Chapter Summaries

Han Shuo used Little Skeleton to lure Clark to Fanny and Lisa’s swimming spot, making Clark look like a peeping tom. When a Deepwater Venom Python threatened the women, Han Shuo rushed to help them despite the danger.

• Han Shuo sent Little Skeleton to attack Clark’s tent, then followed as Clark chased it toward the pool.
• Clark found Fanny and Lisa swimming, and they angrily accused him of peeping before he left to explain himself.
• Han Shuo watched Fanny emerge from the water, but Lisa soon spotted a Deepwater Venom Python approaching.
• Han Shuo drew his dagger and charged toward the pool to save Fanny and Lisa from the rank-three beast.

Han Shuo fought the Deepwater Venom Python to protect Lisa and Fanny, helping them defeat it before pretending to remain unconscious. Fanny tried to revive him, realized he was awake, and angrily attacked him.

• Han Shuo flung Lisa and pushed Fanny toward the bank, then turned to face the Deepwater Venom Python alone.
• Han Shuo dodged the python's poisonous mist, stabbed its neck, and used the Mystic Ice Demon Flame Art, but the poison briefly left him numb.
• Fanny struck the python with Bone Spear spells while Han Shuo recovered, blinded it with dagger strikes, and swam toward shore.
• The python's tail hit Han Shuo and threw him into the water, while Fanny continued attacking until the creature collapsed.
• Fanny and Lisa dragged Han Shuo ashore and tried to revive him, and Fanny began mouth-to-mouth resuscitation when he appeared unconscious.
• Fanny noticed Han Shuo was awake and cursed at him before shaking him by the neck.

Han Shuo woke after helping Fanny and Lisa defeat a Deepwater Venom Python, then pretended to be paralyzed while the two women argued over his behavior. Fanny grew suspicious of his role in the monster’s death, and when she exposed his act, Han Shuo fled toward the campsite with her chasing after him.

• Han Shuo woke to find Fanny and Lisa half-dressed, and Fanny accused him of pretending to be unconscious when she saw his body reacting.
• Han Shuo claimed he was poisoned and injured while rescuing them, and Lisa persuaded Fanny not to kill him for seeing them naked.
• Lisa mistakenly believed Han Shuo loved her and rejected him, but his dramatic farewell moved her to tears.
• Fanny questioned Han Shuo about the Deepwater Venom Python’s charred brain, but he denied having any power that could have caused it.
• Fanny realized the venom should no longer be paralyzing Han Shuo, and he admitted he could move before rushing toward the campsite.
• Fanny called Han Shuo a wretch and chased him with Lisa.

Han Shuo broke through the first stage of the Demonic Cultivation Art and used the orb in the Jade Box to strengthen his mental power. Following the orb’s shifting arrow south, he discovered that it had led him to a hidden, desolate castle and suspected it was the legendary Death Cemetery.

• Han Shuo avoided Fanny and Lisa and went south to heal his injuries by cultivating Demonic Essence in a tree.
• Han Shuo endured a painful transformation and broke through the Demonic Cultivation Art’s first stage, Solid Body.
• Han Shuo used the orb in the Jade Box to draw in and regain mental strength, increasing it further and seeing an image of a strange castle.
• The orb formed a red arrow that guided Han Shuo south through the dangerous Dark Forest, changing direction along the way.
• The orb revealed a deathly silent wasteland beneath the forest, with bone dragons and a grayish-brown castle, and Han Shuo wondered if he had found the Death Cemetery.

Han Shuo discovered the legendary Death Cemetery and used the dark green orb to enter its hidden aboveground hall. Unable to pass the mental-strength barrier to its underground depths, he left with the teleportation rods and planned to keep the cemetery as his secret base.

• Han Shuo recognized the hidden area as Death Cemetery and stepped inside, causing the green orb to reveal the cemetery before concealing it again outside its boundary.
• Han Shuo used the orb to open the cemetery doors and explored the hall and its six empty storerooms.
• Han Shuo found a hidden passage, six silver magic rods, and a note explaining that the rods formed a teleportation array and a mental-strength barrier guarded the underground route.
• Han Shuo failed to pass the barrier, but used the rods to teleport between the passage room and the hall.
• Han Shuo took the rods and note, left Death Cemetery, and decided to keep its secrets to himself.

