Chapter Summaries

Plot points and events

• After entering the Ancient Capital, Mo Xie’s group heads to the Hunter Alliance to find a guide to Weiju Village, where they hope to investigate what happened to a missing party.
• The busy Alliance is covered in rescue requests, but a short, experienced Hunting Mage explains that such missions often amount to recovering bodies: anyone stranded outside the walls overnight is likely to die or become undead.
• The guide recognizes the group as newcomers and offers to take them to Weiju Village. He demands ten million, or twenty million for an exclusive trip.
• Mo Fan protests the price. Mo Xie negotiates with his Hunter Master badge, securing a five-million rate while allowing the guide to bring other travelers.

Character developments and interactions

• Mo Xie stays practical and composed, focusing on finding a capable guide and negotiating rather than reacting to the inflated price.
• Mo Fan initially boasts that money is no concern, then erupts when he hears the actual cost; Xu Zhaoting has to restrain him.
• Liu Xian objects to the idea of abandoning endangered teammates, showing that her compassion and sense of loyalty remain intact despite her transformation into a Blood Clan member.
• The guide is cynical and commercially minded, using his experience—and Mo Xie’s prestigious badge—to set his terms.
• Xu Zhaoting shares the group’s concern about the people still trapped beyond the walls and tries to keep Mo Fan calm.

Significant themes

• The Ancient Capital’s walls create a sharp divide between protected city life and the lethal world outside.
• Constant danger has reshaped the hunters’ ethics: survival may demand leaving companions behind, clashing with Liu Xian’s ideals.
• Even rescue work has become grim and transactional, while reaching isolated communities like Weiju Village depends on local knowledge and costly expertise.

Key plot points and events

• Mo Xie and his companions leave the Hunter Alliance after paying a 2.5-million deposit and arrange to depart the next day.
• They reunite with He Yu, who is exhausted and distraught over Zhang Xiaohou’s disappearance. Mo Xie, Mo Fan, and Xu Zhaoting comfort her and promise to search for him.
• The group postpones meeting their other friends in the Ancient Capital, planning to do so after finding Xiaohou.
• That evening, Mo Xie takes Mo Fan, Liu Xian, and Xu Zhaoting to the Outer City wall. They witness a massive Undead horde attacking the city through the night.
• The defenders repel the assault with coordinated magic. Before the group is ordered off the wall, they glimpse a colossal shadow commanding an immense force of Undead.
• By morning, the battle’s tremors have stopped. Mo Xie gets everyone ready to leave and begin the search.

Character developments

• He Yu’s grief and anxiety ease somewhat when Mo Xie and the others reassure her, though her concern for Xiaohou remains central.
• Mo Xie shows his protective, brotherly affection toward He Yu and takes responsibility for supporting her.
• Xu Zhaoting, returning to the Ancient Capital, quietly absorbs the danger confronting the city.

Significant themes

• Family and loyalty: The group rallies around He Yu and commits to finding Xiaohou.
• Humanity against overwhelming danger: The night attack reveals how precarious life is in a city surrounded by the Undead.
• Courage and preparation: Seeing the siege firsthand gives the group a clearer sense of what they may face.

Character interactions

• He Yu breaks down in Mo Xie’s arms; Mo Fan and Xu Zhaoting join in comforting her.
• Liu Xian observes Mo Xie and He Yu’s close but clearly sibling-like bond.
• Mo Xie and Xu Zhaoting share a brief, warm reunion, while Mo Xie encourages him to see the city’s defenses.

Plot and events

• Mo Xie’s group meets Shorty at the south gate and discovers that Asharuiya, a striking and enigmatic Holy Maiden, is with him.
• Asharuiya greets Mo Xie with an affectionate embrace, teasing him about who sought out whom. Their familiarity surprises the onlookers.
• Liu Xian objects to Asharuiya clinging to Mo Xie. The two women exchange a tense challenge, but Mo Xie interrupts before it can turn into a fight.
• The ten-person group heads toward Weiju Village on foot. Shorty warns that the nearby Qinling Mountains are demon territory, making mounts—and unnecessary risks outside the city’s Safe Zone—unwise.
• As winter dusk approaches, Muscular Man distributes Gray Garlic, which masks the living from the Undead. Mo Fan bites into it, is repulsed by its taste, and vows he would rather fight than eat more.

Character developments and interactions

• Mo Xie remains dry and composed despite Asharuiya’s dramatic affection, and steps in to defuse the rivalry between her and Liu Xian.
• Asharuiya reveals a playful, openly affectionate side around Mo Xie, contrasting with her attendants’ image of her as a refined, imposing Holy Maiden. She also recognizes a dark aura in Liu Xian.
• Liu Xian reacts warily to Asharuiya’s dark presence and openly challenges her over her closeness to Mo Xie.
• Mo Fan is impulsive and irreverent: he complains about walking, then rejects the group’s unpleasant but practical protection against the Undead.
• Shorty guides the group and provides blunt, practical warnings; his remarks also show his irritation with Mo Fan.
• The reunion draws attention from the others, including Mo Fan, Shorty, and Asharuiya’s astonished attendants.

Significant themes

• Jealousy and rivalry: Asharuiya and Liu Xian compete for Mo Xie’s attention, creating tension within the group.
• Practicality versus bravado: The group must respect local dangers and use Gray Garlic for survival, while Mo Fan’s pride makes him resist.
• The approaching threat: The fading daylight and the Undead’s presence build unease as the travelers enter dangerous territory.

