Chapter Summaries

Han Shuo arrived in ruined Brettel City and learned that its defenses and demoralized army were nearly useless. He imposed harsh reforms and placed the soldiers under the command of the veteran knight Valklan.

• Chester paid a beggar for directions, and Han Shuo reached the looted city lord’s manor.
• Dick told Han Shuo that Brettel City had fewer than fifty thousand residents, just over three thousand poorly equipped soldiers, and vulnerable mines threatened by bandits.
• Han Shuo ordered the soldiers assembled and declared that those over fifty would leave the ranks while the others received food, equipment, and brutal training.
• When a soldier openly challenged Han Shuo’s plans, Han Shuo killed him with a dark brown flash and ordered the others to obey without question.
• Valklan arrived with more than a hundred armed riders, and Han Shuo assigned him to train Brettel City’s soldiers by the harshest methods.

Han Shuo armed and recruited Brettel City’s forces, then led an undead army to attack Redbeard Tuluoda’s bandits on Tali Mountain. The chapter ended as Tuluoda’s bandits saw the undead advancing behind them.

• Han Shuo gave Valklan weapons, war chariots, and grain, and ordered him to recruit young, strong civilians.
• Dick told Han Shuo that bandits were expected to attack the Mountain People on Tali Mountain, and Han Shuo ordered him to track their numbers and route.
• Three days later, Redbeard Tuluoda led four thousand bandits against the Mountain People on Tali Mountain.
• Han Shuo summoned more than twelve hundred Dark Creatures and marched them toward the bandits, while Valklan ordered Brettel City’s soldiers to follow.
• Tuluoda’s bandits spotted the undead army approaching from behind, and Tuluoda turned to face it.

Han Shuo’s undead army attacked Tuluoda’s bandits as Valklan’s soldiers opened fire from the rocks, turning the assault on Tali Mountain into a battle. As Little Skeleton led an aerial charge against Tuluoda, Han Shuo ordered that the bandit chief be captured alive so he could seize the wealth Tuluoda had taken.

• Tuluoda’s Light Department mages attacked the advancing undead, but their spells failed to stop the army.
• Valklan’s soldiers fired on the charging bandits, killing more than three hundred and wounding hundreds more.
• Han Shuo’s undead army accelerated beneath the Undead Sky and spread Acidic Swamp across the bandits’ route, dissolving dozens of them.
• Tuluoda redirected his charge toward Valklan’s soldiers, and Han Shuo revealed that he was defending Brettel City before ordering the undead to attack.
• Little Skeleton flew toward Tuluoda on a spiked undead creature, and Han Shuo ordered his forces to capture the bandit chief alive for his wealth.

Han Shuo’s undead and Valklan’s soldiers fought Tuluoda’s bandits while the Mountain People joined the battle. Han Shuo captured Tuluoda and threatened to extract the bandit’s stolen wealth from his soul, even after death.

• Little Skeleton redirected its undead mount into the bandits as Han Shuo’s undead creatures attacked Tuluoda’s forces.
• Han Shuo created Acidic Swamps while Valklan ordered his archers to fire, and the soldiers’ volleys killed more bandits.
• Han Shuo cleared narrow paths through the swamps, prompting Tuluoda to lead his bandits in a charge toward Valklan’s soldiers.
• Fokalin led the Mountain People down Tali Mountain to seek revenge against Tuluoda and support the fight.
• Han Shuo’s Bone Spears wounded Tuluoda, and Gargoyles carried him into the air before Han Shuo demanded the wealth he had plundered.
• Tuluoda refused to surrender his wealth, so Han Shuo pierced him with Bone Spears and said he could obtain it from Tuluoda’s soul.

Han Shuo helped Brettel City and Fokalin’s Mountain People defeat Tuluoda’s bandits, then learned where the bandit had hidden his treasure and flew toward the Xilun Duchy. He arrived at the barren mountain to find a battle involving four duchies underway, with Helen Tina commanding her forces.

• Tuluoda’s death broke the bandits’ morale, and Valklan’s soldiers and Fokalin’s Mountain People joined the undead to defeat them.
• Han Shuo took Tuluoda’s Spatial Ring, learned the location of his hidden wealth, and ordered the gathered spoils delivered to Valklan.
• Fokalin thanked Han Shuo but said his people were not yet ready to return to Brettel City.
• Han Shuo left Valklan to oversee the battlefield cleanup and flew toward the Xilun Duchy, considering when to act against it.
• Han Shuo reached the barren mountain and found Helen Tina directing her soldiers in a large battle involving four duchies.

Han Shuo tried to reach the treasure hidden beneath the barren hill, but Helen Tina intercepted him while protecting her plan to deploy magic cannons. After escaping her attacks, he concealed himself among the soldiers and watched Helen, preparing to strike at the Xilun Duchy.