Han Shuo left the Death Cemetery and discovered Fanny and the students had already departed, so he followed their route out of the Dark Forest. He encountered Forest Trolls attacking a mercenary company and agreed to rescue a fat merchant for two hundred gold coins.

• Han Shuo found Fanny's note explaining that the group had left after spotting Ogres and realized he had spent several days practicing the Demonic Cultivation Art.
• Han Shuo hurried along the group's original route and heard fighting near a rocky campsite.
• Han Shuo reached a battle where Forest Trolls were overpowering a group of mercenaries and noticed a fat man hiding behind them.
• When the Forest Trolls attacked Han Shuo, he killed two warriors with a spear and frightened the rest with his brutality.
• The fat man offered Han Shuo increasing sums to save him, and Han Shuo accepted two hundred gold coins.

Han Shuo tried to escort Fubin'en through the Forest Trolls while carrying him on his back, then summoned Little Skeleton when the Trolls overwhelmed them. Little Skeleton revealed extraordinary strength, but the Trolls launched a barrage of weapons at him, leaving Han Shuo fearing for his safety.

• Fubin'en paid Han Shuo a hundred gold coins to rescue him, and Han Shuo bound him to his back and charged toward the perimeter.
• Han Shuo fought through the Troll Warriors, killing several Trolls while using Fubin'en as a shield and ignoring his protests.
• As the Troll Chief led more Trolls against him, Han Shuo summoned Little Skeleton, prompting Fubin'en and the Troll Chief to mock the small skeleton.
• Little Skeleton hurled his Bone Blade through three Troll Warriors, then rushed among them and cut down more foes.
• The Troll Chief ordered the Trolls to retreat and bombard Little Skeleton with spears, javelins, and battle-axes, while Han Shuo worried that the attack would hit him.

Han Shuo and Little Skeleton defeated the Forest Trolls, and Han Shuo collected his remaining payment before selling his gathered goods to Fubin'en. He left with Little Skeleton after receiving a Crystal Card and Fubin'en's merchant address.

• Little Skeleton used his seven Bone Spikes to block the Forest Trolls' weapons, then pierced seven trolls and sent the survivors fleeing.
• Han Shuo demanded the remaining hundred gold coins from Fubin'en and made him pay after threatening him with a javelin.
• Little Skeleton looted the Forest Trolls while Han Shuo gathered their goods and agreed to sell them to Fubin'en for two thousand gold coins.
• Fubin'en gave Han Shuo a Crystal Card imprinted with the name Brian and shared his Buster Merchant Guild address.
• Han Shuo and Little Skeleton departed, and Fubin'en turned toward the wounded mercenaries to resume their business.

Han Shuo returned to Doro Town after twelve days of cultivation and travel, then used his gold to improve his lodging and buy weapons and supplies. As he enjoyed food and wine at a tavern, Claude and Eileen arrived and spotted him.

• Han Shuo emerged from the Dark Forest alone after advancing to the Meridian Expansion stage of the Demonic Cultivation Art.
• He found the warhorses still at the stable and rented Fanny's former room at the inn by paying the innkeeper a gold coin.
• Han Shuo bought new undergarments, a dagger, steel needles, a miniature crossbow, and several potions and powders.
• He entered a tavern, paid a waiter with a gold coin, and began eating roasted meat and drinking Purple Fierce Orchid.
• Claude and Eileen entered the tavern, saw Han Shuo, and walked toward his table.

Han Shuo laced Claude’s wine with a hallucinogenic aphrodisiac and followed him through Doro Town, hoping to expose him to Eileen. When Katie spotted Claude entering an alley with a provocatively dressed woman, she brought Eileen and others to confront him.

• Claude and Eileen joined Han Shuo at his tavern table, where Han Shuo concealed his resentment toward Claude and let the pair mock him.
• Han Shuo slipped hallucinogenic aphrodisiac powder into Claude’s wine after a waiter stumbled, then left the tavern and followed Claude and Eileen.
• Claude left the inn alone, struggled to resist the drug, and entered an alley with a scantily dressed older woman.
• Katie recognized Claude entering the alley and rushed to tell Eileen, while Bichir tried to lead the Light Department students away.
• Eileen, Katie, Bichir, and the students entered the alley to catch Claude, and Han Shuo approached the entrance with a grin.

After setting Claude up and seeing Eileen reject him, Han Shuo sensed approaching magical beasts near Doro Town and learned Felix suspected an Orc wolf-rider raid. Claude later lured Han Shuo into the woods and attacked him, but Han Shuo turned the tables and killed him.

