Recaps

Russell held a barbecue dinner at Cigar Castle and formally accepted outstanding knights as his followers. After the ceremony, he called Eric forward, leaving the gathering poised for another announcement.

• Russell arrived at Cigar Castle on Rosai and welcomed the knights to his first dinner there.
• Russell gathered his eight existing followers beside him before more than sixty knights.
• Russell accepted Great Knights Mickel, Summer, Edok, Kane, Netvis, and Frank as followers through a loyalty oath ceremony.
• Russell named twelve outstanding Armored Knights as followers and concluded the ceremony.
• Russell silenced the gathering and called Eric before him.

Russell granted Eric a lordship, making him the first lord under Baron Thunderflame and prompting the knights to celebrate. He then called the dejected Charles forward, leaving the knights wondering what Russell would say to him.

• Russell declared that he would share his glory with Eric and grant him the title of lord.
• Eric knelt before Russell, who made him a lifetime lord, granted him an estate, a Phantom Beast, and the authority of a lord.
• The knights and servants cheered for Lord Eric, and Eric struggled to contain his joy before apologizing for losing his composure.
• Russell noticed Charles's dejection and called him forward.
• Charles hurried to Russell, trembling with excitement, as the knights turned their attention to him.

Russell granted Eric and Charles lordships in recognition of their service, then celebrated with them and his knights. While Russell slept peacefully, Eric and Charles spent the night awake, each imagining what their new status would bring.

• Russell granted Charles the title of lord, along with a manor, serfs, and the authority of a lord, and Charles swore lifelong service to him.
• Charles and Eric toasted one another at the barbecue feast, restoring their standing as equals.
• Russell told Charles he would continue helping develop Blackfire Land and that he and Eric would receive planned manors once the land became self-sufficient.
• After the feast, Russell returned to Cigar Courtyard and went to bed, while Eric stayed up talking excitedly to Kevin about his lordship.
• Charles lay awake imagining life as a lord and reconsidered his former interest in Catherine.

Russell’s grants of titles to Eric and Charles stirred discussion across Blackfire Land, while Russell focused on strengthening his powers. At Cigar Courtyard, Velim Jinnali arrived with a letter from Mel Monochoria for Russell.

• News spread that Russell had ennobled Eric and Charles, and people debated Charles receiving a fief despite his lack of military merit.
• Eric inspected the reclamation sites and received respectful greetings, while Charles rode out with officials and later welcomed his brother Roland warmly.
• Russell left day-to-day management to others and trained with Harpe, strengthened his bond with Ouroboros, and coordinated with Polly.
• Velim Jinnali, a Phoenix Bird Baron from the Scorching Torrent Kingdom, arrived at Cigar Courtyard and presented a letter from Mel Monochoria for Russell.

Welim Jinnali visited Russell to seek advice on becoming a Dragon Domain Lord, carrying a letter from Mel about his successful diplomatic mission and love for Annie Xuanfuhua. Russell warned Welim that the dangerous advancement could not be achieved without a strong foundation, and Welim revealed that his great-grandfather’s advice had mentioned that same foundation.

• Welim introduced himself as a newly inherited Phoenix Bird Baron and explained that his family’s territory had dwindled to an estate.
• Welim delivered Mel’s letter, which said Mel had secured an alliance between the two nations and fallen in love with Annie Xuanfuhua, daughter of Earl Ade Lieyang.
• Russell learned that Welim was Annie’s cousin and that Mel had sent him to seek Russell’s guidance about becoming a Dragon Domain Lord.
• Welim said he wanted to restore his family’s prestige with Lily, his Phantom Beast Pseudo-Dragon Descendant, and Russell warned him that pursuing the rank was extremely dangerous and required a strong foundation.
• Welim said his great-grandfather had also warned the family to prepare their foundations, prompting Russell to ask whether the family knew about Amber Bugs.

Velim Jinnali showed Russell his family’s Amber Bug, Round Shield, and asked to learn how to advance to Dragon Domain Lord. Russell agreed to teach him, then went to Red Castle, where Mel’s love for Annie Xuanfuhua brought him into conflict with Count Merlin over the duchy’s future.

• Velim showed Russell Round Shield and asked whether it gave him a chance to advance; Russell warned him that the attempt could be fatal.
• Velim declared he was willing to risk death to revive his family, and Russell agreed to teach him after he settled at the estate.
• Russell learned that Count Merlin and Mel were arguing about Mel’s wish to marry Annie Xuanfuhua, whose father was Ade Lieyang.
• Count Merlin warned that Mel’s marriage could threaten the Shadowflame Grand Duchy and said he wanted Russell to become Grand Duke instead.
• Mel compared Count Merlin’s demands to his regret over Snowflake Rhapsody, but Count Merlin insisted that the nation’s interests came before personal feelings.

