Chapter Summaries

The Ancient One met Zhongli to investigate his immense power and learned that he had come with Qiqi to fulfill a contract at the Traveler’s request. After she invited him to Kamar-Taj, Zhongli agreed to visit once his task was complete, and he and Qiqi reunited with Lin Ze in Qiqi’s room.

• The Ancient One introduced herself to Zhongli and explained that she had come because his power and the otherworldly travelers had obscured her vision of Earth’s future.
• Zhongli assured the Ancient One that he meant no harm and had come with Qiqi to help her fulfill her contract with Mr. Tony.
• The Ancient One and Zhongli discussed the difficulty of parting from people in this world, and Zhongli said that leaving when the time came would allow life to move forward.
• The Ancient One invited Zhongli to visit Kamar-Taj, and he agreed to seek her out after completing the Traveler’s request.
• The Ancient One opened a portal into Qiqi’s room, allowing Zhongli and Qiqi to enter Stark Tower without climbing its stairs.
• JARVIS told Lin Ze that Zhongli and Qiqi were in Qiqi’s room, where Lin Ze and Paimon soon found Zhongli waiting.

Lin Ze furnished the Serenitea Pot while Tartaglia tried to persuade him to leave. After hearing about the household’s chaotic nights, Lin Ze agreed to let Tartaglia out because he could help haggle.

• Tartaglia urged Lin Ze to stay in the Serenitea Pot, claiming it helped restore strength, while Klee agreed that her powers had improved.
• Lin Ze crafted more furnishings and prepared to leave, but Tartaglia complained that life in the pot was boring and described Bennett’s restless sleep collapsing their bed.
• Paimon learned from Klee that Kaeya and Diluc had been fighting over their bed, and Lin Ze promised to give them separate beds.
• Tartaglia offered to help Lin Ze gather materials, and Lin Ze dismissed his usefulness until Tartaglia mentioned that he could haggle.
• Lin Ze agreed to let Tartaglia out because haggling would be useful.

Lin Ze sent Qiqi to Nepal with Sam, then returned to Wanmin Restaurant with Zhongli and Paimon. Tartaglia learned that inspectors were harassing the restaurant, while a desperate man arrived asking for help finding Barbara to treat his trembling hands.

• Lin Ze entrusted Qiqi to Sam, who flew her toward the airport for her trip to Nepal.
• Zhongli chose to stay at Wanmin Restaurant, and Lin Ze and Paimon gathered their belongings to leave Stark Tower.
• Paimon packed a mountain of cakes, which Zhongli carried to the restaurant; Tartaglia mistakenly accepted them as a gift and secretly struggled to eat them.
• Rice told Tartaglia that inspectors had repeatedly threatened Wanmin Restaurant with fines and closure, and Tartaglia said they needed to be taught a lesson.
• Lin Ze told Paimon that Zhongli had eaten her cakes and gone back to Stark Tower to replace them, and she believed him.
• An exhausted man arrived at Wanmin Restaurant and asked Rice where he could find Barbara to treat his trembling hands.

Stephen Strange sought Barbara’s healing for his damaged hands, and her song briefly restored their movement before severe pain returned. Zhongli arrived and suggested something inside Stephen’s hands was causing the reaction.

• Stephen waited for Barbara at a church, then followed Rice’s lead to Wanmin Restaurant to ask about her.
• Lin Ze summoned Barbara from the Serenitea Pot, and she agreed to treat Stephen.
• Barbara sang for Stephen, and he felt his hand pain fade and his fingers move freely again.
• Stephen suddenly suffered intense pain and collapsed, while Barbara stopped singing and tried to help him.
• Zhongli arrived and said something inside Stephen’s hands was causing the pain.

Zhongli identified the metal hardware in Stephen's hands as the obstacle to Barbara's healing song, but warned Stephen against rushing to remove it. Instead, Zhongli asked Stephen to guide him around New York, and Tartaglia joined them with an invitation to deal with the people harassing Wanmin Restaurant.

• Zhongli explained that the objects in Stephen's hands blocked Barbara's song from healing his nerves, and Stephen offered to have them removed.
• Zhongli warned Stephen that removing the hardware would be risky and said there was another way, though the time was not right.
• Zhongli asked Stephen to show him around New York, and Stephen agreed to guide him.
• Tartaglia joined their outing, and Stephen sensed that Tartaglia was hostile toward him whenever Zhongli was not looking.
• Tartaglia invited Zhongli and Stephen to help deal with the people harassing Wanmin Restaurant, suggesting that Stephen observe and treat anyone injured.

