Arc 66The Dark Domain Expedition

After destroying Amantir, Hao Ren prepared the World Tree Terminal and led his team into the Dark Domain to search for the Creation Goddess. Trapped in the world of La Rian, they joined mage Lia on an expedition toward the Great Pit and ancient ruins.

  • Hao Ren destroyed Amantir, then worked with Salamander to rebuild the hub and investigate the damaged Throne Network and surviving crystals.
  • Hao Ren visited Raven 12345, who explained the Creation Goddess’s plan and prepared a World Tree seed and beacon for a journey into her lost divine kingdom.
  • Hao Ren planted the seed in the Throne of the End, and the World Tree connected to the Throne Network and recorded resurrection points for his team.
  • Nolan brought the Giant Turtle Rock Platform through the beacon into the Dark Domain, where Hao Ren’s group discovered a populated world and descended into White Maple City.
  • Hao Ren’s group met the blacklisted mage Lia and accepted her commission to accompany her to ancient ruins near the Great Pit.
  • Hao Ren’s group studied local accounts of the Great Pit and saw the Shattered Heaven crossing the night sky, while Lia described it as their ancestors’ former homeland.
  • Lia led Hao Ren’s group out of White Maple City toward Longfeng Ridge, where they entered a forest and Hao Ren sensed something slowing his thoughts.
Chapters 1626–1650 Vol. 17 Read

Ch. 1626After the War

Hao Ren destroyed Amantir with a makeshift superweapon, ending the war and returning with Salamander’s forces to the hub. As the survivors began postwar recovery, Hao Ren and Salamander examined the reclaimed Amantir Crystal and discussed its contamination.

  • Hao Ren fired the overloaded Annihilation Spear, which destroyed Amantir and its Corruptors, Nightmare Lair, and power of Madness, before the weapon itself broke apart.
  • Salamander watched Amantir’s destruction in disbelief, then agreed with Hao Ren to return to the hub while drones handled the battlefield cleanup.
  • After a day of rest, Hao Ren and Salamander organized searches for surviving minions of Madness and began rebuilding the hub and its facilities.
  • Salamander raised research into the Throne of the End and Throne Network, while Hao Ren agreed but prioritized studying the Amantir Crystal and the fairies stored on the Data Terminal.
  • Hao Ren and Salamander examined the Nakdal, Agudar, and Amantir Crystals in a laboratory, and Hao Ren noted that the Amantir Crystal had been contaminated but had survived.

Ch. 1627The Problem That Needed Solving

Hao Ren investigated the damaged Amantir Crystal, the fate of the Starry Sky People, and the Throne Network after the battle. The analysis revealed that the Throne Network’s core commands had been defective since it was first completed.

  • Salamander explained that the Lord of Madness’s contamination had stopped, but the damage to the Amantir Crystal made it unlikely to resonate with the other crystals again, so Hao Ren planned to scan and virtually reconstruct its data.
  • The fairies were safely transferred into new Node Crystals, and Asuman explained that the Ancient Ones fought to preserve the order created by the Creation Goddess.
  • Salamander said the Starry Sky People had not responded for three thousand years and were unlikely to awaken after their souls and strength had been depleted.
  • Hao Ren assigned the Crystal Core Research Station and the drone swarm to analyze the Throne Network, and the Data Terminal reported that more than ninety percent of its core commands were impossible to execute.
  • The Data Terminal explained that the fairies had compared the Throne Network against a snapshot from the day it was completed, leading Hao Ren to realize the network had been defective from the beginning.

Ch. 1628Reunion with Their Kin

Hao Ren brought one-third of the Guardian Legion from X Sector to Tanagrus, where the giants reunited with Muru, Lemendusa, and Siv. The Guardian Giants began settling on the planet, leaving the reunion to continue as they joined their kin.

  • Hao Ren told Salamander that the Throne Network had an inherent flaw, and Salamander accepted that the Legion would have to wait longer before activating it.
  • Hao Ren and Vivian invited Salamander and the Guardian Giants to visit Tanagrus and reunite with their surviving kin.
  • Nolan led the Giant Turtle Rock Platform and hundreds of Guardian Black Starships through a warp jump to the Crystal Core Research Station.
  • Salamander saw Tanagrus and sensed the Creation Goddess's life-giving aura, then agreed to keep the giants away from the Zhuom settlements.
  • Hao Ren arranged for the Guardian Giants to land in batches in Tanagrus's northern wilderness, where Muru, Lemendusa, and Siv embraced their kin.