Key plot points and events

• The group crosses a burial ground as Undead begin crawling from the earth. Shorty urges everyone to swallow Gray Garlic, whose foul scent masks the living from the Undead.
• Mo Xie and Liu Xian secretly avoid eating it: Liu Xian’s Blood Clan nature protects her, while Mo Xie’s Qilin Pendant conceals him. The Undead pass them without noticing.
• Shorty warns that the burial mounds could contain a powerful mage turned Undead and urges the group to move on. He explains that the River of Lost Sands has grown unusually dangerous, possibly because a new Undead ruler—the “King”—is emerging.
• Asharuiya recognizes the significance of the King, while Mo Xie privately recalls that his own authority as king is hidden in Sha Yuan.
• The party reaches the supposed site of Yangyang Village, only to find a pile of timber. Muscular Man rushes down the slope, and the group realizes the village may have been destroyed.

Character developments and interactions

• Mo Xie remains composed and protective, keeping his knowledge of Sha Yuan’s connection to his kingship to himself. He also mediates when Liu Xian and Asharuiya quarrel.
• Liu Xian warns Mo Xie that Asharuiya has a dark aura, then bristles when Asharuiya calls her “little sister” and teases her about her size.
• Asharuiya shows interest in the Undead King and openly mocks the Holy Tribunal. She needles Liu Xian and clings more closely to Mo Xie, while claiming she came to investigate something for a buyer and repay an elder’s favor.
• Shorty acts as guide and shares local lore, though he is as baffled as the others when Yangyang Village is missing.
• Muscular Man appears proud of his Weiju Village connection and Gray Garlic, but becomes visibly shaken by the apparent destruction of Yangyang Village.

Significant themes

• Hidden identities and concealed power: Mo Xie and Liu Xian evade danger by hiding what they are, while the identity and nature of the Undead King remain unknown.
• Escalating danger and uncertainty: The densifying deathly aura and vanished village suggest the region’s threats are worsening.
• Rivalry and attraction: Asharuiya and Liu Xian’s teasing argument reveals jealousy and competition over Mo Xie.
• The past shaping the present: The Qin-era King, Sha Yuan, and Mo Xie’s buried authority tie ancient history to current events.

Chapter Summary: “Zombie Pursuit”

Key plot points and events

• The group finds Yangyang Village burned to the ground, with no bodies nearby. Mo Xie suspects people started the fire recently, and the group hurries toward Hua Village, hoping to find Zhang Xiaohou.
• With Hua Village still roughly a day and a half away, Shorty warns that their Gray Garlic supply will not last. Asharuiya suggests saving it for emergencies during the latter part of the night.
• The group encounters scattered Servant-level rotting corpses, which A Li and the Bearded Attendant dispatch without difficulty. They avoid graveyards and make it safely through most of the night.
• A Li dismisses the undead as harmless, despite Muscular Man’s warning that the region is strange. Near dawn, a violent storm begins. The rain washes away the Gray Garlic scent that had been masking the group, leaving them exposed.
• The rain turns the plain into mud, and blood-red water flows across the ground—signs, Shorty suspects, that a Greater Corpse may be nearby. With no shelter in sight, the group presses on.
• Two terrifying roars announce a huge, multi-armed corpse carrying rusted weapons. It has a small woman’s head, which accuses the group of having abandoned her.

Character developments

• Mo Xie stays focused on finding Zhang Xiaohou and shows concern for him. He also continues to tease Asharuiya about her invented identity.
• Asharuiya, introducing herself as Ye Meng’e, maintains her mysterious, composed persona. Her affectionate behavior toward Mo Xie contrasts with her cold authority toward A Li.
• A Li displays confidence and contempt for the undead, ignoring Muscular Man’s warning; the sudden storm and looming monster make that confidence look dangerously misplaced.
• Muscular Man proves cautious and knowledgeable about the region. His warning about the rain’s effect on Gray Garlic helps the group recognize their danger.
• Shorty takes a practical lead, managing the group’s pace and supplies, and later recognizes the threat suggested by the blood-red water.

Significant themes

• Danger hidden beneath apparent safety: The ordinary wandering corpses seem manageable, but the storm quickly changes the situation and exposes the group to greater threats.
• Overconfidence versus caution: A Li’s mockery of the undead contrasts with Muscular Man’s warnings, while the chapter shows how quickly circumstances can turn.
• Fragile protection and survival: The group depends on limited Gray Garlic, but the rain strips away its protection, forcing them to seek shelter or fight.
• Mystery and deception: Asharuiya’s adopted name and concealed status reinforce the uncertainty surrounding her identity.

Character interactions

• Mo Xie reassures himself about Zhang Xiaohou’s safety while discussing the next steps with Mo Xie’s companions.
• Asharuiya cautions A Li not to waste his Magic Energy after he kills a rotting corpse; his eagerness to please her is clear, but she keeps him at a distance.
• Shorty asks Asharuiya’s name, prompting her playful introduction as Ye Meng’e. Mo Xie responds by teasing her about finding her “younger brother,” and she answers affectionately.
• Muscular Man warns A Li not to taunt the undead, then later alerts everyone that the rain will erase the Gray Garlic scent.
• The chapter ends with the group confronting a monstrous corpse whose accusation—“Why did you leave me behind?”—suggests a personal tragedy behind its rage.

