Chapter Summaries

Half a year after joining Elena’s resonance project, Ian Green made slow progress with fire resonance while developing a spell to attract mental power lifeforms in the secret realm. After gathering experience and training for two months, he raised his talent to Radiant Moon Level and gained Secondary Elemental Resonance.

• Ian tested his fire resonance at Molten Fire Academy and found it had reached forty-six percent, while Hector attributed the latest increase partly to Ian’s improved resonance-method proficiency.
• Ian reviewed his progress and decided he needed to reach Radiant Moon Level, then planned another secret-realm trip to hunt a half-elementalized mental power lifeform.
• Ian entered the secret realm with the Four Symbols Giant and used his newly created Mental Power Attraction Spell to draw in weaker mental power lifeforms.
• Ian and the Four Symbols Giant cleared several ordinary regions, gathering knowledge and experience until the three-day limit returned them from the secret realm.
• Ian spent two months practicing Wizardry in the Environment Tower and Elemental Pool, raising Water Ripple Spell to Master Level and advancing his talent to Radiant Moon Level.
• Ian’s Principle Insight improved, and his Elemental Affinity evolved into Secondary Elemental Resonance.

After his talent rose to Radiant Moon-Level, Ian’s meditation, body-refining, learning, and elemental resonance abilities improved dramatically. He completed Silver Bone, then entered Four Symbols Academy’s core assessment, where he outlasted West and appeared poised to surpass the other candidates in the resonance test.

• Ian tested his Radiant Moon-Level talent and found that his meditation progress, Silver Bone refinement, learning speed, skills, and elemental resonance had all improved.
• Ian told Hector that a breakthrough in his resonance method had raised his resonance level, drawing envy from other Molten Fire Academy cores.
• Two months later, Ian completed Silver Bone and decided to seek Spirit Marrow in the Emerald Shadow Secret Realm after the assessment.
• Ian resolved to aim for eighth place in the upcoming core assessment so he could gain more resources.
• At Four Symbols Academy’s resonance assessment, Ian remained steady as the elemental pressure increased, outlasting Adela and West while Ryan began to sway.

Ian advanced from the lower three seats to the middle three after defeating Ryan, gaining improved benefits and access to the Resonance Pool. Over the next three months, he pursued resonance research and training, leaving Water Curtain Tianhua on the verge of a major breakthrough.

• Ian outlasted Ryan in the first assessment, then defeated West and Ryan in the Mirror Illusion Tower to rise from ninth to eighth in the core rankings.
• The Academy increased Ian’s resource quotas and granted him three monthly hours in the Resonance Pool, where his four elemental resonances each rose by about 0.5 percent.
• Ian visited multiple project groups, selected three new Resonance Methods, and continued improving his Wizardry proficiency.
• Three months later, Ian brought his four-crystal innate Wizardry, Water Curtain Tianhua, to Master Level.

Ian improved Water Curtain Tianhua and entered Memory Wasteland’s third layer to seek the Four Symbols Legacy. He defeated the spirit-force creatures guarding the inheritance and received the third legacy directly.

• Ian reached Master Level with Water Curtain Tianhua, gathered the knowledge and resources needed to develop it further, and raised three water-element wizardries to Beginner Level.
• Ian entered Memory Wasteland’s third layer with White Fang, learned that bringing the Four Symbols Giant would provoke its collective-consciousness creatures, and sent the giant back.
• Ian crossed into the third layer, where the environment weakened elemental wizardry, and used Water Curtain Tianhua to conceal himself while defeating a four-crystal fire-element lifeform.
• Ian found the inheritance tree surrounded by silver wolves and used Four Elements Rotation to destroy most of the group before fighting off the survivors.
• Ian approached the tree and received the third legacy directly, without undergoing a trial.

Ian obtained four Resonance Methods from the Four Symbols Legacy and learned what remained between him and a Second Ring breakthrough. After months of training and major gains in resonance and combat strength, he prepared to compete in the academy-wide assessment.

• Ian gained the Fire, Earth, Wind, and Water Resonance Methods from the legacy, then spent another day searching the Memory Wasteland with White Fang’s mark helping him absorb knowledge.
• Ian gave the methods to Kieran, who explained that the remaining parts of the legacy likely concerned the Five Crystal legacy and condensing an elemental body, then sent Ian to collect resonance crystal dust.
• Ian improved his resonance through meditation and experiments at Wind Whisper Academy, persuading Elena to let him enter the Resonance Chamber twice as often.
• Over the next six months, Ian advanced his spells and Resonance Methods, raised his elemental resonance levels to 70% fire, 60% water, 62% wind, and 60% earth, and considered aiming for seventh place in the Main Academy assessment.
• Simon announced the start of the Academy-wide assessment before the sixty core members and the Second Ring combatants representing the five academies.