• Han Shuo flew over the battlefield and realized the barren hill’s solid stone prevented the Earth Armor Zombie from reaching Tuluoda’s hidden treasure.
• Helen Tina sensed Han Shuo, struck at him with five fireballs, and then pursued him when he headed toward the hill’s rear, where soldiers were moving magic cannons.
• Helen Tina attacked Han Shuo with five fire serpents, but he blocked them with a White Bone Shield and disappeared within Dark Mist.
• Helen Tina concluded that Han Shuo had escaped, ordered the soldiers to hurry with the cannons, and returned toward the hilltop.
• Disguised as a soldier beside a magic cannon, Han Shuo watched Helen Tina and said that the Xilun Duchy had grown rich from plundering Brettel City and that it was time to make it bleed.

Han Shuo used Dark Mist and Zombie Warriors to steal the six Magic Crystal Cannons, causing the Xilun and Nathan Duchies to withdraw from the barren hill. After raising the battlefield’s dead into an undead force, he went underground to retrieve Tuluoda’s inheritance for Tuluoda’s mistress and child.

• Han Shuo’s Dark Mist concealed the slaughter of the guards, and his Zombie Warriors pushed all six Magic Crystal Cannons into a fissure that then closed.
• Helen Tina learned the cannons were gone, killed the squad leader who reported it, and flew back toward Back Hill in fury.
• Benedict Sackville ordered the Nathan Duchy troops to withdraw, and Kaba led the Xilun Duchy forces away as well.
• After the battle left three thousand corpses, Han Shuo raised them as zombies, and they turned the three hundred soldiers clearing the battlefield into undead.
• Han Shuo marched the reanimated zombies toward the Xilun Duchy, then followed Tuluoda’s memories underground and obtained the inheritance prepared for Tuluoda’s mistress and child.

Han Shuo faced Helen Tina and Red-robed Archbishop Zhankesi after the Church of Light destroyed his Yin Demon and wiped out the zombies. He refused to surrender to the Church and challenged a Temple Knight, as the knight raised his sacred, silver-lit spear against him.

• Han Shuo watched the Church of Light's sacred power reduce the marching zombies to ash, and a light mage destroyed his investigating Yin Demon with a beam from the Book of Revelation.
• Helen Tina arrived at the barren hill and demanded that Han Shuo return the six Magic Crystal Cannons; he said they were only the beginning of what Xilun Duchy owed him.
• Red-robed Archbishop Zhankesi identified Han Shuo and invited him to the Church of Light, but Han Shuo refused and assessed the threat posed by Zhankesi and the three Temple Knights.
• Helen Tina recognized Han Shuo as Brian, the new city lord of Brettel City, and he warned her that anyone who attacked the city would pay.
• Han Shuo drew the Demon-Slaying Edge and challenged one Temple Knight to fight him; the knight pointed his sacred silver spear at Han Shuo and accepted the confrontation.

Han Shuo confronted Cardinal Zhankesi as the Skeleton Magic Staff clashed with the Book of Revelation, while the Demon-Slaying Edge unleashed a deadly soul attack. Zhankesi put away the Book of Revelation to stop the staff, but the Demon-Slaying Edge continued flying toward him.

• Han Shuo and Zhankesi’s divine artifacts clashed, and their opposing powers blasted the barren mountain while draining both men.
• Three temple knights tried to circle around and attack Han Shuo as Helen Tina watched from above on the Fire Phoenix.
• Han Shuo poured Demonic Essence into the Demon-Slaying Edge, which unleashed a blood-red soul attack that overwhelmed the knights and their warhorses.
• Zhankesi used a blood offering to stop the Book of Revelation and put it away, ending the Skeleton Magic Staff’s drain on Han Shuo’s Mental Power.
• The Demon-Slaying Edge continued streaking toward Zhankesi.

Han Shuo and his undead fought off Zhankesi and the temple knights, but Helen Tina and reinforcements turned the mountain battle into a larger confrontation. As more temple knights charged and Calamity Church forces arrived, Han Shuo remained surrounded and in danger.

• Zhankesi used a Magic Scroll and a whirlwind spell to survive Han Shuo's Demon-Slaying Edge, while three temple knights rushed to protect him.
• Han Shuo summoned Little Skeleton, the Earth Armor Zombie, and the Wooden Armored Corpse, and Little Skeleton transformed his Bone Blade and killed an injured temple knight.
• Helen Tina attacked with her Fire Phoenix and spread flames across the mountain, forcing the undead to stop pursuing Zhankesi.
• Zhankesi ordered the arriving temple knights to kill Han Shuo and warned them that his undead resisted sacred power.
• A Necromancer and Death God Guards from the Calamity Church reached the mountain, insisting that Brian must not die and wondering how he obtained the Skeleton Divine Staff.

