Chapter Summaries

Han Shuo killed Nahum Betch and Cardinal Katos at the Church of Light in the Beasley Duchy, then used Katos’s memories to learn about the Church’s hidden forces and search for Blount. He traveled to the Pauleta Duchy to question Grand Duke Bert Zili, but found him summoning a demon and intervened when the creature attacked.

• Han Shuo killed Nahum Betch and seized Katos, using the Great Soul-Seizing Hand to extract the cardinal’s memories before killing him.
• Han Shuo left the bloodied Church of Light, learned that it had three covert organizations, and discovered that Katos had no firm information about Blount’s whereabouts.
• Han Shuo recalled that Bert Zili belonged to the Calamity Church and flew to the Pauleta Duchy, hoping the Grand Duke might know where Blount was.
• Bert Zili summoned the high-level demonic creature Dajia Ka in a hidden altar beneath his residence.
• Dajia Ka lunged at a shadow, but Han Shuo froze it in midair, alarming Bert Zili.

Han Shuo visited Bert Zili to learn Paladin Blount’s whereabouts, then traveled to Tarik City to pursue him through the Dark Curtain. He arrived at its secret headquarters and unexpectedly encountered Cecilia.

• Han Shuo revealed his identity to Bert Zili and freed the summoned demonic creature Dajia Ka from suspension so Bert could recall it.
• Bert Zili told Han Shuo that Paladin Blount was in Tarik City, where he was handling Church of Light affairs and hunting someone.
• Han Shuo told Bert Zili he had killed Grand Duke Nahum Betch and Cardinal Katos, prompting Bert to secretly mobilize against the Beasley Duchy.
• Han Shuo flew to Tarik City, contacted the local Dark Curtain, and showed a member his two-sun identification token.
• Cecilia recognized Han Shuo at the Dark Curtain headquarters and asked what he was doing there.

After reuniting with Cecilia in Tarik City, Han Shuo learned that Paladin Blount had entered the dangerous Talaga Gorge while pursuing a heretic, and agreed to investigate alongside Cecilia’s Dark Curtain team. While waiting to depart, he checked on the Five Elements Armored Corpses’ formation practice in the Necromantic Paradise and continued studying necromantic barriers.

• Cecilia welcomed Han Shuo to the Tarik City Dark Curtain branch and told him he had been promoted to Four-Day Envoy.
• Han Shuo asked about Paladin Blount, and Cecilia explained that Blount had pursued a heretic into Talaga Gorge after unusual magical-beast attacks drew attention to the area.
• Cecilia invited Han Shuo to join the team’s investigation of Talaga Gorge, and he agreed to travel with them the following morning.
• In a secret chamber, Han Shuo visited the Necromantic Paradise and learned that the Earth Armor Zombie, Golden Armored Corpse, and Fire Armored Corpse could merge their powers, while the other two could not yet do so.
• Han Shuo returned from the Necromantic Paradise, studied the Weakness Barrier, and left with Cecilia when she said the team was ready.

Cecilia and Han Shuo led a Dark Curtain team into Talaga Gorge, where a pack of magical beasts attacked them. As the team fought, Han Shuo formed a Weakness Barrier that slowed the beasts, then sensed a powerful presence approaching.

• Cecilia led Han Shuo and twelve Dark Curtain subordinates deeper into the eerily empty Talaga Gorge to investigate the beasts’ aggression.
• Ticalu reported that nearly a hundred magical beasts were converging on the group, and Cecilia ordered everyone to prepare defenses.
• Cecilia’s team used support magic, spells, arrows, and traps to kill many of the charging beasts.
• Han Shuo studied how to combine the Weakness Barrier’s effects on body and soul while the battle continued.
• Han Shuo cast the Weakness Barrier, slowing several higher-ranked beasts, then sensed a powerful presence approaching stealthily.

Han Shuo rescued Kalei from an elderly woman who ambushed him with green smoke and dragged him toward a patch of sucking mud. Han Shuo swiftly defeated and captured her, then demanded to know who she was and why she had attacked them.

• Cecilia's group defeated the charging magical beasts after Han Shuo's Weakness Barrier weakened them.
• Han Shuo detected a hidden attacker moving toward Kalei and followed as the woman ensnared him in green smoke and carried him into Talaga Gorge.
• The woman tried to drag Kalei into a patch of mud, but Han Shuo struck the mud and freed him.
• The elderly woman attacked Han Shuo with green smoke and a strange force, but his Demonic Nascent Soul absorbed her power.
• Han Shuo severely injured the woman, captured her, washed the mud from her face, and demanded to know who she was and why she had attacked them.

