Chapter Summaries

Plot points and events

• He Yu and Zhou Sining ask Fei Jiao about Zhang Xiaohou. He reveals that Xiaohou’s squad was last seen where the terrifying, roaming undead mass Sha Yuan appeared. The squad is presumed lost, though the military has not confirmed their deaths because the site cannot be properly investigated.
• Refusing to give up, He Yu insists on searching for Xiaohou. Zhou Sining joins her, citing their shared hardships. Fei Jiao gives them the available information and arranges a guide, Short Man, through a Hunters’ Alliance contact.
• The search party leaves at dawn. Sha Yuan has moved on, but the awakened Ghost Tyrant and restless undead make travel across the plains extremely dangerous.
• Elsewhere, a badly wounded young man—apparently Zhang Xiaohou—lies in a village, suffering severe pain and memory-triggered episodes. Su Xiaoluo, who rescued him, cares for him and gives him medicine when his memories make him ill.

Character developments and interactions

• He Yu moves from shock and grief to determined action, choosing to search despite the danger.
• Zhou Sining proves loyal to Xiaohou by volunteering to accompany He Yu.
• Fei Jiao feels responsible for Xiaohou and is reluctant to endanger the pair, but ultimately helps them.
• Su Xiaoluo is brusque but compassionate, tending carefully to the injured young man.
• Short Man accepts the assignment partly out of respect for Fei Jiao and partly for the value of the connection.

Significant themes

• Hope amid uncertainty: Xiaohou is presumed dead, yet his friends refuse to accept that without proof.
• Loyalty and responsibility: He Yu, Zhou Sining, and Fei Jiao each act out of personal commitment to Xiaohou.
• Survival and danger: Sha Yuan, the undead, and the harsh landscape underscore how fragile life is.
• Hidden recovery: The wounded man’s survival offers a counterpoint to the despair surrounding the search, though his identity and condition remain unresolved.

Key plot points and events

• Zhou Sining summons his massive Warrior Level Sand Prison Flame Demon Tiger, nicknamed Tiger King, to carry the group on their search for Zhang Xiaohou. Tiger King is intimidating but comically resentful that Zhou favors his other summon, Fierce Dragon God, and is persuaded to cooperate with the promise of milk powder.
• He Yu is astonished by Zhou’s ability to contract such a powerful beast. The short man and his burly companion also quickly abandon their earlier airs and climb aboard.
• The group reaches Yangyang Village, only to find it destroyed, with little left but scattered timber and holes in the ground. Zhou cannot recall the relevant details of the original story, so they continue toward Hua Village.
• After avoiding the Undead overnight with Gray Garlic, they arrive at Hua Village. Despite its flimsy fence and its dangerous location, the village has survived by means of an unexplained defense. The short man warns the others that the villagers are temperamental and negotiates entry by paying the guards.
• At the village chief’s home, they encounter Su Xiaoluo and a young man she identifies as Fu Da, who has been wandering off while recovering. Zhou recognizes him as Zhang Xiaohou and rushes to him. He Yu, overwhelmed with emotion, calls out to Zhang, but he looks at her blankly and asks who she is.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Sining shows command of his formidable summon, while his banter with Tiger King reveals a humorous, unequal relationship: Tiger King resents being neglected in favor of Fierce Dragon God. Zhou also remains uncertain about events he once knew from the story.
• He Yu moves from shock at Zhou’s strength to focused concern for Zhang Xiaohou. Her tearful reunion is met with his apparent failure to recognize her.
• The short man resumes acting as the group’s guide in Hua Village, advising them to stay quiet and handling the difficult entry negotiations.
• Su Xiaoluo is anxious about Fu Da’s confused wandering, while Village Chief Xie Sang reacts protectively to the unfamiliar visitors.
• Zhang Xiaohou appears to be suffering from severe confusion or memory loss, leaving He Yu stunned and distressed.

Significant themes

• Power and dependence: Zhou’s impressive control over Tiger King contrasts with the summon’s hunger and resentment.
• Survival amid danger: The destroyed Yangyang Village and mysteriously resilient Hua Village show the varied fates of communities near the Undead.
• Memory and identity: Zhang Xiaohou’s failure to recognize He Yu turns the anticipated reunion into a painful mystery.

Key plot points and events

• He Yu examines Zhang Xiaohou’s extensive injuries, including a severe head wound, and is overcome with guilt and concern. He Yu and Zhang Xiaohou share a tender moment as she touches his scar and he tries to comfort her.
• Su Xiaoluo explains that she nursed Zhang Xiaohou for weeks after finding him badly wounded. His memory loss may stem from his injuries or trauma, so Zhou Sining insists they take him to the city for a proper examination rather than give him medicine without knowing the cause.
• The group plans to leave Weiju Village the next morning. Zhou warns Chief Xie Sang that an Undead Monarch has awakened and urges the villagers to move into the city. Xie angrily rejects the warning, trusting the village’s traditions and past survival.
• Before departing, Su Xiaoluo gives He Yu medicine for Zhang Xiaohou. He Yu offers her a bank card, but Su declines; Zhou instead gives her a Spatial Ring stocked with medicines, herbs, medical books, and hidden Magic Equipment for emergencies.
• The group travels safely back to the Ancient Capital, aided by Gray Garlic. On arrival, Zhou takes Zhang Xiaohou to the Bell Tower Magic Association to see Han Ji.