Ch. 1629Temporary Return

Hao Ren visited the Guardian Giants’ old camp and explained the truth about the Creation Goddess’s corruption and the Creation Engine. He returned to the Outer World with a plan to help the Giants build the engine’s shell while he investigated how to modify it.

  • Hao Ren watched Zhuom youths leave flowers and painted stones at Siv’s camp, and Siv and Lemendusa explained that the offerings expressed gratitude for helping their town.
  • Lemendusa and Siv asked Hao Ren about the Creation Engine and their mother, so he recounted how the Lord of Madness had infected the Creation Goddess and caused her split personality.
  • Lemendusa, Muru, and Siv accepted that the corrupted personality was not their mother, and Siv said she trusted Hao Ren would not let the Creation Engine fulfill its original mission unchecked.
  • Hao Ren asked Lemendusa to continue building the Creation Engine’s shell while he returned to the Outer World to analyze the technology and arrange modifications.
  • Hao Ren finished organizing follow-up matters in the Dream Plane and returned to the Outer World with information for his Goddess.

Ch. 1630The Transformation of the Little Weakling

After returning from the Dream Plane, Hao Ren reported his discoveries to Raven 12345 and retrieved the little weakling, who had learned to ask for food and show thanks. Raven 12345 explained that the Throne Network data could help improve the Creation Engine and reveal how to work safely with the Wall of Reality, and she told Hao Ren to wait while she sought the necessary components.

  • Hao Ren visited Raven 12345 and handed her his report on the Dream Plane discoveries.
  • Raven 12345 summoned the little weakling, who asked Hao Ren for food and bowed to thank him after Raven reminded her.
  • Raven 12345 said her care had helped her understand how the Lord of Madness's power affected the Creation Goddess's creations.
  • After reading Hao Ren's report, Raven 12345 said the Creation Goddess's plan to destroy her household could not continue and that the Throne Network and Creation Engine could be useful after modifications.
  • Raven 12345 explained that the Throne Network data could help reconstruct the Dream Plane's original world barrier and guide safer work on the Wall of Reality.
  • Raven 12345 told Hao Ren to wait two days while she applied for advanced components to fix the systems' flaws.

Ch. 1631A Reliable Goddess

Hao Ren discussed the Creation Goddess’s plan and the Dream-Weaving Brain’s warning with Raven 12345, who agreed to seek technical support and decode the divine-kingdom beacon. After Hao Ren left, Raven 12345 revealed that she had boasted about her ability and begged Raven 23333 to solve the problem for her.

  • Raven 12345 explained that the Creation Goddess sought to destroy all true-god imprints and told Hao Ren to stop her from carrying out that plan.
  • Raven 12345 agreed with Hao Ren and Vivian that the Dream-Weaving Brain’s warning linked the Creation Goddess and the Lord of Madness through a shared dream.
  • Raven 12345 said Hao Ren’s team should send her scan data for the three crystals so she could work out the divine-kingdom beacon within half a month.
  • After Hao Ren left, Raven 23333 questioned Raven 12345’s confidence, and Raven 12345 admitted she needed help deciphering the beacon.

Ch. 1632Lily's Little Idea

Hao Ren returned home with Little Weakling, whose newfound fear of noodles suggested Raven 12345 had disciplined her by feeding her the food she hated. During dinner, Lily asked Hao Ren to help improve her limited ranged combat abilities, leaving him to consider a firepower upgrade for her.

  • Hao Ren returned home with meat and Little Weakling, and Lily rushed to greet him and claim the meat for dinner.
  • Little Weakling woke frightened, then recognized Vivian and drank water; the others noticed she had become calmer than before.
  • Little Weakling hid from a bowl of cold noodles, leading Hao Ren and the others to suspect Raven 12345 had repeatedly fed her noodles to tame her.
  • Doudou set Nangong Sanba's clothes on fire during dinner, and May put out the flames while Vivian dealt with Fish Baby.
  • Lily told Hao Ren that her Dog Cannon quickly exhausted her energy and asked him to devise a firepower upgrade.

