Chapter Summaries

Han Shuo learned the Death Cemetery’s secrets, studied lost Necromancy spells, and used Corpse Revival to help the dwarves repel an attack. After forging and refining the Demon-Slaying Edge, he broke through to the Soul Molding stage and went to visit Fanny at night.

• Han Shuo received the Green Sphere’s message and learned that the Death Cemetery was a powerful mobile castle with two unexplored levels below.
• Han Shuo studied the first volume of the ancient book "Necromancy" and learned spells including Corpse Revival and Undead Sky.
• Han Shuo and Little Skeleton helped the dwarves fight off ogres and goblins, and Han Shuo used Corpse Revival to turn fallen enemies against their attackers.
• Bennett and Calvin gave Han Shuo the finished Demon-Slaying Edge, which he refined for three days and learned to control with his mind.
• Han Shuo broke through to the Soul Molding stage and left the Death Cemetery, then went to Fanny’s faculty dormitory to ask her about Necromancy.

Han Shuo visited Fanny at night and ended up hiding in her bed when Camilla came to call. After Camilla discovered him and left with a suggestive misunderstanding, Fanny attacked Han Shuo, who pinned her down as she demanded that he stop.

• Han Shuo visited Fanny to ask about magic, and she let him into her room after warning him to come back during the day.
• When Camilla knocked, Fanny tried to hide Han Shuo, but he climbed into her bed instead of hiding beneath it.
• Fanny sat on the bed to keep Camilla from seeing Han Shuo, and Han Shuo secretly touched her while the two teachers talked.
• Camilla lifted the bed curtains, saw Han Shuo, and left believing he and Fanny were sharing a bed.
• Fanny pounced on Han Shuo and hit him, but he pushed her down and pinned her as she struggled and ordered him to stop.

Han Shuo shared the lost Necromancy spells Undead Sky and Corpse Revival with Fanny, then discovered Duke and Eric were searching for the Darkness Eye. He went to Phoebe’s residence, where Candice tested him with a flaming sword strike.

• After Fanny crippled him, Han Shuo taught her the incantations for Undead Sky and Corpse Revival, and she explained Necromancy he did not understand.
• Han Shuo left Fanny’s room and overheard Duke and Eric searching the Darkness Department’s library for the Darkness Eye, which he had obtained.
• Han Shuo followed Duke and Eric to a guarded courtyard, but its barrier detected his Yuan Demons and he recalled them.
• Han Shuo went to Phoebe’s residence and learned that Glover’s people had made three attempts on her life, killing two of her guards.
• Phoebe introduced Candice to Han Shuo, and Candice drew her flaming broadsword and slashed at him to test his abilities.

Han Shuo moved into Phoebe’s residence after agreeing to help her deal with Glover, and discovered that his Soul Molding cultivation greatly improved his ability to gather Mental Power. As assassins led by an Archmage approached during a shift change, Han Shuo realized Phoebe and Candice were in grave danger and rushed into Phoebe’s room.

• Candice attacked Han Shuo, but his Demon-Slaying Edge damaged her Magic Sword and blocked her Battle Aura; Phoebe stopped the fight and introduced them.
• Han Shuo asked Phoebe to arrange food for about a hundred people and a secluded place to stay, then agreed to live at her residence while they dealt with Glover.
• Phoebe told Han Shuo that she was gathering evidence against Glover with Grandpa Andrew’s support and that they had sent people to seize items from his mistress.
• Han Shuo practiced his Demonic Cultivation Art and found that Soul Molding had made his meditation gather Mental Power much faster.
• Han Shuo overheard Phoebe and Candice discussing their opinions of him, then his Yuan Demons detected ten approaching assassins, including an Archmage, with Glover and his allies nearby.
• Seeing that the attackers had chosen the northern district’s guard shift change to strike, Han Shuo rushed into Phoebe’s room.

Han Shuo helped Phoebe and Candice prepare for a coordinated assault by Glover's men and Phantom Shadow, using the Yuan Demon to track the attackers and guide the defenders. As the battle devastated Phoebe's residence, Han Shuo stayed hidden and waited for an opening, then killed Ellis with a sudden strike.

• Han Shuo warned Phoebe and Candice that Glover's men and Phantom Shadow were approaching, then used the Yuan Demon to reveal enemy positions and direct their defenses.
• The attackers arrived, and the earth-element Archmage began shaking the residence while the defenders' traps electrocuted one warrior and the ensuing destruction killed several members of the Warfire Mercenary Group.
• Phoebe and Candice attacked the Archmage and Ellis, but the attackers overwhelmed them and forced them toward the large tree where Han Shuo was hiding.
• Han Shuo endured Wind Blades without moving and waited until Phoebe and Candice drew their enemies beneath the tree.
• After the Archmage blocked Han Shuo's crossbow bolt and Bone Spear, Han Shuo struck Ellis from above, piercing his chest and killing him.