Character developments and interactions

• He Yu shows deep affection and remorse toward Zhang Xiaohou, tending to him and worrying over his recovery. Zhang, though confused and suffering memory loss, responds instinctively with kindness.
• Zhou Sining is cautious and practical about Zhang’s treatment, warns the village of looming danger, and discreetly equips Su Xiaoluo to protect herself.
• Su Xiaoluo is revealed as Zhang’s devoted caregiver. She accepts Zhou’s gift after he emphasizes that she saved his brother’s life.
• Xie Sang’s suspicion of outsiders and confidence in ancestral customs prevent him from taking Zhou’s warning seriously.

Significant themes

• Care and gratitude: He Yu and Zhou express their concern for Zhang, while the group repays Su Xiaoluo for her lifesaving care.
• Forewarning and stubbornness: Zhou’s warning about the coming undead threat contrasts with Xie Sang’s refusal to abandon tradition.
• Responsibility and uncertain futures: Zhou’s gifts to Su Xiaoluo reflect his concern that events may diverge from what he remembers, leaving her village more vulnerable.

Plot points and events

• Zhou Sining brings an injured, amnesiac Zhang Xiaohou to Han Ji, claiming Zhang had been muttering about the Black Vatican. Han Ji initially objects to being treated like a doctor.
• When Zhou repeats names connected to the Black Vatican, Zhang suffers a sudden, severe headache. Han Ji discovers a centipede-shaped Forget Worm embedded in his arm, its poison reaching toward his brain.
• Han Ji uses powerful Healing Element magic, culminating in the Super Level spell Divine Blessing, to destroy the worm and heal Zhang’s injuries. Zhang regains his memories.
• Still unsure whom to trust, Zhang questions Han Ji and asks whether he can leave. Zhou assures him he is free to go and says He Yu is waiting outside. Zhang leaves the office, then soon asks to return with He Yu.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Sining uses a made-up explanation to get Han Ji’s attention, inadvertently triggering Zhang’s buried memories. He is protective of Zhang but gets irritated when Zhang acts cautiously.
• Han Ji shifts from annoyance to urgent concern once he identifies the Forget Worm. His calm, immense healing power saves Zhang, and he respects Zhang’s distrust rather than forcing him to stay.
• Zhang Xiaohou moves from confusion and pain to recovering his memory. Because he knows important information, he remains wary even after being healed, testing whether he is free to leave before deciding to return.
• Zhou and Han Ji give Zhang room to choose; Han also lets Zhou guide the conversation. He Yu’s presence outside offers Zhang someone familiar to consult.

Significant themes

• Trust and caution: Zhang’s suspicion is treated as sensible given the danger of what he knows.
• Memory and identity: The Forget Worm threatens Zhang’s memories, while its removal restores both his recollections and his ability to act on them.
• Power used to protect: Han Ji’s formidable magic is presented as controlled and restorative, healing Zhang without damaging the office or coercing him.

Key plot points and events

• Zhang Xiaohou privately tells Han Ji what he witnessed during the mission near Yangyang Village and the Sha Yuan.
• After seeing the Sha Yuan—a vast abyss packed with undead—Zhang Xiaohou fled but was ambushed by a human using a Fire Element spell.
• He recognized the attacker’s leader as Mu He, younger brother of Mu Zhuoyun and a Blue-Clad Deacon of the Black Vatican.
• Zhang Xiaohou overheard the conspirators planning to repeat the Bo City disaster in the Ancient Capital. They intend to use a rain-dispersed “Fountain of Rage” to enrage the undead, while the Sha Yuan’s migration draws it closer and brings forth more powerful undead.
• He also heard that something inside the Sha Yuan could be the real force capable of destroying the city. A Forget Worm was planted in him afterward.
• Zhou Sining suggests the hidden entity may be the Ancient King, Ying Zheng, legendary founder of the Undead Element.

Character developments

• Zhang Xiaohou reveals his traumatic experience despite his fear, showing determination to expose the conspiracy and protect the Ancient Capital. His hatred for Mu He is intense.
• Han Ji shifts from cautious listener to alarmed investigator as the threat grows from a hidden cult presence to a planned mass catastrophe.
• Zhou Sining demonstrates an unexpected ability to use the Mind Element, calming Zhang Xiaohou during his panic.
• He Yu is startled by Zhou’s ability and supports Zhang Xiaohou as he recounts what happened.

Significant themes

• Trauma and courage: Zhang Xiaohou must confront both the horror of the Sha Yuan and his memories of Bo City to speak out.
• Hidden corruption and betrayal: The Black Vatican’s infiltration makes trusted institutions and public safety vulnerable.
• Escalating catastrophe: The plot links manipulation of the undead, the Sha Yuan’s movement, and a mysterious power within it into an existential threat.
• The past threatening the present: The Ancient King’s possible presence suggests buried history may determine the Ancient Capital’s fate.

Character interactions

• Zhang Xiaohou seeks Han Ji’s discretion and trust before revealing the secret.
• Zhou Sining uses his Mind Element to calm Zhang Xiaohou, while declining to explain the ability.
• Zhang Xiaohou reassures He Yu, then identifies Mu He and describes the plan.
• Han Ji presses him for details, reacts with fury and fear, and listens as Zhou Sining proposes the Ancient King as the entity within the Sha Yuan.