Key plot points and events

• The group is confronted by an Ax-wielding Great Corpse General, whose call brings a swarm of Rotting Corpses toward them.
• Asharuiya sends her attendants to fight the incoming undead and joins Mo Xie. Shorty urges everyone to flee, but Mo Fan and Xu Zhaoting agree that escape in the rain and darkness would leave them surrounded.
• Mo Xie tells the group to stay together and faces the Great Corpse General alone. As it swings its axe, he draws the sword Yama King and kills it with a single, precisely timed slash.
• The Corpse General’s head falls only after Mo Xie calmly sheathes his blade. Asharuiya witnesses the feat, astonished by his strength.

Character developments and interactions

• Mo Xie remains calm amid the panic, protecting Liu Xian and taking command of the group. His effortless victory reveals that he is far more powerful than the others expected.
• Liu Xian is reassured and pleased when Mo Xie pulls her behind him, interpreting the gesture as proof that he cares most for her.
• Asharuiya drops her veil and steps into the fight, showing resolve as well as concern for the group. Mo Xie’s victory leaves her visibly impressed.
• Shorty panics but still warns the others rather than abandoning them. Remembering Mo Xie is a Hunter Master restores some of his confidence.
• Mo Fan and Xu Zhaoting recognize that fleeing is futile and support holding position rather than scattering.
• Asharuiya’s attendants, A Xin and A Li, are tasked with dealing with the approaching Rotting Corpses.

Significant themes

• Composure and leadership under pressure: Mo Xie steadies the group and acts decisively while others panic.
• Hidden strength and dramatic contrast: The Corpse General appears overwhelmingly dangerous, yet Mo Xie defeats it with ease.
• Protection and affection: Mo Xie’s instinctive gesture toward Liu Xian reveals their closeness.
• Beauty and danger: Asharuiya’s unveiled appearance contrasts with the surrounding horror, while her willingness to fight shows that she is more than her appearance.

Key plot points and events

• Mo Xie kills the Ax-wielding Corpse General with a single sword strike, astonishing the group—especially the short and burly men, who had underestimated his strength.
• As a huge horde of undead closes in, Mo Xie orders everyone to crouch and unleashes a sweeping ring of lightning, destroying the corpses within roughly three hundred meters.
• The group realizes the reprieve will be brief: the general’s roar has drawn more undead from the surrounding area. Asharuiya summons her Night Knight, who unexpectedly salutes Mo Xie; his black steed also bows to him.
• The Night Knight charges through the densest part of the horde, carving out an escape route while Mo Fan and the others fend off attacks from the sides.
• The group gets beyond the main mass of undead. As dawn brightens the sky, the remaining creatures retreat underground to escape the weakening aura of death.
• With Hua Village still some distance away, the group agrees to shelter in a nearby cave before continuing.

Character developments and interactions

• Mo Xie demonstrates overwhelming combat ability and remains calm under pressure. The Night Knight’s homage hints at his status as the Shadow Descendant King, though Mo Xie offers no explanation.
• Asharuiya is startled by the Night Knight’s deference to Mo Xie and clearly intends to question him later, but prioritizes the group’s escape.
• Mo Fan and the others trust Mo Xie’s commands, quickly taking cover and supporting the escape rather than trying to lead the charge themselves.
• The short man shifts from disbelief to gratitude after Mo Xie saves the group, though his attempt to pat Mo Xie is awkwardly rebuffed. His attention then wanders to Asharuiya, drawing disapproving looks from her attendants.
• The group collectively looks to Mo Xie to decide where to go next, reflecting his authority and the confidence his actions have earned.

Significant themes

• Power and leadership: Mo Xie’s decisive actions turn him into the group’s unquestioned leader.
• Mystery and status: The Night Knight’s salute reveals that Mo Xie holds a significant, unexplained connection to the Dark Plane.
• Survival through cooperation: Mo Xie’s force, Asharuiya’s summoning, and the group’s support work together to overcome a threat none could safely face alone.
• The relentless nature of the undead: Killing their leader does not frighten or stop them; the group must escape rather than assume victory means safety.

Plot points and events

• After a dangerous fight with the Undead in the rain, Shorty leads the group to a cave in the Qinling Mountains, once the den of a Blood Beast. They take shelter, change into dry clothes, tend their wounds, and share food while waiting for the weather to improve. Shorty warns that even small wounds may become infected by Undead corpse poison.
• During the rest, Mo Xie looks after Liu Xian, who falls asleep in his lap. Asharuiya asks why the Night Knight treated him with such deference and whether he has dealings with the Dark Plane. Mo Xie confirms some contact but avoids explaining further, instead asking about Asharuiya’s own Dark Contract.
• Asharuiya warns him against further involvement with the Dark Plane, admitting she would not have made her own pact if she had a choice. The exhausted Asharuiya and Liu Xian both fall asleep beside Mo Xie.
• The next morning, rain still falls. In Hua Village, a young woman tends to a lanky young man in a tender, teasing domestic scene. A solitary figure in a straw rain cape watches them from a nearby mountain.