Ch. 1633Lily's New Equipment

Hao Ren designed and built Heavy-Armored Lily MK-I to improve Lily’s beastified combat form, then took her to Erem’s satellite to test it. The collar expanded into heavy combat armor, and its systems began reporting online.

  • Lily asked Hao Ren to upgrade her combat equipment, and he agreed to improve the weaknesses of her beastified form.
  • Hao Ren and the others discussed Lily’s combat needs, while Roll confused the phrase “sucking cats” and brought Hao Ren a straw.
  • Hao Ren and the Data Terminal designed and manufactured Heavy-Armored Lily MK-I as a heavy mobile firepower platform.
  • Hao Ren took Lily and the others to a weapons testing station on Erem’s satellite and gave Lily a small activation collar.
  • Lily transformed, and the collar expanded into heavy armor as its systems—including weapons, support devices, and a doggy communication device—reported normal.

Ch. 1634Armored Siege Lily Beast

Hao Ren unveiled a powerful battle armor for Lily, which transformed her into an armored siege beast and let her speak in her Big Dog form. After Lily tested its weapons and features, the armor folded back into a collar, and she thanked Hao Ren for the gift.

  • Hao Ren showed Lily the battle armor, which unfolded from her collar and covered most of her transformed body.
  • Lily discovered that the armor’s Doggy Communication Device let her speak while transformed, then learned to control its systems through the brainwave reader.
  • Hao Ren explained the armor’s shields, missiles, sensors, air-defense beam array, and targeting system, while Lily tested its features.
  • Lily asked where Hao Ren would ride, and he revealed a chair, passenger pod, and seats built into the armor.
  • Lily returned to human form as the armor collapsed into a collar, and Hao Ren explained that it stored the equipment in a connected space.
  • Lily told Hao Ren that she liked the armor and thanked him.

Ch. 1635Raven 12345's Progress

Hao Ren learned that Raven 12345 had finished analyzing the Amantir Crystal and received a reassembled coordinate marker that Giant Turtle Rock Platform could read directly. Raven warned him to prepare for the greatest challenge he had faced so far.

  • Hao Ren explained that Lily’s combat armor could support the team with defensive fields and emergency medical systems, and warned her that its emergency disengagement function could leave the armor fighting independently until it was destroyed.
  • Nangong May asked for similar armor, but Izax and Vivian said it would not suit them; Hao Ren joked that borrowing rare treasures from Raven 12345 would be more useful.
  • Vivian reminded Hao Ren that Raven 12345’s promised analysis of the Amantir Crystal was due, and Raven soon summoned him to the divine kingdom with news that she had solved the coordinates.
  • Raven 12345 gave Hao Ren a coordinate marker assembled from the recovered data, explaining that it no longer needed the three original crystals and could interface directly with Giant Turtle Rock Platform.
  • Raven 12345 told Hao Ren to prepare because the next undertaking might be the greatest challenge he had faced.

Ch. 1636Management Terminal?

Raven 12345 gave Hao Ren a Star Domain Divine Race World Management Terminal to connect to the Creation Goddess's Throne Network and replace Vivian as its control core. Hao Ren prepared to take the device into the Dark Domain, where it could help him escape the shattered divine kingdom and revive his team once.

  • Hao Ren considered the dangers of entering the Creation Goddess's lost divine kingdom in the Dark Domain.
  • Raven 12345 presented Hao Ren with a World Tree seed, explaining that it would grow into a World Management Terminal comparable to a Sovereign Hub.
  • Raven 12345 explained that the Terminal would connect to the Throne Network and replace Vivian as its control core, with the Creation Goddess sharing administrator authority with Hao Ren.
  • Raven 12345 warned that the Terminal could be dangerous to operate but would activate automatically when placed near the Throne Network's highest connection port.
  • Raven 12345 said the Terminal could pull Hao Ren and his companions out of the shattered divine kingdom and grant each of them one full-health resurrection.

Ch. 1637Talkative Goddess

Hao Ren received the World Management Terminal and learned that Doudou had to accompany him to the Dark Domain. After returning home, he told Vivian and the others that the expedition to find the Creation Goddess’s divine kingdom was ready to begin and revealed the World Tree seed.