Key plot points

• Zhou Sining warns Han Ji that the Black Vatican’s plan involving Sha Yuan may threaten not just millions of lives but the entire Ancient Capital. He suspects Sha Yuan could conceal the Ancient King’s tomb—and possibly the Ancient King himself, whose return could unleash an Emperor-level threat.
• Han Ji takes the warning seriously. He sends Zhang Xiaohou and He Yu into guarded protection and plans to prepare for the worst.
• Zhou Sining reflects that his interference has changed events: He Yu survived, Zhang Xiaohou learned of the plot sooner, and the city might be evacuated. But he fears the timeline could still “correct” itself, leaving key events—such as the Bridge of Nine Deaths, the Mountain Peak Corpse, Fang Gu, and Zhan Kong’s role—uncertain.
• Han Ji briefly asks whether Zhou Sining’s Crimson Blade could help if disaster strikes, then recognizes that relying on an Advanced Mage against such a threat is unrealistic. Zhou offers to try communicating with the Spirit Form but makes no promises.
• Realizing he may also be in danger as one of only four people who know the truth, Zhou turns back to request protection. Before he can, Mu Nujiao calls, revealing she has come to the Ancient Capital to see him. Zhou bluntly tells her to leave.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Sining remains outwardly composed while privately worrying about the altered timeline and his own safety. He is cautious about promising more than he can deliver.
• Han Ji shifts from disbelief to grim acceptance, burdened by the scale of the possible catastrophe. His brief hope in Zhou’s power gives way to sober judgment.
• Zhang Xiaohou and He Yu are confused by the discussion but comply with Han Ji’s protective orders.
• Mu Nujiao approaches Zhou playfully, but his cold response shows how completely the crisis has consumed him.

Significant themes

• Foreknowledge and fate: Zhou’s actions have changed events, but he fears the timeline may force the catastrophe back onto its original course.
• Catastrophic sacrifice and responsibility: Han Ji must consider evacuating the city, while Zhou feels pressure to help despite his limited strength.
• The limits of power: Even powerful Mages may be helpless against an Emperor-level threat.
• Isolation in crisis: Knowledge of the plot separates the informed characters from others and makes those who know it potential targets.

Key events

• Zhou Sining meets Mu Nujiao at the Ancient Capital airport and urges her to return to Magic City because the city faces dangers beyond its usual Undead unrest.
• He identifies the Black Vatican as the greater threat. Its plot has been exposed, and Mu He has been revealed as a chief deacon, making Mu Nujiao’s presence near Zhou a potential risk.
• Mu Nujiao asks Zhou to leave with her, noting that he has already secured his academy nomination. He refuses, believing he cannot abandon the danger or his responsibilities.
• Zhou books her a flight back to Magic City as travel restrictions tighten.
• Before they part, Mu Nujiao explains that she came because she has become an Advanced Mage and won her academy nomination unusually early. She wants to be strong enough to stand beside him.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Sining tries to protect Mu Nujiao by sending her away, but his insistence reveals how much he fears the Black Vatican might target her. He is shaken to learn that his strength and generosity have made her feel she must catch up to him.
• Mu Nujiao shows both deep affection and fierce pride. Though she is worried for Zhou, she resists being treated only as someone to protect. Her recent achievements are driven partly by her desire to be his equal.
• Their reunion is tender but strained: she clings to him, recalls that he has made similar promises before, and finally states plainly that she wants to remain at his side.

Significant themes

• Protection versus partnership: Zhou thinks keeping Mu Nujiao safe means sending her away; she sees standing beside him as a choice she wants to make herself.
• Love, ambition, and insecurity: Mu Nujiao’s affection motivates her growth, while Zhou realizes his progress may have unintentionally made her feel inadequate.
• Duty amid danger: Zhou remains in the Ancient Capital despite the risks, caught between his concern for Mu Nujiao and the responsibilities surrounding the crisis.

Key plot points and events

• Zhou Sining wants Mu Nujiao to leave the dangerous Ancient Capital, but she insists on staying beside him.
• Mu Nujiao reveals she has already reached the Advanced Level and secured three recommendation votes for the National Team, with a fourth likely. Her success surprises Zhou, who is impressed but still worries about her safety.
• Mu Bai calls to report that Imperial Mages have arrested his uncle, Mu He, on suspicion of ties to the Black Vatican. Because the arresting officers refused to show credentials or evidence, Mu Bai fears his uncle may have been framed.
• Zhou reassures Mu Bai, then explains to Mu Nujiao that the Imperial Mages are under the Bell Tower Magic Association and would not normally be deployed without authorization.
• Han Ji confirms that Mu He has been captured, his cultivation sealed, and his identity verified by Zhang Xiaohou. Several close associates have also been arrested, while others—including Mu Bai—are being watched.
• Han Ji asks Zhou to come to the Association and confirm Mu He’s identity. Mu Nujiao accompanies him.

Character developments and interactions

• Mu Nujiao shows confidence and independence: her rapid progress and tournament votes demonstrate that she can contribute rather than merely put herself at risk. Her decision to stay is driven by her love for Zhou and the pain of having once waited months while he was unconscious.
• Zhou Sining is deeply moved by her devotion but remains protective. He reluctantly accepts that she will accompany him.
• Mu Bai is distressed because Mu He has been a caring guardian and business partner since the Bo City disaster; he struggles to believe his uncle could be involved in the Black Vatican.
• Zhou and Mu Nujiao share affectionate, teasing moments, while their disagreement over her safety reflects both his concern and her determination.
• Zhou and Han Ji coordinate directly on the arrest, with Han relying on Zhou to help verify Mu He’s identity.