Ian competed in the Academy-wide assessment, using his improved resonance and combat skills to climb into the top thirty and win his first three real battles. He faced Cade Wood in his fourth match, with a victory potentially moving him into the upper three seats.

• Ian set his goal of reaching the top thirty to earn more resources and focused on making up for his weaker resonance with combat strength.
• During the resonance test, Ian lasted five minutes, outlasting Miles and Williams and placing thirty-third overall.
• Ian climbed the Illusion Tower to reach twenty-ninth place, while Abraham ranked twenty-seventh and Leng Bai placed thirtieth.
• Ian defeated Jasper Thorn and two other middle-seat opponents with overwhelming ease in the real-combat trials.
• Ian faced Cade Wood, the sixth seat of Earth Ring, in his fourth match as a win could lift him into the upper three seats.

Ian defeated Cade by secretly infiltrating and collapsing his Bedrock Fortress, finishing all four matches undefeated and placing twenty-ninth overall and sixth in the Four Symbols Academy. After watching the academy heads battle, Ian learned that he had earned an upper-three seat and wondered what that rank would bring.

• Ian fought Cade, evaded his attacks, and covertly used Water Curtain Tianhua to weaken the Bedrock Fortress until Cade surrendered.
• Ian recovered after the battle, then watched the heads of the Molten Fire Academy and Winter Academy fight, with the Molten Fire head winning.
• Simon announced the assessment results, placing Matthew Osborne first overall, Edith Finch second, and Ivan Winston seventh.
• Ian placed twenty-ninth overall and sixth in the Four Symbols Academy, earning an upper-three seat.

After rising into the Upper Three Seats, Ian learned how the Core Council controlled valuable opportunities and received improved resources, new Wizardry, and Kieran’s guidance. He received an invitation to his first core meeting and headed to Star Hall to attend it.

• Ivan threatened Ian after the rankings placed Ian in the Upper Three Seats and warned that he would face a gauntlet of battles next year.
• Sophia explained Ian’s upgraded resources and the Core Council’s influence over secret-realm slots, events, and access to guidance.
• Ian exchanged his rewards for Elemental Marrow and other resources, then learned that Energy Vision would help him detect energy more effectively.
• Gunnar offered Ian a new contract for Wind Soul Crystal Marrow, and Nicole embraced him after he signed it.
• Kieran sent Ian notes on resonance rate, while Ian’s businesses and cultivation benefited from the support and resources he received.
• Ian received an invitation to the Core Council meeting and went to Star Hall at the beginning of the second month.

Ian took on greater responsibilities in the Core Council, strengthened his abilities, and completed the Fourth Crystal while raising his elemental resonances. With White Fang guiding him into the third layer of the Memory Wasteland, Ian defeated the half-elementalized guardian and acquired the third portion of the inheritance.

• Ian attended Core Council and Four Symbols Academy meetings, where he received a profitable task liaising with a powerful Lineage.
• Ian gave Farn resources to advance to the First Ring, then delegated his Council responsibilities to him so he could focus on cultivation.
• Over nine months, Ian completed his Fourth Crystal, improved his wizardries, and raised every elemental resonance above seventy percent.
• Ian entered the third layer of the Memory Wasteland with White Fang and reached the pool guarded by a half-elementalized crocodile.
• Ian used Four Symbols Domain and Four Elements Rotation to defeat the crocodile, then claimed the flower and received the third portion of the inheritance.

Ian absorbed a Five Crystal inheritance, mastered Four Symbols Unity, and perfected Water Curtain Tianhua before testing his strength against a partially Elementalized slave. After receiving compensation for the slave’s death, he met Kieran, who suggested trading the inheritance to the Academy for resources.

• Ian received the fifth Meditation Method layer and Four Symbols Unity, learned that the spell required a rare Four Symbols Primordial Core, and decided to ask Kieran for help.
• Ian left the secret realm, absorbed the Four Symbols Giant’s experience, and returned to his Wizard Tower to study the inheritance.
• Ian mastered Frost Breath Spell, replenished Water Curtain Tianhua to perfect level, and tested its expanded domain against a partially Elementalized Crimson Eye slave.
• The slave burned his life force and attacked Ian, but Ian froze him with Four Elements Rotation and ice spikes; the Training Ground managers gave Ian fifty thousand Magic Stones and permanent priority access.
• Ian met Kieran and showed him the Five Crystal inheritance, and Kieran suggested trading it to the Academy for resources.

