Chapter Summaries

Li Miao approached Clemo to trade a Trialist Ring for the items Clemo had brought with him. The trade began despite players loudly plotting to steal the goods, leaving Clemo wary as he displayed his belongings.

• Clemo shielded Retali as a crowd of players surrounded him and asked what they wanted.
• Li Miao arrived, introduced himself, and offered Clemo a trade for the Trialist Ring.
• Clemo agreed to show Li Miao the war ash and handmade items he had with him.
• Two players loudly discussed stealing the items, but Li Miao and the crowd rebuked them.
• Clemo used Warfire to retrieve his items from a red gemstone, and Li Miao eagerly accepted the trade.

Li Miao traded with Clemo and sold the unique items he received, while Clemo mistook the players’ enthusiasm for a costly gesture from the Candle Keepers. The players discussed the Trialist Dungeon’s hidden clues and difficulties, and Storyteller learned that Nightmare difficulty added a new boss to the gauntlet.

• Li Miao gave Clemo extra spirit materials for his combat skills and trinkets, then encouraged him to seek help from him in the future.
• Retali led Clemo away from the crowd, and Clemo concluded that Rogue and the Candle Keepers had arranged the players’ help to protect his pride.
• Li Miao listed some of Clemo’s items for sale, while players discussed the Trialist Dungeon and speculated that killing all four Old Man Puppets might reveal a hidden plot or map.
• Niuniu said he had failed to beat the Dungeon King on Mad Demon difficulty, and Mushroom challenged him before boasting about his own build.
• Storyteller examined the Fool’s Seal hint and warned that killing every Old Man Puppet might make the dungeon too difficult; Li Miao decided to reset the map and investigate.
• Battle Thrill reported fighting three Old Man Puppets on Nightmare difficulty and facing a Naked Apostle; Storyteller realized that the difficulty added another boss to the gauntlet.

Rogue agreed to help Retali save Years of Dense Forest and the Sacred Tree, escorting her through the Dark Boundary after fending off an unknown hostile force. Elsewhere, an azure flame destroyed a massive storm summoned by the Storm Church, and the expanding Dark Boundary swallowed its fleet.

• Retali asked Rogue to save Years of Dense Forest and the Sacred Tree, and he agreed after pretending to consult Spirit Candle.
• Rogue used Spirit Candle Power to connect Retali to him, and they entered the Dark Boundary as Clemo saw them off.
• Rogue sensed a hostile force attacking them in the Dark Boundary, struck back with Spirit Candle Power, and continued onward with Retali.
• Retali and Rogue reached the expanse of pure white that led to her home.
• The Storm Church's pope and believers summoned a massive tornado, but an azure flame swallowed the storm and the Dark Boundary consumed the fleet.

Retali brought Rogue into Years of Dense Forest and learned that the Sacred Tree’s failing seal had allowed monsters to invade, while her people hid underground. Rogue had already destroyed the monsters and repaired the cracks, and he and Retali reached the Sacred Tree.

• Retali led Rogue through Years of Dense Forest, showing him its plants and glowing Night Sun Particles before guiding him toward the Sacred Tree.
• Retali found her tribe’s settlement deserted aboveground, and Little Earth told her that she had been gone for more than ten Tree Rings.
• Little Earth explained that the Sacred Tree had weakened, the Wood Guardian Priest had sent young tribespeople away, and monsters had begun crossing the Dark Boundary three Tree Rings earlier.
• Rogue said he had already destroyed the invading monsters and patched the cracks in the seal, and the warriors confirmed that the monsters had turned to ash and the cracks were covered by azure power.
• Rogue explained that Candle Spirits viewed the world as constructed by Spirit Candle, and Retali concluded that they were devoted to Spirit Candle despite their unusual behavior.
• Retali led Rogue across Years of Dense Forest to the Sacred Tree.

Rogue restored some of the Sacred Tree’s vitality and met Nairiel, who recognized him as the Destined Master foretold to restore her flame. She explained the origins of the Primal Fire and the Primal Ash, then left Rogue with a warning about the self-sacrificing nature of flame and the Lords of Kindling.

• Rogue used Spirit Candle Power to revive the withered Sacred Tree, and it sent Retali and the Wood Guardian Priest away before manifesting as Nairiel.
• Nairiel addressed Rogue as the Destined Master and said a Fire Prophecy had foretold that he would restore her flame and lead them onward.
• Nairiel explained that the Primal Fire consisted of Primal Fuel, Primal Kindling, and Primal Ash, and that the Extinguishing Moment shattered the fuel and extinguished the fire.
• Nairiel said Primal Ash caused ominous pollution and warned that even speaking of its names or descriptions could attract its attention; Rogue told her he had discussed such powers before.
• Nairiel admitted she could not recall the Extinguishing Moment in detail, but suggested that wisdom, humanity, and complex emotions may have planted the seeds of calamity.
• Nairiel told Rogue that flame’s nature was selfless burning, and that every Kindling that had burned was known as a Lord of Kindling.

