Chapter Summaries

Ian advanced his studies and training while preparing to break through to late First Ring, and he suspected the Crimson Eye was replacing its Alchemy Puppets. After three months of rapid progress, he reached the mid-stage Mental Power limit and entered the Academy secret realm to pursue his breakthrough.

• Ian completed another iteration of the Four Symbols Resonance Method, and Nicole congratulated him on his progress after he welcomed her to Wind Abyss.
• Elena asked Ian to test Gale Step in Wind Abyss's fourth-level zone and lent him a wind-element talisman to reduce the pressure.
• Ian returned to the Alchemy Department, where he saw Connor and continued analyzing Darkfire Runes as preparation for countering the Crimson Eye.
• Ian asked Kieran for another set of advancement resources, demonstrated his meditation method, and received Kieran's sponsorship in exchange for his research notes.
• Flynn told Ian that the Crimson Eye had fewer Alchemy Puppets, prompting Ian to suspect they were preparing a new generation and warn Flynn.
• Over the next three months, Ian raised two Darkfire Runes to Master Level, improved Gale Step to Proficient, and reached the mid-stage Mental Power limit before entering the Academy secret realm.

Ian encountered a silver-white spiritual shark in the secret realm that seemed connected to the Four Symbols Resonance Method, and Kieran helped him investigate its possible inheritance. After the shark told Ian to return after reaching the fourth layer, Ian spent two months absorbing the knowledge he had gained and prepared to advance to the late stage of the First Ring.

• Ian explored deeper into the Sea of Spiritual Resonance, fought a hostile phantom, and encountered a silver-white shark whose attack forced him to leave the secret realm.
• Ian brought Kieran to the secret realm, where Kieran confirmed the shark was likely tied to the Four Symbols Resonance Method and gave Ian a silver mark that helped him bear more knowledge.
• Kieran searched for the shark, but it appeared only briefly and told Ian to return after reaching the fourth layer; Kieran advised Ian to grow stronger before seeking it again.
• Ian absorbed the secret realm’s knowledge over two months, improving his Wizardry and body-tempering method until he met the conditions to advance to the late stage of the First Ring.
• Ian gathered resources and potions at the Elemental Pool and began his breakthrough.

Ian advanced to the late stage of Rank One, completing his Lava Storm Domain and discovering that his new power greatly strengthened his abilities. He agreed to form a group with Peter and continued cultivating at Wind Whisper Academy while considering his next steps toward the Elite Sequence.

• Ian drank two Limit-Breaking Potions, broke through his mental power limit, and fused Blazing Flame Grip, Flowing Wind Barrier, and Earth Vein Tremor to complete the Lava Storm Domain.
• Ian tested his domain and Mental Power force field, finding that they enhanced his power, widened his reach, and could suppress and erode weaker creatures.
• Peter asked Ian to take him under his wing and help form a group; Ian said he would decide the next day.
• Ian asked Xia about late-stage Wizards forming groups, and she invited him to visit a new materials shop before the two spent the night together.
• Ian agreed by message to Peter's proposal, then entered the fourth level of Wind Abyss without a talisman and met Nicole, who said her family might support him after he joined the Elite Sequence.
• Ian practiced Gale Step at Wind Abyss and left, looking forward to entering the secret realm again after becoming an elite disciple.

Ian advanced to the late stage of the First Ring, drawing new allies and attention while Horton eliminated Jules and two elders. After Ian impressed Wizard Lide and continued his studies, the Crimson Eye deployed upgraded Alchemy Puppets, prompting Elemental Mysteries to urgently seek a countermeasure—and giving Ian the opportunity he had been waiting for.

• Ian’s advancement to the late stage of the First Ring attracted followers including Peter, Hayden, Sam, and Hugo, while Flynn, El, Magnus, and Grayson reacted to the news.
• Horton entered a secret chamber and killed Jules and the first and second elders of the Verdant Shadow Wizard Family before leaving for a secret realm.
• Ian met Wizard Lide, whose contracted magic beast warned him that Ian would win a fight, so Lide avoided conflict and asked Ian about fire pattern runes.
• Ian improved his skills, reached Master Level in Gale Step, and persuaded Elena to give him the advanced First Ring version to study.
• The Crimson Eye deployed powerful new Alchemy Puppets, and Augusto gave the wartime project group three months to find a countermeasure, offering a reward that could include a recommendation slot.

