Chapter Summaries

After the Council of Sages was mentioned at the Kirin Tor, Jaina Proudmoore told Esmehalda that Medivh was the Sage of Fate and shared how he had once directed her to Kalimdor. Back in the Water Elemental Plane, Xiao Yu read Amalarui’s experiment log, which revealed that Amalarui had sought to join the Council of Sages by creating a Chaos Elemental.

• Augustus reassured the Kirin Tor Council that Dalaran could withstand the Council of Sages, and Esmehalda left the council hall with Xiao Yu.
• Jaina Proudmoore caught up with Esmehalda and said she knew Medivh, the Sage of Fate, from the time he had urged her to lead her forces to Kalimdor.
• Jaina recounted her past with Medivh, and Esmehalda realized her conversation might connect her to a major story in the Firmament Chronicle.
• Xiao Yu returned to the Water Elemental Plane and opened Amalarui’s experiment log to investigate the creation of Chaos Elementals.
• Amalarui’s preface revealed that he wanted to join the Council of Sages and planned to use his Chaos Elemental research to prove himself.

Xiao Yu read Amalarui's experiment log and learned that the Seed of Elements might let him become a Chaos Elemental. He arranged with Esmehalda to search for information at the Stormwind City Royal Library the next day.

• Xiao Yu read Amalarui's records of experiments to create Chaos Elementals, including the failures and unstable results.
• Xiao Yu learned from the final entries that Amalarui suspected the Seed of Elements was connected to an elemental being with both fire and ice powers.
• Xiao Yu concluded that obtaining the Seed of Elements could let him advance into a Chaos Elemental, and identified the Stormwind City Royal Library as a place to research it.
• Xiao Yu asked Esmehalda to take him to the Royal Library, and she agreed to meet him at eight the next day.
• Xiao Yu found a lake, immersed himself in it, and fell asleep.

Big Broadsword Wang Wu, a level-30 guard-template player, began a Stormwind City patrol under Captain Mellis Malagan as attacks and disturbances kept the capital on edge. Near the Dwarven District, the patrol spotted a dwarf chasing a gnome mage and charged in to stop the malicious PvP.

• Big Broadsword Wang Wu woke, ate breakfast, and reflected on his progression from a starter-village guard to a Stormwind City guard.
• Wang Wu recalled the recent attacks on Stormwind City and checked that he was close to earning an elite template through reputation.
• Mellis Malagan assigned his squad to patrol between the Mage Quarter and the Dwarven District.
• The patrol set out, and Wang Wu enjoyed the calm streets while hoping to gain experience and reputation.
• A gnome mage fled from a dwarf warrior who accused him of swindling money and struck him with a thrown axe.
• Mellis Malagan ordered the guards to seize the dwarf, and Wang Wu charged after him for the chance to earn experience.

Xiao Yu and Esmehalda arrived in a battered Stormwind City, where Big Broadsword Wang Wu explained that player attacks had continued after the Defias Brotherhood’s assault. As alarms sounded, Wings of Destruction led twenty-four self-styled World-Destroying dragons into a dive toward the market district.

• Stormwind guards defeated and arrested a dwarf warrior, while Big Broadsword Wang Wu earned experience by joining the fight.
• Esmehalda asked guard captain Mellis Malagan for directions to the royal palace, and he assigned Big Broadsword Wang Wu to escort her.
• Xiao Yu noticed Stormwind City’s ruins and refugees, and Big Broadsword Wang Wu said player attacks had plagued cities across the Alliance and Horde.
• Big Broadsword Wang Wu spotted dragons approaching and sounded the alarm as citizens hurried for shelter.
• Wings of Destruction led twenty-four dragons in formation and ordered them to dive toward Stormwind City’s market district.

Deathwing led the World-Destroying Dragon Clan in a devastating raid on Stormwind City's Market District, but the defenders trapped and routed them. As Deathwing attacked Varian Wrynn aboard the Skybreaker, Varian struck him unconscious, and his falling body headed toward Xiao Yu.

• Deathwing's dragons bombarded the Market District, killing citizens and destroying buildings, then retreated when Stormwind's gryphon knights arrived.
• The gryphon knights caught the dragons and fought them with coordinated, homing warhammer volleys, shooting several down and driving the rest into a climb.
• Varian Wrynn revealed the Skybreaker above the dragons and ordered its cannons and mages to attack, sending more dragons falling.
• Deathwing charged the Skybreaker's deck and lunged at Varian, who joined Shalamayne and Shalla'tor and struck through the dragon's jaw into his brain.
• The game system reported that Deathwing had taken a critical hit and was unconscious as he fell toward the ground, where Xiao Yu noticed him coming down.