Character developments and interactions

• Mo Xie shows tenderness toward Liu Xian and compassion toward Asharuiya. He accepts that people of different origins deserve a reason to live, but remains guarded about his own past and connection to the Dark Plane.
• Asharuiya reveals vulnerability beneath her composed Holy Maiden role. She worries about Mo Xie’s dangerous connections, then allows herself to lean on him and rest.
• Liu Xian appears relaxed and affectionate around Mo Xie, resting comfortably in his lap.
• Shorty demonstrates practical experience by urging everyone to treat wounds promptly.
• The villagers’ warm, familiar interaction contrasts with the mysterious watcher observing them from afar.

Significant themes

• Secrets and mistrust: Mo Xie and Asharuiya both conceal parts of their involvement with the Dark Plane, while probing one another for answers.
• Compassion beyond identity: Mo Xie rejects the idea that Blood Clan origins make someone undeserving of life.
• Vulnerability and respite: The cave offers a brief pause from danger, allowing exhausted characters to show tenderness and admit their burdens.
• Unease and foreshadowing: The watcher’s silent attention suggests a threat or unresolved story connected to Hua Village.

Plot points and events

• After the rain stops, a woman warns that undead have entered Hua Village and killed the guard at its entrance. The villagers initially disbelieve her, since undead have never approached the village.
• Su Xiaoluo and Zhang Xiaohou investigate and find undead gathered outside the palisade. The creatures ignore the village’s traditional protections—the Blackwood and the Well Water God’s “Holy Water”—and are active in daylight.
• The wooden barrier collapses, and the undead attack, killing and devouring villagers. The survivors flee in panic, believing the Well Water God has abandoned them.
• Xie Sang, the village chief and its only Intermediate Mage, refuses to retreat because he wants to buy time for villagers to reach the Well Cellar. His Raging Wave spell barely harms the undead and draws them toward him.
• As the undead close in on Xie Sang, an unseen voice casts Mind Control, crushing the attackers just before they reach him.

Character developments and interactions

• Su Xiaoluo is among the first to take the warning seriously. She investigates, then urges Xie Sang to escape when his attack fails.
• Zhang Xiaohou follows Su Xiaoluo and pulls her away from the attack, helping her flee despite her shock at the villagers’ deaths.
• Xie Sang shifts from disbelief to determined self-sacrifice, choosing to defend the village long enough for people to escape.
• Hong Jun, the village’s only Beginner Mage, recognizes the danger and urges Xie Sang to retreat; when the undead attack, he prioritizes survival.
• The villagers’ confidence in their inherited protections collapses into fear as they witness the undead breach the village.

Significant themes

• The collapse of tradition and security: A protection trusted for generations suddenly fails, leaving the villagers exposed.
• Courage and sacrifice under pressure: Xie Sang risks himself to protect others, while Su Xiaoluo and Zhang Xiaohou try to survive and help one another.
• The terror of the unknown: The undead’s daylight attack and unexpected strength make the crisis feel unprecedented.
• Power and vulnerability: Even trained mages may be powerless against overwhelming numbers, suggesting the intervention at the end may signal a major new force.

Key plot points and events

• Mo Xie arrives in Hua Village and saves Xie Sang from a group of charging undead, crushing them with overwhelming Space Element magic.
• Mo Fan recognizes Zhang Xiaohou and rushes to embrace him, but Xiaohou seems not to know him. He Yu then pushes Mo Fan aside and desperately tries to make Xiaohou recognize her, accusing Su Xiaoluo of being the reason he is pretending.
• In a village house, Mo Xie examines Xiaohou and has He Yu remove his shirt. They discover a large, black centipede-like mark running from his arm toward the back of his head.
• Asharuiya identifies it as a Forget Worm, a Psychic Element creature that consumes important memories. Recovering more memories will accelerate Xiaohou’s death.
• Asharuiya cannot remove it, but advises taking Xiaohou to Han Ji, a powerful Healing Element mage in the Ancient Capital. She believes Xiaohou may have learned a core secret of the Black Vatican and was infected to silence him.

Character developments and interactions

• Mo Fan is relieved to find Xiaohou alive, but shaken when his friend fails to recognize him. He and Xu Zhaoting grasp the possible implications of the Forget Worm.
• Zhang Xiaohou appears confused and memory-impaired, yet Mo Xie privately suspects he may be acting and chooses not to expose him.
• He Yu reveals an intense, possessive concern for Xiaohou, interrupting Mo Fan’s reunion and confronting Su Xiaoluo.
• Su Xiaoluo is distressed by Xiaohou’s condition and uncomfortable with He Yu’s accusations.
• Asharuiya provides crucial knowledge about the worm and urges Mo Xie to prioritize Xiaohou’s treatment.
• Mo Xie displays his power by defeating the undead and takes the threat to Xiaohou seriously.

Significant themes

• Memory and survival: Xiaohou’s memories may contain vital information, but recovering them could kill him.
• Loyalty and affection: Mo Fan’s reunion with Xiaohou and He Yu’s fierce concern show the strength—and tensions—of personal bonds.
• Hidden threats and sacrifice: The Forget Worm suggests the Black Vatican uses brutal methods to suppress those who uncover its secrets, potentially pointing to danger for the Ancient Capital.