Rogue learned that Fire Lords who wielded the Primal Fire eventually died, then incorporated Years of Dense Forest into Candlewood Island and restored Nairiel’s strength. Nairiel gave him the Primal Flame Mark and urged him to find lost kindling and rebuild the eternal altar, while Rogue remained undecided about whether to burn for the world.

• Rogue asked Nairiel about the fate of Fire Lords and the length of a burning era, learning that their flames eventually weakened and that eras could last tens of thousands of years.
• Rogue returned to the Spirit Candle Space and considered whether the Spirit Candle wanted the world to burn again, receiving the answer, “Do whatever you want.”
• Rogue incorporated Years of Dense Forest into Candlewood Island and used Spirit Candle Power to restore Nairiel and the Sacred Tree.
• Nairiel gave Rogue a Primal Flame Mark and called on him to find rebellious, lost kindling, reclaim fuel, and rebuild the eternal altar of fire.
• Rogue accepted the mark but remained unsure whether he would sacrifice himself, and the Spirit Candle told him the mark could be integrated into Spirit Fire Port.

Rogue learned from Nairiel about the Fragmented Core and the world’s shattered foundations, then considered his next steps and how to use Years of Dense Forest. Retali returned to Candlewood Island and tried to tell Clemo about the Warriors of Candlelight, but he dismissed her story as a joke.

• Nairiel gave Rogue the Fragmented Core and explained how it preserved regions while leaving their fundamental rules disordered.
• Rogue asked Nairiel about several mysteries, learned she remembered little beyond the world’s foundations, and decided to seek the lost or rebellious kindlings and investigate the Extinguishing Moment.
• Rogue considered upgrading the Spirit Candle with his two Fragmented Cores and took fruit from Years of Dense Forest before returning to Candlewood Island.
• Retali told Clemo that the Sacred Tree had recovered and Years of Dense Forest had moved near Candlewood Island, then invited him to visit.
• Retali explained that the Sacred Tree had ordered the tribespeople to prepare food and hide treasures, but Clemo laughed when she said the Warriors of Candlelight believed the world was built by candlelight.

Rogue prepared Spirit Candle for the major update, fused the Primal Flame Mark into Spirit Fire Port, and advanced Spirit Candle to Dustflame rank. He gained new ways to use space and wondered whether to give the players something huge.

• Spirit Candle announced the upcoming Dark Search for Kindling update and a new promotional CG, prompting players to discuss the announcement.
• Niuniu pressed Mushroom to finish a large order before maintenance, but Mushroom refused to promise it would be ready in time.
• After maintenance began, Rogue checked Spirit Candle's status and fused the Primal Flame Mark into Spirit Fire Port, giving it the ability to selectively draw in regions containing Kindling.
• Rogue spent candlewax and Fragmented Cores to advance Spirit Candle to Dustflame rank, unlocking stronger abilities and raising the maximum Candle Spirit ignition point.
• Rogue realized Spirit Candle's new spatial abilities could help accommodate more players and considered giving them something huge.

Players discussed Spirit Candle’s mysterious new update before the official announcement revealed the Dark Search for Kindling quest, expanded access, new areas, and the Candlelight Arena. The update drew excitement over upcoming PvP competitions and a single-player online option, while players awaited access to the game.

• Storyteller speculated in the Prison Players group about the meaning of the new version name, Dark Search for Kindling.
• Landfall appeared in the group chat and argued with Li Miao after Li Miao teased him about his curse.
• Spirit Candle announced the update, including the universal Main Quest, higher Candle Spirit advancement, the Years of Dense Forest area, and the Candlelight Arena.
• Players reacted to the promise of many new game slots, though some doubted they would get in.
• Players focused their discussion on the Candlelight Arena’s competitions and the new Single Player Online Mode.

The new Spirit Candle cinematic and setting guide revealed details about Primal Fire, the Sacred Tree Nairiel, and the world’s coming Extinguishing. Storyteller and other lore-minded players began debating what had caused it, settling on two possible explanations.

