Chapter Summaries

Ronan examined the battle record associated with Dream Divine Abomination and considered how to reach the deeper regions of its power, then reviewed the history of the Han Guang Autonomous Territory and the Sky Abyss Empire. He concluded that the empire had been destroyed thousands of years ago, while the full truth of its history remained obscured by conflicting information.

• Ronan questioned why Dream Divine Abomination had recorded the battle between the Dawn Blood Curse and Eunuch Lord, and considered whether the Mist Labyrinth contained traces of its power.
• Ronan decided to inspect the Mist Labyrinth again and searched New Wildfire's memories for information about the God Breaker organization and Han Guang's past.
• Ronan established that the Han Guang Autonomous Territory was founded in the first year of the New Century, 821 years after his Testing Time-Space point.
• Ronan recalled that Zhan Ming had fallen in 10522 of the Calamity Era after severing Han Guang's connection to the Central Galaxy, leaving the Sky Abyss Empire effectively dead.
• Ronan calculated that the empire's destruction had occurred roughly 4,500 Earth years earlier and reflected that rumors and complex historical details made the past difficult to understand.

Ronan studied North Shore Gear from the Sea Sky Cloud Capital’s Observation Deck while considering whether the Dream God Abomination had altered the nature of Earth’s Spacetime. He left the question unresolved and wondered if he was making the mystery too complicated.

• Ronan gazed at North Shore Gear and briefly mistook the view for a vision of his mother before realizing he was still in Inner Earth.
• Ronan observed that Inner World visitors filled the Observation Deck, yet Mirror Appraisal kept them from noticing him.
• Ronan considered returning to the Test Spacetime to investigate the Dream God Abomination, despite the danger posed by Li Wei, Tu Ge, and the Martial Emperor.
• Ronan connected the Dream God Abomination’s powers to the Silver Screen reflected on the Tattered Divine Cloak and questioned whether Inner and Outer Earth were real or dreamlike.
• Ronan recalled that the Dream God Abomination’s predecessor had turned real things into dreams and that Great Lord Bing Ming had fallen victim to that power.
• Ronan set aside his highest-level speculations and wondered whether he was making the mystery too complicated.

Ronan searched for a simpler way to reach the Cloud Top World and reconsidered how his father might have left him a clue. He realized the Cloak app’s download had surged to nearly complete, but did not know what had triggered it or what would happen when it finished.

• Ronan tried dream and hallucination channels at several locations but failed to enter the Cloud Top World.
• Ronan walked through Cloud Capital Shuiyi and revisited Zhi Xing Institute, reasoning that his father had expected him to transfer there only much later.
• Ronan concluded that Luo Zhongheng had likely placed a Guidance Link inside the External Neuron rather than creating another channel around the Parent-Child Course.
• Ronan checked the Cloak app and saw that its download had jumped from 39.9% to 89.9%, then continued rising.
• Ronan suspected the Cloud Top World, the Thirteenth District, or the Mirror of Appraisal had stimulated the download and feared the consequences of its completion.

Ronan watched the "Cloak" app finish downloading and launched it, triggering a fierce reaction from his External Neuron. The app’s mysterious force made contact through the interface and offered an exchange, leaving Ronan to face whatever was on the Other Side.

• Ronan considered how the "Cloak" app might have diverged from Luo Zhongheng’s original design and waited outside Zhi Xing Institute for its download to finish.
• The "Cloak" app completed downloading, and Ronan tapped its icon to open it.
• The External Neuron became scorching hot as a force from the app locked onto it, but Ronan restrained it with a Dark Heavy Chain.
• The virtual Work Area filled with a hollow darkness, and symbols appeared that Ronan recognized as asking whether he sought something and was prepared.
• The symbols formed an image resembling the External Neuron, followed by the question, "Exchange?"

Ronan investigated the Cloak APP’s mysterious Chat Window and suspected that the entity communicating with him could affect his External Neuron. After watching its message cycle through several languages, he finally sent a question asking how to proceed.

• Ronan used the Suspended Illumination to observe Lava Island, New Wildfire, and the sleeping Hong Qiang from Outer Earth.
• Ronan concluded that the Cloak APP’s Chat Window was unrelated to the Guidance Link and worried that its mysterious operator could infiltrate or harm his External Neuron.
• Ronan reasoned that the entity behind the Chat Window might be connected to the Balance of Truth or the Rebirth Divine Artifact.
• The Chat Window repeated its message in Ceremonial Ancient Script, Tian Yuan Common Language, and Ronan’s native language, each time demanding an exchange or price.
• After watching the messages cycle ten times, Ronan sent the question, “How should I do it?”