Lin Ze discovered that Zhongli’s shopping had drained the group’s funds, and the shocking balance made him collapse. After everyone in the teapot rushed to help him, Lin Ze recovered and hurried off with Paimon to find Zhongli.

• Lin Ze checked his phone and found a flood of purchase alerts and an overdrawn bank balance from Zhongli’s spending.
• Paimon panicked when Lin Ze clutched his chest, bringing Kaeya, Diluc, Rosaria, Klee, Venti, and others running to help.
• Diluc examined Lin Ze’s phone but mistook the transaction list for possible secret codes.
• Xiangling fed Lin Ze a fiercely spicy medicinal soup, and he insisted that he had recovered.
• Lin Ze blamed Tartaglia for failing to haggle and left with Paimon to find Zhongli before he spent more money.

Lin Ze discovered that Tartaglia and Zhongli had spent Wanmin Restaurant’s money on extravagant purchases, but Zhongli revealed that the shopping spree was a costly trap to expose an alien spinal-stone trafficking ring. Stephen identified the seller’s connection to the group, while Lin Ze learned he still owed the outstanding balances on four cars.

• Tartaglia and Zhongli returned with a roomful of purchases, including a house, four Tesla cars, and a giant Iron Man display, leaving Lin Ze horrified by the costs.
• Tartaglia explained that he had bought a spinal-stone paperweight for nearly five million dollars after securing only a tiny discount, and Lin Ze and Paimon pointed out its lack of value.
• Zhongli revealed that the purchases were meant to draw out the people trafficking harmful alien spinal stones, whose energy had been found in the attackers who targeted Wanmin Restaurant.
• Stephen reported that the spinal-stone seller worked for a boss and could be lured into arranging a bulk purchase, allowing the group to catch the traffickers.
• Lin Ze agreed to help recover the money, then learned from Tartaglia that the four cars had been bought on an installment plan and their outstanding balances remained due.

After Tartaglia dismantled the extraterrestrial spine stone organizations, Lin Ze planned a trip to Nepal with Zhongli and Paimon to meet Tony, while Zhongli intended to visit Kamar-Taj. The next day, Stephen set off alone to seek treatment for his hands, and Tartaglia was left behind with a note and an unanswered phone call.

• Tartaglia took down the spine stone organizations and forced their mastermind to turn himself in, while Lin Ze was overwhelmed by the bills.
• Zhongli told Lin Ze he had promised a mage to visit Kamar-Taj and said Stephen must make the journey alone.
• Zhongli clarified that only he, Lin Ze, and Paimon would travel to Nepal, and promised to explain Tartaglia's absence himself.
• The next day, Tartaglia told Stephen that Zhongli had directed him to Kamar-Taj and lent him money for the journey.
• Stephen left to find Kamar-Taj, while Tartaglia tried calling Lin Ze and got a message that the number was outside the service area.

Lin Ze and Paimon accepted Tony’s help with their debt before setting out to find Zhongli’s sorcerer friend, the Ancient One, in Kamar-Taj. They reached her weathered stone house and were invited inside by a man who said Zhongli and his master had been expecting them.

• Tony offered to have Potts resolve Lin Ze’s friends’ debt and sent Lin Ze money for travel expenses.
• Lin Ze told Tony that he and Paimon planned to find Zhongli at Kamar-Taj, where the Ancient One lived.
• Lin Ze and Paimon followed the Geo marks through Kathmandu until they found a shabby stone house.
• Paimon knocked on the door, and a hooded man opened it and invited them in, saying Zhongli and his master had been waiting for them.

Lin Ze and Paimon entered Kamar-Taj and met the Ancient One, hoping she could help him understand time. The Ancient One knew about Lin Ze’s question before he asked, leaving him frightened and wondering how much she knew.

• The Black man guided Lin Ze and Paimon through Magic Alley to the Ancient One’s sanctuary, where he described her as a master who knew everything.
• Paimon wondered whether the Ancient One was this world’s Nahida, while Lin Ze considered asking her about his stalled quest concerning time.
• Zhongli introduced Aether and Paimon to the Ancient One, who invited them to drink tea before discussing time.
• The Ancient One anticipated Lin Ze’s question and told him he was not dreaming, making him hide behind Zhongli in fear.
• Lin Ze leaned against Zhongli and spilled his tea onto Zhongli’s seat.