Xiao Yu and Esmehalda attacked the seemingly defeated black dragon, but it revealed itself as Deathwing and swallowed Big Broadsword Wang Wu. As Mephist arrived and demanded they keep the dragon alive for Stormwind City, Xiao Yu recognized a resemblance to Mephisto and asked whether he was Mephisto.

• Deathwing pretended to be dead beneath rubble, then swallowed Big Broadsword Wang Wu when he rushed in to claim the kill.
• Xiao Yu and Esmehalda attacked the trapped Deathwing with spells, dealing damage as he remained pinned beneath the wreckage.
• Mephist (Dragonslayer) rode up and ordered Xiao Yu and Esmehalda to stop, saying Stormwind City needed to capture and interrogate the dragon.
• Xiao Yu and Esmehalda refused to give up their prey, each claiming a reason to kill Deathwing.
• Xiao Yu recognized Mephist's catchphrase and asked if he was Mephisto; Mephist asked how Xiao Yu knew him.

Mephisto revealed to Xiao Yu that he had transformed from an ancient black dragon into a human hero and joined the Alliance. After Xiao Yu helped him capture Deathwing, he uncovered that Mephisto had staged his dragon-slaying reputation to infiltrate Stormwind City.

• Mephisto revealed that his human form was his black dragon character transformed into a hero template, and asked Xiao Yu to leave the little black dragon to him.
• Xiao Yu agreed in exchange for a favor, and Mephisto's cavalry surrounded Deathwing, whom Mephisto subdued and had bound.
• Mephisto invited Xiao Yu and Esmehalda to a tavern and explained that the Alliance had hunted him after he attacked a dwarven archaeological camp.
• Mephisto claimed he had faked his death by presenting another black dragon's head and then hiding in Stormwind City as a human hero.
• Xiao Yu accused Mephisto of planning the attack and dragon-head deception from the beginning to gain Alliance reputation and infiltrate Stormwind City.

Mephisto explained his plan to infiltrate the Alliance and use adventurers to help him win the strongest boss competition, while Madman joined the Horde and Old E built a monster army. Xiao Yu declined to join Mephisto's group but agreed to share information, then accompanied Esmehalda to Stormwind City's Royal Library.

• Mephisto revealed that he had infiltrated the Alliance to gain popularity and planned to transform into an ancient black dragon during a conflict, while directing adventurers against rival monster factions.
• Mephisto said Madman had joined the Horde and Old E was building a monster army, and he invited Xiao Yu to join their conspiracy.
• Xiao Yu declined to join but proposed an alliance to share information and cooperate when useful, and Mephisto agreed.
• After Mephisto left, Xiao Yu and Esmehalda headed to the royal palace, where they saw Stormwind City recovering from the World-Destroying Dragon Clan's attack.
• Esmehalda used her Kirin Tor Councilor status to enter the palace with Xiao Yu, and a royal guard led them to the Royal Library.

Xiao Yu searched the Stormwind City Royal Library for the origins of the Seeds of Elements and learned where all three had gone. He planned to pursue the naga-held Seed first, but a system announcement warned that Sky World would undergo maintenance in an hour.

• Xiao Yu and Esmehalda entered the Royal Library and searched separately for information about the night elves and Medivh.
• Xiao Yu asked Library Manager 4000 to locate records about the Seed of Elements and found a passage in Night Elf History, volume two.
• Xiao Yu learned that Galax or Dark Rod might possess the first Seed, the blood elves of Silvermoon City held the second, and the naga had the third.
• Xiao Yu decided to return to the Elemental Plane, gather underlings, and prepare to attack the naga in the Endless Sea.
• Esmehalda told Xiao Yu she had found what she wanted, and a system announcement stated that Sky World maintenance would begin in one hour.

After emerging from a half-month gaming session, Xiao Yu met Liu Xiaoyu and her friends at a breakfast shop and learned she had become an elite mermaid guard. He discovered that Qin Shiyue was the mermaid princess and guild master he hoped to approach, and the chapter ended with a possible alliance dependent on Xiao Yu proving his strength.

