Chapter Summaries

Han Shuo returned to Babylon Academy with the Necromancy Department and gained Fanny’s promise to free him from his slave and errand-boy status. He then went to Buster Trading Company to meet Fubin'en and was invited inside by the young lady.

• Fanny approved Han Shuo’s plan to sell the group’s supplies and give him forty percent of the proceeds, and Han Shuo stored all thirteen sacks in his Spatial Ring.
• Han Shuo and the others returned to Babylon Academy, where Fanny promised to have his slave and errand-boy status removed so he could become a Magic Apprentice.
• Han Shuo gave Lisa three gold coins for Jack, then left the academy to visit Fubin'en at Buster Trading Company.
• Two guards mocked Han Shuo’s shabby clothes and questioned his reason for visiting, but the company’s young lady recognized his name and invited him inside.

Han Shuo brought goods taken from the Orc Wolf Cavalry to the Buster Trading Company to sell them through Fubin'en and Phoebe. When assassins attacked the three of them, Han Shuo tried to protect Phoebe and fought back as Little Skeleton appeared.

• Phoebe brought Han Shuo to meet Fubin'en at the Buster Trading Company.
• Han Shuo revealed thirteen sacks of goods, and Phoebe recognized them as equipment taken from the Orc Wolf Cavalry.
• Phoebe ordered Fubin'en to assess the goods after Han Shuo said he was now in charge of them.
• Han Shuo heard someone on the roof, and three crossbow bolts flew at him, Phoebe, and Fubin'en.
• Three assassins with Advanced Swordsmen's Battle Aura attacked, and Han Shuo pulled Phoebe beneath the round table to evade them.
• Han Shuo summoned Little Skeleton and fired a crossbow bolt at one of the assassins.

Han Shuo and Phoebe fought off three Phantom Shadow assassins, and Phoebe revealed that she was a Sword Master. After Glover arrived and left, Han Shuo accused Phoebe of drawing him into trouble, but her offer of three thousand gold coins changed his mind.

• Han Shuo survived an assassin's battle-aura strike and killed him with a concealed crossbow bolt and dagger.
• Phoebe revealed her Sword Master strength, killed one assassin, and helped Little Skeleton defeat the last one.
• Phoebe thanked Han Shuo for helping her and arranged for Fubin'en to inventory the goods and give him a good price.
• Glover arrived, offered Han Shuo a reward, and left after learning his name was Brian.
• Han Shuo confronted Phoebe about involving him in trouble, and she offered him three thousand gold coins in addition to payment for the goods.

Han Shuo accepted Phoebe’s payment to take the blame for killing the assassins sent by Glover, then collected seven thousand gold coins for the payment and his goods. After leaving the Buster Trading Company, he hurt two guards loyal to Glover and tried to evade someone he sensed following him before heading toward the Babylon Academy of Magic and Martial Arts.

• Phoebe warned Han Shuo that Glover and Phantom Shadow might target him, but Han Shuo said he planned to hide after collecting his money.
• Fubin'en valued Han Shuo’s goods at four thousand gold coins, and Phoebe added the promised three thousand.
• Phoebe ordered Fubin'en to move her to a new residence on North Street and said she would seek the Elders’ support to oust Glover.
• Fubin'en transferred seven thousand gold coins to Han Shuo, who left after receiving the address of Phoebe’s new residence.
• Two guards loyal to Glover blocked Han Shuo at the company entrance, and he struck them with the Mystic Ice Demon Flame Art before leaving.
• Han Shuo sensed someone following him, evaded pursuit through the streets, changed his clothes, and hired a carriage toward the Babylon Academy of Magic and Martial Arts.

After the Necromancy Department’s successful Dark Forest trial, Han Shuo received official student status and shared the proceeds from the Orc Wolf Cavalry supplies. He established a hidden teleportation point in a grave on the academy’s Back Hill and returned to the Death Cemetery, which he claimed as his private domain.

• Dean Emma praised Fanny and the Necromancy Department for their successful trial and vanished using spatial magic before Han Shuo arrived.
• Han Shuo told the students the Orc Wolf Cavalry supplies had sold for four thousand gold coins and transferred three thousand to Fanny’s Crystal Card for them to divide.
• Fanny gave Han Shuo his Student Card, officially making him a Magic Apprentice in the Necromancy Department.
• Han Shuo gave Jack fifty gold coins and warned him to keep them secret, then borrowed Elementary Necromancy from the Library.
• Han Shuo prepared a concealed teleportation array in a grave on the academy’s Back Hill and traveled to the Death Cemetery.

Han Shuo accelerated his Demonic Cultivation Art training by using a waterfall to temper his body, but his progress slowed after the battle aura inside him vanished. He rescued a group of dwarves from Forest Trolls and was invited to their village.