  • Raven 12345 explained that the World Management Terminal could restore order in the Dream Plane, but its resurrection mark could only be used once in the Dark Domain.
  • Hao Ren took food from Raven 12345’s desk, then learned from her Prophecy Crystal that he had to bring Doudou on the mission.
  • The Prophecy Crystal revealed that Lily had stolen Hao Ren’s pork rib rice and that Vivian was making egg fried rice while electrocuting Lily.
  • Hao Ren returned home and told Vivian and the others that the marker leading to the Creation Goddess’s divine kingdom had been completed.
  • Hao Ren showed the group the World Tree seed and explained that it could replace Vivian as the CPU on the Throne of the End.

Ch. 1638Getting Ready to Set Out

Hao Ren and his companions prepared for their expedition into the Dark Domain, discussing the risks, the World Tree Seed, and the need to bring Dodo. After the meeting, Hao Ren comforted Vivian as she worried about meeting the Creation Goddess, and they planned to plant the World Tree at the hub before setting out.

  • Lily’s noisy excitement brought the household together to inspect the World Tree Seed and Dark Domain beacon, and Hao Ren explained how the seed could connect to the Throne Network.
  • Hao Ren shared snacks from Raven 12345, and the group discussed the dangers awaiting them in the lost divine kingdom and the possibility of confronting surviving God Slayers or lingering disasters.
  • Hao Ren told the group that Raven 12345’s prophecy required them to bring Dodo, and he explained that they needed to plant the World Tree before using the Giant Turtle Rock Platform to enter the Dark Domain and open a passage for the army.
  • Vivian and Hao Ren agreed that they would plant the tree at the hub and then inform Salamander and the Guardian Giants about their coming march into the Dark Domain.
  • On the roof, Vivian admitted that she was nervous about meeting the Creation Goddess and worried she had failed her creator’s expectations, so Hao Ren reassured her with jokes and promised to make the goddess do homework if she mistreated Vivian.

Ch. 1639Planting the Tree

Hao Ren and his companions returned to the Hub to connect the World Tree Seed to the Throne of the End, hoping the World Tree would help restore the Dream Plane and prepare the Guardians to search the Dark Domain for their mother. After gaining the fairies’ permission to enter the throne hall, Hao Ren placed the seed on the throne.

  • Salamander and the Guardian Legion began traveling between Tanagrus and the Hub, helping rebuild the Dream Plane and ease its labor shortage.
  • Hao Ren and Salamander surveyed the busy Tanagrus spaceport and discussed how the World Tree Seed could help them search for their mother in the Dark Domain.
  • Hao Ren’s group returned to the Hub, where the Guardians and drones continued clearing war damage and rebuilding defenses.
  • Vivian reunited with the fairies, and Hao Ren explained that connecting the World Tree would not take away her role as their queen.
  • The fairies let Hao Ren’s group enter the Throne of the End, where Hao Ren placed the World Tree Seed on the throne.

Ch. 1640What a Huge Tree

Hao Ren and his companions installed the World Tree Seed on the Throne of the End, and it grew into a colossal tree connecting Hub Star to the Dream Plane. With the World Tree’s main control system online, Hao Ren prepared his companions for their first expedition into the Dark Domain.

  • Hao Ren’s group waited as the World Tree Seed began its startup and spread glowing patterns through the hall.
  • The World Tree rapidly enveloped Crystal Peak, cleared the planet’s cloud layer, and connected with the universe through an immense network of threads.
  • Hao Ren and his companions returned to the Throne of the End hall and saw that the throne had been sealed inside the World Tree’s central vines.
  • Hao Ren accessed the World Tree’s automatic control system and gathered the expedition team to set their resurrection points.
  • The World Tree recorded the team members’ information snapshots as rings of light surrounded them, while Salamander watched from outside.

Ch. 1641March into the Dark Domain

Hao Ren and his team prepared for a one-life exploration of the Dark Domain, then the Giant Turtle Rock Platform jumped there using the divine kingdom beacon. The ship arrived safely and remained hidden, but Nolan reported that it appeared to be inside an atmosphere.