• Xiao Yu left his game pod, adjusted to reality, and went to a breakfast shop for his first real meal in half a month.
• Xiao Yu learned Liu Xiaoyu had quit her job to pursue professional gaming and had become an elite mermaid princess's lady-in-waiting and guard.
• Liu Xiaoyu introduced Xiao Yu to her friends Guo Tianxue and Qin Shiyue, and Xiao Yu asked whether she could arrange a meeting with the mermaid princess.
• Qin Shiyue revealed she was the princess of the Raging Tide Kingdom, commanded three thousand mermaid troops, and led the Song of the Ocean guild.
• Qin Shiyue said cooperation with Xiao Yu could be possible if he proved his strength, and Xiao Yu offered to gather a few thousand troops from the Water Elemental Plane.

Xiao Yu browsed the Sky World forum during the game’s 24-hour maintenance and watched videos from the new Demon King Hall. He found a provocative video about Crazy Zoo and Rexxar, leaving him startled by its title.

• Xiao Yu checked the forum and discovered new Demon King Hall and Hero Hall sections created for the game’s official competitions.
• Xiao Yu watched a popular video showing Stormwind’s gryphon knights defeating the World-Destroying Dragon Clan, while viewers mocked the dragons in the comments.
• Xiao Yu browsed videos of story campaigns and battles between heroes, bosses, and rival guilds, noting that powerful named characters were dying frequently.
• Xiao Yu spotted a video titled "Crazy Zoo's First Battle-the Death of Beastmaster Rexxar" and felt his eyelid twitch.

Xiao Yu watched footage of Crazy Zoo’s beasts killing Rexxar and suspected they had been united by a powerful force. He then checked the Demon King Hall rankings, where he learned that the most popular monster organization was Heavenly Punishment, a faction of celestial beings.

• Xiao Yu watched a video showing Rexxar and his companions surrounded and killed by a vast, coordinated horde of beasts.
• Viewers debated the beasts’ strength and organization, while a participant warned that Crazy Zoo had defeated Rexxar and challenged others to fight them.
• Xiao Yu noticed the beasts’ faint purple glow and suspected they had been united or empowered by a powerful being.
• Xiao Yu reviewed the Demon King Hall rankings and learned that Heavenly Punishment, made up of celestial beings, ranked first among monster organizations.

Xiao Yu watched Heavenly Punishment’s promotional video and learned that the faction’s seven angels were modeled on the idol group Dynamic Angels, led by An Xiaoya as Anya. He doubted the celebrity group would remain active long enough to dominate Sky World and believed that less-publicized factions might ultimately prove stronger.

• Xiao Yu questioned why Celestial Realm creatures had become monsters and opened the Heavenly Punishment section to watch its promotional video.
• The video explained that Anya wanted to purify the mortal world, and that angels who shared her vision founded Heavenly Punishment.
• Xiao Yu recognized Anya as An Xiaoya and saw that the other six angels matched the remaining members of Dynamic Angels.
• Xiao Yu noted that all seven angels had advanced hero templates and could fight together, making them a formidable faction.
• Xiao Yu doubted Dynamic Angels would devote enough time to the game and judged that powerful factions building strength in the shadows could outlast the popular ones.

Xiao Yu watched a video of Xingtian, the Dragon-Slaying Sword Saint, killing an ancient red dragon alone and reconsidered how powerful heroes could be. As he browsed hero profiles, Little Black contacted him with a warning that someone had come to investigate him.

• Xiao Yu found Esmehalda's video among the Hero Hall listings and saw that wealthy players and studios were helping heroes rise quickly through the rankings.
• Xiao Yu spotted Phoenix in seventeenth place and Xingtian, the six-star Dragon-Slaying Sword Saint, at the top of the hero prestige rankings.
• Xiao Yu watched Xingtian fight an ancient red dragon and realized the Blood-Drinking Demon Sword let him recover health as he dealt damage.
• Xingtian was swallowed by the red dragon, then cut his way out from inside and killed it.
• Xiao Yu considered how adventurers might exploit Xingtian's lack of area attacks, then received a message from Little Black saying someone had come to investigate him.

After learning that someone had investigated him, Xiao Yu suspected Long Ao Jiutian but decided to ignore the threat. He watched Sky World’s update preview, then entered the game as maintenance ended, eager to experience its new realistic combat systems.

• Little Black warned Xiao Yu that a licensed private investigator had questioned him about Xiao Yu.
• Xiao Yu suspected Long Ao Jiutian had hired the investigator and decided he would deal with any threat if it came.
• Xiao Yu watched Sky World’s update video, which showed realistic physics, lethal strikes, protective magic, crushing blows, and other combat changes.
• Xiao Yu noted that the changes might favor elemental creatures like him, whose core was difficult to strike, and learned players would receive a free skill reset.
• When maintenance ended, Xiao Yu entered his gaming pod and prepared to return to Sky World.

