Chapter Summaries

Gou Junbao visited Qin Xiaoxia and the others’ magical garden, learned that Xiao Lili was truly pregnant with his child, and asked to be included in their hidden world. As Xiao Lili arrived at the Association’s old house, she came to her senses in its deserted courtyard and wondered how she had gotten there.

• Gou Junbao saw the magical garden and its strange inhabitants, then asked Qin Xiaoxia how he could join the Association.
• Qin Xiaoxia and Doudou told Gou Junbao that Xiao Lili was really pregnant with his child and that the child was an extraordinary anomaly.
• Gou Junbao ate with the group while Mumu, Doudou, and the monkey devoured most of the food.
• Qin Xiaoxia pointed out Xiao Lili approaching the garden, and Gou Junbao watched her through the mystic realm.
• Xiao Lili arrived at the Association’s old house, heard a crow call, and abruptly wondered where she was and why she had come.

Xiao Lili discovered that she was carrying an egg-like child fathered by Gou Junbao, and Qin Xiaoxia’s companions removed it despite the couple’s fears. The egg hatched shortly after the extraction, revealing a strange, adorable birdlike creature.

• Xiao Lili accidentally entered Qin Xiaoxia’s magical realm and reunited with her ex-boyfriend, Gou Junbao.
• Qin Xiaoxia showed Xiao Lili and Gou Junbao the egg-shaped object inside her womb, and they sensed its connection to them.
• Xiao Lili and Gou Junbao agreed to have the egg removed, but it reacted to Qin Xiaoxia’s magic and caused Xiao Lili pain.
• The Red Banshee and Su Su performed a magical cesarean section and removed the trembling egg from Xiao Lili.
• The egg cracked open soon afterward, revealing a plump birdlike creature that breathed out glowing white air.

Qin Xiaoxia named Gou Junbao and Xiao Lili’s strange hatchling Gou Dandan and arranged for Huang Jiutian to care for it while he investigated the luminous vapor it had produced. In Siberia, construction delays threatened the completion of remote bases as signs of worldwide transformation spread, and Ivan reported that his team had cornered a mysterious humanoid creature.

• Qin Xiaoxia named the hatchling Gou Dandan and suggested Huang Jiutian raise it while Gou Junbao and Xiao Lili decided what to do.
• Qin Xiaoxia examined the unusual white vapor and told Gou Junbao he wanted to borrow something from his body for research.
• General Lozov learned that construction of the Siberian base was behind schedule, but maintained that the bases had to be completed before the wilderness became impassable.
• Ivan called Lozov to report that his team had found and cornered a creature inside a farm barn.
• The frightened humanoid creature inside the barn remembered being shot and trembled as wolves, military dogs, and armed soldiers surrounded it.

Ivan’s forces captured the wounded creature in the barn using stun grenades and transported him under heavy security. In the cage, he escaped his restraints and recalled how he had arrived in the unfamiliar world, identifying himself as Hama Pi.

• Lozov ordered Ivan to try to capture the creature alive, and the interpreter secretly contacted the Special Security Team.
• Ivan’s soldiers distracted the creature with barking dogs, then stunned him with grenades and rushed into the barn.
• The creature surrendered, and the soldiers restrained him with specialized equipment before loading him into a transport vehicle.
• Inside the moving vehicle, Hama Pi slipped out of his handcuffs and leg shackles but remained trapped in the cage.
• Hama Pi recalled arriving through a hole underwater, eating a horse, and mistaking humans for weak beings before they captured him.

Hama Pi arrived at the Watchers’ research base, where Russian researchers tried to communicate with him but failed to understand one another. After smashing the screen when served raw meat, he ate in frustration, while Lozov decided they needed a perception-type communicator and questioned whether they could truly control him.

• The convoy brought Hama Pi to the special research base, where Lozov and the researchers placed his cage inside a reinforced holding cell.
• Hama Pi emerged from the cage, and the researchers tried speaking to him in several languages without success.
• Hama Pi and the scholar attempted to communicate through gestures, drawings, and animations, but neither side learned much.
• The researchers served Hama Pi raw horse meat and beef while the scholar ate a cooked meal on screen, prompting Hama Pi to smash the screen and eat the meat in anger.
• Lozov told a female officer to contact Huaguo for a perception-type communicator and told Ivan he doubted they had Hama Pi under control.

At Qing Town Sanctuary, Qin Xiaoxia showed Gou Junbao and Xiao Lili the grim reality of joining Dawn as they considered becoming heroes. Tao Xingzhi then called Huang Jiutian about a captured intelligent mutant in Russia and proposed bringing special guests along, leaving the group poised to travel there.