Key plot points

• Mo Xie tells Mo Fan, Xu Zhaoting, and the others that the Black Vatican is likely preparing to attack the Ancient Capital. He suspects Zhang Xiaohou encountered them and survived only by chance.
• Mo Xie and He Yu thank Su Xiaoluo for saving Xiaohou. She is embarrassed by He Yu’s warmth, having worried that she was intruding on her relationship with him.
• Mo Xie keeps the details of the Black Vatican’s plan secret, saying the group will learn more in a few days.
• Asharuiya privately reveals that Xiaohou is pretending to have lost his memory. The Forget Worm conceals selected memories rather than erasing them, and Xiaohou is likely acting foolish to protect himself from nearby Black Vatican members.
• Mo Xie suspects Asharuiya has been working with Ye Chang. She confirms their contact and reveals that Ye Chang is not masterminding the coming catastrophe: she is trying to stop the Black Vatican’s plan.
• Asharuiya shows Mo Xie a family photograph on her phone. He recognizes the woman behind the young Asharuiya as his mother and reacts with shock and emotion.

Character developments and interactions

• Mo Xie is cautious about sharing intelligence, but Asharuiya’s revelation overturns his belief that Ye Chang is responsible for the Ancient Capital Cataclysm. The photograph then exposes a deeply personal connection between him and Asharuiya’s family.
• Zhang Xiaohou is more alert and capable than he appears, using feigned confusion as a survival strategy.
• Asharuiya acts as a discreet intermediary for Ye Chang. Though playful when Mo Xie accuses her of interfering in his private life, she becomes serious when explaining Ye Chang’s true intentions.
• Su Xiaoluo and He Yu share a moment of gratitude that eases Su Xiaoluo’s discomfort around her.
• Mo Xie and Asharuiya move from private suspicion to a revelation that links their lives through the woman Mo Xie recognizes as his mother.

Significant themes

• Deception and survival: Xiaohou’s apparent memory loss is a deliberate disguise, while Asharuiya’s secrets conceal a larger effort to prevent disaster.
• Trust and mistaken judgment: Mo Xie’s assumptions about Ye Chang are challenged, showing how incomplete information can distort loyalties and motives.
• Family and fate: The photograph unexpectedly connects Mo Xie to Asharuiya’s family and ends the chapter on a personal mystery amid the looming threat to the Ancient Capital.

Key plot points and events

• Mo Xie sees a photograph of his mother with Ye Chang, Wen Tai, and Izisha, prompting him to question who his mother really was.
• Asharuiya reveals that she was adopted by Mo Xie’s mother and is, in effect, his older sister. She explains that Mo Xie’s mother was Wen Tai’s sworn younger sister, while Ye Chang was also her sworn sister.
• His mother had been the Parthenon Temple’s Great Sage, at times holding greater authority than its Holy Son, Wen Tai.
• Asharuiya adds that Ye Xinxia was also adopted by Mo Xie’s mother and raised by Ye Chang. Ye Chang has never married.
• Asharuiya cannot explain the remaining mysteries and tells Mo Xie to ask Ye Chang. She predicts they will meet again.
• Mo Xie is relieved to hear Ye Chang did not cause the Ancient Capital Cataclysm and had tried to prevent it, but wonders who was responsible.
• A masked man in gray-white robes is watching from outside Hua Village. Mo Xie notices him, though the man waits until Mo Xie leaves before slipping away.
• Back in the village, Mo Xie learns that all the villagers have agreed to relocate. They trust his apparent strength and believe he can protect them, though Mo Xie knows escorting more than a hundred people will be difficult.

Character developments and interactions

• Mo Xie is shaken by the revelations about his mother and Ye Chang, and his curiosity deepens into suspicion about hidden motives behind the Cataclysm. He accepts Asharuiya as his sister and responds warmly to her affection.
• Asharuiya shifts from confidante to family, embracing Mo Xie and reassuring him that she will always be there for him. She offers what information she can while directing him to Ye Chang for more.
• The villagers show newfound trust in Mo Xie, choosing to leave Hua Village together because they believe his abilities will keep them safe.
• The masked observer appears wary of Mo Xie’s awareness and retreats after Mo Xie’s gaze seems to expose him.

Significant themes

• Hidden identity and family ties: Mo Xie’s understanding of his mother, Asharuiya, and Xinxia is transformed by revelations of adoption and sworn relationships.
• Truth and unanswered questions: Each discovery complicates the past rather than fully explaining it, especially Ye Chang’s role and the Cataclysm.
• Trust and responsibility: The villagers’ confidence in Mo Xie places a heavy burden on him, even though he doubts the journey will be straightforward.

Key plot points and events

• Hua Village decides to abandon its unprotected home and travel to the Ancient Capital. Mo Xie reluctantly agrees to escort the villagers, despite doubting that the small group of mages can protect so many people.
• The group travels through the dangerous Land of the Undead, sheltering in a cave overnight. Nearing the Ancient Capital, Mo Xie senses danger and sends Liu Xian to guard the children.
• Undead unexpectedly erupt from the ground in daylight, killing several villagers and causing panic. The mages’ preparations help them regain control and destroy the attackers.
• Mo Xie records evidence of the undead’s daytime activity, then uses Instantaneous Movement to leave. Nearby, the hidden Fang Gu prepares to attack Xie Sang, but Mo Xie intercepts and kills him, burning his body to ash.