• Players reacted to the cinematic, joking about an underwear-clad player who appeared in it and fawning over the purple-robed Nairiel.
• The cinematic described Primal Fire, its eight portions of kindling, and the Destined Master’s task of reclaiming fuel and restoring the eternal altar.
• Spirit Candle’s updated setting guide identified Years of Dense Forest as part of Candlewood Island and described Nairiel’s origin in a Primal Fuel.
• Storyteller reviewed the new lore and discussed the scattered kindling with Mr. Spicy, Scheming Frog, Fan, and other players in his lore group.
• The group proposed the Extinction Theory, that later kindling could not sustain the world’s fire, and the Selfishness Theory, that kindling refused to burn itself.

Rogue prepared Candlewood Island for the players’ return, built an arena and expanded the tutorial area, then opened a route to the Radiant Land. Clemo set out for the Fire Aspect Temple via the Trialist Dungeon, leaving his traded items with Rogue.

• Rogue created the Candlelight Arena and moved the newbie tutorial stage into an independent space to accommodate more players.
• Rogue used the Primal Flame Mark to draw in a new region, discovering the Radiant Land, whose blazing force blocked his investigation.
• Clemo told Rogue he was ready to go to the Fire Aspect Temple and handed over the items he had traded from Li Miao.
• Clemo asked Rogue to send him to the Trialist Dungeon, and Rogue warned him to return alive before Clemo bowed and entered the spatial vortex.

Li Miao received the main quest to search for traces of former kindling flames, then went with Brother Yu to investigate the Candlelight Arena and its PvP feature. At the arena, Niuniu and Mushroom collided with Li Miao and fought, leaving him and Brother Yu wondering why the former friends had become enemies.

• Li Miao received the main quest to search for kindling flames in areas marked with the Primal Flame Mark.
• Brother Yu asked Li Miao about the lake fishing qualification, and Li Miao suggested it might be connected to the Candlelight Arena.
• Li Miao and Brother Yu traveled to the Candlelight Arena, where players searched for secrets and a frogman found an ordinary purple shell.
• Li Miao noticed Brother Yu had changed his equipment, then collided with Niuniu near the arena entrance.
• Mushroom chased Niuniu and attacked him over their dispute about farting, shields, and exploding balls.

Li Miao entered Candlelight Arena with Mushroom to evaluate Mushroom’s new one-hit setup. Mushroom explained that the build depended mainly on its skills, while its Fire Offering Power and personal talent were optional.

• Mushroom and Niuniu argued after Mushroom asked Niuniu to test his new setup and Niuniu used poison gas during their fight.
• Li Miao agreed to test Mushroom’s setup in Candlelight Arena, where he accepted Mushroom’s multiplayer battle invitation.
• Mushroom showed Li Miao his character panel, revealing that he had reached level fifty by brewing potions.
• Mushroom explained that his setup relied on its skills rather than his Warfire, Fire Offering Power, or personal talent, and added that it needed some adhesive fluid.

Mushroom explained his health-trading build to Li Miao and demonstrated its power in a shielded strike. Li Miao approved the build but reluctantly agreed to let Mushroom test a full-force strike against him.

• Mushroom explained how Giant Transformation, Blood Burn Curse, and Bloodthirsty Blade combined to trade health for attack power, and said the build’s key skill was hidden in Tade Village.
• Mushroom added Bleeding Coating Fluid to boost the blade’s Bleed effect, while Li Miao refused to let him stack talents and Fire Offering Power for the initial test.
• Mushroom transformed, increased his maximum health, activated Blood Burn Curse and Bloodthirsty Blade, then coated his weapon with Bleeding Coating Fluid.
• Mushroom struck Li Miao’s Law Knight Greatshield, nearly unbalancing him, deforming the shield, and raising his Bleed buildup by nearly half.
• Li Miao praised the build’s strength and suggested testing it on a high-health boss, but eventually agreed to let Mushroom try a full-force strike against him.

Mushroom tested and published a powerful new one-hit build, while players learned how special qualifications were obtained and how Years of Dense Forest connected to Spirit Candle’s changing lore. Li Miao realized Brother Yu might already have entered an instance to earn access to the forest.

• Mushroom stacked potions and toxins, then struck Li Miao so hard that Candlelight Arena’s floor shattered and revealed the Dark Boundary beneath it.
• Mushroom gave Li Miao potions and posted his new one-hit build on the forum after testing it on a boss, prompting players to discuss its strengths and weaknesses.
• Storyteller explained that dynamic-quest qualifications came mainly from Candlelight Arena, while access to Years of Dense Forest came from exploring instances marked with the Primal Flame Mark.
• Storyteller shared that Years of Dense Forest contained valuable resources and that Retali’s contact with the Sacred Tree had preceded Spirit Candle’s changes to Candlewood Island.
• Li Miao tagged Brother Yu about needing to run instances to fish in Years of Dense Forest, but Brother Yu did not reply.