  • Hao Ren explained the soul-binding marks, revival rules, and emergency return procedures to Lily, Vivian, Izax, and Elizabeth.
  • Vivian encouraged the team, and Hao Ren coordinated with Salamander as the Guardians and drone legion stood by at the spaceport.
  • Hao Ren placed the divine kingdom beacon into the console, and Nolan guided the Giant Turtle Rock Platform through a dangerous void jump.
  • The ship reached the beacon destination, and Hao Ren ordered Nolan to check its stealth status and restart the external monitors.
  • Nolan confirmed the ship remained hidden but reported that it seemed to be inside an atmosphere with an extremely comfortable environment.

Ch. 1642This Place Wasn't Dark at All

Hao Ren and his companions entered the Dark Domain expecting a shattered wasteland, but found a thriving world of settlements and many races. When they discovered they could not ascend beyond the atmosphere, Hao Ren ordered them to investigate the surface, and the group set out disguised as travelers.

  • Nolan confirmed that the ship had reached the Dark Domain, where the crew saw a bright world with mountains, lakes, and settlements below.
  • When Nolan could not raise Giant Turtle Rock Platform beyond a fixed altitude, Hao Ren forbade a risky jump and ordered the ship to descend.
  • Hao Ren sent a probe to a nearby city and observed medieval-style buildings and crowds that included humans, Werewolves, Lizardmen, and Cat people.
  • Hao Ren arranged local traveler clothing, left Nolan to follow invisibly from above, and led the group down to the surface.

Ch. 1643The Mage Who Was Thrown Out

Hao Ren and his companions disguised themselves as travelers and explored White Maple City while Vivian’s bats and Nolan’s probes gathered intelligence. Their tour led them to a Mercenary Guild, where a dispute involving a mage named Lia ended with her being thrown outside.

  • Hao Ren’s group entered White Maple City in disguise, with Elizabeth using mental magic to help them pass the gate’s identity check.
  • Lily enthusiastically explored the streets, while Hao Ren urged her to keep a low profile as Vivian’s bats mapped the city.
  • Vivian reported stronger magical activity near the city center, and Nolan spotted facilities that might serve as communication base stations.
  • Hao Ren and his companions pushed through a crowd outside the Mercenary Guild and learned that the mage Lia was recruiting test subjects despite being blacklisted.
  • The guild doors burst open, and a petite girl was thrown outside.

Ch. 1644Lia

Hao Ren and his companions met Lia, a notorious mage who had been thrown out of the Mercenary Guild after no one would take her dangerous commission. They offered to help her, and Lia agreed to hire them despite their lack of registration.

  • Lia was thrown out of the Mercenary Guild after its gatekeeper refused to accept her hazardous commissions.
  • Lia left the guild and headed toward the Mage District while the mercenaries kept their distance from her.
  • Hao Ren and his companions followed Lia into an alley and explained that they were interested in her commission.
  • Lia suspected the group might be unregistered adventurers, and Hao Ren's companions admitted they lacked mercenary registration.
  • Lia agreed to take the group on, telling them to come with her.

Ch. 1645The Down-and-Out Mage

Hao Ren and his companions accepted Lia’s invitation to hear about her commission and followed her to her shabby mage tower in White Maple City. After Lia introduced her eccentric mage ancestors, she noticed a tiny girl sitting on Vivian’s shoulder, leaving the group surprised.

  • Lia invited Hao Ren and his companions to her mage tower and offered them a commission to accompany her to some ruins.
  • Hao Ren agreed to hear the commission’s details, and Lia led the group through White Maple City’s alleys to the Mage District.
  • Lia showed the group her dilapidated tower, whose magical facilities still worked, and served them tea inside.
  • Lia described how her mage ancestors had met their ends through reckless encounters with dragons.
  • Lia noticed a tiny girl perched on Vivian’s shoulder, and Hao Ren reacted with surprise.

Ch. 1646Lia's Commission

Hao Ren and his companions introduced themselves to Lia and discussed her commission to explore an ancient ruin near Longfeng Ridge. The chapter ended with Lia revealing that the ruin lay underground beside the Great Pit, though she claimed they would not need to enter it.

  • Little Weakling appeared from Vivian’s shoulder, then merged into Vivian’s body to hide from Raven 12345.
  • Hao Ren pretended that Vivian was a spirit medium to explain Little Weakling to Lia.
  • Hao Ren introduced the group as adventurers and gave them fabricated professions and identities.
  • Lia introduced herself as a mage and scholar who had discovered clues to an ancient ruin and offered to double the usual guard rate.
  • Lia told Hao Ren that the ruin was underground in Longfeng Ridge, adjacent to the Great Pit.