Character developments

• Mo Xie accepts responsibility for the villagers’ safety, takes charge of the journey, and acts decisively against the hidden threat.
• Mo Fan and the other mages face the danger of escorting a large civilian group; their advance planning helps limit the damage during the attack.
• Zhang Xiaohou, still pretending to have lost his memory, privately resolves to become strong enough to support Mo Xie.
• Hong Jun sees Mo Xie’s power as a possible path to his own advancement.
• Su Xiaoluo shows concern for Xiaohou, while He Yu’s glare makes her withdraw her affectionate gesture.

Character interactions

• Xie Sang thanks Mo Xie for agreeing to lead the villagers, and Su Xiaoluo apologizes for proposing the risky evacuation.
• Mo Xie scolds Mo Fan and the others for underestimating the dangers, then insists that the villagers obey his orders.
• Mo Xie directs Liu Xian to protect the children and coordinates the group’s defenses.
• Su Xiaoluo pinches Xiaohou’s cheek as she wonders when he will recover his memory; He Yu’s reaction leaves her embarrassed.
• Mo Xie confronts Fang Gu before he can attack Xie Sang, eliminating him to prevent further danger.

Significant themes

• Responsibility and protection: Mo Xie assumes the burden of safeguarding people beyond his own group.
• Danger and adaptation: The undead’s appearance in daylight overturns expectations, showing that familiar rules no longer guarantee safety.
• Ambition and resolve: Hong Jun covets power, while Xiaohou’s determination is rooted in loyalty and a desire to become dependable.
• Necessary ruthlessness: Mo Xie treats Fang Gu’s survival as an unacceptable threat and acts without hesitation.

Key plot points and events

• During the Undead attack, Mo Xie silently kills Hong Jun, a Black Vatican infiltrator hiding among the villagers. His death is concealed by Psychic magic and is easily mistaken for an Undead killing.
• After the threat passes, Mo Xie reveals that he knows Zhang Xiaohou has been pretending to have amnesia. Zhang admits it and explains that he was acting helpless to protect himself.
• Zhang recounts how, after surviving the Ax-wielding Corpse General and the chaos around Sha Yuan, he encountered the Black Vatican. Wounded and discovered, he fled and eventually collapsed near Hua Village, where Su Xiaoluo saved him.
• Someone later tried to poison Zhang while he was recovering. This convinced him that a Black Vatican accomplice was still in the village, so he kept up his disguise rather than risk exposing what he knew.
• Mo Xie confirms that Hong Jun was the infiltrator. When Mo Xie asks whether Zhang remembers anything from the night at Sha Yuan, Zhang struggles against the effects of a Forget Worm and finally blurts out: “Nine Infants!”

Character developments

• Zhang Xiaohou is revealed to be mentally sound and calculating beneath his apparent confusion. His fear and caution stem from a genuine attempt to stay alive and protect the group from the Black Vatican.
• Mo Xie demonstrates his ruthlessness and investigative resolve by eliminating Hong Jun before confronting Zhang. He remains alert as Zhang tries to recover his memories.
• Mo Fan reassures Zhang that their friendship meant they would search for him regardless of the danger.
• Su Xiaoluo is grateful Zhang survived but feels uneasy about his closeness with He Yu. She is also shaken to learn someone poisoned his medicine, though Zhang tells her she was not to blame.
• He Yu reacts with relief and affection when Zhang’s true condition is revealed.
• Xu Zhaoting responds to the Black Vatican’s actions with open anger.

Character interactions

• Mo Xie privately confronts Zhang, while Mo Fan and the others express relief and support once the disguise is exposed.
• He Yu embraces Zhang; he comforts her and then explains the danger he faced. Su Xiaoluo’s feelings remain complicated by her gratitude and affection for him.
• Zhang absolves Su Xiaoluo of responsibility for the poisoning.
• The group turns to Mo Xie for confirmation of Hong Jun’s identity, then anxiously watches Zhang endure a painful attempt to remember.

Significant themes

• Trust and loyalty: Zhang’s friends risked seeking him out, and Mo Fan emphasizes that they would not abandon him.
• Deception as survival: Zhang’s false amnesia protects him from a lethal enemy, while Hong Jun’s hidden identity shows how dangerous misplaced trust can be.
• Trauma and memory: The Forget Worm and Zhang’s painful recollection show the cost of uncovering the truth.
• Hidden threats and vigilance: The attack and poisoning reveal that danger can come from within a seemingly ordinary community.