• Han Shuo discovered that the battle aura damaged his meridians and bones, allowing his demonic essence to rebuild them stronger and speed his cultivation.
• Han Shuo trained beneath a waterfall until the assassin’s battle aura was gone, then realized his progress had slowed again.
• Han Shuo heard fighting nearby and found dwarves battling Forest Trolls in the Dark Forest.
• Han Shuo summoned Little Skeleton, frightening the Forest Trolls into retreating.
• Bennett thanked Han Shuo and explained that the Forest Trolls had attacked the dwarves for refusing to forge weapons for them.
• Bennett invited Han Shuo to the dwarves’ village to repay him with fine wine.

Han Shuo left the dwarves without securing their help forging a weapon, then built a Primordial Demon Cave in the Death Cemetery and began refining Yuan Demons from Wraiths. The formation began operating for its thirty-six-day cycle, while Little Skeleton unexpectedly settled inside it, and Han Shuo went to study Elementary Necromancy.

• Bansen reminded Bennett that the village chief had forbidden humans from entering the village, so Han Shuo accepted Bennett’s wine and left with Little Skeleton.
• Han Shuo decided he would still seek the dwarves’ friendship so they might forge a preliminary Demon-Slaying Edge for him.
• Han Shuo ordered six Skeleton Warriors to dig a Primordial Demon Cave in the Death Cemetery, following the formation in Chu Canglan’s memories.
• After cultivating his Mental Power overnight, Han Shuo summoned eighteen Wraiths and placed them in the cave, where they began fighting over his blood as the formation absorbed yin energy.
• Han Shuo began the thirty-six-day process of refining three Yuan Demons and noticed Little Skeleton had entered the formation and was lying comfortably in one of its pits.
• Han Shuo left to study Elementary Necromancy, intending to advance his Necromancy and Demonic Cultivation together.

Han Shuo found the dwarves’ concealed mine and helped them defeat two Wind Blade Demon Wolves at its entrance. Grateful, the dwarves agreed to let him share the mine’s secret and work with them.

• Han Shuo discovered a hidden cave where Bennett and other dwarves were mining copper and iron.
• Han Shuo lured two Wind Blade Demon Wolves toward the cave, then killed them with his dagger, crossbow bolts, and mystic cold energy.
• Han Shuo gave the dwarves the wolves’ bodies for food while keeping their cores and pelts.
• Bennett told Han Shuo that falling rocks made the mine dangerous, and Han Shuo offered to send undead creatures to mine for them.
• The dwarves agreed to share the mine with Han Shuo, and he followed them inside after they concealed the entrance.

Han Shuo helped Bennett and the dwarves mine ore with his Skeleton Warriors, and they discovered a piece of black iron that Han Shuo recognized as a material for forging Demonic Treasures. He agreed to return the next day to help them mine more.

• Han Shuo summoned seven Skeleton Warriors and sent them into the mine with a Wraith to mine ore while the dwarves waited outside.
• Falling rocks smashed two Skeleton Warriors, and Han Shuo stopped the mining when his mental power was nearly exhausted.
• The dwarves carried out the gathered ore and found a small piece of black iron, which thrilled Bennett and the others.
• Han Shuo recognized the black iron as the material used to forge Demonic Treasures in Chu Canglan's memories.
• Bennett offered to share the mine's ore with Han Shuo if he continued helping, and Han Shuo agreed to return the next day.

Han Shuo earned the dwarves’ trust by helping them mine and agreeing to share the ore, including the Black Iron Ore. After securing enough ore and the materials needed for a weapon, he left the Death Cemetery, with the dwarves preparing to refine the haul and forge weapons.

• Han Shuo returned to the mine and met Calvin, the dwarven village chief, who questioned why he had helped the dwarves without taking ore.
• Han Shuo explained his reasons, and Calvin offered to split all the mine’s resources equally with him.
• Han Shuo agreed to the arrangement and asked Calvin to forge him a weapon modeled on the Demon-Slaying Edge.
• After a day of mining, Han Shuo gave the dwarves the larger of two newly found pieces of Black Iron Ore and asked Calvin for a list of rare forging materials.
• Han Shuo mined with the dwarves for about ten days, earned their trust, and obtained enough Black Iron Ore and the materials on Calvin’s list.
• Calvin suspended mining so the dwarves could refine ore and forge weapons, and Han Shuo left the Death Cemetery using its transportation array.

Han Shuo met Fubin'en and Phoebe to buy rare materials for forging the Demon-Slaying Edge. Phoebe offered to give him her black gold ore if he helped her kill Glover’s two lackeys, and Han Shuo agreed.

