Ed raised resurrection fees, recruited Xilǐ'er, and sent him to extend the Second Holy See’s influence while players built and awakened a Machine Spirit aboard the King of Fall Resistance, I Guess. Xilǐ'er reached Hibiscus Town, where its bishop considered submitting to the Second Holy See and explained that the Stained Ones were no secret in Yiluo'en Province.
Xilǐ'er exposed Bishop Alter’s rebel base, brought Hibiscus Town and Golden Leaf City under the Second Holy See, and continued toward the next province. Meanwhile, Samuer recruited the Skeleton Alliance’s interest in Grand Duke Wens’s sealed True Blood, as players used a rebellious tunneling fortress to reach the buried chamber.
The Soul Returners freed a dark mage and a swordswoman from crystal prisons, then became caught in a clash involving Grand Duke Hall, Kebola, and the Amber Dragon Aeldra. Ed captured Hall but let a hidden avatar escape, while the survivors reached a Graycast Corridor fortress and faced its arriving city lord.
After the Short-Eared Elves revealed the Eternal Domain’s origins and their plan to seal its vampire rulers, the Soul Returners learned Gray Gris was alive and helped him return to Great Labyrinth City. Gray’s election prospects remained precarious, but the elves’ warning left the Soul Returners free to influence the contest indirectly.
The Soul Returners backed Gray Gris for Grand Foundry Master by spreading Machine Spirits through Great Labyrinth City while racing to bring Gray and Nora to the election. Their Antasia was blocked by Corridor Guard fortresses, and the players began boarding one to force their way onward.
Gray won the Graycast Corridor election and learned that becoming Grand Foundry Master meant entering a life-threatening succession process tied to Aiboke’s machine. Ed intervened and began using his avatar to awaken Great Labyrinth City as a Machine Spirit, leaving the city on the verge of gaining a new protector.
Ed awakened Great Labyrinth City’s Machine Spirit and helped Aiboke return to life, while Gray and Nora took on the work of guiding the city. The Second Holy See expanded its reach and launched new missions, as a real-world anomaly was contained and [Soaring Clouds 3773] prepared to enlist with A Luo.
[Soaring Clouds 3773] joined the imperial auxiliaries and allied with [Practice More If You're Bad], while [Clear Soup Master] and [Dark Archmage] investigated the Skeleton Alliance and negotiated a mercenary contract for Soul Returners. As the Empire and Skeleton Alliance prepared for war, Ed turned to an experiment that sent limited power across the weakening barrier between worlds.
Ed brought Nuowa and Liya into his plans, preparing Nuowa to claim the Starlight Empire and lead the elves. After rallying the Soul Returners, Ed began the assault on the Holy City while Luxiusi confronted Samuer over his plan to destroy and remake the world.
Ed and the Soul Returners conquered the Holy City, exposed and defeated the Stained Ones, and brought the Theocracy under Ed’s rule. After unifying its provinces, Ed turned his attention to the Skeleton Alliance and the Starlight Empire while players pursued new work in the Wilderness of Chaos.
Ed and Gray Gris turned the Skeleton Alliance’s assassination plot into a battle across Great Labyrinth City while the Soul Returners exposed the conspirators and captured their accomplices. The fight drove Ed, Balund, and Duma south after Giant Arms and Nether Crossing, where Ed’s Absolute Punishment began breaking down Sailesi’s crystal body.
After the Skeleton Alliance’s failed assassination, Ed turned toward the growing threat in the south as Soul Returners joined the war between the Alliance and the Starlight Empire. Players captured and contested sand fortresses for loot and military merit, while Nether Crossing inherited Giant Arms’s power and became a councilor.
[Practice More If You're Bad] and Viscount Alfonso Lange turned a staged battle and a disastrous raid into a purge of disloyal officers, then arranged for Alfonso to summon Duma. Alfonso joined Prince Nuowa’s cause and accepted the Soul Returners as allies, while Duma left him believing he had sacrificed half his lifespan.
Colin recruited Soul Returners while Nether Crossing pursued the Blood Corpses and uncovered Hall’s schemes to bring the Demon Realm’s powers into a major conflict. As the Empire and Skeleton Alliance fought over the sandcastles, Alfonso captured Sandcastle Number Thirteen, then withdrew before Colin’s reinforcements arrived.
Colin rose to command several sandcastles while [Great Wei Boxing Champion] uncovered Loxor’s dragon powers and Seraphina sought an Authority of her own. Sailesi defeated Weber Rosalind, then rallied the council to take on the Rosalind Lineage and received a major force of reinforcements.
The Skeleton Alliance withdrew its border forces and concentrated its strength in the Demon Realm, while Ed helped Hall escape Valhalla and players pursued opportunities in the shifting conflict. The arc ended as Rosalind attacked Sailesi’s army in her monstrous worm form and swallowed [Ginseng Rooster].
The Skeleton Alliance and its allies fought Rosalind, York, and the Blood Corpse Tide as the battle shifted with the arrival of Vanessa and the struggle over Whale Tail’s Holy Remains. The Holy Remains transformed into Snake Tail, and Divine Wings ordered Sailesi to retreat while an unknown voice challenged them.
Ed and his allies fought to secure the Holy Remains while confronting Samuer’s plans and the Skeleton Alliance’s leaders. After Vanessa escaped and [Divine Wings] fell, Willow and Nuowa led the effort to defeat Wens, whose death transferred his abilities and Authorities through a broken covenant.
After Ed absorbed Hall’s power, [Ginseng Rooster] helped Colin unite the surviving Skeleton Alliance warlords and secure command. The Soul Returners offered to teleport the Alliance south, but Colin chose to attempt inheriting [Divine Wings]’ Holy Remains before the withdrawal.
Colin returned the stranded army from the Demon Realm, but the Skeleton Alliance’s new councilor, [Thousand Faces], threatened the soldiers and exposed the council’s distrust. Colin declared himself Councilor [Broken Sword] and marched on Sand Capital as [Crown] prepared to raise a new force.