Key plot points and events

• Zhang Xiaohou’s attempt to recall the name “Nine Infants” causes severe pain and dark toxins to spread through his veins. Mo Xie uses Mind Element magic to calm him, stopping the toxins’ advance.
• Mo Xie identifies Nine Infants as a former Red-robed Archbishop of the Black Vatican, separate from Salang. The cultists at Pearl Academy were Nine Infants’ followers, confirming Xu Zhaoting’s suspicions.
• Mo Xie worries that the Ancient Capital’s impending catastrophe may differ from the plan he expected, since the mastermind and possible method have changed. He decides to return immediately and alert the authorities.
• The group reaches the Ancient Capital and learns from a newspaper that all six Weiju villages near Xianchi were attacked by Undead, with few survivors. The refugees are shocked to discover how many others died.
• Mo Xie prepares to leave for urgent business. Before parting, he offers Su Xiaoluo a chance to awaken Magic and train as a Pharmacist.
• He Yu embraces Su Xiaoluo, welcoming her and thanking her. The gesture suggests she accepts Su Xiaoluo’s closeness to Zhang Xiaohou.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhang Xiaohou is physically and emotionally exhausted after confronting his lost memories. He recognizes his feelings for Su Xiaoluo but feels guilty because he is already with He Yu.
• Su Xiaoluo is grateful to Zhang Xiaohou and saddened by their apparent separation. Mo Xie’s offer gives her a new future and a way to remain connected to the group.
• He Yu responds to the tension between Xiaohou and Xiaoluo with unexpected generosity, embracing Xiaoluo and proposing that they support one another.
• Mo Xie acts decisively to protect Zhang Xiaohou and investigate the larger threat, while also finding a practical way to help Su Xiaoluo.
• Mo Fan offers Xiaohou relationship advice, drawing on his own experience, though he cannot comfortably explain his complicated romantic situation.
• Xu Zhaoting reacts with renewed anger toward Nine Infants after learning that the archbishop’s followers were responsible for the attack he nearly died in.

Significant themes

• Memory and hidden truth: Zhang Xiaohou’s recovered name reveals a threat that alters the group’s understanding of past events.
• Uncertainty and impending danger: With Nine Infants replacing Salang as the apparent mastermind, the Ancient Capital catastrophe may not unfold as expected.
• Grief and survival: The ruined villages and the loss of Hong Jun underscore the devastation left behind.
• Compassion and complicated love: He Yu and Su Xiaoluo choose mutual understanding over rivalry, while Xiaohou struggles with guilt and responsibility.

Key plot points and events

• Mo Xie brings Zhang Xiaohou to the Bell Tower Magic Association to warn President Han Ji about the Black Vatican’s plan to attack the Ancient Capital. He believes the evidence he has gathered will help convince the authorities.
• Mo Fan, Xu Zhaoting, He Yu, Mu Bai, and the others are elsewhere; Su Xiaoluo joins them for safety ahead of the coming disaster.
• At the Association, Mo Xie cannot reach Han Ji through the receptionist, but runs into Councilor Zhu Meng. Mo Xie shows him photos and videos of Undead active in daylight and reports that a friend encountered Black Vatican members near Sha Yuan.
• Zhu Meng recognizes the seriousness of the claims and contacts Han Ji. Han Ji soon arrives with Military Mage Instructor Fei Jiao.
• Fei Jiao is relieved to see Zhang Xiaohou unharmed and thanks Mo Xie for risking his life to bring him back from Sha Yuan. Mo Xie then prepares to brief Han Ji and Fei Jiao on the Black Vatican.

Character developments

• Mo Xie is focused and strategic: he gathers evidence, reports the threat, and emphasizes that he went to Sha Yuan because Zhang Xiaohou’s life mattered more than the danger. He also deliberately presents the daylight Undead as evidence of a broader threat.
• Zhang Xiaohou remains deeply loyal and respectful toward Mo Xie, whom he sees as a big brother. He is also visibly curious about Mo Xie’s relationship with Liu Xian.
• Zhu Meng shifts from casual skepticism to grave concern after seeing the evidence, then acts promptly.
• Fei Jiao shows heartfelt relief at Zhang Xiaohou’s safe return and admiration for Mo Xie’s courage.

Character interactions

• Zhang Xiaohou teasingly asks whether Liu Xian is another of Mo Xie’s “sisters-in-law”; Mo Xie confirms it, and Liu Xian responds by clinging to him more closely.
• Zhu Meng warmly greets Mo Xie, checks his claims, and helps him reach Han Ji.
• Fei Jiao reunites with Zhang Xiaohou, then praises Mo Xie for rescuing his student and for his loyalty.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and sacrifice: Mo Xie’s willingness to face Sha Yuan to save Zhang Xiaohou is repeatedly recognized.
• Duty and vigilance: The characters must treat the daylight Undead and Black Vatican activity as warnings of an impending catastrophe.
• Trust and evidence: Mo Xie’s claims gain credibility through the videos and through the trust Zhu Meng and Fei Jiao place in him.

Key events

• Mo Xie tells Han Ji, Zhu Meng, and Fei Jiao that Zhang Xiaohou encountered the Black Vatican near Sha Yuan and escaped, but was implanted with a fully developed Forget Worm. Han Ji says it can be removed, though doing so will take time.
• Xiaohou reveals that the plot is led by Nine Infants, a Red-robed Archbishop once notorious in China before Salan eclipsed him.
• Mo Xie warns that the Black Vatican may soon unleash rain capable of replacing the Undead’s deathly energy, letting them roam in daylight and making them more aggressive. Sha Yuan’s repeated movement toward the Ancient Capital supports the warning.
• The plan may also awaken the Eight Directions Undead Lords—eight ancient Great Monarchs who sleep in Sha Yuan. Mo Xie suspects the true target is the person they obey: the Ancient King.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhang Xiaohou’s survival and discovery of the plot make him central to the briefing, though learning the Black Vatican’s full objective leaves him horrified.
• Han Ji, Zhu Meng, and Fei Jiao shift from concern over Xiaohou’s condition to mounting fear for the Ancient Capital. Han Ji recognizes Nine Infants’ history; Fei Jiao seeks confirmation, while Zhu Meng impatiently urges Mo Xie to reveal everything at once.
• Mo Xie controls the pace of the revelation, pausing to let the leaders absorb each threat before disclosing the next.