Ian joined the Academy’s effort to decipher Crimson Eye’s improved Flame Demon runes and quickly outpaced expectations, while Ove helped Connor’s team compete for the recommendation slot. After reaching Master Level in the Everlasting Body Tempering Method’s second layer, Ian prepared to challenge Ove’s advantage.

• Augusto introduced the upgraded Flame Demon and assigned five researchers, with Ian choosing to analyze its armor and Darkfire Runes.
• Ian’s team began dismantling the armor, and Ian rapidly deciphered its encrypted runes while planning to learn the Three Rings portions of his alchemy Wizardries.
• After five days, Augusto found Connor’s team had deciphered two First Ring runes and seven Zero Ring runes, then learned Ian’s team had deciphered five First Ring runes and roughly a dozen Zero Ring runes.
• Ian later deciphered an intermediate First Ring rune, returned home, and raised the second layer of the Everlasting Body Tempering Method to Master Level, increasing his talent to 8000.
• Ian resolved to focus on the Flame Demon’s core Darkfire Runes, while Ove assured Connor that he would secure the recommendation slot for him despite Ian’s strong progress.

Ian developed the Magic-Breaking Coating, a solution that weakened defenses powered by Darkfire Runes, and earned Augusto’s project-team recommendation after demonstrating its effectiveness. Connor accepted that Ian had surpassed him, while Ian’s invention offered a way to counter the Flame Demons.

• Ian raised several selected Darkfire Runes to Master Level, identified their flaws, and assigned Hayden, Finny, and other alchemists research tasks.
• Ian secured more researchers and materials from Augusto after presenting evidence that his team had found flaws in the Darkfire Runes.
• Ian led his laboratory in developing and refining a silver solution that disrupted the balance of dark attributes, eventually creating the Magic-Breaking Coating.
• Ian demonstrated that the coating let an ice blade break through defenses powered by Darkfire Runes and could reduce a high-grade puppet’s defense by thirty percent.
• Ian presented the coating to Augusto, who tested it on an Alchemy Puppet and awarded Ian the project team’s recommendation slot.
• Connor recognized that he was no match for Ian and gave up competing with him.

Ian’s Magic-Breaking Coating earned him major recognition and rewards from the Alchemy Department, including the Swift flying shuttle. After celebrating with Xia, he received the department’s recommendation letter and left her Castle the next day.

• Ian’s laboratory celebrated their success, while Ove learned that Connor had lost and warned him not to retaliate against Ian.
• Kieran reported Ove to the Tribunal Department, and black-robed Wizards arrested him for abusing his authority and embezzling Academy assets.
• Darwin announced that Ian’s Magic-Breaking Coating had produced major results for the Flame Demon project and rewarded Ian and his laboratory.
• Darwin offered Ian the Swift reconnaissance flying shuttle at a discount, gave him a Void Armlet, and granted him major merit, battle merits, honorary status, and access to core knowledge.
• Ian accepted the Swift, then attended dinner at Xia’s residence and spent the night with her.
• Ian returned home the next day and received the department’s other rewards along with a recommendation letter.

Ian received his Honorary Advanced Alchemist status and a recommendation letter, then learned about the coming war and the competition for core membership. He spent the next three months preparing and perfected Steel Muscle as the new elite-member list was announced.

• Ian collected his Honorary Advanced Alchemist status and the Alchemy Department’s recommendation letter, then visited Kieran to thank him.
• Kieran told Ian that the all-out war would likely begin within half a year and explained the benefits and strict requirements for becoming a core member.
• Ian decided to strengthen himself for the coming war and core selection, then obtained the Breath of Wind knowledge with Elena’s help.
• Ian studied Breath of Wind and Gale Step while serving as an instructor for Magic-Breaking Coating production.
• Three months later, Ian perfected Steel Muscle, and the new batch of elite members was announced.