• Han Shuo saw Eileen berate Claude and leave with Katie, then returned to the inn to practice the Demonic Cultivation Art.
• Han Shuo heard fast-moving magical beasts approaching from the south and went to investigate.
• Felix and Blanche arrived, and Felix sent Blanche to check whether the approaching beasts were Orc wolf riders.
• Claude confronted Han Shuo, took him to a wood outside Doro Town, beat him, and threatened to kill him.
• Han Shuo attacked Claude with steel needles and a dagger, then drove a needle through Claude's throat.

Han Shuo concealed Claude’s murder, then reunited with Fanny and Lisa after their return to Doro Town. An alarm announced that Orc wolf cavalry were approaching the town, leaving everyone to prepare for battle.

• Han Shuo buried Claude and his belongings separately, cleaned the woods of evidence, and returned to Doro Town.
• Han Shuo watched Eileen, Bichir, and the other Light Department students for two days and saw that they were not searching for Claude.
• Han Shuo practiced the Demonic Cultivation Art and unexpectedly entered the Demonic State before a knock at his door woke him.
• Fanny and Lisa returned to Doro Town, and Han Shuo told Fanny that he had earned money by killing and selling a Wind Blade Demon Wolf.
• Fanny explained that she and the others had escaped attacks by two Ogres and several Forest Trolls, though they had strayed from their route.
• Han Shuo sensed trouble as shouts warned that Orc wolf cavalry were approaching Doro Town.

Han Shuo and the others joined Doro Town’s defenders as five hundred orc Wolf Cavalry charged toward them. Fanny saw Han Shuo’s cold composure in the face of danger and realized his usual honest smile was a disguise.

• After hearing the alarm, Han Shuo packed his weapons and medicines, then joined Fanny and the students as they headed for South Street.
• Felix and Blanche organized the defenders, and Felix announced that five hundred Wolf Cavalry were advancing on Doro Town.
• The warriors took the front while the mages, archers, and priests prepared behind them as the approaching riders emerged through the dust.
• The Wolf Cavalry charged, and Felix ordered the mages to prepare to cast while Fanny warned the students to be careful.
• Fanny noticed Han Shuo’s cold, focused expression and the chill emanating from his dagger before he returned to his familiar smile.

Doro Town’s mages and warriors fought off the first Wolf Cavalry charge, but Felix spotted more Orcs and Shaman Priests approaching and ordered everyone to retreat to Zachius City. Han Shuo led Fanny, Lisa, and the students toward the stables to find horses and escape.

• Felix began the magical assault, and the mages killed dozens of Wolf Cavalry before the Orcs returned fire with crossbows, killing two mages and injuring three.
• The Dire Wolves broke through the front line, crushing Skeleton Warriors and cutting down Zombie Warriors as Eileen and other Light Department students mocked the Necromancy Department.
• Han Shuo threw his dagger to save Amy from a crossbow bolt, then caught it and returned to Fanny and Lisa.
• After the Wolf Cavalry broke through the magic attacks, Doro Town’s warriors engaged them while Felix used a Tornado, Wind Blades, and a Magic Shield to fight off the riders and their bolts.
• Felix spotted more Wolf Cavalry and several Orc Shaman Priests, then ordered everyone to flee toward Zachius City.
• Han Shuo took Fanny and Lisa by the hand and led them, with Fanny calling the students to follow, toward the warhorses.

Han Shuo led Fanny, Lisa, Gene, and the other students away from the Orc wolf riders, choosing a less crowded route north instead of fleeing toward Zachius City. When he encountered two wolf riders looting merchants, he attacked them and took their stolen goods.

• Han Shuo pulled Fanny and Lisa through the panicked crowd toward the stable while Gene and the other students followed.
• At the stable, Han Shuo urged everyone to take the strongest warhorses rather than waste time searching for the horses they had boarded before.
• Han Shuo led the group north, away from the fugitives heading toward Zachius City and the wolf riders likely to pursue them.
• Han Shuo charged at two wolf riders who were looting a shop, using Bone Arrow Magic and his dagger to kill one and bring down its Dire Wolf.
• Han Shuo took the dead rider's sack of stolen goods and turned toward the second wolf rider, shocking the students who watched him.