Significant themes

• The danger of intelligence arriving in stages: each revelation expands the threat from a hidden conspiracy to a potential city-ending catastrophe.
• The fragility of safety: daylight, normally a time for recovery, may become another battlefield.
• The scale of human vulnerability before overwhelming supernatural power, embodied by the Eight Directions Undead Lords and the Ancient King.

Key plot points and events

• Mo Xie explains that “Ancient King” is the Undead title of the First Emperor, whose awakening could threaten not only the Ancient Capital but the entire province.
• Despite the crisis, Mo Xie stays composed and urges Han Ji, Zhu Meng, and Fei Jiao not to give in to panic. He says he may have a solution but lacks enough evidence to act on it, and warns that Black Vatican spies may be monitoring them.
• Mo Xie proposes urgently moving Outer City residents—especially people in schools and hospitals—into the Inner City, and requesting powerful reinforcements from nearby cities. The officials agree to begin a discreet overnight evacuation.
• Mo Xie says Chenxi’s Ancient Capital Branch will assist, bringing substantial magical forces to support the city’s defense.
• Zhang Xiaohou invites Mo Xie to join their old Bo City friends at a restaurant, but Mo Xie declines so he can coordinate Chenxi’s support. As he heads out, he spots a familiar woman in the crowd: “Aunt Ye.”

Character developments and interactions

• Mo Xie demonstrates calm leadership, practical judgment, and concern for civilians, earning the officials’ trust. He focuses on preparations rather than celebrating or reuniting with friends.
• Han Ji moves from despair to renewed resolve, acknowledging Mo Xie’s composure and asking him to guide the response.
• Zhu Meng trusts Mo Xie because of his past heroism; he and Fei Jiao look to him for a plan.
• Zhang Xiaohou admires Mo Xie but accepts that he has important duties and goes to meet their friends alone.
• The officials coordinate closely with Mo Xie, while he cautions them about possible betrayal from within their ranks.

Significant themes

• Leadership under pressure: Mo Xie’s steadiness helps others act instead of surrendering to fear.
• Duty and sacrifice: He puts the evacuation effort ahead of a rare gathering with friends.
• Trust amid danger: The Black Vatican’s infiltration means even necessary preparations must be handled carefully.
• Civilians and looming catastrophe: The cheerful city contrasts sharply with the approaching Undead threat.

Plot and events

• Mo Xie spots a woman he recognizes by her figure and grabs her wrist, believing her to be Aunt Ye.
• She turns out to be Ling Xi, a prominent Hunter Alliance elder, though Mo Xie realizes she is using Aunt Ye’s disguise and has recognized him despite his changed appearance.
• Mo Xie decides to play along with the public misunderstanding, flirting with her and asking to pursue her.
• Ling Xi accepts his offer and walks away with him arm in arm, leaving onlookers stunned.

Character developments

• Mo Xie quickly adapts when he realizes the woman is not publicly known as Aunt Ye. He turns the mistaken encounter into a playful performance, flattering Ling Xi and acting like an earnest young suitor.
• Ling Xi/Aunt Ye keeps up her teasing public persona while privately feeling jealous and planning to punish Mo Xie for flirting with her.

Character interactions

• Mo Xie initiates contact by taking Ling Xi’s wrist, then escalates the encounter with compliments and a proposal to pursue her.
• Ling Xi responds with teasing questions, enjoys his flattery, and links arms with him. Their outward flirtation masks their private familiarity and mutual playacting.
• Passersby gossip and speculate about the handsome young man courting an older, respected mage, treating the scene as public entertainment.

Significant themes

• Disguise and recognition: Mo Xie’s changed appearance does not fool Aunt Ye, while the crowd accepts the identities and roles on display.
• Performance and public perception: Both characters act out a courtship for onlookers, who interpret their behavior literally.
• Flirtation and jealousy: The playful exchange carries an undercurrent of private affection—and Ling Xi’s concealed irritation.

• Plot: Mo Xie and Ye Chang, disguised as Ling Xi, walk arm in arm as a couple. When Mo Xie compliments her and claims he fell for her at first sight, Ye Chang playfully accepts his courtship and leads him to a hotel, revealing that her idea of a date is sharing a room. She books a king-size bed; the receptionist upgrades them to a romantic couples’ room. Once inside, Ye Chang undresses provocatively and goes to shower, leaving Mo Xie flustered and unsure what to do.
• Character development: Mo Xie tries to stay composed and maintain the romantic act, but Ye Chang’s teasing quickly overwhelms him. He recognizes that she is deliberately testing him, yet continues along with it, torn between playing along and admitting he knows they are both acting. Ye Chang is confident, mischievous, and in control of the encounter, enjoying his embarrassment and visible attraction.
• Interactions: Their affectionate walk and flirtatious banter establish the couple’s performance. Ye Chang challenges Mo Xie’s sincerity, then escalates the teasing by steering him into a hotel room and undressing before him. Mo Xie responds with nervous compliance, flustered admiration, and private attempts to talk himself through the situation.
• Themes: The chapter centers on flirtation, temptation, and role-playing, with a comic tension between outward confidence and inner uncertainty. It also explores the imbalance of control: Ye Chang directs the encounter, while Mo Xie struggles to decide whether to keep performing or reveal what he knows.