Lin Ze and Paimon settled into Kamar-Taj after meeting the Ancient One, who discussed time and future possibilities with Zhongli. Meanwhile, Stephen gained permission to study magic, and the Ancient One and Mordo considered how Zhongli and the newcomers might affect Kamar-Taj’s coming crisis.

• The Ancient One refilled Lin Ze’s tea and invited him and Paimon to stay at Kamar-Taj while she discussed time with Aether.
• Zhongli explained that the Ancient One could observe likely future paths, then showed Lin Ze and Paimon to their room.
• Lin Ze and Paimon realized they were hungry and went to ask Zhongli where they could find food.
• Stephen readily accepted the Ancient One’s teachings about magic and gained permission to study at Kamar-Taj.
• Mordo told the Ancient One that Zhongli’s defenses resisted every challenge, while she wondered whether the Outlander’s influence on fate was right or wrong.

Lin Ze and Stephen had breakfast at Kamar-Taj, where Lin Ze found Paimon asleep on Georgia’s plate. Back in their room, Paimon explained that Zhongli’s preparations had kept her awake, and Lin Ze promised to make her Cream Stew before heading to class.

• Lin Ze realized Paimon had disappeared, then found her asleep on Georgia’s plate in the dining hall.
• Georgia explained that she had caught Paimon when she fell from the air, and Lin Ze carried the sleeping Paimon back to their room.
• Paimon told Lin Ze that Xiangling’s cooking and Bennett’s late-night work making Warming Bottles had kept her awake.
• Lin Ze explained that Zhongli, Xiangling, and Bennett were preparing for a mining trip to a snowy mountain.
• Lin Ze promised to make Paimon Cream Stew at noon, and she fell asleep again before he went to class.

The Ancient One taught Lin Ze, Paimon, and Stephen the basics of spellcasting and explained that learning magic required time and practice. After their morning lesson, they prepared for lunch and the afternoon martial arts class, with Paimon eager for Lin Ze to make her goulash.

• The Ancient One gave Lin Ze, Paimon, and Stephen books on Ancient Sanskrit spells and demonstrated how spells formed shields before dissolving into sparks.
• The Ancient One explained that magic could be dangerous and that Stephen would need sustained study and practice to restore his hands.
• The Ancient One skipped the book's author biography and taught the three students to read and repeat spells until the morning lesson ended.
• Lin Ze and Stephen discussed reviewing the spells with translation software, while Paimon admitted she had struggled to pay attention and expected Lin Ze to learn magic for her.
• Paimon asked whether the afternoon martial arts class involved fighting, then reminded Lin Ze that he had promised to make her goulash and threatened to call Zhongli if he broke his word.

Lin Ze returned to Kamar-Taj for martial arts training after sharing lunch in the Serenitea Pot, where he realized he had nearly missed class. He and Stephen began planning their studies, but Lin Ze ended the day overwhelmed by memorization and wishing Nahida would give him a Knowledge Capsule.

• Lin Ze shared Cream Stew with everyone in the Serenitea Pot, and Diluc agreed to make Dandelion Wine and open another winery after they got out.
• Lin Ze and Paimon rushed out of the pot when Stephen called, and Lin Ze hurriedly changed into his Martial Arts Uniform before class.
• Lin Ze and Stephen trained under Master Mordo and Master Wong, repeating movements until their arms hurt while trying to master martial arts without incantations.
• Georgia explained that learning the Portal spell had taken her six months and told them Wong could recommend books from the Library, which stayed open until two in the morning.
• Stephen revealed that he had a photographic memory, and he and Lin Ze agreed to study together that night.
• Lin Ze struggled to memorize the material while Stephen advanced through the book, leaving Lin Ze begging Nahida for a Knowledge Capsule.

Lin Ze accidentally opened a portal into Tony Stark’s home while practicing the Sling Ring, bringing Qiqi and Tony into the sorcerers’ training area. After Wong defused the clash between Tony and Mordo, Wong privately asked Lin Ze to get him Iron Man’s autograph.

• Lin Ze successfully opened a Sling Ring portal, and Qiqi peeked through from Tony Stark’s room while Paimon asked Tony for snacks.
• Mordo scolded Lin Ze for opening a portal to a potentially dangerous place, but Lin Ze explained that the portal led to Nepal and that Qiqi was harmless.
• Tony tried to enter the teaching area, argued with Mordo, and summoned his Iron Man armor.
• Wong explained that Mordo had only been protecting the class, and Tony and Mordo accepted the chance to back down.
• Tony left with Qiqi, Paimon flew back through the portal into Lin Ze’s arms, and Wong ordered Lin Ze to resume practicing.
• Wong quietly asked Lin Ze to help him get Iron Man’s autograph.