Han Shuo escaped the Church of Light and lured Helen Tina into a valley, where he and Little Skeleton captured her and the Fire Phoenix. He left them bound and at his mercy.

• Han Shuo sensed the Calamity Church reinforcements, then flew away as the Church of Light and Calamity Church forces began fighting at the barren mountain.
• Helen Tina pursued Han Shuo on her Fire Phoenix, demanding that he return the magic crystal cannons.
• Han Shuo released his Yin Demons and watched Helen Tina as she followed him to a vine-filled valley.
• Little Skeleton and Han Shuo countered Helen Tina’s fire magic with wraiths, the Demon-Slaying Edge, and the valley’s twisting branches.
• The branches bound Helen Tina and the Fire Phoenix, and Little Skeleton held his blade to Helen Tina’s neck as Han Shuo confronted her.

Han Shuo captured Helen Tina and transported the Magic Crystal Cannons toward Brettel City, where the Calamity Church necromancer Woaofu revealed the Church of Light was hunting him. When Han Shuo produced the Skeleton Magic Staff, it drained Woaofu’s power and rejuvenated him, leaving Han Shuo amazed.

• Han Shuo knocked Helen Tina unconscious, demanded a million gold coins from the Xilun Duchy, and carried her away while the Fire Phoenix watched helplessly.
• Han Shuo recovered his strength, retrieved six Magic Crystal Cannons, and slowly traveled toward Brettel City with undead escorts.
• Woaofu approached Han Shuo in the forest, identified himself as a 170-year-old Necromancy Archmage, and warned that Cardinal Zhankesi and some Temple Knights had survived.
• Woaofu said the Calamity Church would secretly protect Han Shuo and implied that Han Shuo had unknowingly belonged to the church all along.
• Han Shuo showed Woaofu the three-colored Skeleton Magic Staff, which absorbed Woaofu’s Mental Power and restored Han Shuo’s depleted strength.
• Woaofu transformed from an aged necromancer into a young man, and Han Shuo marveled at the staff’s power.

Han Shuo parted ways with Woaofu, who offered to reveal the Skeleton Divine Staff’s secrets only if Han Shuo joined the Calamity Church. On his way to Brettel City, Han Shuo questioned his captive Helen Tina about whether the Magic Crystal Cannons could cross a river, while she feared that no one would pay to ransom her.

• Woaofu credited the Skeleton Divine Staff with restoring his youthful appearance and invited Han Shuo to join the Calamity Church to learn its secrets, but Han Shuo refused.
• Woaofu left to report to the sacred land, and Han Shuo retrieved the six Magic Crystal Cannons and continued toward Brettel City.
• At a river, Han Shuo woke Helen Tina and asked whether the Magic Crystal Cannons could withstand water.
• Han Shuo admitted that he had lied about assaulting Helen Tina, then explained that he had sealed her Mental Power and would release her in exchange for a million gold coins.
• Helen Tina said that no one would ransom her and that she might as well be killed.

Han Shuo brought six Magic Crystal Cannons and the captive Helen Tina back to Brettel City, where the city’s soldiers welcomed him and Valklan recognized the weapons as Thunder Gods. After locking Helen Tina away, Han Shuo sensed a distant call and hurried to the secret chamber, believing the Fire Armored Corpse was about to emerge.

• Han Shuo built six rafts with the Wooden Armored Corpse and transported the Magic Crystal Cannons across the river, knocking Helen Tina unconscious along the way.
• Han Shuo avoided bandits and mercenaries before reaching Brettel City with Helen Tina and the cannons.
• Brettel City’s guards recognized Han Shuo’s voice, opened the gates, and welcomed him back.
• Valklan identified the cannons as Thunder Gods, confirmed he could operate them, and accepted Han Shuo’s order to deploy them.
• Han Shuo locked Helen Tina in the city lord’s residence, then hurried to the secret chamber after sensing a distant call from the Fire Armored Corpse.

Han Shuo entered the Fire-Extreme Land to reach the Fire Armored Corpse, but the Flame Lord attacked him before he could free it. After Han Shuo unleashed his prepared arrays, a beautiful lotus rose from the lava.

• Han Shuo followed the Fire Armored Corpse’s urgent call to the Fire-Extreme Land and searched for a way inside.
• Han Shuo found an underground fissure and descended through it, but a Flame Demon Warrior spotted him and attacked.
• Han Shuo dispelled the Flame Demon Warrior’s fire, rousing the Flame Lord, who emerged from the lava and attacked him.
• Han Shuo used Extreme Cold Purple Fire to form a massive block of ice against the Flame Lord’s fire dragons and lava, but the ice rapidly melted.
• Han Shuo chanted a spell and activated arrays he had placed in the rock walls, stopping the flow of Fire Essence as a beautiful lotus rose from the lava.

