lost a ring to him.
• Zong Shen took out twenty-four treasure chests, kept the bronze and black iron chests for the Defense Challenge, and opened seven silver chests.
• Zong Shen sorted the silver chests' contents, including recruitment scrolls and blueprints, and planned to use the scrolls before the Defense Challenge.

Zong Shen examined and learned a range of blueprints, then ordered Maryl to prepare water infrastructure and reinforced trenches for the territory. He ended the chapter studying a Rare Grade Mana Charging Tower blueprint that could be used to build up to three towers.

• Zong Shen learned the Reservoir Construction Blueprint and considered connecting the territory’s streams to reservoirs through canals.
• Zong Shen learned blueprints for reinforced paving slabs, pigsties, White Stone streetlamps, wine cellars, and other practical territory improvements.
• Zong Shen contacted Maryl about White Stones and planned to have Iron Hand Barenk develop additional lighting products.
• Zong Shen learned the Third-Order Reinforced Trench blueprint and ordered Maryl to have Farmers dig and build trenches around the territory before dawn.
• Zong Shen learned the Fourth-Order Watchtower blueprint and examined a Mana Charging Tower blueprint that allowed three towers to be constructed.

Zong Shen learned a blueprint for three Fourth-Order Magic Charging Towers and coordinated their placement with Maryl as the territory continued preparing its defenses for the upcoming Defense Challenge. He reviewed his recent progress and plans for the Mine, leaving its deeper tunnels and distant gem mine for development after the challenge.

• Zong Shen learned the Fourth-Order Magic Charging Tower blueprint and discussed three suitable building locations with Maryl.
• Maryl’s defensive layout organized towers by rank, created overlapping firing zones, and left room for Zong Shen to lead an offensive during the Defense Challenge.
• Zong Shen reviewed the territory’s week of preparations, including the stockpiling and production of arrows, Crossbow Bolts, bows, and crossbows.
• Zong Shen assessed his recent Strength Extraction gains, level, and plans to improve Madeline, Mappel, Tasia, and Ashia with soul enhancement.
• Zong Shen checked the Mine’s concealed entrance and planned to investigate its strange cries and strengthen its defenses after the Defense Challenge.
• Zong Shen considered developing the distant gem mine by establishing a teleportation array and designating it as one of his Land Claims.

Zong Shen reviewed two Rare Grade defensive blueprints and planned to add their structures to the territory’s defenses. He left the chapter after mastering both blueprints and telling Maryl to prepare workers and materials before the next day’s challenge.

• Zong Shen revised his land-claiming plan, keeping Azshara Mine and the distant Gem Mine while dropping Poison Mist Swamp.
• Zong Shen considered connecting the Gem Mine to his territory with a 100km-Level Teleportation Array and reflected on the mine’s potential.
• Zong Shen examined and mastered the Fourth-Order Power Strike Scatter-Crossbow Tower blueprint, noting its multi-bolt attacks and powerful firing skills.
• Zong Shen examined and mastered the Fourth-Order Armored Shieldguard Firing Point blueprint, which could protect ranged warriors and be built atop qualifying structures.
• Zong Shen contacted Maryl, explained both blueprints, and asked her to arrange workers and have Dwarf Uncle forge the missing materials.

Zong Shen inspected the items from seven Silver Treasure Chests and recruited an intermediate blacksmith, Solton Modi. He ordered Reese Ulysses to take Solton to the senior blacksmith Bronzebeard Winefire so he could begin working.

• Zong Shen sorted the chest loot, setting aside the lower-grade items for storage, his heroes, and the territory’s agriculture and defenses.
• Zong Shen examined the Rare Grade Venom Lightning Whip, found its weapon style unsuitable for him, and stored it for possible future use or sale.
• Zong Shen used the Intermediate blacksmith Recruitment Scroll and summoned Solton Modi from Mortor Smithy Workshop in Steelheart Fortress.
• Zong Shen introduced Solton Modi to Reese Ulysses and asked her to use Blink to take him to Bronzebeard Winefire.

Zong Shen examined the remaining rewards from seven Silver Treasure Chests, including gear and special goggles that revealed a quest connected to the legendary pilot Corki. After finishing the silver-chest haul, he opened four Golden Treasure Chests and began sorting their contents.

• Reese Ulysses used Blink to take Solton Modi away, while Zong Shen remembered his plan to find Isidore and acquire his spatial magic talent.
• Zong Shen identified Wind-Riding Light Armor for Vereesa and added the Thunder Bomb to his armory for the Defense Challenge.
• Zong Shen stored Tuscan Fine Wine and discovered that Corki's first-generation goggles could awaken the ace pilot's soul at the submerged Bandle City Ruins.
• Zong Shen resolved to explore the surrounding seas and finished examining the contents of the seven Silver Treasure Chests.
• Zong Shen opened four Golden Treasure Chests and began inspecting their contents one by one.

Zong Shen opened a Golden Treasure Chest and obtained a privilege coupon that could repeat major actions, a Strange Fruit that gave him a Strongman form, and a magic talent enhancement scroll. He planned to use the coupon to reopen a Platinum Treasure Chest during the Defense Challenge and intended to give the scroll to Reese Ulysses.

• Zong Shen opened a Golden Treasure Chest and received an Another Chance Privilege Coupon, a Strange Fruit, a Magic Talent Enhancement Scroll, insecticide, and Night Huntress recruitment scrolls.
• Zong Shen realized he could open a Platinum Treasure Chest during the Defense Challenge and use the coupon to repeat the opening before the challenge restored used items.
• Zong Shen ate the Strange Fruit and drew the Strongman form, which doubled his body size, Strength, and Health but reduced his speed and recovery.
• Zong Shen decided the magic talent scroll would be more useful for improving Reese Ulysses's spatial talent than his own Lightning Element talent.
• Zong Shen considered taking Isidore's Rare Grade spatial talent for himself, since Isidore was his captive and had aided Isidore and the Shadowfall demon.