• Han Shuo reached Fubin'en’s residence in Osen City while taking care not to attract Phantom Shadow or Glover’s attention.
• Han Shuo asked Fubin'en to sell him the rare materials on Calvin’s list, and Fubin'en brought Phoebe to discuss the purchase.
• Phoebe offered to sell most of the materials for 3,500 gold coins but refused to sell her black gold ore, which she was saving for her master’s sword.
• Han Shuo asked Phoebe to name a condition for giving him the ore, and she asked him to help kill Darnell and Yuna.
• Phoebe explained that Darnell was an Advanced Swordsman and Yuna a fire High Mage, and Han Shuo agreed to help assassinate them.

Han Shuo and Phoebe entered the Buster Trading Company to prepare an ambush for Glover’s trusted subordinates, Darnell and Yuna. After narrowly avoiding a wind mage patrol, they reached the pair’s room and began setting up, waiting for them to return.

• Han Shuo poisoned crossbow bolts, a dagger, and steel needles while Phoebe explained that she needed to recover incriminating company secrets from Glover’s mistress before killing Glover.
• Phoebe and Han Shuo entered the company through its back entrance and quietly avoided guards as they made their way inside.
• Han Shuo pulled Phoebe into a narrow rockery crevice to hide from an approaching wind mage, and the pair waited until the man left.
• Phoebe led Han Shuo by a detour to Darnell and Yuna’s room, where they prepared to ambush the two men when they returned.

Han Shuo and Phoebe ambushed Darnell and Yuna in their room, killing both after a desperate struggle. They escaped across the rooftops with the assassins’ Spatial Rings, while Phoebe appeared dazed by a strange fragrance.

• Han Shuo and Phoebe hid in the room as Darnell and Yuna returned and began having sex on the bed.
• Phoebe attacked the pair, and Han Shuo stabbed Darnell beneath the bed and fired his crossbow as they tried to flee.
• Darnell wounded Han Shuo with Battle Aura, but Han Shuo’s poisoned dagger slowed him and Han Shuo killed him.
• Darnell shoved Yuna into Phoebe’s sword attack, and Phoebe killed Yuna as Han Shuo cut off both victims’ fingers to take their Spatial Rings.
• Han Shuo and Phoebe escaped through a hole in the roof, and Han Shuo urged Phoebe onward when she seemed dazed by a strange fragrance.

After Han Shuo rescued Phoebe from the Buster Trading Company, Glover and Ellis concluded that he had killed Darnell and Yuna and ordered a search for him. While fleeing with Phoebe, Han Shuo stopped himself from taking advantage of her after they were both drugged, but she woke up, accused him, and chased him off.

• Glover and Ellis examined Darnell and Yuna's bodies and suspected Phoebe had hired Han Shuo to kill them.
• Glover ordered his men to stop trying to assassinate Phoebe and focus on finding Han Shuo.
• Han Shuo carried the disoriented Phoebe toward a secluded grove, where her drugged behavior and his own reaction nearly led him to take advantage of her.
• Han Shuo regained control, carried Phoebe to a cold stream, and used the water to clear their heads.
• Phoebe woke to find her clothes torn, slapped Han Shuo, and attacked him after he explained they had both been drugged.
• Han Shuo fled toward the graveyard, leaving the angry Phoebe behind and saying he would return to ask for the Black Gold Ore.

After recovering from his injuries and advancing to Junior Mage, Han Shuo completed the refinement of three Yuan Demons and discovered that Little Skeleton had changed after emerging from the Primordial Demon Cave. He prepared to return to Osen City to seek magical instruction from Fanny and collect the materials Phoebe owed him.

• Han Shuo spent seven days cultivating beneath a waterfall, using Darnell’s Battle Aura to strengthen his body, then studied Elementary Necromancy and learned to cast Soul Pain, advancing to Junior Mage.
• Han Shuo visited the Dwarves and mined a piece of black iron ore, then examined Darnell’s and Yuna’s Spatial Rings; he took Darnell’s belongings but could not break the barrier on Yuna’s ring.
• After thirty-six days, Han Shuo completed the Primordial Demon Cave’s refinement and gained three Yuan Demons that could scout the area and hide inside his body.
• Little Skeleton emerged from the cave with a faint dark-red tinge in his bones and tried to fly using his Bone Spikes, but fell; Han Shuo sent him back to the Otherworld.
• With his injuries healed and the Yuan Demons refined, Han Shuo returned through the Teleportation Array to Osen City.

Han Shuo reunited with Fanny at the academy, proved his progress in necromancy, and then went to Phoebe’s residence to seek the black gold ore materials. He found Phoebe with Lawrence, who recognized him as an academy errand boy, and Phoebe again called him despicable, shameless, and vile.