Han Shuo watched the Fire Armored Corpse emerge from the Fire Lotus and leave the Fire-Extreme Land with him, then was ambushed by Archmage Masor. He pursued her until she rallied a party of adventurers against him.

• The Fire Armored Corpse completed his transformation, absorbed the flames around Han Shuo, and formed a Fire Lotus mark between his brows.
• The Flame Lord calmed and bid farewell to the Fire Armored Corpse, while Han Shuo rose from the fissure and waited for him in the valley.
• Han Shuo relaxed in a hot spring, but Masor attacked him with fire spells from behind a Magic Shield.
• Han Shuo identified Masor and chased her as his burned skin healed and the Fire Armored Corpse followed behind him.
• Masor encountered a party of adventurers, claimed an enemy nation’s assassin was pursuing her, and urged them to attack Han Shuo.

Han Shuo fought Masor’s tightly coordinated adventuring party, using the forest and undead creatures to turn the battle against them. The party tried to escape after the Thief was killed, but Han Shuo’s Fire Armored Corpse swallowed Masor’s fire serpents and blocked their way.

• Masor’s party attacked Han Shuo with lightning and ice spells, but he vanished inside a cloud of black smoke and evaded their first volley.
• Han Shuo caught the adventurers off guard with rising earth mounds, but their counterattacks struck his thigh with an Ice Cone and numbed him with lightning.
• Han Shuo summoned undead creatures and used the Wooden Armored Corpse to entangle and kill the Thief, Kaidi, with branches.
• Masor recognized Han Shuo as a Necromancer and ordered the party to retrieve Kaidi’s body and flee as undead creatures surrounded them.
• Masor sent fire serpents against the undead to clear an escape route, but Han Shuo’s Fire Armored Corpse swallowed the flames while the Evil Knight charged the adventurers.

Han Shuo defeated Fire Archmage Masor and her adventurers, surviving her forbidden Spatial Blade spell by using a yin demon as a decoy before killing her. As he headed toward the Death Cemetery, he discovered a powerful Bart Trade Alliance knight legion camped near the Dark Forest and decided to investigate their purpose.

• Han Shuo's undead attacked Masor's adventurers, and the Fire Armored Corpse's flames helped kill everyone except Masor.
• Masor unleashed several Spatial Blades that devastated the undead and appeared to cut Han Shuo in two, but Han Shuo survived by sacrificing a yin demon and killed her.
• Han Shuo took Masor's Spatial Ring and the dead adventurers' valuables, then sent the surviving undead back to the Otherworld.
• Han Shuo used his remaining yin demon to scout a force of over five thousand Bart Trade Alliance knights near the Dark Forest and recognized the dead adventurers' emblem among theirs.
• Han Shuo sensed something unusual in the legion's central tent and decided to investigate.

Han Shuo rushed to save Emily and Cecilia from the Bart Trade Alliance’s knights, but a powerful shapeshifting mage wounded him. Cecilia used a Space Gate to escape with the group, and they emerged in a river as their pursuers closed in.

• Han Shuo detected a Soul Search spell near the Bart Trade Alliance’s camp and stayed concealed while a squad of knights pursued another intruder.
• Han Shuo recognized Emily’s voice during the fight and rushed to help her and Cecilia, who were resisting the knights with the Dark Curtain members.
• A thin red-haired mage transformed into a giant black bear and struck Han Shuo with overwhelming force, injuring his right hand.
• Han Shuo warned the group that another expert was approaching, and Cecilia opened a Space Gate for the Dark Curtain members, Emily, and Han Shuo to escape.
• The group surfaced in a small river, where Emily asked how Han Shuo had reached the Dark Forest and Cecilia warned that their pursuers would catch up.

Han Shuo learned that Cassel was an Archdruid skilled in Shapeshifting and then followed Emily and Cecilia into Forest Trolls territory. He prevented Cecilia’s group from attacking the Forest Trolls and left with them as Cassel and the Violet Thorn Knights pursued the group.

• Emily told Han Shuo that Cassel was a traitorous Archdruid who could use Shapeshifting, unlike Caspian.
• Cecilia refused to reveal her mission to Han Shuo and led her party deeper into the forest.
• Cecilia planned to use the Forest Trolls to delay the approaching Violet Thorn Knights, but Han Shuo stopped her group from attacking them.
• Emily persuaded Cecilia to go around the Forest Trolls, and Cecilia left after warning that she would report Han Shuo to Candida.
• The Forest Trolls cheered for Han Shuo, who hurried them away before Cassel arrived with fifty or sixty Violet Thorn Knights and followed Cecilia’s trail.