• Huang Jiutian, Xiao Lili, and Gou Junbao made a nest for Gou Dandan and cared for the hatchling during supper.
• Huang Jiutian warned Gou Junbao and Xiao Lili that fewer than a third of Dawn's members had lived to old age.
• Qin Xiaoxia explained that the couple's vision of a world under a dark tide was a warning from their mother, and said they would have to hold back the coming threat.
• Tao Xingzhi called Huang Jiutian and told him that Russia had captured a clothed mutant creature that understood an unknown language.
• Tao Xingzhi decided to use Echo Flower seeds and suggested that Huang Jiutian bring special guests to Russia.

Tao Xingzhi used an Echo Flower to invite the Dawn Association to help investigate Hama Pi, an intelligent being suspected of coming from the Otherworld. Qin Xiaoxia agreed to go with Doudou while Su Su stayed behind, and the Special Security Team received a reply promising people would meet them at the airport.

• Tao Xingzhi used an Echo Flower seed to send the Dawn Association details about Hama Pi and formally request help from the Special Security Team and the Huaguo Security Situation Committee.
• Qin Xiaoxia identified Hama Pi as a likely Akeniksen and described the unusual creatures and their possible abilities.
• Qin Xiaoxia agreed to investigate Hama Pi with Doudou and told Su Su to stay behind and look after Gou Dandan.
• The Echo Flower withered after delivering Tao Xingzhi's message, and Tao Xingzhi experienced only mild mental fatigue.
• The Special Security Team received an email saying personnel would meet them at the airport, signed with a Daybreak symbol.

Mo Shaoge prepared to accompany Qin Xiaoxia and Doudou to Russia for business with the Huaguo government. At the Russian military base, the Special Security Team saw that soldiers seemed unable to notice Dawn’s three hooded members.

• Mo Shaoge studied staff techniques at the Siheyuan while preparing to teach at the new Martial Skills Hall.
• Qin Xiaoxia and Doudou arrived through the Kyoto Spell Formation and invited Mo Shaoge to join their trip to Russia.
• Mo Shaoge informed Mo Qingxue, collected his robe and cloak, and went with them to meet the Special Security Team.
• Tao Xingzhi’s team waited at the airport for Huang Jiutian and Dawn’s representatives, who appeared beside the plane without warning.
• The group flew to a Russian military base, where Lozov greeted them and the Russian soldiers appeared not to notice Dawn’s hooded members.

Lozov led Tao Xingzhi, the Special Security Team, and Dawn to the Research Center to meet the detained Hama Pi. As the group approached the detention cell, Hama Pi sensed a terrifying magical presence and froze in fear.

• Lozov ordered the convoy to take the Huaguo Special Security Team to the Research Center, where the visitors ate before proceeding to the detention cell.
• Hama Pi discovered that tantrums made his captors change his food and increase his portions, and he began plotting to enslave or sell members of their species.
• Hama Pi abruptly sensed powerful, uncanny magic approaching and became too frightened to move.
• Lozov led Tao Xingzhi and the others toward the detention cell while Qin Xiaoxia considered how dangerous a powerful Mischievous Sprite could be.

Tao Xingzhi introduced Qin Xiaoxia, Mo Shaoge, and Doudou of the Dawn Association to Lozov, who agreed to let them deal with Hama Pi. Inside the Detention Cell, Qin Xiaoxia exposed Hama Pi’s feigned death with a devastating magical shout, leaving the creature standing and the observers alarmed by how dangerous its deception could have been.

• Lozov questioned Tao Xingzhi about Hama Pi’s sudden immobility, and Tao Xingzhi suspected the Dawn members were involved.
• Qin Xiaoxia, Mo Shaoge, and Doudou appeared and explained through Tao Xingzhi that they belonged to the Dawn Association and needed to handle the Akeniksen.
• Hama Pi sensed the figures’ overwhelming magic and secretly tried to pass himself off as dead.
• Qin Xiaoxia shouted at Hama Pi with magic-laden force, damaging the observation glass and destroying the Detention Cell’s cameras and light.
• Hama Pi rose after the blast, and Huang Jiutian warned Lozov that the creature’s convincing act could have lured staff into danger.

Qin Xiaoxia questioned Hama Pi, an Akeniksen merchant who had appeared in the Detention Cell, and saw through his claim that he had come to Earth intentionally. He warned Hama Pi that Earth was an unknown, dangerous world from which he might not be able to leave.

