Chapter Summaries

Han Shuo concealed his full strength behind a mist and decisively defeated Ralph in the Divine Guard Captain competition. He spared Ralph but warned him not to seek revenge, then left as Ralph emerged badly weakened.

• Han Shuo hid his battle with Ralph behind the Illusion Veil Banner to keep witnesses from identifying his weapons and techniques from Veilshade City.
• Han Shuo overwhelmed Ralph with the Seventeen Flying Swords and Avici Hell, then disarmed him and pressed the Demon-Slaying Edge to his throat.
• Wallace and the onlookers saw Han Shuo standing unharmed over the defeated Ralph, and Wallace confirmed that Han Shuo had created the mist.
• Casper considered arranging a marriage between Jiya and Han Shuo, while Wallace reconsidered Andrei's proposal but grew concerned about Han Shuo's closeness to Kamelita, Qinglin, and Heitian.
• Han Shuo spared Ralph, warned him against acting behind the scenes, and told Andrei he had hidden the battle to protect his secrets about Veilshade City.
• Ralph struggled out of the competition area, and Andrei asked whether he needed help walking.

Han Shuo defeated Ralph and Baten in the Divine Guard competition, hiding both fights in a fog that left his opponents unable to explain how they had lost. The other family patriarchs began to consider whether Han Shuo might be powerful enough to challenge Wallace, while his next match against Qinglin remained ahead.

• Han Shuo returned after defeating Ralph, and Wallace confirmed his victory as the family patriarchs considered what it might mean for the Saint Family's dominance.
• Heitian defeated Camilla, and Baten defeated Geluxi, changing the Divine Guard Captains' rankings.
• Heitian forfeited his match against Qinglin, while Baten drew Han Shuo as his opponent.
• Han Shuo defeated Baten in the fog and apologized as he helped him up.
• Baten told Laurel that he had been unable to see Han Shuo move and had realized he had lost only when Han Shuo appeared.

Han Shuo fought Qinglin for the position of foremost Divine Guard Captain and defeated him by breaking through his wind barrier and trapping him in the Avici Hell. The spectators learned of Han Shuo’s victory as the tornado cleared, leaving him undefeated in the matches so far.

• Baten told Laurel that Han Shuo had defeated him without being seen, trapping him in a prison of acid and cold poison until his divine power ran out.
• Qinglin challenged Han Shuo to fight at full strength and attacked with a massive tornado that obscured the Competition Area from spectators.
• Han Shuo used the Bloodlight Myriad Blades Slash to pierce the tornado and entered it, enduring its crushing debris as he advanced toward Qinglin.
• Han Shuo sent the Seventeen Flying Swords against one point in Qinglin’s wind barrier until they broke through, then trapped Qinglin in the Avici Hell.
• The tornado subsided, revealing Han Shuo’s calm smile and Qinglin’s dejection, and the spectators realized Han Shuo had won again.

Han Shuo won both competitions and became the top-ranked Divine Guard Captain, but Wallace withheld the expected territory and gave him five hundred thousand Black Crystal Coins instead. Wallace explained privately that he feared the Han Family’s growing power, while Han Shuo and the Fifth Division set off for Shadow City without discussing the slight.

• Han Shuo and Qinglin returned to the Central Area, where the final Divine Guard Captain rankings placed Han Shuo first, Qinglin second, and Heitian third.
• Wallace announced Han Shuo’s rewards as arresting authority and reduced taxes for Han Family businesses, but substituted five hundred thousand Black Crystal Coins for the expected territory.
• Andrei privately challenged Wallace’s decision, and Wallace admitted he wanted to warn Han Shuo and the great families that the Saint Family would defend its rule over Shadow City.
• Wallace told Andrei to distance himself from Han Shuo in case the Saint Family and Han Family came into conflict, and Andrei left disheartened.
• Han Shuo told the Fifth Division that they had received no territory, then ordered Bolands to prepare the Divine Guards for their return to Shadow City.

After Wallace’s suppression of the Han Family, Han Shuo shifted its expansion beyond Shadow City and oversaw a year of recruiting and training Divine Guards. He declined Casper’s proposal to marry Jiya, unknowingly setting the stage for conflict among Shadow City’s great families.

• Han Shuo told the Han Family to expand Celestial Pivot Pharmacy into other Divine Domains, strengthen its hold on Berglas Fortress, and investigate recruits carefully.
• News of Han Shuo’s victory and the Fifth Division’s strength drew ambitious recruits to the Han Family and Fifth Divine Guards Office, while Wallace reassigned Heitian and Qinglin to the borders.
• Han Shuo remained in Shadow City to protect the Han Family, which recruited over five hundred Divine Guards and tempered loyal newcomers in the Eight Desolations Separation and Reunion Purgatory Formation.
• Jiya repeatedly visited Han Shuo, prompting jealousy among Phoebe, Emily, and the other women; Han Shuo assured them he had no interest in marrying her.
• Casper proposed that Han Shuo marry Jiya in a grand ceremony, but Han Shuo declined in a letter delivered by Bolands, unknowingly sparking future conflict among Shadow City’s great families.