Ch. 1647Checking the Information

Hao Ren's group accepted Lia's commission to accompany her on an expedition near the Great Pit and spent the night researching the world in her mage tower. Their reading began to reveal local history, while Vivian discovered that she could summon Little Weakling but could not control her.

  • Lia warned Hao Ren's group about dangers near the Great Pit, and they agreed to leave the next day on the condition that she supplied their expedition provisions.
  • Lia offered the group rooms and access to the second-floor study, and Hao Ren asked to borrow books about local customs, history, and the ruins.
  • The group discussed their detour from searching for the Creation Goddess, then followed Hao Ren's assignments to research the books in the study.
  • Hao Ren summoned Little Weakling, who resisted him with weak shadow bolts but agreed to behave in exchange for meat.
  • Vivian explained that she could summon or retract Little Weakling but could not control her actions.

Ch. 1648Discovery in a Book

Hao Ren and his companions researched the Great Pit, a vast and dangerous network of underground hollows, and considered whether it was an ancient shelter built to survive the Calamity from Above. They ended with the possibility that the dismissed scholar Ronzel’s theory was true and that the Great Pit was worth exploring.

  • The Little Weakling showed three traits as a Summoning Unit: she remained weak, ignored most commands, and concealed her aura when she returned to Vivian’s body; Vivian sensed that the creature’s emotions and individuality were developing.
  • Vivian and Hao Ren found that records of the Great Pit appeared in many histories and heroic tales, while Lily described it as a sprawling network of underground cavities beneath La Rian and possibly beyond.
  • Vivian explained that the Great Pit lay near the surface in the far north, where poisonous gases and monsters had contributed to deadly accidents and the destruction of a kingdom.
  • Hao Ren wondered whether the Great Pit contained another Firstborn, but Vivian argued that its location and the absence of traces of a Firstborn made that unlikely.
  • Nangong Sanba shared scholar Ronzel’s theory that the Great Pit was an ancient civilization’s shelter from the Calamity from Above, and Hao Ren said the theory might be true.
  • Hao Ren’s group considered the Great Pit worth exploring if Ronzel’s account was accurate.

Ch. 1649Wasteland in the Sky

Hao Ren and his companions planned to investigate the Great Pit, but Nolan’s patrol revealed a shattered world passing across the night sky. Lia explained competing legends about the Shattered Heaven and defended her belief that mortals had created the new world; the group was set to leave for the Great Pit the next day.

  • Hao Ren closed his geography book and told the group to prepare to follow Lia toward the Great Pit the next day.
  • Nolan contacted Hao Ren from his high-altitude patrol and alerted everyone to an astonishing sight in the sky.
  • Hao Ren and his companions saw enormous shattered continents and floating islands crossing the night sky, which Lia identified as the Shattered Heaven.
  • Lia described several explanations for the Shattered Heaven and said she believed it was the old homeland of their ancestors, remade into La Rian by mortal power.
  • Lia dismissed the divine kingdom explanation as unscientific, while Hao Ren said he supported it without rejecting her account.
  • Lia said she would return to rest and reminded the group that they were setting out the next day.

Ch. 1650Journey to the Ruins

Hao Ren’s group left White Maple City with Lia to investigate ancient ruins near Longfeng Ridge, while Nolan continued studying the shattered heaven from La Rian. After reaching a dense forest, Hao Ren sensed an unsettling force dulling his thoughts as they prepared to enter the ruins.

  • Nolan reported seeing damaged artificial structures and possible temple fragments among the celestial remains, and Hao Ren ordered her to map the shattered heaven and investigate why they could not leave La Rian’s atmosphere.
  • Lia transformed a brass carriage model into a working carriage, and she and Hao Ren’s group set out from White Maple City toward the ruins.
  • After two days of travel, the group reached a dense forest beside Longfeng Ridge and left their horses behind when the trail became impassable.
  • Lia warned that leaking magical energy from the exposed ruins might make the forest’s creatures aggressive, while Hao Ren sensed that something was slowing his thoughts.
Arc 66 of 71