• Hama Pi rose and begged Qin Xiaoxia, Mo Shaoge, and Doudou for mercy, claiming he was an honest merchant and a victim.
• Qin Xiaoxia asked how Hama Pi had reached Earth, and Hama Pi claimed he was an honorary Trading Consortium member who had accidentally fallen into the world.
• Qin Xiaoxia doubted Hama Pi's story and suggested that the Trading Consortium could not know about Earth or dare approach it.
• Qin Xiaoxia invoked the Dawn Seal and described Earth as an ancient world, a hidden Shifting Domain, and the birthplace of the ancient dark tide.
• The magic vibrations shook the Detention Cell as Hama Pi sank to the floor, realizing he was in serious trouble.

Qin Xiaoxia and Doudou frightened Hama Pi by revealing humanity’s violent history and warning him about the researchers at the base. Hama Pi realized that the people watching him might subject him to horrific experiments, while Doudou and Qin Xiaoxia planned to take him away.

• Qin Xiaoxia destroyed the microphones and listening devices in Hama Pi’s cell, leaving the people outside unable to monitor them.
• Doudou asked Hama Pi about his goods and inventions, then signaled to Qin Xiaoxia that they should take the Akeniksen with them.
• Qin Xiaoxia assured Hama Pi that he meant the Akeniksen was in danger, and Doudou warned him that humanity was a dangerous race.
• Qin Xiaoxia explained that humanity’s wars had killed more than three billion people, and Doudou described how scientists might dissect and experiment on Hama Pi.
• Hama Pi saw the researchers watching him through the cracked glass and grew terrified of what they might do.

Hama Pi tried to persuade Qin Xiaoxia, Doudou, and the others to take him away from detention, offering his Akeniksen techniques and merchant skills. At a meeting with the Watchers and Special Security Team, Huaguo briefed the Russians on Dawn and the Ruins, while Dawn’s members declined to discuss their combat abilities.

• Qin Xiaoxia told Hama Pi they would spare him if he shared his technology, but explained that they could not make the humans release him.
• Fearing the scientists and soldiers, Hama Pi offered to demonstrate his techniques and share his wisdom if the visitors took him with them.
• Doudou gathered the food from the conference room table, and Tao Xingzhi invited Doudou to visit the Special Security Team headquarters cafeteria.
• The Special Security Team and the Watchers briefed the Russians on the Evolver system, the Ruins, and Dawn’s role as an Ancient Guardian Organization.
• Dawn’s members declined requests to explain how to fight an opponent as powerful as the Flame Demon, and the meeting fell silent.

A Dawn elder explained the Void, the Dark Tide, and the history of Dawn’s persecution by humanity’s rulers. The chapter ended with Dawn’s members choosing secrecy, which helped reduce demon invasions and eventually let the association resume its work unnoticed.

• The Dawn elder showed the conference attendees the world, the Void Sea, and other worlds, and warned that revealing too much knowledge could hasten the Dark Tide.
• Huang Jiutian asked why Dawn had concealed its history, and the elder said human rulers had feared Dawn’s powerful heroes after the demon threat diminished.
• The elder recounted how persecution and betrayal caused a second Dark Tide for Dawn, with casualties nearly matching those of the first.
• The elder explained that demons became less numerous as Dawn and its history were erased from public memory.
• By the Middle Ages, rulers had forgotten Dawn, allowing the association to emerge unnoticed and continue hunting intelligent demons within human society.

Qin Xiaoxia explained why Dawn had fought to protect humanity, moving the assembled officials to salute the Association. He then asked Lozov to hand over Akeniksen and offered a Philosopher’s Stone in exchange, leaving the deal under discussion.

• Lozov asked why Dawn had continued fighting demons for humanity, and Qin Xiaoxia said Dawn feared humanity’s extinction and the destruction of the world.
• A fleeting tremor passed through the conference room, and Tao Xingzhi, Lozov, and the others saluted the Dawn Association members.
• Qin Xiaoxia asked Lozov to hand Akeniksen over to Dawn, explaining that the intelligent magical life-form could contact other worlds and help the Association study magic script.
• Qin Xiaoxia offered a magic crystal, also known as the Philosopher’s Stone, in exchange for Akeniksen.

Qin Xiaoxia demonstrated the Philosopher’s Stone to the Russian delegation and explained how its energy could help people become Evolvers or strengthen existing ones, while warning that it had to be used carefully. The Watchers Unit agreed to trade for it, leaving Dawn and Russia to pursue closer communication about the rare resource.