Mel accepted that Count Merlin would not approve his marriage to Annie and planned to ask her to wait four years while he pursued a chance to visit her. Russell later left Red Castle and learned that playwright Nicholas was traveling through the Blackfire Land, gathering inspiration for a play about opening the Warm Enclave.

• Mel complained to Russell that Count Merlin had rejected his love for Annie and worried that the Selecting the Young Master contest could keep him from marrying her for years.
• Russell advised Mel to write Annie and ask her to wait until the contest ended, and Mel set a four-year limit and asked Russell to arrange for him to serve as an envoy to the Scorching Torrent Kingdom.
• Russell told Mel that he had taken Welim on as a student, then urged Mel to improve his swordsmanship and warned that Roland’s skills were advancing quickly.
• Russell declined Mel’s invitation to a ball, left Red Castle in disguise, and wandered around Furious Wind City as his plays remained popular.
• Nicholas traveled through the Blackfire Land with an old servant, gathering inspiration for a play about opening the Warm Enclave and hoping the Shadowflame Dragon would choose Russell as its knight.

Nicholas toured the Blackfire Land and watched Grand Scholar Placido’s Distillation Tower begin refining black oil into useful products. Placido left after completing his research, while the tower continued operating and supplying road crews and serfs.

• Nicholas explained to his attendant that smoke from the Blackfire Brick Kiln Factory was used to make blackfire bricks, then said he would spend another half year conducting field research in the Blackfire Land.
• Nicholas visited the Distillation Tower as Grand Scholar Placido and his students adjusted its chambers until it separated black oil into gasoline, kerosene, liquefied gas, lubricating oil, and asphalt.
• Placido told Nicholas that Russell had invented distillation technology and Fermented Fertilizer Technology, and urged him to portray Russell as a scholar in his writing.
• Placido departed for an urgent task, leaving his students to oversee the Blackfire Scholarly Tower and Distillation Tower.
• Nicholas followed the products’ distribution and saw asphalt sent to road crews and kerosene sent to reclamation sites to light serfs’ dormitories.

Nicholas learned about the many uses of black oil and accepted an invitation to the first Blackfire Festival. While inspecting Cigar Castle, Russell told Roland he wanted to travel widely and become a Dragon Knight, leaving Roland to reflect on how far his younger brother had already come.

• Nicholas reviewed black oil's products and uses, then accepted Promi's invitation to Baron Thunderflame's Blackfire Festival bonfire party.
• Roland explained that he would skip the festival and return home before traveling to the Volcanic Oasis to buy serfs.
• Roland teased Russell about finding a wife and producing an heir, while Russell said he was not ready for marriage.
• Russell told Roland he wanted to see other kingdoms and their dragons, and confirmed that becoming a Dragon Knight was his goal.
• Roland reflected that Russell's past achievements, once unbelievable to him, had all become reality.

On Blackfire Festival, Russell visited the serfs’ bonfire parties across Blackfire Land and promised to protect them. Familiar roars from the eastern marshlands interrupted the celebration, and Russell mounted Rosai to investigate while ordering the knights to keep the festivities safe.

• The serfs celebrated Blackfire Festival amid Blackfire Land’s expanding rivers, roads, and reclamation sites.
• Russell rode between bonfire parties, shared beer with the serfs, and promised to protect them.
• Russell finished visiting the serfs’ celebrations and prepared to return to the knights’ bonfire party with Lord Charles.
• Roars from the Torrent Dragon and Shadowflame Dragon sounded over the eastern marshlands.
• Russell summoned Rosai, mounted the Black Oil Dragon, and ordered Charles to protect the bonfire parties while the music and dancing continued.

Russell joined the Shadowflame Dragon and Torrent Dragon phantoms in fighting Snow Giant Da at Thunder Marsh. After their dragonflame weakened the giant, Russell decapitated it with his ultimate Sword of Thunder, leaving Snow Giant Da dead.