Han Shuo captured Elizabeth, learned why the Church of Light was hunting her, and revealed that he was also an arch-heretic. As the Church of Light surrounded them, Han Shuo summoned undead and faced Paladin Blount, who recognized him.

• Han Shuo questioned Elizabeth after defeating her and sent Kalei to meet Cecilia and the others.
• Han Shuo discovered that Elizabeth had a God-Graced Body and learned she had tried to frame the Church of Light by killing Kalei.
• Han Shuo listened to the approaching Church of Light party and learned that Elizabeth could absorb its divine power.
• Han Shuo told Elizabeth that he was an arch-heretic who had become the Church of Light’s hunter.
• Paladin Blount and the Church of Light’s forces surrounded Elizabeth, but Han Shuo summoned undead around them.
• Blount recognized Han Shuo as the man who had seriously wounded him three years earlier.

Han Shuo confronted Paladin Blount, overwhelmed him in battle, and had his undead finish him off. He offered Elizabeth the chance to absorb Blount’s divine power in exchange for becoming his servant, and she accepted.

• Han Shuo freed Elizabeth and told her she could absorb the divine power in Blount’s body.
• Elizabeth recognized Han Shuo as the necromancer who had defeated Blount, and Blount ordered the Church of Light followers to attack Han Shuo.
• Han Shuo fought Blount barehanded while his undead attacked the surrounding Church of Light followers.
• Han Shuo broke Blount’s defenses, and a zombie warrior emerged from the earth and repeatedly stomped on the fallen paladin.
• Han Shuo offered Elizabeth a choice between becoming his servant and being killed, and Elizabeth agreed before rushing to absorb Blount’s divine power.

Han Shuo killed Paladin Blount, discovered Elizabeth could absorb divine power, and bound her to him with demonic blood. After taking Blount’s soul and equipment, Han Shuo found something in the yellow papers that shocked him.

• Elizabeth absorbed the divine power from the dying Blount while Han Shuo examined the five qi vortices in her body.
• Han Shuo planted demonic blood in Elizabeth’s brain, drained some of her power, and forced her into a master-servant bond.
• Han Shuo ordered Elizabeth to absorb divine power from the surviving followers of the Church of Light.
• Han Shuo crushed Blount’s head, absorbed his soul into the Demon-Slaying Edge, and took his armor, Golden Spear, and Spatial Ring.
• Han Shuo read the yellow papers from Blount’s Spatial Ring and was shocked by their contents.

Han Shuo discovered documents proving that the Church of Light had sacrificed eighty-seven pure souls to empower Paladin Blount, then planned to expose them through the Calamity Church. After Blount and the other Church of Light followers were killed, a tremendous crash and fleeing magical beasts drew Han Shuo and Cecilia toward the depths of Talaga Gorge.

• Han Shuo found Blount's signed documents describing the Church of Light's sacrifice of eighty-seven pure souls to increase Blount's power.
• Elizabeth reported that the remaining Church of Light followers were dead, and Han Shuo assessed how much divine power she had absorbed.
• Cecilia and the Dark Curtain members arrived, and Han Shuo told Cecilia that Blount was dead and Elizabeth had become his servant.
• Han Shuo decided to give the documents to Woaofu so the Calamity Church could expose the Church of Light.
• A tremendous crash shook Talaga Gorge, and Han Shuo, Cecilia, and Elizabeth went to investigate as magical beasts fled.

Han Shuo led Cecilia, Elizabeth, and their companions into Talaga Gorge, where fleeing magical beasts and powerful presences warned of danger in its depths. He went on alone while Cecilia’s group retreated, and Old Monster Stassom appeared and followed Han Shuo.

• Han Shuo led the group deeper into Talaga Gorge as large herds of magical beasts charged past without attacking them.
• Han Shuo sensed a barrier and several terrifying presences beyond it, then warned Cecilia that even Paladin Blount would die if he entered.
• Han Shuo sent Elizabeth back to Tarik City and vanished deeper into the gorge, while Cecilia chose to retreat with her subordinates.
• Old Monster Stassom appeared where Han Shuo had stood, asked Cecilia who he was, and then followed Han Shuo into the gorge.
• Cecilia told her companions that the strange young man was Old Monster Stassom, the current guardian of the Seven Grand Duchies and former Imperial Preceptor of the Verdun Dynasty.

Han Shuo entered the strange region deep in Talaga Gorge and discovered an island where horned creatures worshipped an altar surrounded by slaughtered super-tier beasts. He recognized twelve orbs on the altar as containers of pure elemental and other powers, including an exceptionally pure death element.