• Qin Xiaoxia showed the delegation that the Philosopher’s Stone’s main value was its controllable energy, especially for Evolvers.
• Qin Xiaoxia used the crystal to demonstrate how it could help people sense their bodies and powers, and explained that it could increase suitable ordinary people’s chances of becoming Evolvers.
• Qin Xiaoxia warned that the crystal’s energy could harm people if used carelessly and recommended cutting it into pieces for gradual absorption.
• Qin Xiaoxia estimated that the stone could help roughly twenty to thirty suitable people evolve or strengthen around ten to fifteen Evolvers.
• The Watchers Unit agreed to the exchange after weighing the stone’s value and the difficulty of realizing Akeniksen’s value.

Qin Xiaoxia brought Hama Pi from Russia to the Qing Town Sanctuary after thanking the Special Security Team with a magic crystal and echo flower seeds. Hama Pi woke among unfamiliar beings, saw the Red Banshee, and fainted again.

• Qin Xiaoxia escorted Hama Pi out of the Russian detention cell under heavy military guard and boarded a private plane with Doudou and Mo Shaoge.
• Qin Xiaoxia thanked Tao Xingzhi and the Special Security Team for their help by giving them a magic crystal and two echo flower seeds.
• Hama Pi recognized the magic crystal and begged Qin Xiaoxia to give him one, but Qin Xiaoxia told him he might get one by satisfying the Sage.
• Qin Xiaoxia concealed the group with the mystic realm's power and knocked Hama Pi unconscious during their departure.
• Hama Pi woke in the Qing Town Sanctuary, saw the Red Banshee, and fainted again in fright.

Hama Pi woke after fainting at the sight of the Red Banshee and offered his goods to Qin Xiaoxia, while Doudou tormented a turtle with chilies. Qin Xiaoxia questioned Hama Pi about his pockets and then asked whether he had seen Komir, leaving Hama Pi stunned.

• Hama Pi fainted after recognizing the Red Banshee’s magic and suspecting he had seen Komir of Truth.
• Doudou fed a caged turtle bird’s-eye chilies and tried to force it to drink chili water while the others watched.
• Hama Pi woke, mistook the concealed Red Banshee for an ordinary Magic Controller, and offered his merchandise to Qin Xiaoxia.
• Doudou dismissed Hama Pi’s goods as junk, though the group was impressed when a folded object unfolded into a large tent.
• Qin Xiaoxia asked how Hama Pi’s pockets were made, then asked whether he had seen Komir, making Hama Pi’s heart spasm.

Qin Xiaoxia drew Hama Pi into reflecting on the Akeniksen’s greed, stagnation, and cultural decline, then told him the hidden world faced an approaching Dark Tide. The chapter left Hama Pi with a new vision of achievement: changing an impossible fate and making himself immortal through history.

• Qin Xiaoxia questioned Hama Pi about his dream, and he said he wanted wealth, status, and revenge on those who had looked down on him.
• Qin Xiaoxia criticized the Akeniksen for sharing shallow ambitions, and Hama Pi defended his people’s efforts to improve their standing.
• As Red Banshee’s power filled the lounge, Hama Pi recalled his people’s past and recognized their declining innovation, family ties, and other strengths.
• Qin Xiaoxia revealed that the hidden world was precious to beings like Komir and himself, who had waited there for countless years.
• Qin Xiaoxia told Hama Pi that the approaching Dark Tide gave him a chance to change an impossible fate and make himself immortal through history.

Qin Xiaoxia convinced Hama Pi that he could change the Akeniksen’s fate and secretly planted a magic seed in his heart. Hama Pi emerged from the Mystic Sanctuary transformed, declaring his ambition to become a great merchant of Dawn and the Akeniksen Merchant Association.

• Qin Xiaoxia told Hama Pi that the Akeniksen faced extinction unless he acted, then proclaimed him a Child of Destiny who could lead his people to reclaim their strength and dignity.
• Hama Pi struggled with the responsibility but embraced Qin Xiaoxia’s vision, while Qin Xiaoxia used the Red Banshee’s power to plant a magic seed in his heart.
• Outside the Mystic Sanctuary, Doudou explained marinating to Monkey as they prepared the turtle, while Su Su collected another puff of vapor from Gou Dandan.
• Hama Pi emerged radiating conviction, and Su Su noticed the mark of Daybreak on his palm.
• Hama Pi introduced himself as the Mentor’s newest student and declared that he would become a great merchant of Dawn and the Akeniksen Merchant Association.