• Russell arrived at Thunder Marsh and found Snow Giant Da fighting the Shadowflame Dragon and Torrent Dragon phantoms.
• Russell joined the battle and struck Snow Giant Da with repeated uses of Ultimate: Sword of Thunder, but only lightly wounded it.
• The Shadowflame Dragon and Torrent Dragon phantoms breathed dragonflame, weakening Snow Giant Da before they dispersed.
• Russell gathered his swordsmanship insights into one final Ultimate: Sword of Thunder and cut through Snow Giant Da's neck.
• Snow Giant Da's head flew from its body, leaving the giant dead.

Russell beheaded Snow Giant Da and helped Rosai escape with one of its eyeballs, but Snow Da Pilot proved even stronger and fled wearing Snow Giant Da as a cloak. After the Torrent Dragon’s phantom returned, Russell recounted the fight to it.

• Russell struck Snow Giant Da’s head with Ultimate: Sword of Thunder, burst one of its eyes, and had Rosai carry the eyeball away.
• Snow Da Pilot appeared on Snow Giant Da’s shoulder, ambushed Russell, and repeatedly attacked him with a club that seemed to shatter space.
• Russell distracted Snow Da Pilot with attacks and escapes through the Dark Dreamscape while Rosai fled with Snow Giant Da’s eyeball.
• Snow Da Pilot absorbed Snow Giant Da’s headless body and head into a cloak of white light, then ran toward the snowfield.
• The Torrent Dragon’s phantom returned, and Russell described Snow Da Pilot’s appearance and strength to it.

Russell pursued Snow Giant Da with Polly and Rosai, then used Little Dream Dragon’s Sound of Magic Power to locate Snow Da Pilot refining Snow Giant Da. Little Dream Dragon stole and swallowed a Star Crystal before Snow Da Pilot could stop it, while Russell promised it another crystal.

• Russell ordered Rosai to smash Snow Giant Da’s eyeballs, and Rosai found a human-head-sized Star Crystal.
• Unable to track Snow Da Pilot across the snowfield, Russell went to the Black Wave Snow Forest and slept while Polly guarded his body.
• Russell and Little Dream Dragon used the Sound of Magic Power to locate Snow Da Pilot refining white light into its growing body.
• Little Dream Dragon transformed a cluster of white light into a Star Crystal and swallowed it just before Snow Da Pilot could strike.
• Snow Da Pilot gathered the remaining white light into a cloak and fled, while Russell told Little Dream Dragon another Star Crystal awaited it.

Russell reported his battle with Snow Giant Da to Shadowflame Dragon, who identified the mysterious Snow Da Pilot as possibly a legendary Frost Giant. Russell theorized it was an unevolved creature from another world and named it a Frost Troll, then left as Shadowflame Dragon anticipated Snowflake's volcano erupting.

• Russell returned to Cigar Courtyard with Rosai and Harpe, collected the Star Crystal from Snow Giant Da's eyeball, and decided to save it for Little Dream Dragon.
• Russell visited Shadowflame Dragon and recounted how Snow Da Pilot appeared after he beheaded Snow Giant Da and later grew by refining its remains.
• Shadowflame Dragon explained that “Frost” meant frost in the Snow Demons' language and suggested Snow Da Pilot might be the legendary Frost Giant.
• Russell proposed that Snow Da Pilot was an unevolved creature that had urgently refined Snow Giant Da to grow stronger, and he called it a Frost Troll.
• Russell speculated that the Frost Troll might seek revenge or flee, while Shadowflame Dragon looked forward to Snowflake's volcano erupting soon.

Russell told Baron Roman about the Frost Troll and discussed the strange history of Thunder Marsh. He proposed raising warhorses there to create pseudo-dragon descendants, while their conversation ended with Russell suggesting that Dragon Domain Lords may have existed during the Dark Age.

• Baron Roman questioned why the Frost Troll had brought Snow Giant Da into Thunder Marsh, and Russell said neither he nor the dragons knew the reason.
• Russell explained that the Jinnali bloodline passed through radiation that transformed creatures of the same species, and described how Wester Jinnali had cultivated nine Pseudo-Jinnali Dragons.
• Russell proposed raising warhorses in Thunder Marsh, and Baron Roman approved investing in a ranch to cultivate pseudo-dragon descendants.
• Russell told Baron Roman that Wester Jinnali's Warm Enclave had steadily shrunk after his death, and they considered whether Cold Spring Points had once been Warm Enclaves.
• Russell suggested that Dragon Domain Lords might have been born during the Dark Age rather than before the great freezing.

Russell named the enormous Star Crystal Froststar, while Little Dream Dragon slept after eating Snow Giant Da. As the warm season ended, Russell inspected the expanding industries in his territory, where new kilns and factories were ready to produce goods for sale across the Shadowflame Grand Duchy.