Ian negotiated with the Academy for the Five Crystal inheritance, gathered resources, learned Four Symbols Unity, and broke through to Five Crystal. After adapting to his new power, he headed to Star Hall for the annual assessment.

• Kieran negotiated with Simon, securing Academy support for Ian’s Meditation Method and resources, while warning Ian that the war would worsen.
• Ian collected cultivation resources and supplementary knowledge, then learned Four Symbols Unity and raised it to Proficient Level over two months.
• Ian used the Elemental Pool to break through to Five Crystal, gaining a stronger mental power domain and greatly increased combat strength.
• Ian learned from Flynn that Leng Bai had reached half-Elementalization and that the assessment’s top three would receive resources for the same breakthrough.
• After a month of adapting to his new abilities, Ian went to Star Hall for the Four Symbols Academy branch’s annual assessment.

Ian defeated Leng Bai in the Illusion Tower and secured his place among the academy’s top three seats. After receiving a Fire Element Resonance Potion, he raised his Fire Element resonance to its Resonance-stage limit and went to the Resonance Pool to attempt half-Elementalization.

• Ian outlasted Leng Bai in the resonance test, though Ivan took first place and Ian ranked sixth.
• Ian defeated Miles and Williams in the Illusion Tower, then used the mist and a mental attack to beat Leng Bai and secure sixth place.
• The academy rankings remained unchanged, and Ian received the Fire Element Resonance Potion as his assessment reward.
• Over the next two months, Ian raised his Fire Element resonance from 78 to 79.99.
• Ian went to the Resonance Pool to attempt to break through to half-Elementalization.

Ian advanced to semi-elementalization and used his improved resonance to secure additional resources from the project team, while continuing to develop his elemental knowledge. After six months of limited progress and an escalating war, he learned that the next core assessment would involve operations outside the academy.

• Ian drank a Fire Elemental Resonance Potion, raised his fire resonance to 80%, and achieved semi-elementalization.
• Ian's Fire Resonance Method reached Master Level, letting him sense how resonance frequencies suited White Stone Territory's environment.
• Ian showed Hector the project's improved resonance data and secured half a unit of fire elemental crystal dust each month, plus three new fire-element knowledge crystals.
• Ian's advancement became public, bringing congratulatory gifts and resources from families and factions.
• Over the following half year, Ian made modest progress as the war expanded into an all-out conflict.
• Ian learned that the next core assessment would change its content and prepare core members for operations outside the academy.

Ian prepared for the core assessment by gathering intelligence and securing powerful equipment from the Alchemy Department, then climbed the rankings in the first two trials. As the third test began, Simon announced that the cores would launch a surprise attack on Ironthorn Wizard Academy, making survival the only immediate concern.

• Ian asked Farn to investigate possible assessment targets, but the information revealed six likely Wizard Academies, so Ian prepared for every possibility.
• Ian retrieved his upgraded Swift from Augusto, which could fly at great speed and make a short-distance spatial jump, and borrowed a powerful set of Witchcraft Artifacts from the Alchemy Department.
• During three months of preparation, Ian raised his elemental resonance and gathered three top-grade potions before heading to Star Hall for the assessment.
• Ian ranked seventeenth in the resonance test and twenty-second in tower climbing, placing nineteenth overall and third within Four Symbols Academy.
• Simon announced that the third test was a surprise attack on Ironthorn Wizard Academy and warned that only those who returned alive could speak of rankings.

Ian joined Harrow’s team for an interception mission against Ironthorn Wizard Academy, hoping to use his ability to spot hidden targets for valuable gains. As the assault began, he detected Remy Dalton fleeing with the academy’s prized Wizard seeds.

• Simon briefed the wizards on Ironthorn Wizard Academy and allowed them to form teams or choose independent missions.
• Ian declined several combat-focused teams, then joined Harrow’s interception team alongside Windwing, Katerin, and two wizards from Earth Ring.
• Simon revealed the war-merit rewards and resource exchange list, and Renard assigned the wizards their positions around Ironthorn Wizard Academy.
• Simon shattered the academy’s defensive array, beginning the assault, while Ian took up his interception post and spotted hidden targets with black threads.
• Ian detected Remy Dalton fleeing while carrying Ironthorn Wizard Academy’s prized Wizard seeds.

Ian killed Ironthorn Wizard Academy core members Remy Dalton and Parker Brooke while intercepting fugitives, gaining vast resources and the Academy's Second Ring legacy. After helping search the conquered Academy, Ian completed the core assessment and returned with his spoils and contribution points.