After Casper’s marriage proposal was rejected, Han Shuo decided to move the Han Family’s operations from Shadow City to Berglas Fortress while Wallace watched him warily. He fortified the family’s new base with powerful formations, then left with Lolth for the Chaos Lands.

• Casper told the other great family heads that Han Shuo had rejected Jiya, while Jiya angrily confronted Bess for arranging the proposal without her consent.
• Bolands told Han Shuo that the Fifth Division’s Divine Guards had no assignments, and Han Shuo went to see Andrei but learned that Andrei and Kamelita were unavailable.
• Han Shuo ordered the Han Family’s development shifted to Berglas City and arranged for its key members and the Fifth Division to relocate there.
• Wallace replied that he would guarantee the Han Family’s safety while Han Shuo was away, and Han Shuo moved to Berglas Fortress with Lolth.
• Han Shuo built the Eight Desolations Separation and Reunion Purgatory Formation and four additional Magic Arrays to protect the Han Family’s new base.
• After Phoebe and the others arrived safely, Han Shuo left Berglas Fortress with Lolth and headed for the Chaos Lands.

Han Shuo and Lolth entered Cloudswallow City, where he learned Donna was being forced to marry Laklison’s son. He found Donna in despair at the Rivers Family manor, and she recognized him after striking him in anger before collapsing into his arms.

• Han Shuo and Lolth reached Cloudswallow City, and Han Shuo decided to investigate the Broadhurst Family and the Rivers Family.
• Han Shuo learned from Divine Guards that Donna was due to marry Lord Laklison’s son and that the Rivers Family lived in the South District.
• Han Shuo secretly searched the Rivers Family manor and found Donna taking out her frustration on Dolores in the training grounds.
• Donna lamented that her father was sacrificing her marriage to protect the family, and Han Shuo revealed himself to her.
• Donna attacked Han Shuo while believing he was a hallucination, then recognized him and sobbed against his chest.

Han Shuo found Donna in Cloudswallow City and learned she had agreed to marry Laklison’s son, Rashid, to protect the Rivers Family. After leaving Donna, Han Shuo killed Rashid and his men, then departed with Lolth for the Chaos Lands.

• Donna rejected Han Shuo’s offer to leave with him, saying the Rivers Family would be destroyed if she abandoned them, and Han Shuo promised not to pursue further action against her family.
• Donna collapsed in tears after Han Shuo left, while her memories explained how her feelings for him had grown and why she accepted Field’s demand that she marry Rashid.
• Han Shuo told Lolth that he remembered the kindness Donna had shown him and decided to kill someone before leaving Cloudswallow City.
• Han Shuo learned about Rashid’s habits and found him bidding on an underage female elf at Dream Galaxy.
• Han Shuo provoked Rashid into following him from the auction, then killed Rashid and his men with the Seventeen Flying Swords.
• Han Shuo and Lolth left Cloudswallow City for the Chaos Lands.

After two years of traveling and cultivating with Lolth, Han Shuo reached Ethereal City in the Space-Time Divine Domain to meet his companions and help McKinley. He searched the city and finally sensed Earth Armor Zombie’s presence.

• Han Shuo and Lolth spent two years traveling through the Death and Lightning Divine Domains, improving their cultivation and growing closer.
• After entering the Space-Time Divine Domain, Han Shuo decided to stay and meet the Five Elements Armored Corpses and Little Skeleton in Ethereal City.
• Han Shuo contacted McKinley in the Holy Grail, who urged him to go to Ethereal City while he considered whom to meet there.
• Han Shuo and Lolth arrived in Ethereal City and searched its districts for the Five Elements Armored Corpses and Little Skeleton.
• Han Shuo sensed Earth Armor Zombie’s aura and hurried toward it with Lolth.

Han Tu fought three Earth-power Middle Gods from underground in Ethereal City, injuring them without revealing himself. After Shat Belon and his Divine Guard squad arrived, Han Tu’s Earth Armor Zombie appeared and taunted Shat Belon, saying his father would arrive soon.

• Han Tu used earth power from underground to defeat the attacks of three Middle Gods and cripple one of them.
• A spectator identified Han Tu as a rising earth expert who had evaded even Upper Gods in the Earth Divine Domain.
• Shat Belon arrived with ten Earth-power Divine Guards and ordered the three Middle Gods to land.
• Han Tu ambushed the guards with earthen spikes, injuring three of them despite Shat Belon’s presence.
• The Earth Armor Zombie appeared nearby and challenged Shat Belon to wait for his father, while Shat Belon refused to leave.