Significant themes

• Love, loyalty, and protection: Mu Nujiao chooses to face danger with Zhou, while Zhou’s instinct is to keep her safe.
• Growth and self-reliance: Mu Nujiao’s achievements have changed her from someone who might have held Zhou back into a capable partner.
• Trust and suspicion: Mu Bai’s fear that Mu He may have been framed contrasts with the authorities’ confidence in the arrest, leaving the truth to be confirmed.
• Duty amid danger: Personal relationships unfold against the wider threat of the Black Vatican and the undead crisis.

Key plot points and events

• Zhou Sining and Mu Nujiao return to the Bell Tower Magic Association, where Secretary-General Han Ji escorts them through a floor sealed by a Tribunal spell. The barrier is designed to stop attacks and prevent anyone inside from escaping.
• They join Han Ji, Zhu Meng, Zhang Xiaohou, and He Yu to inspect Mu He, a senior Black Vatican member held in a specially reinforced prison. Magical restraints and a Bite Guard prevent escape or suicide.
• Han Ji explains that Mu He likely has a mature Forget Worm implanted in his mind, making any attempt to probe him potentially fatal.
• Zhou Sining confirms Mu He’s identity and confronts him about the planned attack on the Ancient Capital. He argues that such a major operation must be directed by Salang, the Red-Clad Pontiff, who is likely present in the city.
• Since Mu He gives away nothing, Zhou tests possible identities by naming prominent officials, then examines a list of senior figures. Mu He briefly reacts to the name Ling Xi.
• Zhou concludes that Ling Xi, a female elder of the Hunters’ Alliance, is Salang.

Character developments

• Zhou Sining stays composed and resourceful under pressure. Rather than relying on conventional interrogation, he uses his knowledge of the story and Mu He’s tiny involuntary reaction to identify Salang.
• Mu He remains cold and defiant, dismissing Zhou’s attempts and boasting that Salang could be among them in disguise. His composure falters only for an instant when Ling Xi is named.
• Mu Nujiao follows Zhou into the high-security operation and recognizes the gravity of the situation.
• Han Ji and the other officials treat the capture as a critical emergency, deploying unusual containment measures to protect the interrogation.

Significant themes

• Knowledge as power: Zhou’s outside knowledge gives him an advantage when ordinary interrogation is blocked.
• Deception and hidden identities: Salang’s disguise and possible proximity to the investigators make trust difficult.
• The limits of force: Even a secured prisoner may be impossible to interrogate because of the Forget Worm.
• Composure under pressure: Zhou’s calm, deliberate approach contrasts with the chapter’s tense setting and Mu He’s taunts.

Character interactions

• The Secretary-General guides Zhou and Mu Nujiao through the sealed facility, explaining its protective spell.
• Han Ji shares the danger posed by Mu He’s Forget Worm, while Zhou confirms the prisoner’s identity.
• Zhou provokes Mu He with claims about Mu Bai and challenges him over the Ancient Capital plot; Mu He responds with contempt and mockery.
• Zhou’s guesses draw little response from the group, but Mu He’s brief reaction to “Ling Xi” lets Zhou make his decisive accusation.

Key plot points and events

• Han Ji trusts Zhou Sining’s accusations and orders Imperial Mages to find Ling Xi and cast Soul Imprisonment on her, despite Zhu Meng’s doubts.
• Zhou questions the captured Black Vatican member Mu He about the Fountain of Rage, which caused the Bo City disaster and has now been adapted for the undead. He suggests that the spring from Weiju Village might counteract it.
• Han Ji sends another squad to collect the spring water and bring the villagers to safety.
• Zhou asks whether the Ancient King’s tomb is in Sha Yuan. Mu He confirms it and reveals that Sha Yuan is moving toward the Ancient Capital because the Ancient King is awakening and returning.
• Mu He insists that nothing can stop Sha Yuan’s movement. The group realizes that, even with the Black Vatican’s scheme exposed and the Fountain of Rage potentially neutralized, the Ancient Capital Cataclysm cannot be prevented.

Character developments and interactions

• Han Ji sets aside his usual caution and backs Zhou, explaining that he trusts him after earlier successes against the Black Vatican.
• Zhou Sining appears remarkably perceptive, using information from the original events—not an actual conversation with Mo Fan—to build theories that unsettle Mu He and guide the authorities’ response.
• Zhu Meng questions Han Ji’s sudden trust but ultimately has little choice but to accept his decision.
• Mu He shifts from mockery to stunned silence, then reveals the Black Vatican’s larger plan with fervent, almost ecstatic devotion.
• Zhou’s questioning turns into a contest of wits: Mu He recognizes that Zhou has guessed the scheme correctly, while Zhou and Han Ji act on those deductions.

Significant themes

• Foreknowledge and its limits: Zhou can uncover the plot early, but knowing what is coming does not mean he can stop it.
• Fate and inevitability: Sha Yuan’s movement is presented as beyond human control, making the cataclysm an unavoidable event.
• Faith versus reason: Han Ji’s trust in Zhou contrasts with Zhu Meng’s skepticism, while Mu He’s fanatical belief in the Ancient King shapes his response.
• The scale of human power: Even powerful mages feel helpless before Sha Yuan, reduced to “ants” facing an overwhelming force.