Han Shuo led Phoebe and Candice away from the Phantom Shadow assassins and tricked them into clashing with Duke and his allies. He then used a Yuan Demon to track Glover to his mistress Carola’s home in the city’s slums, where the trio headed at dawn.

• Han Shuo escaped through a hole in a ruined house with Phoebe and Candice as the Phantom Shadow assassins pursued them.
• Han Shuo led the pursuit to a courtyard where Duke and his companions were hiding, prompting a battle that killed two of the attackers.
• After the courtyard was destroyed, Han Shuo told Phoebe that he could locate Glover’s mistress, Carola.
• Han Shuo tracked Glover by Yuan Demon as Glover left by carriage and traveled to Carola’s home.
• At dawn, Han Shuo, Phoebe, and Candice reached the slums and followed Glover into a dilapidated house.

Phoebe learned from Glover that he had poisoned her father, while Glover revealed that Carol had likely been taken by Andrew’s people before killing himself. As Phoebe and Han Shuo parted, she urged him to pursue power and military merit, and he left determined to seek his own path while planning to collect his grain from the Buster Trading Company.

• Phoebe confronted Glover, who admitted poisoning her father and said he would give up everything to save Carol, whom Phoebe believed Andrew’s people had taken.
• Phoebe asked Han Shuo and Candice to wait outside while she spoke privately with Glover, who later killed himself.
• Candice asked Han Shuo about his ability to detect assassins and invited him to join the Warfire Mercenary Group, but he declined both her offer and her request to buy his method.
• Phoebe sent Candice to find the escaped mercenaries, then walked with Han Shuo toward the South District and said the Buster Trading Company no longer threatened her.
• Phoebe urged Han Shuo to pursue power and status by earning military merit in the coming war, but he said he wanted to gain success with his own hands.
• Han Shuo asked Phoebe to prepare his grain and left for the north of the city, while Phoebe complained that he only remembered the grain.

Han Shuo met Candida, a powerful agent of the Empire’s Dark Curtain, who offered him membership and a chance to pursue his ambitions. Han Shuo accepted and left to monitor Duke, while wondering whether Phoebe had known about Candida’s approach.

• Han Shuo sensed danger in the grove, and Candida emerged from a tree’s shadow after Han Shuo called out.
• Candida revealed that he belonged to Dark Curtain and knew much of Han Shuo’s recent history.
• Candida offered Han Shuo a place in Dark Curtain, and Han Shuo accepted after weighing his limited options.
• Candida gave Han Shuo a black iron token and assigned him to watch Duke, an envoy from the Kasi Empire.
• Han Shuo memorized the locations of three Dark Curtain bases, destroyed the paper Candida gave him, and watched Candida vanish.
• Han Shuo wondered whether Phoebe had known Candida would approach him, then continued toward Babylon Academy of Magic and Martial Arts.

Han Shuo returned to the Necromancy Department, where he faced rumors about his relationship with Fanny and impressed Gene with his knowledge. After confronting Fanny about the rumors, he was interrupted by Duke entering the laboratory, leaving Han Shuo to conceal that they had met before.

• Han Shuo returned to the academy, and Keri and Borg recognized him only after he explained who he was.
• Han Shuo entered Gene's lecture, where students discussed rumors that he and Fanny were lovers; he answered Gene's questions impressively before admitting he did not know an advanced one.
• Han Shuo overheard Fitch accuse Fanny of sleeping with him, and Fanny slapped Fitch and ordered him to leave her laboratory.
• Han Shuo told Fanny he felt guilty because Camilla's rumors had harmed her reputation, and Fanny misunderstood what he meant before changing the subject.
• Duke entered Fanny's laboratory to ask her questions, and Han Shuo acted as though he had never met him.

Han Shuo learned from Fanny how to improve his Zombie Summoning and discovered that strange slips of speech might be a side effect of reaching the Soul Molding stage. He met Lawrence, who wanted to buy black iron ore and become friends, and agreed to discuss the matter before sparring.

• Duke questioned Fanny about the Darkness Eye and the academy’s hidden Private Library, but Han Shuo believed Duke had not recognized him.
• Fanny explained the greater mental power and control needed to summon zombies, and Han Shuo practiced until he understood the problem.
• Fanny warned Han Shuo that Fitch might seek revenge, but Han Shuo dismissed the threat.
• Lisa told Han Shuo that her cousin Lawrence had come looking for him, and Han Shuo accidentally blurted out a remark about her developing chest before realizing it might be a Soul Molding phenomenon.
• Lisa revealed that Lawrence was the son of the Empire’s finance minister, then left Han Shuo to meet him.
• Lawrence asked Han Shuo to sell him a fist-sized piece of black iron ore and proposed becoming friends; Han Shuo agreed to discuss business before they sparred.