Ian became an elite member, gained access to new Academy benefits, and drew attention from families and institutions across the City of Elements. After moving Horton Wizard School and securing sponsorship from Gunnar, Ian continued training and prepared for the approaching annual assessment as full-scale war neared.

• Ian registered as an elite member, learned about his new benefits, and arranged to bring Farn, Shirley, Logan, and Coro into the Academy as servants.
• Nicole sought resources for Ian from her father, Gunnar, who offered annual sponsorship worth thirty thousand contribution points and invited Ian to return if he passed the preliminary test.
• The Coldwind Wizard rejected an elder's proposal to target Ian and reported the matter to the Academy, then sent the Emerald Shadow Family's seized assets to Ian.
• Ian moved Horton Wizard School into the Emerald Shadow manor on the fifth level and began negotiating a partnership with the Pierce Family over zero-ring materials.
• Ian trained in the Wind Abyss as full-scale war approached, while a new annual assessment came due.

Ian passed the annual assessment, attended a banquet where he learned more about the path to becoming a core disciple, and spent the following months preparing for war. He re-entered the secret realm to gather knowledge, where the silver shark appeared again.

• Ian learned that Bren had died on a mission as Kieran announced resource rewards for Wizards whose Mental Power improved the most.
• Ian passed Kieran's Four Symbols Resonance Method assessment and received an invitation from Flynn to Lord Darian Harper's banquet.
• At the banquet, Flynn introduced Ian to core disciple Ryan Fernan and elite disciples Adela and Gal, and Adela explained the core disciple selection process.
• Ian resolved to strengthen his Mental Power and improve his three Wizardry spells, then trained until Gale Step reached expert level and Breath of Wind reached mastery.
• Ian sought Earth Mercury through Flynn to cultivate the Silver Bone layer, then used his elite member authority to enter the secret realm.
• Ian gathered knowledge in the Sea of Spiritual Resonance until the silver mark appeared on his hand and a gigantic silver shark emerged.

Ian passed Silver Fang’s trial and received the Four Symbols Cycle Technique, then used the knowledge he gained to strengthen his spells and reach Master Level in Gale Step. As full-scale war began, he chose a relatively safe alchemy position at Earth Fortress and received an unexpected summons from Elena after sending her his completed work.

• Ian caught the miniature White Shark when it flew into him, absorbed its Four Symbols Resonance Method experience, and received the Four Symbols Cycle Technique from Silver Fang.
• After half a month of recovery and study, Ian advanced his Four Symbols Meditation Method and several wind spells, then learned that Elemental Mysteries had launched attacks and full-scale war had begun.
• Kieran told Ian and El that elite members would be sent out in three months, and El warned Ian that the front line would test his combat strength.
• Ian chose an alchemy position at Earth Fortress beside the Silver Ridge Mineral Vein, where he could obtain Earth Vein Essence, and Augusto warned him about tensions with the warband alchemists.
• Ian reached Master Level in Gale Step after a month and sent his work to Elena, who messaged him that night to come see her.

Ian prepared to leave Wind Whisper Academy for Earth Fortress, receiving Elena’s help and strengthening his skills and body before departure. He obtained his new witchcraft artifacts and set out with only the journey ahead remaining.

• Elena gave Ian a Rank 2 Tempest Spear spell gemstone and a letter of introduction to the person in charge at Earth Fortress, while warning him that people from Crimson Eye had noticed him.
• After failing to find the wizardry he needed at the Academy, Ian learned from Nicole that Storm Spear might have the knowledge and prepared for the front lines by studying witchcraft artifact repair.
• Ian advanced Wind Roar to Master Level and completed Flowing Wind Barrier, improving its response speed by thirty percent.
• Ian used Earth Mercury to begin transforming his bones into Silver Bone, gaining immense strength and weight while finding that his speed had decreased.
• Xia gave Ian an Obsidian Staff and Mermaid’s Tear earrings, and Ian arranged the affairs of Horton Wizard School before his departure date arrived.