Plot points and events

• After capturing Hu Jin (Mu He) and exposing the Black Vatican’s plan, Han Ji orders an evacuation of the Ancient Capital before the Ghost Tyrant and Sha Yuan attack. The conspiracy was designed to destroy the city and kill over a million people as part of Salang’s Apotheosis Ceremony.
• Zhu Meng agrees to seek an Imperial Relocation Order, though moving a million people would be difficult and disruptive.
• Han Ji assigns the Tribunal to track the Black Vatican while keeping the existing plan to kill the Ghost Tyrant.
• Imperial Mages report that Elder Ling Xi has been dead for a week. The woman who recently appeared as her was almost certainly Salang, who has escaped.
• A second report arrives: the Ghost Tyrant is moving. As rain begins to fall, Zhou Sining suspects it is the Fountain of Rage, which could make the undead immune to sunlight and endanger the Imperial Mages returning from Hua Village, as well as Su Xiaoluo and others.
• Zhou Sining fears that despite his efforts to change events and save people, the disaster may still unfold—and that his actions may have made Hua Village’s fate worse than in the original timeline.

Character developments and interactions

• Han Ji and Zhu Meng respond to the exposed plot by urgently planning evacuation and preparing for the Ghost Tyrant, but each new crisis deepens their sense of helplessness.
• Zhou Sining recognizes the rain as a possible sign that the Fountain of Rage has been deployed. His confidence in his ability to change events falters as he worries that his interventions have failed.
• Mu Nujiao quietly supports Zhou Sining, taking his hand and reassuring him, “I’m here with you.”
• Zhang Xiaohou, He Yu, and Mu Nujiao remain mostly silent as events accelerate, absorbing the revelations and their consequences.

Significant themes

• The value of human life: Salang treats mass death as a tool, while the authorities struggle to protect civilians.
• The limits of preparation and control: Even after exposing the conspiracy, the characters face an escape, a possible magical attack, and the Ghost Tyrant’s advance.
• Consequences of changing fate: Zhou Sining questions whether altering events has truly improved the outcome.
• Solidarity amid crisis: Mu Nujiao’s comfort offers a small moment of connection amid mounting danger.

Key plot points and events

• With the Ghost Tyrant’s sudden attack and the rain preventing air travel, Han Ji can no longer send Zhou Sining and the others home. Zhang Xiaohou and He Yu accept that they must stay, while Han Ji warns that Sha Yuan may be the greater danger even if the Ghost Tyrant is defeated.
• The group retreats to rooms beneath the Bell Tower Magic Association. Zhou Sining fears that the Ancient Capital Cataclysm is now unavoidable despite their disruption of the Black Vatican’s plan, and wonders whether his changes to the original course of events have made matters worse.
• Mu Nujiao reveals she came to the Ancient Capital because she was worried about Zhou Sining. Though terrified by the prospect of the city’s fall, she refuses to leave without him and chooses to stay at his side.
• Resolved to keep searching for a way to help, Zhou Sining takes out the ominous Crimson Blade: Burning Heaven and attempts something Han Ji had previously asked him to try. As he holds the blade, it rapidly drains his Magic Energy and mental strength. He sees countless emotionless eyes in the darkness and loses consciousness, determined not to release the sword.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Sining moves from helplessness and regret toward action, encouraged by Mu Nujiao’s commitment. His concern for her is clear, but he ultimately decides he must keep trying to avert disaster.
• Mu Nujiao admits her fear but shows loyalty and resolve, rejecting the offer of a special flight home unless Zhou Sining comes with her. She comforts him with a shoulder massage and an affectionate exchange.
• Zhang Xiaohou and He Yu reaffirm their sense of duty as Military Mages, accepting the danger rather than retreating.
• Han Ji remains weary and focused on the unfolding crisis, arranging shelter and cautioning the group about Sha Yuan.

Significant themes

• Duty versus self-preservation: The young mages stay because they feel responsible for protecting the city.
• Love and loyalty in danger: Mu Nujiao chooses to face the threat alongside Zhou Sining.
• Helplessness and responsibility: Zhou Sining struggles with the consequences of changing events but refuses to give up.
• Risk and sacrifice: His attempt to use the blade may offer a chance to act, but comes at a severe physical and mental cost.

Key plot points and events

• Zhou Sining awakens inside Burning Heaven’s Subspace as a blue soul form, realizing that his plan to enter it as a life crystal worked. He suspects Han Ji helped him.
• He asks Burning Heaven whether it could defeat Monarch- or Emperor-level creatures. Burning Heaven rebukes him for entering Subspace in a near-death state and using up its strength to save him.
• Zhou promises to feed Burning Heaven Spirit Essence, admitting he has repeatedly failed to keep that promise.
• Burning Heaven explains that its full power is theoretically immense, but it is dormant and can only be wielded through a host. Zhou’s weak body and soul limit how much power it can release; channeling that power drains his Magic Energy and mental strength, and may eventually destroy him.
• Burning Heaven says Zhou could defeat an ordinary Monarch at most. His current strength is not enough to face greater threats such as the Corpse of the Mountain Peak, while the Ancient Capital crisis leaves him little time to grow stronger.
• Asked how he might rapidly strengthen his body, Burning Heaven reveals a mysterious substance called Blood Lizi, kept from the man it killed when it first took control of Zhou’s body. It had learned of the substance’s remarkable properties from the man’s memories.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Sining is resourceful enough to risk entering Subspace as a life crystal, but his desperation is clear: he is searching for a way to meet an imminent threat despite knowing his current limits. He is also embarrassed and ingratiating when confronted about neglecting Burning Heaven.
• Burning Heaven shows irritation at being used and left unfed, but it remains protective of Zhou and explains both its power and the danger of wielding it. Its blunt warnings contrast with Zhou’s optimistic hopes.
• Their relationship is a mix of dependence, bargaining, and teasing hostility: Zhou needs Burning Heaven’s protection, while Burning Heaven demands food and warns that it could choose another host.
• Han Ji is mentioned as someone who may have helped Zhou enter Subspace, though his role is not confirmed.