Han Shuo sparred with Lawrence, demonstrated his unusual strength, and agreed to obtain black iron ore for him. Later, while cultivating in his academy room, Han Shuo sensed intruders and discovered Duke moving toward the Darkness Department and Fitch approaching his door, leaving their intentions unresolved.

• Han Shuo agreed to get Lawrence a fist-sized piece of black iron ore for five thousand gold coins within ten days.
• Han Shuo surprised Lawrence with an opening attack, then tested his strength against Lawrence's battle aura during their sparring match.
• Han Shuo and Lawrence exchanged blows until Lawrence ended the spar, and Han Shuo recognized that he lacked trained fighting techniques.
• Han Shuo returned to the Necromancy Department, settled into his dormitory room, and practiced the Soul Molding stage of his Demonic Cultivation Art.
• Han Shuo detected movement outside and in the dormitory, then used three Yuan Demons to discover Duke flying toward the Darkness Department and Fitch quietly approaching his room.
• Han Shuo got out of the bathtub, dried himself, and pretended to be asleep with his back to the door.

Han Shuo caught Fitch framing him with stolen women’s underwear and retaliated by planting the bundle in Fitch’s room. While keeping watch on Duke, Han Shuo discovered that Duke and Camilla were agents of the Kasi Empire’s Black Hades, seeking information about the Darkness Eye and the Death Cemetery.

• Fitch drugged Han Shuo’s room, hid a bundle of women’s underwear beneath his bed, and planned to have him disgraced and expelled.
• Han Shuo found the bundle and planted it beneath Fitch’s bed in return.
• Han Shuo watched Duke enter the Darkness Department’s Teaching Building and meet Camilla, who revealed she was a Black Hades agent.
• Duke asked Camilla to find a way into the academy’s private library and search for information about the Darkness Eye.
• Duke told Camilla that the Darkness Eye could open the Death Cemetery, and she agreed to investigate despite the dean’s supervision.

After underwear was stolen from the girls’ dormitory, Vida investigated the male students and suspicion briefly fell on Han Shuo. Gene and Vida found the stolen items hidden beneath Fitch’s bed, exposing him as the thief.

• The theft spread through the Necromancy Department, and Gene and Fanny gathered the students to discuss the investigation.
• Vida announced that footprints led from the girls’ dormitory toward the boys’ dormitory, while Han Shuo watched Fitch and denied involvement.
• Vida searched the male students’ clothes, then noticed Han Shuo’s Spatial Ring and asked to have it examined; Fanny persuaded him to search the dormitory first.
• Han Shuo told Fanny he feared the Dean might discover goods from Doro Town that the department had divided privately.
• Gene and Vida emerged from the dormitory and confronted Fitch after finding the stolen underwear hooked beneath his bed, and the girls cursed him.

Han Shuo successfully summoned and trained a Zombie Warrior while Fanny explained his rapid progress might indicate a dangerous God-Graced Body and signed him up for a rank test. After mining black iron ore for Lawrence, Han Shuo recalled Chu Canglan’s methods for creating five elemental zombies and decided to pursue the Heavenly Corpse Five Elements Formation.

• Fitch was expelled from the Babylon Academy of Magic and Martial Arts after his scheme was exposed, and Han Shuo continued practicing alone at the Trial Ground.
• Han Shuo mastered summoning and controlling a Zombie Warrior while monitoring Camilla’s visits to the dean’s office through a Yuan Demon.
• Fanny visited Han Shuo, speculated that his unusual growth might come from a God-Graced Body, warned him to keep it and his rare spells secret, and registered him for a Junior Mage test the next morning.
• Han Shuo returned to the Death Cemetery and mined a small piece of black iron ore for Lawrence in exchange for five thousand gold coins.
• Han Shuo recalled Chu Canglan’s knowledge of five powerful elemental zombies and resolved to create them and form the Heavenly Corpse Five Elements Formation.

Han Shuo passed the Junior Mage test with unusually high Mental Power and impressive spell control, then headed to the Knight Academy to sell black iron ore to Lawrence. On the way, he discovered Duke meeting Eric and Clark there, and began watching their movements with a Yuan Demon.

• Amy passed her Junior Mage test, while Athena failed after her Bone Spear shattered and she made mistakes answering questions.
• Han Shuo's Mental Power made the Spirit Testing Stone immediately reach the level of an Intermediate Mage, astonishing the teachers, and Fanny explained his unusual brain as an effect of Soul Pain.
• Han Shuo demonstrated Junior Mage spells, controlled a zombie adeptly, answered magical knowledge questions, and received his Junior Mage qualification.
• Han Shuo set out for the Knight Academy to trade black iron ore to Lawrence, hoping to fund the costly materials needed to form an Earth Armor Zombie.
• Han Shuo noticed Duke leave the Wind Element department and meet Eric and Clark at the Knight Academy, so he used a Yuan Demon to observe them.