Han Shuo killed two Orc wolf riders and led Fanny, Gene, and the others toward Balthazar City, only for the group to become trapped between a canyon and the Niloran River. With wolf riders pursuing them, Han Shuo took charge and prepared everyone to fight.

• Han Shuo shattered an Orc wolf rider’s crossbow bolt, killed him with a hidden bolt, and killed the rider’s giant wolf.
• Han Shuo spotted Bichir and the Babylon Light Department Academy group fleeing dozens of wolf riders, then turned north as Fanny, Lisa, and the others followed.
• At the Niloran River, Gene identified Balthazar City as their destination, but Fanny pointed out that they had no boat to cross the river.
• Han Shuo searched the stolen sacks, kept a sapphire-set dagger and several poisons, and told the others to gather the remaining weapons and prepare for battle.
• Gene and Lisa questioned Han Shuo’s use of magic, while Han Shuo urged them to focus on the approaching wolf riders and Bella briefly challenged his decision.
• Han Shuo assigned the group crossbows and weapons, and the others accepted his leadership without protest.

Han Shuo and the Necromancy Department prepared an ambush for the pursuing Orc Wolf Cavalry, while he traded jealous teasing with Lisa and Fanny. The Light Department fled into the trap and joined the group just as the cavalry arrived, leaving everyone ready to fight.

• Han Shuo, Fanny, Gene, and the others rigged trip lines, an Acidic Swamp, and boulders in the canyon to ambush the Orc Wolf Cavalry.
• Fanny promised Han Shuo that the academy would remove his slave status and make him a Necromancy student if they survived.
• Han Shuo warned Gene that he heard the approaching cavalry, then realized the riders were Bichir, Eileen, and the Light Department fleeing ahead of the Orc Wolf Cavalry.
• Han Shuo directed Bichir's group to send their horses back and cross the traps on foot, and Fanny guided them safely through.
• The Orc Wolf Cavalry's heavy footsteps reached the canyon, and Han Shuo ordered everyone to stay hidden and prepare to fight.

Han Shuo and the others ambushed the orc Wolf Cavalry with an Acidic Swamp, boulders, crossbow bolts, and magic, killing most of the riders. As the survivors fled, Han Shuo sent the group after the plunder instead, leaving the chase to the others.

• Fanny’s Acidic Swamp and hidden tripwires sent several orc riders into the deadly spell, while the rest crashed together and lost formation.
• Han Shuo ordered Lisa and the others to roll boulders onto the trapped Wolf Cavalry, then the group attacked from both slopes with crossbows and magic.
• Han Shuo revealed that he had poisoned his bolts, and Fanny warned him to keep the tactic secret and not use it again.
• The ambushers killed most of the orcs, but five riders escaped on foot after abandoning their dire wolves and supplies.
• Han Shuo stopped Fanny from joining the pursuit and urged everyone to collect the orcs’ plunder instead.

Han Shuo’s group collected most of the Wolf Cavalry’s abandoned supplies, then he shared a small portion with the returning adventurers to secure their goodwill and keep them quiet. After the others departed, Han Shuo proposed building rafts to cross the Niloran River and revealed that their departure would also draw Orc attention away from his group.

• Han Shuo and the Necromancy Department students used Skeleton Warriors to collect the Wolf Cavalry’s supplies, taking most of the goods for themselves.
• Han Shuo told Fanny he could find a way to sell the supplies, then welcomed the returning adventurers to take some of the goods as battle spoils.
• Fanny explained to Athena that Han Shuo had shared enough supplies to discourage the adventurers from reporting or seizing their haul.
• Han Shuo befriended the adventurers as they chose supplies, collected their contact cards, and watched them and Bichir’s group depart.
• Han Shuo proposed building rafts to cross the Niloran River to Balthazar City and explained that the departing groups would draw Orcs away from them.

After the group reached Balthazar City with the supplies, Han Shuo discussed how to dispose of them with Fanny. He gave her a ruby and agate necklace, then left her flustered as she studied the gift.

• Han Shuo and the others rafted across the Niloran River with their supplies and traveled for two days to Balthazar City.
• The group settled into an inn, where Han Shuo received respectful treatment and his own room.
• Han Shuo asked Fanny about Spatial Rings and learned that even an ordinary one cost at least one or two thousand gold coins.
• Han Shuo gave Fanny a ruby and agate necklace he claimed to have found among the looted supplies.
• Fanny tried to refuse the necklace, but Han Shuo insisted and left before she could argue further.