Yellow Paper

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Yellow Paper (黄皮纸)
Alias(es)	Butler; Guardian (true name) 12 38
Occupation/Role	Shadow World interface, contract, and Reincarnator support system
Affiliation	Shadow World / Shadow Street
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Power Progression

Stage	Development	Details
Initial Contract Interface	Recruitment and basic support functions	The Yellow Paper begins as the Devil Game contract and becomes a thought-responsive interface for attributes, missions, records, and rewards after its holder signs. 1 2
Guardian Revelation	Storage and fusion functions identified	Its true designation as a Guardian is revealed when Li Wei obtains Guo Jian's free Guardian, whose fusion grants access to its storage and increases Li Wei's basic attributes. 38
Replacement Guardian	Reincarnator status restored	After Li Wei's original Yellow Paper is devoured by the Black Paper, the Daoist gives him a free Guardian, allowing him to regain a Reincarnator identity before his mandatory mission. 92
Guardian–Destroyer Connection	Counterpart system uncovered	The Black Paper identifies itself as a Destroyer and possesses attributes corresponding to a Guardian; later records establish Guardians and Destroyers as connected systems operating across star domains. 135 220
Shadow Street Restart	Mission network reactivated	Following Li Wei's successful restart mission, Shadow Street's teleportation array and seven-day mandatory mission system are reactivated for Reincarnators. 286
Territorial Authority	Ownerless-town claiming capability revealed	Yellow Papers can be used by Reincarnators to claim ownerless towns, enabling powerful holders to expand their influence through city ownership. 417

Background / History

The Yellow Paper first arrives in Li Wei's mysterious package as an aged, parchment-like Devil Game contract covered in handwritten tadpole-like characters. Signing it activates Li Wei's connection to the Shadow World and precedes his loss of consciousness. 1

Upon awakening in the Legend of Sword and Fairy scenario, Li Wei finds the Yellow Paper in his hand. It identifies him as ID 1987, displays his attributes, provides scenario tasks and time limits, and establishes that he may interrupt an Initial Trial at any time—at the likely cost of its rewards. 2

After completing the Initial Trial, Li Wei learns that every Shadow World participant possesses a Yellow Paper. It functions as the key for travel between the real world and Shadow Street, where it is commonly called a “Butler.” 12

The Paper's true name, Guardian, is revealed after Li Wei kills Guo Jian and obtains the latter's dropped Yellow Paper. A free Guardian can be fused with another Guardian, granting access to its stored points and items while increasing the user's four basic attributes. 38

During the black-mist incident, Li Wei discovers a Black Paper on a Shadow Corpse Demon's body. When he later summons his Guardian, the Black Paper emits black threads and devours it, leaving Li Wei unnumbered and at risk of being erased when his next mandatory mission begins. The Daoist subsequently gives him the free Guardian No. 173, which Li Wei signs to restore his Reincarnator status. 92

Li Wei's following mission interface identifies him as Reincarnator No. 108 and states that Guardian No. 108 does not match his host body's rating, causing several abilities to be restricted by the scenario. 93

After Li Wei is reborn and becomes the owner of the Black Paper Destroyer, his Yellow Paper remains among the Destroyer's stored belongings but no longer functions normally. 202 The Destroyer's records later reveal that Guardians and Destroyers are related systems tied to the wider hierarchy of star domains. 220

Following Li Wei's successful mission to restart Shadow Street, Yellow Papers across the Destroyer's star domain announce that Shadow Street, its teleportation array, and the seven-day mandatory mission cycle have reopened. 286

Functions

Contract and Reincarnator Identification

The Paper serves as the Shadow World's recruitment contract. Signing it makes an individual a member of the Shadow World; its displayed ID corresponds to their order of entry. 12

• Displays the holder's ID, race, attributes, skills, Internal Energy, rating, and points. 2 11
• Shows the thresholds governing attribute advancement, including Spirit's stages at 9, 99, and 999. 2
• Identifies other Reincarnators by their IDs and relevant combat data when used alongside perception abilities. 17
• A free Guardian can be claimed by signing one's name on it, including Guardians dropped following a holder's death. 92 174 196
• Signing a Yellow Paper can recruit inhabitants of mission worlds as Reincarnators. Li Wei uses this method to bring Dongfang Bubai and Green Conch into his camp. 285 314
• Mission-world natives who sign a Yellow Paper can become free of restrictions imposed on them by their original world's laws. 285 286

Mission Administration

The Paper issues scenario information and objectives for Initial Trials and later compulsory missions. 2 17

• Lists task objectives, difficulty ratings, deadlines, and reward conditions. 2
• Can alter or update objectives in response to events, such as changing Li Wei's Lantern Ghost task and imposing a two-hour deadline. 4
• Displays strategic maps, including fog-of-war coverage, faction control, and locations such as Dawn City. 21
• Provides scenario prompts for guarded locations and optional quests. 21 22
• Delivers completion notices and rewards after missions. 30
• Announces earned points and item rewards, such as Li Wei's 50 points and the Lantern of the Vengeful Soul after killing the Lantern Ghost. 6
• Can issue random missions in response to local events, including Li Wei's Meticulous Care task concerning Aunt Li. 6
• Can issue missions while holders are in the real world, as seen when every Reincarnator receives the mission to seize an ownerless Sand City. 174
• May restrict skills that exceed a given mission world's permitted power level or that do not match the Guardian holder's assessed rating. 93
• Resumed issuing seven-day mandatory missions after Shadow Street was restarted in the Destroyer's star domain. 286
• Enables Reincarnators to claim ownerless towns, creating a system through which city lords can gain territorial authority and additional power. 417