Significant themes

• Power has a cost: Burning Heaven’s strength is constrained by its host, and using it risks exhausting or destroying Zhou’s body and soul.
• Preparation versus desperation: Zhou needs to become stronger, but the Ancient Capital emergency may not leave him enough time.
• Uneasy partnership and obligation: Zhou’s survival depends on Burning Heaven, while promises of repayment and nourishment underpin their strained bond.

Summary

Key plot points and events

• In Burning Heaven’s inner space, Zhou Sining discovers that it preserved the Blood Lizi rather than destroying it. The object grants a vast increase in physical and spiritual power, but using it carries a dangerous cost: it can demand enormous spiritual payment and may drive a mage with an insufficiently strong soul insane.
• Zhou Sining accepts the Blood Lizi despite the risks. Burning Heaven places it directly in his spiritual world, then launches him back into his body.
• After two days unconscious, Zhou wakes when Han Ji channels the energy of two star seas into him. He tells Han Ji that he will intervene if the situation becomes desperate, even if doing so costs his life.
• The battlefield has worsened sharply: the Ghost Tyrant has been defeated, but several senior fighters are badly injured; the Imperial Mages sent out have not returned; and the villagers’ well water has run out. The undead can now move in daylight for a second day.
• Sha Yuan has shifted to the former Outer City Wall, and nearly all the Eight Directions Undead Lords—including the Corpse of the Mountain Peak and Skeleton Nether Lord—have mobilized. The Inner City barrier remains, but the Ancient Capital faces imminent catastrophe.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Sining recognizes the Blood Lizi as the source of Mo Fan’s Demon Element and weighs its immense power against the risk of losing his sanity. He chooses to accept it, but does not plan to use it lightly. He is willing to sacrifice his life to protect the city and Mu Nujiao.
• Burning Heaven reveals its knowledge of the Blood Lizi, keeps it for Zhou, and places it in his spiritual world without much concern for his objections. Its casual attitude contrasts with Zhou’s alarm.
• Han Ji is anxious for Zhou’s help and visibly shaken by the scale of the threat. He reports the latest military situation and the depletion of the well water.
• Mu Nujiao helps wake Zhou and informs him that he has been unconscious for two days. Her presence is part of what strengthens his resolve to fight.

Significant themes

• Power and its price: The Blood Lizi may make Zhou vastly stronger, but risks a crushing debt and the loss of his humanity.
• Sacrifice and responsibility: Zhou accepts that protecting others may cost him his life.
• Escalating catastrophe: The failure of the water supply and the mobilization of the undead leave the defenders with little time or room for error.

Plot points and events

• As the Ancient Capital faces destruction, nearly every surviving high-ranking mage gathers atop the Clock Tower to hear Han Ji and the Mysterious Gray-White Man’s plans.
• The Gray-White Man reveals that people descended from the Ancient King may be able to enter the Sha Yuan safely. The Weiju villagers’ inherited teachings support the claim, though it remains unverified.
• Fang Gu volunteers to enter the Sha Yuan, hoping to give the city’s millions a chance. Zhang Xiaohou also volunteers, believing he may share Weiju Village ancestry.
• Han Ji approves the plan. The assembled mages prepare to escort Fang Gu and Zhang Xiaohou through the Undead to the Sha Yuan’s entrance.
• Before they leave, Zhou Sining gives Zhang Xiaohou a Spatial Ring containing a blade and strict instructions for using it—though he does not explain why.
• Zhou Sining and Mu Bai discuss Mu He’s betrayal. Mu Bai says he already knows, but the revelation has left him deeply confused and hurt.
• He Yu bids Zhang Xiaohou farewell, insisting he return alive. He promises he will.

Character developments and interactions

• Fang Gu accepts the risk despite his guilt over killing his fellow villagers, showing a desire to make his life count for others.
• Zhang Xiaohou joins him, linking his family’s gray-plum-blossom custom to Weiju traditions and choosing to face the danger rather than leave Fang Gu alone.
• Han Ji and the senior mages move from despair to determined action, agreeing to risk the plan because waiting offers no hope.
• Zhou Sining quietly guides Zhang Xiaohou and tries to support Mu Bai, while withholding the full purpose of the blade.
• Mu Bai remains composed but is emotionally shaken by learning that Mu He—the relative he respected—was a murderer.
• He Yu struggles to let Zhang Xiaohou go, but expresses her love and fear through a firm demand that he survive.

Significant themes

• Sacrifice and responsibility: Fang Gu and Zhang Xiaohou volunteer to risk their lives for the city.
• Hope amid catastrophe: An uncertain possibility becomes a reason for collective action.
• Trust and hidden knowledge: The plan depends on unverified ancestral lore, while Zhou Sining’s unexplained instructions hint at knowledge he keeps to himself.
• Betrayal and grief: Mu Bai must reconcile his affection for Mu He with the truth about his crimes.
• Love and farewell: He Yu’s final exchange with Zhang Xiaohou shows the personal cost behind the city’s desperate mission.