Ronan questioned Cloak through the Chat Window while pretending to be a novice, and Cloak answered by providing a Sanctuary Contemplation Graphic and identifying itself as “Cloak.” Ronan linked the interaction to Cloak’s increased download progress on Outer Earth and decided to wait and see how it would fulfill a wish before trying the practice himself.

• Ronan asked Cloak who it was, whether it could be trusted, and how it would fulfill his wish.
• Cloak filled the Chat Window with a detailed Sanctuary Version 57 Contemplation Graphic.
• Ronan asked what to call it, and Cloak answered, “Cloak.”
• Ronan realized a connection between Inner and Outer Earth had cleared, explaining the Cloak app’s increased download progress.
• Ronan asked whether Cloak could guide him during practice, but Cloak did not respond.
• Ronan decided to observe Cloak and the Balance of Truth or Rebirth Divine Artifact before making a wish or practicing Sanctuary.

Ronan tested Cloak’s Chat Window and learned to draw the Sanctuary Contemplation Graphic, then explored the preparation options it revealed. He began a Mental Side credit rating, facing an immense question bank.

• Ronan questioned Cloak about its powers, the price, and how it knew about his External Neuron, but Cloak only showed the Sanctuary Contemplation Graphic.
• Ronan drew the Sanctuary graphic and heard faint, unintelligible whispers after the External Neuron grew hot.
• Ronan selected “What Is Sought” but was told he was not yet prepared, so he opened “What Is Prepared.”
• Ronan found the Credit Reserve and Credit Rating options, then chose a Mental Side rating.
• The Chat Window filled with a vast question bank for Ronan’s rating.

Ronan explored the Cloak app’s Credit Reserve and questioned whether its forum connected real users and gathered their knowledge. He concluded he should follow the app’s newcomer process first, but What is Sought remained inaccessible, while What is Understood required a group to build it.

• Ronan explored the Credit Rating question bank, found its later questions more difficult, and then opened Credit Reserve.
• Ronan searched the forum and reasoned that Cloak might filter and redistribute information from users such as Hong Qiang, despite the lack of real-world questions.
• Ronan considered whether answering questions could be how Cloak extracted information, then recognized the app’s courses and forum could help newcomers learn and make progress.
• Ronan tried What is Sought again, but the app still said he had not made adequate preparations.
• Ronan opened What is Understood and learned that it required him to guide a group in its construction.

Ronan considered whether collective dreaming could create things in reality and worried that experiments might disturb the Dream Divine Abomination. He arranged to recruit volunteers for a cautious experiment, then asked Wen Huilan what she knew about the Soul Order's Sanctuary.

• Ronan considered gathering people to build What is Understood and wondered whether shared dreams could manifest creations in the present Earth Time-Space.
• Ronan cautioned himself against recruiting people too quickly because he feared provoking the Dream Divine Abomination.
• Ronan called Wen Huilan and learned that the Yangye Building repairs would take about four months and be charged to his authorization limit.
• Ronan asked Wen Huilan to contact Renhe Center patients affected by memory erasure and find a small group willing to participate in a risky experiment.
• Ronan asked whether Wen Huilan had entered the Dream Game and what she knew about the Soul Order's Sanctuary.

Ronan reviewed Wen Huilan’s reports on the Hun Dun Order’s projects and learned that aberration infections in Xi City and Fan City had worsened, with a humanoid Extraordinary Aberrant Species possibly already hiding among the infected. The chapter left Ronan concerned about the growing threat after Wen Huilan reported that Bat Master had been injured.

• Ronan told Wen Huilan to practice the Sanctuary and remain available for future experiments.
• Wen Huilan reported that the Peak Conference speech draft was complete and that the Hun Dun Order’s Twelve Kingdoms classification was progressing slowly.
• Ronan urged Wen Huilan and the Hun Dun Order to continue the classification work and seek advice from Extraordinary Species in Lake City.
• Wen Huilan told Ronan that President Gao had proposed using the Great Parallelogram to develop resources across South Asia and Indochina, while Bat Master’s response remained uncertain.
• Wen Huilan reported that Xi City and Fan City had multiple Class A third-stage infected individuals and that a dangerous humanoid Extraordinary Aberrant Species might be concealed in the cities.
• Ronan questioned whether Bat Master could contain the outbreak, and Wen Huilan said Bat Master had reportedly been injured.