Information Display and Recording

The Yellow Paper manifests in response to its holder's thoughts and can display contextual information. 2

• Records written information; a bamboo brush can be summoned for this purpose. 2
• Identifies targets when Li Wei projects an image or thought onto it, including the Lantern Ghost's order, nature, and dangers. 4 5
• Can provide item and skill descriptions, including cultivation requirements and exchange values. 11 14
• Supports point transfers by writing the recipient's ID and transferred amount on the Paper. 11
• Can display the holder's mission map and personal information on command. 20 21
• Can be used to grant another person viewing permission for the holder's Guardian, allowing them to inspect its information without receiving access to its storage. 41
• Is ordinarily invisible to people other than its holder, even when placed directly before them. 6
• Can identify monsters and other targets by name even for holders without specialized perception skills. 375

Travel and Temporal Effect

The Yellow Paper creates gateways between the real world, Shadow Street, and mission worlds. 12 17

• Opening a portal from Shadow Street returns its holder to the real world; only ten minutes pass in reality during Li Wei's first extended stay in Shadow Street. 12
• A holder can enter Shadow Street by tracing a portal pattern in the air. 14
• When Li Wei opens a gate under threat, surrounding time slows dramatically while he remains unaffected, allowing him to escape Guo Jian. 36
• Mandatory missions are initiated by the Paper after the required interval, transporting holders directly into a scenario. 17
• Losing one's Guardian prevents entry into the next mandatory mission and can result in direct erasure unless the individual obtains another Yellow Paper. 92

Storage and Guardian Fusion

A Guardian contains its owner's storage space, points, and items. Its contents cannot be accessed by another person until they fuse with it. 38

• Guo Jian's Guardian holds a 16,000-point storage space and numerous items, including the Earth Fiend Set, Type 95 Rifles, ammunition, and Golden Trauma Medicine. 38
• Fusing Guo Jian's Guardian raises Li Wei's attributes to Strength 17, Agility 18, Spirit 23, and Stamina 13 before equipment bonuses. 38
• Shao Yang's Guardian contains a 38,000-point storage space, Mental Power Potions, Fire and Thunder Crystals, enchanted equipment, and a Skeleton Staff. 48
• Fusion is a major source of power: Li Wei estimates that each fused Guardian increased all four of his attributes by five points in Guo Jian's case. 42
• Guardians can manifest stored supplies and equipment directly for their holders, including food, weapons, armor, and mission provisions. 18 20
• The Slave Brand described by the Yellow Paper can, with a Reincarnator's consent, establish absolute command authority over that Reincarnator and permit the owner to view their attributes, skills, points, and storage. 93
• A slave's death is immediately reported to the owner through the Yellow Paper. 196

Limitations

• The Paper can summon only its recording brush as a tool; Li Wei cannot create arbitrary imagined objects such as guns or laptops. 2
• It is primarily an interface and support device rather than a direct weapon. Li Wei initially determines that its practical functions are manifestation, data display, and recording. 2
• Accessing another Guardian's storage requires prior fusion with that Guardian. 38
• The Paper's mission system can compel holders into new scenario worlds after seven days. 14 17
• Certain mission worlds can suppress or restrict abilities considered incompatible with the scenario's power system. 93
• A holder who loses their Yellow Paper becomes unnumbered and may be erased rather than permitted to enter their next mandatory mission. 92
• The Black Paper Destroyer can devour Yellow Papers, making Guardians especially vulnerable when brought near it. 92 496
• After Li Wei becomes the owner of the Destroyer, his retained Yellow Paper no longer functions as a normal Guardian. 202

Known Guardians

Guardian Holder	Guardian Status / Outcome	Notes
Li Wei (initial Guardian)	Devoured by the Black Paper	Originally known as the Yellow Paper or Butler; identified him as ID 1987 before being devoured by the Black Paper during the black-mist incident. 2 12 92
Li Wei (replacement Guardian)	Acquired and signed	The Daoist gives Li Wei the free Guardian No. 173 after Li Wei loses his original Guardian. A subsequent mission display identifies Li Wei as No. 108. 92 93
Guo Jian	Fused by Li Wei	Guardian ID 348; its fusion grants Li Wei attribute increases and access to stored equipment and points. 38
Shao Yang	Obtained by Li Wei	Guardian ID 114; contains 38,000 points and high-value materials and equipment. 48
Sky-Piercing Fox Demon	Active	Obtains a dropped Yellow Paper after killing a Reincarnator and signs it with blood to become a Reincarnator. 196
Dongfang Bubai	Active	Signs a Yellow Paper offered by Li Wei, becoming a Reincarnator and escaping the Main God's restrictions on her original world. 285 286
Green Conch	Active	Signs a Yellow Paper given by Li Wei, allowing her to reach Shadow Street and the real world. 314

Trivia

• The original contract is designed to resemble antique parchment and carries a scent of parchment and ink. 1
• The Paper floats in midair without drawing ordinary bystanders' attention. 14
• In Shadow Street, “Yellow Paper,” “Butler,” and “Guardian” refer to the same type of entity or item, with Guardian identified as its true name. 12 38
• Although the Daoist's replacement Guardian is explicitly identified as No. 173, Li Wei's following mission interface refers to him as Reincarnator No. 108. 92 93
• The Black Paper's true name, Destroyer, is structurally similar to Guardian and displays corresponding attributes, but its aura is highly unsettling to Yellow Paper holders. 135 250