Key plot points

• After Han Ji, Zhang Xiaohou, and Fang Gu leave to fight their way toward the barrier, the remaining group is uncertain what to do. Zhou Sining stays on watch with Mu Nujiao, Mu Bai, and Zhou Min.
• Zhou Sining watches the undead army gather before the inner city wall and sees the Corpse of the Mountain Peak—the most powerful of the Eight Directions Undead Lords—begin to advance.
• His system shop offers the Earth Sacred Spring, Azure Dragon items, and Blood Lizi, but most require unknown “special conditions,” leaving him unable to rely on the system.
• Remembering that Mo Fan’s power was needed to overcome an early obstacle in Sha Yuan, Zhou Sining gives Zhang Xiaohou his Crimson Blade • Burning Heaven, hoping its devouring ability will help him and Fang Gu.
• Realizing the Corpse of the Mountain Peak cannot be allowed to continue unchecked, Zhou Sining prepares to act. He activates the Blood Lizi, which triggers a dramatic transformation: his body changes, blood markings appear, and a sinister Black Dragon Soul Shadow forms around him.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Sining moves from anxious calculation to resolve, accepting that he must confront the threat himself. His decision to lend Zhang Xiaohou the Crimson Blade also shows his willingness to sacrifice a powerful resource for the mission.
• Mu Nujiao stays beside Zhou Sining and, sensing his unspoken fear that he may not return, insists that he come back alive. He agrees, and their exchange underscores their closeness.
• Mu Bai and Zhou Min choose to remain with the group rather than seek shelter, sharing the tense wait.
• Zhang Xiaohou and Fang Gu are entrusted with Zhou Sining’s weapon as they pursue their dangerous route into Sha Yuan.

Significant themes

• Resolve under overwhelming pressure: The Corpse of the Mountain Peak’s immense presence threatens to break even experienced mages’ courage.
• Uncertainty and reliance: Zhou Sining’s system cannot provide the easy answers he hoped for, forcing him to act on imperfect knowledge and trust others.
• Sacrifice and connection: Zhou Sining risks losing his weapon and possibly his life, while Mu Nujiao’s plea gives their perilous situation a personal emotional focus.
• Transformation and danger: The Blood Lizi’s effects suggest that gaining power may come at a frightening, potentially uncontrollable cost.

Plot points and events

• Zhou Sining’s Demonization reaches its final stage. Black Magic Runes spread across his body, and a Black Dragon Soul Shadow appears alongside his Demon Tiger Soul Shadow.
• Though overwhelmed by a destructive urge to kill, Zhou Sining retains his reason. His immense aura leaves Mu Nujiao, Mu Bai, and Zhou Min frozen with fear.
• Eager to fight the Corpse of the Mountain Peak, Zhou Sining launches himself into the sky. The force of his takeoff cracks the Bell Tower’s reinforced top floor, which collapses into Han Ji’s office.
• At the ruined North Outer City Wall, Zhou Sining confronts the Corpse of the Mountain Peak. The giant monster punches through space, but Zhou meets it head-on with a flaming fist.
• Their collision fractures the sky itself. A shard falls and silently erases a vast area of ground and Undead, leaving a stark gap in the horde.
• Military Commander Yao Ting witnesses Zhou’s arrival and recognizes that his aura rivals the Corpse’s, despite not knowing what the two soul shadows are.

Character development and interactions

• Zhou Sining transforms into a powerful, volatile demon, but demonstrates unusual self-control by keeping his reason. His eagerness to test his strength turns him into the Corpse’s direct challenger.
• Mu Nujiao, Mu Bai, and Zhou Min are overwhelmed by Zhou’s terrifying presence and can barely move. Mu Nujiao narrowly escapes the collapsing floor.
• Yao Ting watches the clash in disbelief, realizing that a new force has emerged powerful enough to stand against the Corpse.
• Zhou and the Corpse communicate through their actions: both answer overwhelming power with a direct, fearless blow.

Significant themes

• Power and its cost: Zhou’s strength comes with a violent impulse that threatens his self-control.
• Fear versus resolve: The observers are immobilized by terror, while Zhou willingly charges into battle.
• Escalating destruction: The clash damages not only the battlefield but the sky and space itself, showing the catastrophic scale of the confrontation.

Key plot points and events

• Zhou Sining holds off the Corpse of the Mountain Peak, giving the Super Level mages a chance to withdraw. At Han Ji’s order, they return to the Inner City while the battle continues.
• Han Ji reveals Zhou Sining is a student who secretly kept the Blood Lizi, a dangerous substance from the abandoned Demon Element experiments. It greatly boosts its user’s power, but Zhou Sining chose to use it knowing it could cost him his life.
• On the Outer City Wall, Zhou Sining unleashes white Gangsha flames that consume the Undead Tide and burn the Corpse of the Mountain Peak, even blasting the giant back.
• The Corpse retaliates with deadly eye beams and a devastating strike that levels an entire city district. Zhou survives and counters with Chaos Sequence magic, warping space so the giant’s body and the surrounding terrain shift unpredictably.
• Zhou exploits the spatial distortions to land a powerful blow, opening a bloody wound in the Corpse’s back. The watching mages are stunned by magic that even the Super Level Space mage cannot explain.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Sining emerges as a formidable and self-sacrificing fighter, combining the Blood Lizi’s power, white flames, and mysterious Chaos magic to confront the Corpse alone.
• Han Ji recognizes Zhou’s sacrifice with admiration, but feels shame and guilt that young people must risk their lives while older leaders survive.
• The retreating mages—including Zhu Meng, Yao Ting, and Du Xiao—are initially uncertain whether Zhou is an ally, then follow Han Ji’s command and watch the battle in awe.
• The Corpse of the Mountain Peak grows increasingly enraged and unsettled as Zhou’s attacks harm him and spatial chaos undermines his strength.