Ian received Horton’s spoils from the Emerald Shadow Secret Realm and set goals for his time at Earth Fortress before arriving at the front line. There, Supervisor Rolf challenged Ian and Walsh to prove their alchemy skills by repairing urgent equipment, and Allen prepared to judge their work.

• Horton gave Ian a Space Ring containing Body Tempering resources, seven combat-technique Knowledge Crystals, and three pieces of the Verdant Shadow Set, then told him about the Emerald Shadow Secret Realm and Mickey.
• Ian resolved to improve his combat techniques, pursue the core-member preliminary selection, and raise his talent to ten thousand points.
• Ian and Sam arrived at Earth Fortress, registered, and learned that Ian would report to Supervisor Rolf at the Alchemy Workshop.
• Rolf told Ian and Walsh to repair a batch of high-grade Alchemy equipment before daybreak, then assigned Allen to show them the work.
• Allen led Ian and Walsh into another room and watched Ian closely, eager to test whether his reputation as an alchemy genius was deserved.

Ian earned Allen and Rolf’s respect through his Witchcraft Artifact repairs, then spent a year improving his skills and strength at Earth Fortress. With his resources nearly exhausted, he proposed improving mining equipment to increase the supply of leyline essence.

• Ian repaired Witchcraft Artifacts so efficiently that Allen changed his opinion of him, and Rolf assigned him more demanding work.
• Ian met Renard Ironspine, who promised to help him if he encountered trouble at Earth Fortress.
• Ian spent a year cultivating and advancing his skills, reaching 9,000 talent points and raising his third crystal’s progress to 30/100.
• After nearly exhausting his resources, Ian decided to improve mining equipment to address the shortage of leyline essence.
• Ian presented his proposal to Rolf, who sprang to his feet in surprise.

Ian sought more earth-vein essence by proposing improvements to Earth Fortress’s purification Furnace, while awaiting the publication that could make him a senior scholar. He trained Earth Vein Tremor with Rockforge, obtained Wind Wings to complete the spells needed for Flowing Wind Barrier, and returned to the Academy as the new issue of Elemental Mysteries went on sale.

• Ian visited the earth-vein essence production line with Rolf and learned that only a senior scholar’s project was likely to gain access to the purification Furnace schematics; Rockforge offered him an additional five grams of essence each month.
• Ian confirmed with Elena that her paper would appear in Elemental Mysteries in three months, making his advancement to senior scholar possible.
• Ian practiced Earth Vein Tremor with Rockforge, whose guidance helped him improve the spell and left Rockforge impressed by his talent.
• Ian used Renard’s favor to consult the Tempest Spear’s knowledge collection and obtained Wind Wings, the final spell he needed to complete Flowing Wind Barrier.
• Ian tested Wind Wings, then returned to the Academy by Airship as a new issue of Elemental Mysteries went on sale.

Ian returned to the Academy, learned that Elena had secured his promotion to senior scholar, and received a new ring and expanded benefits. After training in the secret realm, he arrived at the Silver Hall for a joint advancement speech with Ryan and Dante, where the ceremony was about to begin.

• Ian met Elton at the Academy Library, found Elena had listed him as the second author of her article, and learned that his senior scholar application had been submitted.
• Diana gave Ian his senior scholar ring and explained his new benefits, including discounts, access, and increased project funding; Ian asked about applying to study the Purification Furnace.
• Ian entered the secret realm again, trained in its shallow layer, and returned without encountering White Fang or learning the realm's secrets.
• Ian spent the following half month improving Wind Wings, his Meditation Method, and Earth Vein Tremor, then prepared for his advancement speech.
• Diana brought Ian to the Silver Hall, where he met the other advancing scholars, Ryan and Dante, and saw Great Scholars Elena and Kieran among the audience.
• The host introduced the three senior scholars, and the advancement speeches began.