Han Shuo arrived to protect Earth Armor Zombie from Shat Belon and ordered Lolth to kill the pursuers. Lolth overwhelmed Shat Belon, but an old man appeared and froze the battle before she could finish him.

• Han Shuo reached Earth Armor Zombie and learned Shat Belon had pursued him over the people he killed in the Earth Divine Domain.
• Han Shuo told Earth Armor Zombie to choose Shat Belon's death, then ordered Lolth to attack Shat Belon and his Divine Guards.
• Earth Armor Zombie recognized Lolth from Demons Peak and teased her about once having chased him.
• Lolth shrouded the area in her Darkness Divine Domain, killed the Middle God Divine Guards, and began overpowering Shat Belon.
• An old man appeared, sealed the space around Lolth and Shat Belon, and stopped time, leaving both motionless.

Han Shuo confronted Baum after the Ethereal City lord rescued Shat Belon, and broke Baum’s Space-Time Barrier to continue pursuing his enemy. Baum chose to defend Shat Belon, so Han Shuo attacked him while ordering Lolth to kill Shat Belon, and their fight began.

• Baum stopped Lolth from killing Shat Belon and told him to return to Red Earth City.
• Han Shuo challenged Baum for protecting Shat Belon, then broke free of Baum’s Space-Time Barrier.
• Baum insisted he had to stop Han Shuo from killing Shat Belon inside Ethereal City.
• Han Shuo sent Lolth after Shat Belon and attacked Baum with the Demon-Slaying Edge and Seventeen Flying Swords.
• Baum distorted space-time to divert Han Shuo’s flying swords, forcing Han Shuo to recall them before they were lost.

Han Shuo struggled to attack Baum inside the City Lord’s shifting space-time domain, while Lolth fought Shat Belon. The Cauldron Spirit broke Baum’s spatial passages, leaving Baum exposed as Shat Belon died.

• Han Shuo’s Flying Swords repeatedly entered and escaped Baum’s spatial rifts, while Baum struggled to keep them away and was alarmed that Han Shuo could track him.
• Lolth attacked Shat Belon with all her strength, trapping him in darkness and inflicting severe wounds.
• The Cauldron Spirit explained Baum’s network of spatial passages and offered to break through the space-time barrier.
• Han Shuo let the Cauldron Spirit reclaim its power, and it emerged from him to scatter dark shadows and direct the Flying Swords through the warped space.
• The Cauldron Spirit struck the passages’ trigger points, collapsing Baum’s spatial network and forcing Baum to escape the collapsing passage.
• Baum saw that Lolth had killed Shat Belon and felt relieved that he and Han Shuo might no longer need to fight.

Han Shuo and Baum ended their fight after Shat Belon died, and Baum invited Han Shuo to open Celestial Pivot Pharmacy in Ethereal City. Han Shuo accepted, leaving with Baum to discuss the pharmacy.

• Han Shuo and Baum agreed to stop fighting because neither had a reason to risk his life over Shat Belon.
• Baum explained that he had tried to protect Shat Belon because of his friendship with Red Earth City's city lord, and Han Shuo accepted his explanation.
• Divine Guards arrived and surrounded Han Shuo, Lolth, and the Earth Armor Zombie, but Baum ordered them not to attack.
• Baum learned that Han Shuo was Brian, the owner of Celestial Pivot Pharmacy in Shadow City, and recognized his reputation for refining medicines.
• Baum invited Han Shuo to open Celestial Pivot Pharmacy in Ethereal City, and Han Shuo agreed to discuss the arrangements.

Han Shuo accepted Baum’s generous offer to establish Celestial Pivot Pharmacy in Ethereal City and reunited with Earth Armor Zombie, who recounted his dangerous rise in strength. After Lolth reminded him about McKinley, Han Shuo contacted the soul and learned that McKinley hated Baum and believed the City Lord had betrayed him.

• Baum gave Han Shuo a shop in Ethereal City’s busiest district, offered to handle its preparations, and asked only for the city’s standard ten-percent tax.
• Han Shuo accepted Baum’s offer to stay in the City Lord’s Mansion while Celestial Pivot Pharmacy’s new shop was prepared.
• Earth Armor Zombie told Han Shuo how he had grown stronger in the Earth Divine Domain, killed young scions in Red Earth City, and been pursued by Shat Belon.
• Lolth reminded Han Shuo of his promise to speak with McKinley, so Han Shuo used the Holy Grail to contact him.
• McKinley confirmed that Baum was his former best friend and accused him of betraying him to take the position of Ethereal City’s City Lord.