Xiao Yu rebuilt his skills for fighting in the sea, summoned his Immortal subordinates to the Throne of the Tides, and traveled there to meet the Water Elemental Plane’s leaders. Ashali escorted him toward the Elemental Elders’ Council, where he found the city crowded with troops, creatures, and players.

• Xiao Yu chose Frostfire Bolt, Frost Nova, Biting Wind Protection, elite-template Summon Boiling Water Elemental, Elemental Absorption, and Deep Sea Maelstrom for his skills.
• Xiao Yu summoned the Immortals to the Throne of the Tides within three days and began traveling through the rivers toward the Endless Sea.
• Xiao Yu crossed the waterfalls into the Endless Sea and swam toward the Throne of the Tides, avoiding enormous sea beasts.
• Ashali introduced herself as a subject of Lord Neptulon and asked whether Xiao Yu had come for the Elemental Elders’ Council.
• Xiao Yu followed Ashali through the heavily guarded city and saw sea creatures, water elementals, and many players gathered near the Throne of the Tides.

At the Elemental Council, Neptulon struggled to persuade the water elementals to confront the naga invading through the Maelstrom. Azathoth volunteered to destroy their staging ground, Hydra City, and received an army of three thousand troops, with a promise of promotion if he succeeded.

• Ashali escorted Xiao Yu through the Throne of the Tides to the Elemental Council hall, then left him to enter alone.
• Neptulon told the gathered elders and lords that the naga were invading through the Maelstrom and asked for someone to destroy the artifact enabling their passage.
• Aktumen and other elementals argued for caution, while no one volunteered to cross the Maelstrom and fight the naga.
• Azathoth stepped forward and offered to lead the campaign against the naga, asking Neptulon to provide troops.
• Neptulon promised to promote Azathoth to water elemental lord and grant him territory if he defeated the naga and destroyed Hydra City.
• Neptulon assigned Azathoth an army of three thousand water elementals, sea elementals, and siren priests.

Xiao Yu accepted Neptulon’s appointment as commander of the Water Elemental Legion and prepared to lead the campaign against the naga, seeing it as a chance to build his own power. After assembling troops from allies, subordinates, and players, he waited for the march toward the Maelstrom.

• Xiao Yu accepted command of three thousand water elementals and resolved to use the campaign to advance his ambitions in the Prime Material Plane.
• Monari, Kukuker, and Typhon offered troops in exchange for joining the story event, and Xiao Yu negotiated for twenty priests from each of their forces.
• Xiao Yu declined Monari’s invitation to join the Boundless Sea Guild and went with Ashali to inspect the army Neptulon had assigned him.
• Xiao Yu found that most of his three thousand soldiers were low-level ordinary elementals, though elite sea sprite priests and the priests from his allies strengthened his forces.
• During the next three days, Xiao Yu recruited players and gathered his Immortals Legion subordinates, who arrived with more than three hundred elemental troops.

Xiao Yu led a newly assembled water elemental army toward the Maelstrom to confront the naga, assigning his generals and player volunteers their roles. The naga army appeared ahead in overwhelming numbers, and Xiao Yu ordered his forces into a wall formation as the battle approached.

• Xiao Yu recruited more than two thousand ordinary-template players, bringing his water army to over five thousand troops.
• Xiao Yu assigned Wotkud, Sairen, Ximeng, Agnes, and Big Water Cunt to command different parts of the army.
• Xiao Yu marched toward the Maelstrom, joined en route by three player bosses and their forces.
• Sea siren scouts clashed with naga scouts, who retreated after spotting the advancing army.
• Xiao Yu saw a vast wall of naga and enslaved sea beasts ahead, then ordered his legions to form up for battle.
• Xiao Yu ordered the sea elemental legion to the left, the water elemental legion to the right, and the volunteers to the center in a wall formation.

Xiao Yu and Azathoth led the elemental armies against the naga advance, first cutting down the sea-beast vanguard with powerful spells and Frostbolts. The naga then surrounded the formation and attacked with lightning magic, leaving Xiao Yu struggling to keep his troops together as he spotted a gigantic naga who might be their commander.

• Monari and Kukuker disrupted the sea-beast charge with Ocean's Wrath and Frost Storm.
• Azathoth ordered the Elemental Legion to fire Frostbolts, killing most of the charging sea beasts.
• The naga bypassed the frontal barrage and surrounded the elemental armies while naga sea witches attacked with lightning spells.
• Naga warriors breached the formation, and Xiao Yu's orders failed to stop the players from losing control.
• Xiao Yu searched for the naga commander and spotted a gigantic naga.