Ronan questioned reports that Bat Master had been injured and suspected Bai Hao’s arrival in Xi City was tied to the losses facing Wang Corporation and Quantum Corporation. He concluded that Bai Hao’s influence could draw Wang Yu and Di City into the struggle, potentially distorting the existing political arrangements.

• Ronan asked Wen Huilan where the reports of Bat Master’s injury had come from, and she said intelligence agencies linked them to Bai Hao’s arrival in Xi City.
• Ronan doubted that Bai Hao had come merely to treat Bat Master and considered whether the news had been deliberately released.
• Wen Huilan explained that Wang Corporation and Quantum Corporation had suffered losses after investing heavily in the Machine Core industry and aberrant products.
• Ronan recognized that his Coreless Style concept and actions in the Great Golden Triangle had contributed to the companies’ troubles.
• Wen Huilan suggested that the market needed a powerful political concept, and Ronan reasoned that Bai Hao could provide influence across both the Inner World and the Secular World.
• Ronan wondered whether Bai Hao and Wang Yu’s involvement would bring Di City into the conflict and warp the existing political arrangement.

Ronan investigated possible links between Bai Hao, Li Wei, and an old trafficking network, then returned home to find his family gathered. He noticed that Raven still carried the scent of blood, suggesting she had recently been involved in violence.

• Ronan learned from Wen Huilan that Cabin Lopez had been close to Bai Hao and Old Elers, and that Lopez’s shipping empire had concealed illegal transport and trade for decades.
• Wen Huilan reported that General Joseph cut off contact with Bai Hao and Old Elers after the Quincy Massacre, while Takar later took control of much of Lopez’s business.
• Ronan considered checking the suspected connections with Yabolun and Blood Demon, then told Wen Huilan to continue her investigations and contact Extraordinary Species in Lake City.
• Ronan returned to his home in Na De District, where Lady Luo Shuqing, Mo Ya, Raven, and Mo Haihang were present.
• Ronan noticed the lingering scent of blood on Raven even though she had bathed and changed clothes.

Ronan learned that Raven had gone to Xi City through the Luo System’s incident-response network and warned him about a growing threat in Fan City. After telling Raven about Outer Earth, he explored the Cloak app’s What is Sought feature and discovered the steep Credit costs required to make a request.

• Ronan learned that Raven had helped the Foundation deal with dangerous targets in Xi City after the Luo System’s automated response network sent her there.
• Raven warned Ronan that deeply infected targets in Fan City were being worshipped as “Brahma’s Trial,” and Ronan decided to report the matter before the other plans acted.
• Ronan told Raven about Outer Earth and the attitudes of the Martial Emperor and Li Wei toward it.
• Ronan used the What is Prepared interface to raise his Credit Rating, then tested What is Sought and learned that requests required a minimum rating, a 100-point submission fee, and at least 500 more Credit points for the app’s fixed evaluation price.

Ronan studied the Cloak app’s credit system and realized that making a worthwhile wish would require answering hundreds of difficult questions, though New Wildfire could help him. He tested the app by asking about Old Elers and was shocked when Cloak produced an accurate sketch, raising suspicions that it shared data with drawing software linked to the Void Brain.

• Ronan learned that wishes required a minimum of 600 credits and that he could earn credits by answering increasingly difficult questions in the Internal Forum.
• Ronan raised his Credit Rating to Sky Ladder First Order and calculated that he would need to solve many more questions to afford a Law Deployment Plan.
• Ronan decided to test Cloak with a worthwhile wish rather than waste credits on a trivial request.
• Ronan asked where Old Elers’s original body was, and Cloak generated a sketch resembling the man he had met.
• Ronan noticed that the sketch matched his own Life Sketch style and wondered whether Cloak shared data with the drawing software connected to the External Neuron.

Ronan let the Cloak app process his request to find Old Elers, then followed its strange search through the Mental Ocean and discovered it was using dreams to gather information. The dreamlike search also gave him a chance to glimpse the Great Lord Level Karmic Poison Living Entity he had wanted to observe.

• Ronan received the Cloak app’s notice that his request would take 6–12 hours to fulfill and wondered whether the delay reflected a rationalization process.
• Ronan entered Pure Perception mode and used the Altar Spiderweb to search the global Mental Ocean for the Cloak’s method of finding Old Elers.
• Ronan found a faint voice calling for Old Elers, which broke into Void Sprites that spread through people’s dreams and asked where he was.
• Ronan traced the dreamers’ replies until they revealed Old Elers’s position and a vague sense of his presence.
• Ronan recognized the Great Lord Level Karmic Poison Living Entity within the dreamlike domain and watched the Cloak’s slow, poorly directed search process.