Significant themes

• Sacrifice and duty: Zhou risks his life to protect the city, continuing a pattern of young people stepping forward in the crisis.
• Power with a cost: The Blood Lizi grants extraordinary strength, but its use is tied to potential death and the morally troubling history of secret experiments.
• Awe and uncertainty: Zhou’s unprecedented abilities challenge the mages’ understanding of magic, while the battle highlights how little they can control or comprehend.

Key plot points

• Zhou Sining’s Chaos Sequence severely wounds the Corpse of the Mountain Peak, leaving the thousand-year-old Undead Monarch bleeding and weakened. The watching leaders are astonished, but remind one another that the danger remains: seven other Undead Monarchs and Sha Yuan are still threats, and Zhang Xiaohou and Fang Gu’s situation is unknown.
• A village chief, Xie Sang, arrives with a bronze mirror inherited by the chiefs of Weiju Village. It reveals Fang Gu and Zhang Xiaohou inside Sha Yuan, climbing the White Cloud Stone Steps toward an ancient palace.
• Xie Sang explains that the Kun Well is a kind of “eye” connected to the imperial mausoleum: it lets the mausoleum observe the outside world and allows the villagers to watch over it.
• Fang Gu uses a matching bronze mirror to open the palace gate. White Jade Stone Figures come alive and attack, but he gets himself and Zhang Xiaohou inside.
• In a gallery of stone carvings, Fang Gu is briefly captivated by an image of an ancient woman before pulling Zhang Xiaohou onward. They reach the palace’s vast front hall and find a crystal-clear demonic lotus on a pedestal.
• Xie Sang identifies it as the Immortal Lotus. According to the ancestral teachings, the bridge to the Sacrificial Altar will appear only when the lotus is destroyed. Han Ji adds that even a Forbidden Curse Mage once struggled to kill one—far beyond what the two young men seem capable of.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Sining demonstrates extraordinary power and resolve, retaining his sanity after transforming with the Blood Lizi and managing to injure a formidable Monarch-level enemy.
• The commanders and elders briefly argue over recruiting Zhou Sining into the military or the Hunters’ Alliance, revealing their competing interests, before Han Ji refocuses them on the crisis.
• Xie Sang’s inherited knowledge gains new meaning as he recognizes the Kun Well’s purpose and helps the leaders follow Fang Gu and Zhang Xiaohou’s progress.
• Fang Gu shows resourcefulness by deciphering the ancestral teachings and opening the gate, while Zhang Xiaohou follows his lead. Fang Gu’s reaction to the carved woman hints at a mysterious emotional or spiritual influence.
• The group watching through the mirror shares both excitement and growing alarm as the pair advances into the mausoleum.

Significant themes

• Power and its limits: Zhou Sining’s attack proves that even an overwhelming Monarch can be hurt, while the Immortal Lotus presents a seemingly impossible obstacle.
• Inherited knowledge and hidden history: The villagers’ traditions and bronze mirror reveal the true function of the Kun Well and provide access to the ancient mausoleum.
• Courage and ingenuity: Fang Gu’s understanding and quick action carry the pair past deadly defenses, though the next challenge may require power they do not possess.
• Unfinished danger: A major enemy has been wounded, but the wider crisis—and the search for a way forward—remains unresolved.

Key plot points and events

• Zhang Xiaohou and Fang Gu discover that conventional attacks cannot harm the Eternal Demonic Lotus. Even when Zhang Xiaohou swallows some petals, they reassemble into a whole flower.
• With no other route to open the Imperial Mausoleum, Zhang Xiaohou follows instructions left by Zhou Sining: using silver tongs, he touches the lotus with a black blade called Crimson Blade: Burning Heaven.
• The blade awakens, glowing with crimson runes and revealing a sinister, living eye. It absorbs the Eternal Demonic Lotus, opening a hidden door in the palace wall.
• When Zhang Xiaohou tries to pick up the blade again, the tongs disintegrate. He leaves it behind, but the blade follows him on its own.
• Watching from afar, the assembled leaders are alarmed by the blade. Han Ji realizes its power may combine with Zhou Sining’s demon form and the Blood Lizi, potentially explaining Zhou’s recent choices.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhang Xiaohou shifts from desperation to resourceful action, trusting Zhou Sining’s cryptic directions when ordinary methods fail. He remains wary of the blade but prioritizes escaping the palace.
• Fang Gu persists in trying to destroy the lotus, then quickly seizes the chance to move through the newly opened door. He and Zhang Xiaohou share confusion and alarm over the blade.
• Han Ji connects the blade’s demonstrated power to Zhou Sining’s earlier actions, moving from uncertainty to renewed hope for the Ancient Capital.
• Zhu Meng recognizes the blade from having seen Zhou Sining use it, while He Yu worries that its apparent will could endanger Zhang Xiaohou and Fang Gu.

Significant themes

• Limits of conventional power: The lotus defeats brute force and even resists a Forbidden Curse-level threat.
• Trust amid uncertainty: Zhang Xiaohou must rely on instructions he does not understand.
• Power with a cost or danger: Burning Heaven solves the immediate obstacle, but its independent will and destructive effect make it unsettling.
• Hope in catastrophe: Han Ji interprets the blade’s arrival as evidence that the Ancient Capital may still be saved.