Chinese Dota 2 Legend Returns to Azure Ray

Chinese Dota 2 esports legend Lu “Somnus” Yao has surprisingly made his return to the competition with Azure Ray for the quest of The International 2025 glory.

As their core player, Somnus’s presence is expected to boost Azure Ray’s morale heading into the Chinese TI2025 regional qualifiers, scheduled for early June. They will undoubtedly be a major focus alongside rivals Tidebound and Xtreme Gaming.

The 29-year-old veteran reunites with his former LGD teammate, Yap “xNova” Jian Wei, who joined at the same time. The roster also includes other players who boast experiences in Chinese and Southeast Asian circuits.

Azure Ray’s roster as of May 2025:

• Lu “Somnus” Yao

• Yap “xNova” Jian Wei

• Du “Monet” Peng

• Thiay “TJ” Jun Wen

• Xyong “Pyw” Jiahan

For your information, this isn’t Somnus’s first time with Azure Ray as he previously played for the team from May to November 2023, but retired following a string of poor results in that season.

Despite his long break from professional Dota, Somnus’s skill and experience are still considered as top tier. Fans definitely remember the Storm Spirit maestro moments at TI2018 and TI2019, where his incredible individual performances nearly led his team to clinch the Aegis.