Ian won a scholarly wager with a presentation on improving wizardry, earning Jade Spirit Tea, approval for a supplementary journal issue, and a research project. After his article made him famous across the Academy, he boarded an airship back to Earth Fortress.

• Ryan presented research on releasing fire-element energy, while Kieran challenged Zeno's assessment of Dante and wagered Jade Spirit Tea on the scholars' approval of their upcoming speeches.
• Dante presented his research on reducing energy loss in wind- and fire-element wizardry, but Kieran questioned its practical usefulness.
• Ian presented methods for adapting First-Circle Wizardry and improving spells toward perfection, impressing the audience and winning the wager.
• Kieran and Zeno awarded Ian Jade Spirit Tea, and the Grand Scholars supported publishing his article in a supplementary issue of Elemental Warp and Weft.
• Ian met with Diana for an academic exchange, then secured approval for a project that provided purification furnace blueprints, materials, and earth vein essence.
• Kieran obtained approval for the supplementary issue, Ian's presentation spread through the Academy, and Ian boarded an airship for Earth Fortress.

After Ian became a senior scholar, his new status earned him advanced alchemy work, access to an earth-rich meditation room, and a cooperating alchemist position with the battle group. Over the following year, he developed his skills and talent until he reached ten thousand talent points, while continuing the purification furnace project.

• Ian returned to the alchemy workshop, where Rolf granted him access to advanced repairs and Rockforge gave him earth vein essence, a mining district pass, and use of a meditation room.
• Renard invited Ian to work aboard the Storm Spear, but Ian declined the dangerous mission and accepted a cooperating alchemist title that let him earn military merit toward Earth Mercury.
• Ian repaired battle group Witchcraft Artifacts, studied the purification furnace's runes, and earned substantial income from his article and Pierce Chamber of Commerce products.
• Over the next six months, Ian raised Wind Wings and other skills, increasing his talent to 9500 and improving his domain.
• Ian later brought Earth Vein Tremor to Master Level, then reached 10000 talent points when Extraction Rune reached Master Level.

After reaching Master Level and gaining an evolved skill-completion ability, Ian improved a mining purification furnace and secured Academy support, resources, and personnel for the project. Three months later, his Witchcraft Artifact Repair reached Master Level, granting him the new talent Object Perception.

• Ian reached Master Level, raised his talent to ten thousand, and discovered that skill completion now showed deficiencies, effects, and an optimal path.
• Ian tested his improved purification furnace with Rockforge, and the mine’s technicians found that it increased extraction efficiency by about five percent.
• Grand Scholar Zeno approved Ian’s additional resource and personnel request, and Rolf inspected the furnace and confirmed the improvements.
• Ian received more earth mercury after Renard lowered its exchange price, while the Academy recorded his project and brought Xia, Hayden, Finny, and other alchemists to assist.
• Ian continued developing his skills and resources for the core membership assessment, then reached Master Level in Witchcraft Artifact Repair and gained Object Perception.

Ian’s Object Perception talent greatly improved his alchemy work, and he reached Master Level in the Four Symbols Resonance Method, allowing him to begin the Three-Aspect Cycle. After Crimson Eye crippled the Storm Spear’s core power assembly, Ian saw a chance to help repair it.

• Ian used his new Object Perception talent to improve his artifact repairs and Airship work, earning more resources and contacts in the Storm Corps.
• Ian exchanged for Micro Insight and Dissolving Hand and trained both Wizardries while repairing Airships.
• Ian reached Master Level in the third level of the Four Symbols Resonance Method and began learning the simplified Three-Aspect Cycle.
• Xia told Ian that Crimson Eye had ambushed the Storm Spear fleet with two Peak Second Ring alchemy puppets, leaving only the Storm Spear able to return.
• Rolf found that the Storm Spear’s Second Ring core was intact but its First Ring circuitry was badly damaged, and Damian Lennox asked the alchemists to restore the airship to normal operation for a year.
• Ian saw that the damaged circuitry and the offer of any needed resources could give him a chance to help repair the Storm Spear.