• Russell and Baron Roman speculated that humans may have survived the Dark Age with Phantom Beasts’ protection and discussed turning the idea into a play.
• At dinner, Aunt Roby invited Russell to the opening ball at her Small Castle and said she would attend the completion ceremony for his Cigar Castle.
• Russell named his Star Crystal Froststar and found that Little Dream Dragon was still asleep after taking a huge bite of Snow Giant Da.
• Nicholas returned to Furious Wind City with his play Dark Chronicles after Marquis Arno persuaded Count Oscro to blame Russell for Thunder from the Dragon Domain.
• Russell inspected the territory’s brick production as Charles and Little William described new kilns and factories prepared to sell pottery, porcelain, and glass through Fluorite Castle’s merchant caravans.

Russell inspected his Glass Kiln Factory and urged Charles to work with the Blackfire Scholarly Tower to improve its production. At the Porcelain Kiln Factory, Russell introduced Enamelware Technology, and the craftsmen successfully made glazed metal cups, opening a new path for the territory’s industries.

• Russell inspected the Glass Kiln Factory and told Charles to consult scholars at the Blackfire Scholarly Tower and pay them for useful research.
• Russell saw that glass cups broke easily and recalled Enamelware Products as a durable alternative to porcelain.
• Russell went to the Porcelain Kiln Factory and asked its craftsmen to glaze metal cups and fire them.
• The craftsmen made smooth, durable Enamelware Cups, and Russell ordered them to improve the technique and produce more goods.
• The Porcelain Kiln Factory manager promised that Enamelware Technology would help the Blackfire factory surpass the one at Fluorite Castle.

Russell organized Blackfire Land’s expanding settlements into a provincial government and appointed Charles its acting governor. As winter approached, Roland prepared to leave Blackfire Land and begin reclamation in Thunder Marsh.

• Russell visited the Porcelain Kiln Factory, then realized Little Dream Dragon had awakened and planned to feed it the Frost Star he had collected.
• Russell outlined the manors planned along the Blackwater, Redwater, and Xiangshui Rivers, noting that the territory lacked enough people to develop them all.
• Russell appointed Charles Acting Governor of Blackfire Land Province and explained his plan to divide Thunder Flame Territory into five provinces.
• Roland congratulated Charles and said he would soon leave Blackfire Land to reclaim land in Thunder Marsh for Baron Roman’s horse-breeding plan.

Little Dream Dragon emerged from the Dark Dreamscape stronger, and Russell searched for the Frost Troll before returning to his territory. When Snow Demons appeared in the Shadowflame Grand Duchy again, Russell suspected the Frost Troll had refined Snow Giant Da; he then reunited with Harpe to pursue complete mental synchronization.

• Little Dream Dragon emerged from the Dark Dreamscape larger and faster, swallowed a Frost Star, and went back to sleep without gaining a new talent.
• Russell and Little Dream Dragon searched the snowfield for the Frost Troll but found no trace of it.
• On his way home, Russell spotted a Snow Demon inside the Shadowflame Grand Duchy for the first time in nearly two years, and Polly suggested the Frost Troll had left after refining Snow Giant Da.
• Russell destroyed the Snow Demon with his Meteor Butterfly Sword and collected its Ice Soul Bead.
• Russell returned to Green Capital Snow Forest, reunited with Harpe, and agreed to merge with her on the journey home to deepen their mental synchronization.

Russell achieved Perfect Synchronization with Harpe and completed Tier 2, then prepared to contract Ouroboros and begin Tier 3. Baron Roman visited to collect Ice Soul Beads and revealed that Mental Balance was delaying his own advance to the fourth rank.

• Russell and Harpe trained in Harpy Form and reached Perfect Synchronization, bringing their shared power to its peak.
• Russell promised Harpe he would help her become a pseudo-dragon and told her that she and Polly were both important companions.
• Russell fed Ouroboros roasted rat meat and said she would soon experience great power when they contracted.
• Baron Roman arrived on Clay Dragon Ross and said he planned to deliver Ice Soul Beads to Red Castle, so Russell gave him twenty-three beads.
• Russell told Baron Roman he was preparing to begin the third rank with Ouroboros, while Roman said Mental Balance was holding back his advance to the fourth rank.

Count Merlin learned that Snow Demons had reappeared in the Grand Duchy and ordered the border lords to investigate. The Elder Council then unanimously approved Russell Fluorite Mushroom’s promotion to Grand Scholar, leaving officials to prepare the announcement and reward.