Han Shuo learned that Baum had betrayed McKinley, then agreed to search Ethereal City for information about McKinley’s Divine Body while watching Baum cautiously. As Han Shuo recruited staff for Celestial Pivot Pharmacy, he heard that Han Huo had started a fight in the city and went to investigate.

• McKinley told Han Shuo that Baum had betrayed him by destroying his escape passage, allowing Jia'er to capture him and take his Divine Body.
• McKinley explained that the Space-Time Main God's seal in his Divine Soul would deter Baum from killing him, but Baum might seal the Holy Grail and send him away.
• Han Shuo promised to investigate Baum and Ethereal City for clues about McKinley’s Divine Body, and McKinley was astonished to learn Han Shuo had fought Baum.
• Han Shuo sent a high-level Demon Head to watch Baum, while Baum arranged a shop for Celestial Pivot Pharmacy and recruited staff and Pharmacists.
• A Divine Guard told Han Shuo that Han Huo had gotten into a fight in western Ethereal City, and Han Shuo went to see what had happened.

Han Shuo reunited with Han Huo in Ethereal City after his son fought with a Divine Artifact shop over a Flameglow Stone. The dispute ended when Han Huo demonstrated his ability to extract the stone’s fire energy, and Han Shuo left with his sons after they bargained down his generous compensation.

• Han Shuo arrived at the shop and learned that Han Huo had taken a Flameglow Stone after refusing to pay its price.
• Han Huo argued that the shop was ripping him off because Little Gold had said Flameglow Stones were worthless, and Han Tu explained that Little Gold could find ores easily.
• Myles identified the gray stone as a Flameglow Stone drained of its energy and watched Han Huo extract the fire energy from another one in under a minute.
• Han Shuo offered the shop one thousand Black Crystal Coins for the damage, but Han Tu and Han Huo kept most of the money and left only one hundred.
• Han Huo urged Han Shuo to leave the shop with him, while Han Shuo scolded his sons for being so stingy.

Han Shuo reunited with his sons at Goldstone Energy Stone Shop and discovered that Han Jin owned the sprawling business, while a powerful Godhunter chief headed alone toward Ethereal City. The chapter left Han Shuo entering the shop as the Godhunter chief approached the city.

• Han Huo and Han Tu complained about being short of Black Crystal Coins until Han Shuo promised to give them as many as they wanted.
• Miles revealed that his master was Han Jin, and Han Huo and Han Tu recognized him as Little Gold.
• Miles explained that Han Jin had ordered the Goldstone shops to provide Han Shuo and his family with free expenses and unlimited Crystal Coins.
• Han Shuo entered the Goldstone shop with Miles to speak in private.
• A Godhunter youth killed the last member of a family that had hunted his group, then ordered his followers to stay outside Ethereal City and avoid attacking groups with an Upper God.
• The Godhunter chief left his followers and headed alone toward Ethereal City.

Han Shuo and his sons visited the Golden Stone Shop, where Myles revealed that the Golden Armored Corpse had stored precious ores and Divine Crystals for them. After they left, City Lord Baum learned of Han Shuo’s connections and grew wary, while Han Shuo secretly watched him through a Demon Head.

• Myles led Han Shuo, Han Tu, and Han Huo to the secret warehouse and explained that the Golden Armored Corpse had gathered its ores for them.
• Han Huo and Han Tu absorbed and collected the materials suited to them, while Han Shuo selected ores and Divine Crystals for himself.
• Han Shuo asked about the Golden Armored Corpse, and Myles said his master was on his way to Ethereal City.
• Myles warned the shop clerks to keep the visit secret after Han Shuo and the others left.
• Baum heard that Han Huo was Han Shuo’s son and that the Golden Stone Shop’s owner was close to him, then ordered an investigation while forbidding his guards from approaching Han Shuo.
• Han Shuo secretly observed Baum through a Demon Head as the City Lord wondered why he had come to Ethereal City.

Han Shuo established Celestial Pivot Pharmacy in Ethereal City and quickly made it famous, while worrying about his missing companions. After Han Shuo left to visit Baum, Lolth, Han Tu, and Han Huo sensed an unusually powerful enemy approaching the pharmacy.

• Han Shuo opened Celestial Pivot Pharmacy, sold his personally refined medicines, and earned the trust of customers throughout Ethereal City.
• Han Shuo used Lolth to drive out troublemakers and kill intruders, securing the pharmacy as its reputation spread.
• Han Shuo learned that Golden Armored Corpse could not yet be contacted and worried that his missing companions might be in danger.
• Han Shuo told Han Tu, Han Huo, and Lolth to stay alert before leaving to meet Baum at the City Lord's Mansion.
• Lolth, Han Tu, and Han Huo sensed enemies approaching the pharmacy, including an upper god, and suspected Baum was involved.