• Han Shuo entered the region alone, while National Preceptor Stassom and two other powerful figures followed him through its barrier; later adventurers were unable to pass.
• Han Shuo concealed his presence and moved through the area, finding the remains of high-level magical beasts that explained why the beasts had fled Talaga Gorge.
• Han Shuo reached a clear lake and saw pale-green, horned, tail-bearing creatures worshipping an altar on an island.
• Han Shuo observed that the creatures' strength corresponded to the number of horns they had, and identified four five-horned leaders as formidable threats.
• Han Shuo saw twelve orbs rise above the altar and sensed pure death, light, dark, wind, fire, water, electric, and earth elements, along with destruction, battle aura, and powers linked to spatial and summoning magic.

Han Shuo watched four demigod creatures create twelve spheres and joined forces with Tiana, Stassom, and Reno to seize them. After learning the spheres could transform souls and help their users pursue godhood, the group prepared to move against the creatures.

• Han Shuo spotted twelve spheres, including one filled with death elements, but held back because the four five-horned creatures were demigods.
• Han Shuo drew three approaching experts to him, and Stassom, Reno, and Tiana recognized one another before learning he was Brian of the Lancelot Empire.
• Tiana proposed that the four join forces to take the spheres, and Reno asked for the lightning crystal of origin in exchange for handling the aftermath.
• Stassom explained that the spheres could create elemental souls, law souls, or battle souls, while Tiana said these offered a foundation for becoming gods.
• Tiana summoned an azure magic wand and urged the group to move.

Han Shuo and Old Monster Stassom charged the outsiders’ island while Reno and Tiana supported them with magic. They fought their way toward the altar but were held up by powerful outsiders as Tiana prepared a spell that froze the lake.

• Tiana directed Reno to attack the outsiders and sent Han Shuo and Old Monster Stassom to retrieve the Origin Crystal.
• Old Monster Stassom unleashed colorless battle aura against the outsiders, while Han Shuo used his Heavenly Demon Blades to cut down dozens of them.
• Reno cast Lightning Everywhere, killing most of the weaker outsiders and injuring the three-horned fighters.
• Four-horned outsiders surrounded Han Shuo and Old Monster Stassom, while two five-horned leaders advanced from the altar.
• Tiana asked the fighters to hold on for two minutes as the temperature plunged and a thick layer of ice formed across the lake.

Han Shuo absorbed the aliens’ soul attacks and wounded their fighters more severely, while Tiana unleashed a spell that froze the island and its defenders. Han Shuo and Old Monster Stassom raced toward the Water Element Origin Crystal as the chapter ended.

• The five-horned alien leader and seven four-horned aliens attacked Han Shuo’s Divine Sense, but Han Shuo’s Demonic Nascent Soul devoured the seven aliens’ soul forces.
• Han Shuo’s Heavenly Demon blades grew more powerful, deepening the wounds on the seven aliens and driving them back.
• Han Shuo saw Old Monster Stassom fight among the aliens while avoiding their five-horned leader.
• Tiana froze the lake and immobilized the aliens, including the four five-horned leaders, with her absolute-cold spell.
• Tiana called for them to take the Water Element Origin Crystal, and Old Monster Stassom and Han Shuo raced toward the altar.

Han Shuo and Old Monster Stassom tried to seize elemental origin crystals from the altar, but a terrifying shriek destroyed Han Shuo’s twelve Xuan Demons and injured Stassom. They fled as a six-horned alien began emerging, leaving Reynold behind with the remaining crystals.

• Han Shuo and Old Monster Stassom reached for the altar’s spheres as the tentacles stirred and green mist spread across the island.
• A powerful shriek injured Han Shuo’s divine sense and annihilated his twelve Xuan Demons, but he recovered enough to take the death, dark, and destruction origin crystals.
• Old Monster Stassom warned Han Shuo to run after a six-horned alien began forcing its way out of the altar’s maw.
• Han Shuo and Stassom fled, leaving seven origin crystals behind as the four five-horned aliens helped free the larger alien.
• Stassom warned Reynold to escape, but Reynold remained fixated on the lightning origin crystal, and Han Shuo left him behind.

Han Shuo, Old Monster Stassom, and Tiana escaped underground after the six-horned Hun Gua king sealed their path, while leaving Reno behind. Learning that the king could track their souls until they fused with their origin crystals, they decided to head for the Church of Light and make the Hun Gua king confront its powerful defenders.