• Gerard and Dreller reported finding two Snow Demons in the snowfields, and Count Merlin ordered the border lords to monitor their return.
• Count Merlin considered whether Snow Giant Da had been refined by the Frost Troll and worried about the new threat.
• Count Merlin received the Grand Scholars' Round Table’s third application to promote Russell and convened the Elder Council without Oskro.
• The six attending elders unanimously approved Russell’s promotion to Grand Scholar for inventing Fermented Fertilizer Technology.
• Count Merlin tasked Kunbei with reporting the decision to the Regent Lady and Kunqiao with preparing an official gazette commentary.

Russell received the lifelong title of Grand Scholar and another reward of ten thousand serfs, while his family celebrated his growing territory and debated its future. Baron Roman named the enlarged family territory Glimmering Light Territory, and Aunt Roby was left confronting her regret over giving up Diana’s inheritance.

• Russell received the title of Grand Scholar and ten thousand serfs, bringing the population under his command close to one hundred thousand.
• At Fluorite Castle’s banquet, Russell and his family discussed the serfs needed to develop Blackfire Land and the future merger of their territories.
• Baron Roman’s family discussed renaming Guangguang River Valley as it expanded into the snowfields, while Madam Meryl’s remarks made Aunt Roby reflect on giving up Diana’s inheritance.
• Baron Roman named the expanded territory Glimmering Light Territory, and Russell, Roland, and Rosen all approved.

Russell solved the imbalance between Polly’s pseudo-dragon essence and Harpe’s Phantom Beast essence by forming a stable, layered structure. He then contracted Ouroboros and advanced to Tier 3 High Phantom Beast Knight.

• At dinner, Baron Roman, Rosen, and Roland discussed Russell’s delayed third transformation and could not advise him on balancing Polly’s stronger essence with Harpe’s.
• In the bamboo grove, Polly proposed stability instead of balance, and she and Harpe arranged their essences into layers with Polly’s essence enveloping Harpe’s.
• Russell felt his Dragon Breath transform into a seamless structure, with Dragon Breath surrounding Polly’s essence and Polly’s essence surrounding Harpe’s.
• The next day, Russell fulfilled his promise to Ouroboros by contracting with the snake through blood and Battle Aura.
• Russell successfully began his third transformation and advanced to Tier 3 High Phantom Beast Knight.

Russell tested Ouroboros's Earth Walk Technique and Dream Concealment before the Torrent Dragon left Swan Lake and flew back toward its volcano. The Torrent Dragon was ambushed by a Snow Giant and two Frost Trolls, and a battle began.

• Russell and Ouroboros tested the Earth Walk Technique by traveling beneath the ground and emerging across the Glimmering River.
• Russell and Ouroboros tried Dream Concealment, but movement caused them to become visible in the Dark Dreamscape.
• The Torrent Dragon left Swan Lake after all eight Torrent Scale Towers were completed, and Baron Kunbif Shadowflame saw it off.
• The Torrent Dragon flew over the snowfields toward its volcano, celebrating its return after being sheltered at Swan Lake.
• A Snow Giant and two Frost Trolls attacked the Torrent Dragon, with one Frost Troll hurling a Lightning Rod Gun at it.

The Torrent Dragon returned to Swan Lake badly wounded after being attacked by two Snow Giants and two Frost Trolls, prompting Baron Kunbif to report the threat to Redcastle. Russell joined Count Merlin as they discussed the danger spreading across both the Shadowflame Grand Duchy and the Scorching Torrent Kingdom, leaving the Elder Council’s response pending.

• At a banquet in Swan Castle, Baron Kunbif celebrated Kunsley’s prospects of becoming Grand Duke, but the Torrent Dragon’s panicked roars interrupted the gathering.
• The wounded Torrent Dragon crashed into Swan Lake and told Baron Kunbif that two Snow Giants and two Frost Trolls had attacked it.
• Baron Kunbif flew to Redcastle to report the attack, and Russell rode there with Polly after receiving a message from a Shadow Guard.
• While waiting for the Elder Council meeting, Russell learned from Count Merlin that each Snow Giant was accompanied by a Frost Troll and that Marquis Arno had sent word to King Ares.
• Russell and Count Merlin discussed how the new threat might force the Scorching Torrent Kingdom and Shadowflame Grand Duchy to cooperate, though Merlin doubted Shadowflame would return what it had taken.