• Han Shuo returned the stolen magic books to the library, then visited Fanny’s laboratory and sent Fitch away.
• Fanny examined Han Shuo with mental magic, but stopped when he warned that the intrusion could damage his mind.
• Han Shuo showed Fanny his annotated necromancy book and cast Soul Pain, impressing her with his junior-mage-level mental power.
• Fanny patiently answered Han Shuo’s questions for several hours and invited him to visit again, while Han Shuo declined to attend her class at the Trial Ground.
• Han Shuo went to Phoebe’s residence to seek materials, and Fubin'en told him Phoebe had stayed angry and cursed him after their previous encounter.
• Lawrence arrived with Phoebe and identified Han Shuo as an academy errand boy, prompting Phoebe to call him despicable, shameless, and vile.

Han Shuo and Phoebe reconciled after arguing over their business dealings, and Phoebe warned him that Glover was investigating him. Han Shuo agreed to help eliminate Glover, then accompanied Phoebe to a Buster Trading Company banquet, where she introduced him as her boyfriend.

• Phoebe gave Han Shuo the materials and black gold ore he was owed, and their argument shifted into a conversation about friendship.
• Phoebe warned Han Shuo that Glover had joined forces with Phantom Shadow to investigate his identity, and Han Shuo agreed to help her get rid of Glover.
• Phoebe asked Han Shuo to attend the company's private banquet and help her win the Elders' favor; he agreed and learned some basic noble etiquette.
• Phoebe and Han Shuo arrived at the banquet, where Glover challenged her decision to bring him.
• Phoebe declared to Glover that Han Shuo was her boyfriend.

At Buster Trading Company’s annual gathering, Phoebe sought support for becoming president while Han Shuo helped her confront Glover. The dispute escalated when Glover attacked Han Shuo’s background, and Han Shuo publicly accused Glover of murder and attempted assassinations.

• Phoebe introduced Han Shuo as her boyfriend so Glover would let him enter the gathering, then explained that she needed the Elders’ support to challenge Glover’s control of the company.
• Phoebe told Han Shuo she was investigating her father’s death and needed to win over the Elders.
• Phoebe brought Andrew, a founding Elder, to her side, and he supported her candidacy for president.
• Glover’s supporters argued that Glover should become president, while several Elders backed Phoebe after Andrew spoke in her favor.
• Glover disparaged Han Shuo as a former slave and questioned Phoebe’s judgment, prompting Phoebe to challenge him.
• Han Shuo accused Glover of murdering his brother and sending assassins after Phoebe, then declared that he was no longer a slave.

Han Shuo left the Buster Trading Company after Phoebe won a three-month trial as its chairman, then was ambushed in an alley by Glover’s assassins. Phoebe arrived as a Sword Master and turned the fight around, while Little Skeleton killed the fire-element mage.

• Phoebe accepted Andrew’s proposal to manage the company for three months, after which the Elders would decide whether she or Glover became chairman.
• Han Shuo left alone and, using three Yuan Demons to scout, discovered Ellis, two warriors, a mage, and an archer closing in on him in an alley.
• Han Shuo dodged the assassins’ arrows, Wind Blades, and Walls of Fire, though several Wind Blades wounded his arm and thigh.
• Phoebe appeared on a rooftop, killed the archer, and revealed herself as a Sword Master, causing Ellis to flee.
• Han Shuo summoned Little Skeleton, who charged through the fire mage’s Wall of Fire and stabbed the mage repeatedly with his Bone Blade.

After Phoebe rescued Han Shuo from Phantom Shadow’s assassins, she revealed that Glover was selling imperial weapons to the Orcs and warned Han Shuo to stay away from the academy. Han Shuo visited the dwarves, promised to help with their winter food and the ogre threat, and then broke through the barrier to the deeper levels of the Death Cemetery.

• Han Shuo and Phoebe cornered the surviving Phantom Shadow swordsmen, who killed themselves rather than be captured, and Little Skeleton looted their bodies.
• Phoebe treated Han Shuo’s wounds and explained that Glover was secretly selling imperial weapons to the Orcs; she had returned because she feared Glover would target Han Shuo.
• Han Shuo left Phoebe and returned to the Death Cemetery, where he practiced his Demonic Cultivation Art and recovered before setting out for the dwarves’ village.
• Han Shuo gave Calvin the materials for the Demon-Slaying Edge, and Calvin promised to forge it in about a week.
• After hearing that the dwarves lacked winter food and feared ogre raids, Han Shuo promised to help them and agreed to accept wine or weapons in exchange.
• Han Shuo returned to the Death Cemetery and forced his way through the invisible barrier blocking access to its deeper levels.