Ronan waited for the Cloak app to finish tracking Old Elers while monitoring developments in Xi City and Fan City. He then began a cautious experiment to form a Sanctuary Collective Configuration with fifteen people whose memories and cognition had been damaged.

• Ronan waited six hours for the Cloak app to answer what it had found about Old Elers, but the image remained incomplete and the search window gave no response.
• Lady Luo Shuqing visited Ronan, and Raven told her that he was still inside.
• Ronan spoke with He Yueyin, An Dongsheng, and Blood Demon about Raven’s actions and his stance on the Aberration Infection in Xi City and Fan City, then stopped taking communications.
• Wen Huilan found fifteen potential experimental volunteers across several cities, and Ronan reviewed their records and checked their physical and mental conditions.
• Ronan used the Magneto-Optical Mica Soul Cape to locate the volunteers and began guiding their damaged cognition toward drawing the Sanctuary Contemplation Graphic through deep hypnosis.

Ronan formed a Sanctuary with fifteen impaired volunteers and activated the What is Understood section, which asked him to draw the Format Theory contemplation graphic. As he did, he experienced layers of voices and recognized the five-tiered Social Format Chart as a Gestalt centered on himself: My Country.

• Ronan incorporated fifteen Temporary Teammates into the Sanctuary, letting their combined strength open their prisons in the Mental Ocean and begin restoring their Form and Spirit Frameworks.
• Ronan waited for the What is Sought section to respond to his wish about Old Elers, then decided to use the What is Understood section.
• Ronan followed the prompt to draw the Format Theory contemplation graphic and chanted the Sixteen-Character Formula.
• Ronan experienced voices at successive levels, from everyday murmurs to the organized workers of the Chang Ying Sky Carrier and people discussing matters above them.
• Ronan saw a five-tiered pyramid containing human figures and recognized it as the Social Format Chart, a Gestalt centered on himself that he called My Country.

Ronan examined how Gestalt, the Mist Palace, and the Sanctuary interacted in his Mental Layer and found that Gestalt had become compatible with the framework built by his fifteen Temporary Teammates. He realized that supporting them consumed great amounts of Soul Power, but recalled that this rapid expenditure might have benefits.

• Ronan connected the Format Theory concepts of prison, furnace, mirror, and country to his cultivation and experiences.
• Ronan's thought of the character for “I” caused Gestalt to project into his Mental Layer, where it overlapped and began adjusting with the Mist Palace.
• Ronan explored Gestalt in the What is Understood section and found that it had become compatible with the Sanctuary framework.
• Ronan found that Gestalt had gathered his fifteen Temporary Teammates into a team and could reinforce them, improving their physical and mental condition at the cost of his Soul Power.
• Ronan frowned as he remembered that rapidly consuming Soul Power might also bring benefits.

Ronan reasoned that Luo Zhongheng may have mastered Format Theory and reached an abnormal Extraordinary Species state, possibly with help from the Balance of Truth or the Dream Divine Abomination. After the Cloak app fulfilled Ronan’s request, he considered searching for Luo Zhongheng but chose to first verify the app through a question about Old Elers.

• Ronan concluded that the Cloak app’s sections formed a coherent path for practicing Format Theory while managing its dangerous surge in Soul Power.
• Ronan inferred that Luo Zhongheng may have become an Extraordinary Species after disappearing and wondered whether the Balance of Truth or the Dream Divine Abomination had helped him escape Li Wei.
• The Cloak app notified Ronan that his request had been fulfilled, but Ronan waited before opening the What is Sought interface.
• Ronan considered replacing Old Elers’s name with Luo Zhongheng’s in a search, then found he lacked the one hundred credits needed to ask a question.
• Ronan decided to raise his rating and verify the Cloak app’s reliability through the matter of Old Elers before making a wish about Luo Zhongheng.

Ronan used the Cloak’s What is Sought interface to trace Old Elers’s true body through the Mental Ocean. The fragmented visions led him to Los Angeles, leaving the city as the confirmed location.

• Ronan traced the Format Theory Contemplation Graphic, activating his Soul Power and entering the Mental Ocean as an observer.
• The Cloak’s interface replayed its search for Old Elers through Void Sprites and showed how their calls gathered fragments of information from people’s Consciousness Levels.
• Ronan followed the interface’s guidance through the distorted visions, using the spreading ink-like image to approach Old Elers’s trail.
• Ronan identified the scenes of skyscrapers, slums, infected people, fleeing citizens, and military forces as fragments of a city in chaos.
• Ronan verified that Old Elers’s true body was in Los Angeles.