After defeating the Dungeon King, Clemo returned to Gabry and asked her to take him to the Fire Aspect Temple. There, he learned that Firewood Collectors had to survive the Fire Offering Ritual to gather kindling flames, and he headed for the ritual door despite seeing another collector perish.

• Clemo used the Returning Fire Spark to return to Gabry, then asked her to help him grow stronger and take him to the Fire Aspect Temple.
• Gabry sent Clemo to the temple, where a masked man and a horned knight told him to put his hand into the fireplace.
• Clemo learned that Firewood Collectors gathered kindling flames to gain power and pursue the path of the Fire Lord.
• A decayed man in white explained that Clemo had to complete the Fire Offering Ritual before he could learn more or open the other doors.
• Clemo saw a Firewood Collector collapse and die in the fireplace, then walked toward the door to the Fire Offering Ritual.

Brother Yu strengthened his character and entered the Ruins of Radiance to seek information about the flame and qualify for the Years of Dense Forest. After following a gem’s beam toward the Radiant Land, he explored inland, where he began suffering from Scorching and spotted a drifting white figure.

• Brother Yu promoted his Blade of Fury kindling with a Law Offering Knight Commander’s fire, gaining new attributes, Law Offering Instinct, and Inspiring Strike.
• Brother Yu prepared weapons and equipment before entering the Primal Flame Mark region to obtain qualification for the Years of Dense Forest.
• Brother Yu entered the Ruins of Radiance, lit a Milestone Spirit Candle, and recovered a Stone of Radiance that pointed toward the Radiant Land.
• Brother Yu followed a broken path inland instead of sailing toward the beam, hoping to find information about the flame.
• Brother Yu began losing health from Scorching and noticed a conspicuous white figure drifting nearby.

Brother Yu explored the island, killed a Golden Feather Guard, and found an engagement ring on the bird-person corpse it had dragged. When he showed the ring and the Guard’s edict to the white ghost, it recognized the ring as belonging to its wife Phini and turned on Brother Yu in rage.

• Brother Yu approached the white ghost, learned it was searching for its wife, and left when its presence rapidly drained his health.
• Brother Yu found a Golden Feather Guard dragging a female bird-person corpse and killed it with a single strike.
• Brother Yu collected the Guard’s drops, including a Radiant Edict, and found an Engagement Ring on the corpse.
• Brother Yu showed the ring to the white ghost, which recognized it as its own ring and named its wife Phini.
• Brother Yu showed the ghost the Radiant Edict, and it erupted in golden Warfire and threatened to kill him.

Brother Yu killed the Wraith Under the Radiance and learned that the kindling flame was the extinguished Radiant Beings, whose tomb lay along the Path of Radiance. He reported the information to the Candle Keepers, updating the main quest and drawing attention from other players.

• Brother Yu killed the Wraith Under the Radiance and collected its loot.
• A Fading Soul Body thanked Brother Yu and explained that the Radiant Beings' flame had been extinguished, directing him to follow the Stone of Radiance along the Path of Radiance to find its tomb.
• The Fading Soul Body warned that the darkness of old had returned, then faded away as Brother Yu's quest updated with important information.
• Brother Yu reported the information to the Candle Keepers and shared the news with the Prison Players group.
• Other players learned that Brother Yu had found the information and continued investigating the wraith and its story.

Waba’s story revealed how he defied the Feathered Folk’s worship of Radiant Beings to pursue his beloved, only for Extinguishment to leave him wandering beside her corpse. The players investigated clues about Radiance and set sail, while a top player’s report on the Trialist Dungeon’s Difficulty Four left struggling challengers despondent.

• Waba recounted meeting his wife, a Martyr God Attendant, and attempting to flee City of Radiance with her before Extinguishment separated them.
• Waba answered a player’s question, mourned his dead wife, and faded away without knowing she had died behind him.
• Players discussed Waba’s fate, condemned the Golden Feather Guard and Radiant Beings, and debated why the Feathered Folk had been expelled.
• Players followed Waba’s warning about the former darkness and sailed toward the direction Radiance pointed.
• Prison Players competed to see how far they could progress through increasingly brutal Trialist Dungeon difficulties.
• Poetry and the Distance revealed that the Difficulty Four Dungeon King was level 58 and dropped two epic-quality Special Weapons, leaving other players despairing that they could not defeat it.