The Ancient One pushed Stephen to abandon his old beliefs by leaving him stranded on Mount Everest, while Zhongli returned safely to Kamar-Taj with Xiangling and Bennett after mining. Stephen struggled to survive and finally saw a light just as he was about to lose consciousness.

• The Ancient One ended Lin Ze's lesson, then took Stephen through a portal to Mount Everest to challenge his understanding of magic.
• Stephen encountered Zhongli, Xiangling, and Bennett beside a fire, but the Ancient One brought them back to Kamar-Taj and left Stephen behind in the freezing cold.
• Zhongli thanked the Ancient One for helping with his mining trip and promised to share what he had seen and heard.
• Mordo asked the Ancient One how Stephen was doing, and she said they would know soon as they waited for his portal to appear.
• Stephen failed to conjure a portal as the protective pillars vanished and the fire went out, but he kept tracing circles and finally saw a light.

Tony visited Lin Ze and offered him a place to stay, while Zhongli returned from a mining trip with valuable minerals that left Lin Ze thrilled at his newfound wealth. Meanwhile, Stephen mastered the Portal spell, but found Lin Ze and Wong grinning uncontrollably in the Library.

• Tony visited Lin Ze's dorm, signed his notebook, and offered him a place to stay after he returned to New York.
• Lin Ze packed Tony freshly picked raspberries before Tony and Qiqi left.
• Zhongli returned with Xiangling and Bennett, and explained that they had borrowed Childe's Fatui uniforms for the cold mountain mining trip.
• Zhongli gave Lin Ze a large haul of minerals, including diamonds, and Lin Ze celebrated his sudden riches.
• Stephen successfully summoned a Portal, then went to study with Lin Ze and found him and Wong grinning in the Library.

Stephen secretly used the Time Book to restore its missing pages, then used its time spell to repeatedly restore cake for Paimon. Their unstable manipulation of time drew the attention of Zhongli and Wong, and a prismatic space began opening before them.

• Wong caught Lin Ze after his summoned hammer smashed through the Library shelves and dragged him off to Zhongli.
• Stephen took the Time Book and used the Eye of Agamotto to restore the pages Kaecilius had stolen.
• Paimon startled Stephen, learned how he had restored the book, and asked him to use the spell on cake.
• Paimon kept eating the restored cake too quickly, and Stephen restored it four times as she begged for another try.
• Zhongli and Lin Ze sensed unstable spacetime nearby, and a transparent, prismatic space unfolded in front of Stephen and Paimon.

Stephen nearly disrupted space-time after trying a spell from the Book of Cagliostro, but Wong and Mordo stopped him and he admitted his mistake. After the group made peace, Mordo said they should tell them everything about the crisis approaching Kamar-Taj.

• Wong and Mordo stopped Stephen as prismatic crystals spread from his attempt to use the Time Manipulation Spell.
• Mordo warned Stephen that the spell could create unstable branches in space-time and cause deadly paradoxes or time loops.
• Paimon confessed that she had asked Stephen to restore the cake, and Lin Ze defended them while urging everyone to focus on fixing the mistake.
• Stephen took responsibility for secretly testing the spell, and Wong apologized for failing to explain the risks of the Ancient One's books.
• Lin Ze apologized to Mordo, who accepted the apology and praised Stephen's exceptional magical talent.
• Mordo told Wong that they should reveal everything, while Zhongli silently sensed that the real storm had arrived.

Wong and Mordo explained the Mystic Sorcerers’ sanctums and Dormammu’s threat to Lin Ze, Paimon, Zhongli, and Stephen, who refused to join their ranks. Kaecilius attacked through the London Sanctum, but Lin Ze shielded Kamar-Taj’s room from the blast, leaving Kaecilius to confront him.

• Wong explained that Agamotto created the Eye and the three sanctums that protected Earth, while Mordo described Dormammu’s plan to devour the universe.
• Stephen declined to become a sorcerer because he had come to heal his hands and wanted no part in a mystical war.
• An alarm warned that the London Sanctum was under attack, and Kaecilius killed a young sorcerer as he crossed through its doorway.
• Kaecilius unleashed a massive golden spell through the doorway, and Lin Ze cast an impenetrable fortress that protected everyone in the room from the blast.
• Kaecilius found the room unharmed and asked Lin Ze, whom he had identified as the caster of the barrier, who he was.