• Tiana and Stassom failed to break the strengthened barrier, and spatial turbulence prevented them from using their escape scrolls.
• Han Shuo sent the Earth Armor Zombie through the ground to open a tunnel, and the three escaped through it while sealing Reno out.
• Stassom gave Tiana her water element origin crystal, and Han Shuo warned that the pursuing pressure still followed them after they emerged.
• Tiana explained that the six-horned king belonged to the Hun Gua Clan and could track their souls until they fused with their origin crystals.
• Tiana proposed leading the king to powerful beings who might fight him, and Han Shuo chose the Church of Light as their destination.

Han Shuo, Tiana, and Old Monster Stassom escaped to Saint Luo City near the Church of Light’s headquarters, where they planned to rest before their pursuer caught up. Han Shuo restored his damaged Divine Sense and then began investigating the city.

• Han Shuo followed Tiana and Old Monster Stassom toward the Church of Light, while considering the dangers awaiting them there.
• Old Monster Stassom used tokens to take the group through the Bart Trade Alliance’s and Auden Empire’s Teleportation Arrays, helping them reach Saint Luo City.
• The three rented adjacent rooms at an out-of-the-way inn to recover before the Hexagon Clan King could catch up.
• Han Shuo concealed his aura, set up a Magic Array, and used his Natal Blood Essence to restore his injured Divine Sense.
• After his Divine Sense recovered, Han Shuo spread it through Saint Luo City to investigate their surroundings.

Han Shuo, Old Monster Stassom, and Tiana fled to the Church of Light Holy Mountain to draw the pursuing Hexagon Clan King into a fight with the Church. Tiana betrayed them by sealing them inside a cave, and a divine presence arrived as the pursuers neared.

• Han Shuo sensed the Church of Light's beguiling divine power and realized the Hexagon Clan King's soul lock was growing stronger.
• Tiana led Han Shuo and Old Monster Stassom to hide halfway up the Holy Mountain, warning them about its powerful defenders.
• Tiana trapped Han Shuo and Stassom in a cave behind a slab of ice, then met the God of Magic and God Knight Bergson outside.
• Bergson offered to spare Stassom if he surrendered the Battle Aura Crystal Ball and pledged allegiance to the God of Light, while Tiana admitted she had betrayed them.
• The Hexagon Clan King approached as a divine presence descended before the cliff and a gentle song sounded from the summit.

Han Shuo and Old Monster Stassom were trapped under the Holy Maiden’s Divine Domain as the Church of Light and Hun Gua Clan clashed outside. After the Golden Armored Corpse failed to dig through the sacredly reinforced rock, Han Shuo considered using a dangerous escape technique, but the corpse brought out the Ruyi Jingu Bang.

• The Holy Maiden’s Divine Domain nearly overwhelmed Han Shuo and Old Monster Stassom until the Hun Gua Clan King’s cry shattered its influence.
• The Holy Maiden appeared and confronted the Hexagon Clan King while four five-horned Hun Gua clansmen attacked Tiana and the other Church of Light Demigods.
• Han Shuo tried to escape with the Golden Armored Corpse, but it could not tunnel through the sacredly altered rock.
• Han Shuo realized Tiana had exposed his tunneling ability to the Church of Light and considered using the Heavenly Demon Blood-Escape Art.
• The Golden Armored Corpse produced the Ruyi Jingu Bang, which began growing into a towering golden pillar.

Han Shuo and Old Monster Stassom escaped the Church of Light’s Holy Mountain after the Golden Armored Corpse used the Ruyi Jingu Bang to break through Tiana’s ice barrier. In Tarik City, Stassom prepared to evade the six-horned Hun Gua king, while Han Shuo promised to spare the people of the Seven Grand Duchies and then left with Elizabeth for Brettel City.

• The Golden Armored Corpse smashed through the cavern’s ice barrier with the Ruyi Jingu Bang, allowing Han Shuo and Stassom to escape.
• Tiana noticed their escape, but she and the other Church of Light fighters were too occupied battling the Hun Gua clansmen to stop them.
• Han Shuo and Stassom fled the Holy Mountain, traveled through several Teleportation Arrays, and arrived in Tarik City.
• Stassom said he would hide and fuse the Battle Aura Source Crystal with his soul to escape the six-horned clan king’s pursuit.
• Stassom asked Han Shuo to treat the people of the Seven Grand Duchies well if Stassom died, and Han Shuo agreed.
• After Stassom departed for Thorn Valley, Han Shuo found Elizabeth and took her toward Brettel City.