• Ian ambushed and killed Remy Dalton, then opened Remy's Space Ring and discovered nearly three hundred thousand magic stones, the Iron Thorn Legacy, and unusual seeds and fruits.
• Ian took Remy's Thorn Bracer, shared Witchcraft Artifacts with the warband, and later left his post aboard Swift to search for more fugitives.
• Ian found the injured Parker Brooke, overwhelmed him with Wizardry spells, and took his Space Ring and other valuables.
• Ian learned that Parker's fruits were Ironthorn Fruits, reported Parker's identity, and received fifteen hundred contribution points.
• Harrow led Ian and the other Wizards into Ironthorn Wizard Academy to search it, and they saw the Academy's dead Iron Thorn being cut apart.
• Three days later, Ironthorn Wizard Academy had fallen, and Ian's core assessment ended.

After the war, Ian ranked fifth in the core assessment and twelfth academy-wide, earning Four Symbols Academy’s deputy seat. Simon confirmed that Ian had obtained a valuable iron thorn seed, and Ian returned to the Main Academy to claim the benefits of his new rank and choose his rewards.

• The Airship carried the Wizards away from the defeated Ironthorn Wizard Academy, and Simon announced the assessment results, with Ian placing fifth and Ivan placing ninth.
• Ian learned he ranked twelfth academy-wide and third in Four Symbols Academy, advancing to deputy seat and receiving 3,500 additional contribution points.
• Simon told Ian that Remy’s green seed was an iron thorn seed and advised him to preserve it, soak it in natural source liquid, and spend his contribution points wisely.
• The Airship returned to the Main Academy, where Abraham vowed to surpass Ian and Ian went to Star Hall to confirm his new second-seat rank.
• Beatrice explained Ian’s improved resources, privileges, secret-realm access, and guidance benefits, and Ian began choosing his assessment rewards.

Ian used an Ironthorn Tree Fruit to boost his Five Crystal progress, examined natural Wizard knowledge, and found a complete set of Second Ring advancement resources. He gave the resources to Horton, then chose supplies to improve his elemental resonance as the consequences of the Academy war began to unfold.

• Ian swallowed an Ironthorn Tree Fruit and raised his Five Crystal progress from ten to thirteen percent, with more of the fruit's effects still to come.
• Ian studied the Ironthorn inheritance and discovered knowledge in the Natural Resonance Method, Natural Perception, and Mental Power Seed that he could learn.
• Ian found a complete set of natural Wizard resources for advancing from the First Ring to the Second Ring and decided to give it to Horton.
• Ian met Horton outside the Elemental Mysteries, revealed his promotion to Second Seat, and gave him the advancement resources so he could pursue the Second Ring.
• Ian chose three Elemental Resonance Potions, top-grade Mental Power Potions, and nearly thirty units of Elemental Crystal Dust, then began improving his resonance as the war's aftermath started.

Ian improved his Mental Power recovery, received new contracts and resources, and witnessed the war intensify as Wizards advanced and core members were assassinated. Horton returned as a second-ring Wizard, caught an assassin targeting Ian, and helped expand their construct business as a year passed.

• Ian learned the beginner stage of the Natural Resonance Method and collected resources, then signed a Golden Mountain Contract with Nigel Iron Mountain and received wind-element resources from Gunnar.
• Crimson Eye’s retaliation escalated the war, Matthew advanced to Rank Two, and another Wizard failed to advance.
• Shadow assassinated core members, prompting the Academies to strengthen security and intensify their attacks.
• Edith Finch advanced successfully, Ivan failed, and Ian received word that Horton had advanced to Rank Two.
• Horton caught an Absolute Shadow assassin who had followed Ian into the Outer Academy, and the Academy captured the Wizard and attacked Shadow.
• Ian and Horton expanded their construct business through the Bayers Chamber of Commerce and Academy channels, and a year passed.

Over the year, Ian greatly improved his elemental resonance and skills while aiming to secure the resources and rank he needed to advance. After Kieran warned that the Academy was concentrating resources on promising second-circle candidates, Ian mastered the Molten Core Resonance Method and sensed the resonance frequency he had been pursuing.

• Ian collected another batch of Four Symbols Primordial Cores and Hearts of Four Symbols from Bryce and reviewed his progress, including his 89% fire resonance and talent of 15,600.
• Ian considered his chances in the upcoming Academy-wide assessment, which he needed to place second in to gain the chief seat's resources and authority.
• Kross told Ian that Kieran had summoned his students to the Castle, where Flynn and the other students gathered with him.
• Kieran announced increased resources for Academy members and said the top ten core members would be cultivated as second-circle seeds, warning Ian that Ivan's resonance had returned to 90%.
• Ian returned to practicing the Molten Core Resonance Method, mastered it a month later, and sensed the optimal resonance frequency.