Han Shuo discovered that Clark was Claude’s older brother and reported his suspicions about Clark’s secret meeting with a Kasi Empire envoy to Dark Curtain. At the stronghold, he learned that his handler Candida was one of the organization’s three powerful leaders, and a young recruit offered to explain the estate’s defenses.

• Han Shuo’s Yuan Demons observed Duke meeting Clark behind a Wind Barrier, then saw Duke return to the Wind Element Academy and Clark practice at the Knight Academy.
• Han Shuo visited Lawrence, demonstrated the Demon-Slaying Edge, and sold him a piece of black iron ore for five thousand gold coins.
• Clark arrived and revealed that he was investigating his younger brother Claude’s disappearance, warning that he would make Han Shuo pay if Han Shuo was involved.
• Han Shuo left the Knight Academy and went to Dark Curtain’s stronghold to report his concerns about Clark’s meeting with the Kasi Empire envoy.
• A young recruit at the stronghold recognized Han Shuo’s token and was astonished that Candida directly oversaw him, then offered to show him how the estate was protected.

Han Shuo visited Dark Curtain’s hidden base in Mount Auldas, reported Duke’s meetings with Camilla and Clark to Candida, and was promoted to a Three-Star Envoy. Candida warned him that Lawrence had another influential identity and that their relationship could draw him into danger.

• Chester explained Dark Curtain’s ranks and led Han Shuo through the manor’s hidden entrance into the heavily guarded base inside Mount Auldas.
• Chester described the organization’s three leaders: Candida, Emias, and Cecilia, then sent Han Shuo through a Magic Teleportation Array to meet Candida.
• Han Shuo reported Duke’s discussions with Camilla about the Darkness Eye and with Clark, and Candida praised the information and said he would handle what followed.
• Candida recorded two additional stars on Han Shuo’s badge, promoting him to a Dark Star Three-Star Envoy, and instructed him to report to the organization monthly.
• Candida warned Han Shuo that Lawrence had another identity with far-reaching implications, then Han Shuo agreed to bring Chester along on a future two-person mission.

Han Shuo visited Phoebe at the Buster Trading Company to buy supplies and unusual materials for refining an Earth Armor Zombie. He revealed Little Skeleton’s secret refinement and asked Phoebe to help find the materials, then left with provisions for the Death Cemetery.

• Han Shuo learned Camilla had disappeared and saw Duke, Eric, and Clark leave the academy soon afterward.
• Han Shuo went to the Buster Trading Company and learned Fubin'en had survived the building collapse and Phoebe had taken control of the company.
• Phoebe told Han Shuo she had arranged the rockery as a private place to relax, then teased him for visiting only to buy provisions.
• Han Shuo gave Phoebe a list of thirteen unusual materials and explained where they could be found.
• Han Shuo summoned Little Skeleton to show Phoebe its strength and revealed that he needed the materials to refine an extraordinary zombie.
• Phoebe promised to keep Han Shuo’s secret and help acquire the materials, and Han Shuo left with provisions for the Death Cemetery.

Han Shuo brought food to the dwarves and collected the weapons they had forged for him, while the elves failed to persuade the village to trade. As a large force of Forest Trolls approached, Han Shuo realized the village was in serious danger.

• Han Shuo arrived at the dwarven village with food, and the grateful dwarves welcomed him.
• Calvin refused Bennett’s offer of gems for the dwarven weapons and told Bennett to give the weapons to Han Shuo.
• Han Shuo accepted the weapons, then refused Bennett’s offer to trade for them after Bennett insulted humans.
• Han Shuo sent three Yuan Demons to scout after hearing movement and discovered five or six hundred Forest Trolls approaching the village.

Han Shuo and the Dwarves defended their village against a large Forest Troll force, then prepared to retreat when they were nearly overwhelmed. Little Skeleton’s sudden appearance left the Forest Trolls prostrating themselves and chanting “Dadala.”

• Han Shuo warned Calvin that five or six hundred Forest Trolls were approaching, so Calvin ordered the villagers to evacuate through the rear of the valley.
• Han Shuo, Bennett, and the Dwarves fortified the village entrance with traps and crossbows as the Forest Trolls discovered it and attacked.
• Han Shuo and the Dwarves killed several Forest Trolls, while Bennett used a magic arrow to set others ablaze.
• The Forest Trolls broke through the entrance defenses, and Han Shuo ordered the defenders to withdraw while continuing to fire their crossbows.
• Han Shuo summoned Little Skeleton, and the Forest Trolls dropped their weapons, bowed before him, and repeatedly chanted “Dadala.”