Chapter Summaries

Angel met Qubige, the pink flying pig Camus had adopted, and learned that Camus wanted him to bind Qubige with a complete Dingyuan Merck Oath so it would leave Wind Island for the human world. Gentle Wind Uranus then confirmed that Feng had often spoken of fate and said he came to the Tidal Realm by following it, leaving Angel to suspect Feng had arranged another scheme.

• Camus made Qubige apologize to Angel for urging its companions to grab Angel’s clothes.
• Angel realized Camus wanted him to impose a complete Dingyuan Merck Oath on Qubige and asked why; Camus said he hoped Qubige would leave Wind Island and see the wider world.
• Camus revealed that he believed Angel would take Qubige to the human world and asked him to decide before leaving Wind Island.
• Camus told Angel that Feng had introduced the phrase “will of heaven,” and Gentle Wind Uranus arrived and confirmed Feng often spoke of fate.
• Angel asked about Feng’s remarks and concluded that Feng might have set another scheme in the Tidal Realm.

Angel presented Gentle Wind Uranus with a Drama Shadow Box about the human world and the Tidal Realm’s future, then brought Anoto back to White Cloud Township. Gentle Wind Uranus promised to discuss the Shadow Box and tell Angel about Feng the day after tomorrow, while Angel chose to visit the Forbidden Peak, where Feng had once lived.

• Dangros bounced on Gentle Wind Uranus’s cloud cushion, and Gentle Wind Uranus and Camus the Wise asked Angel about Toby’s resemblance to Kalomengqisi.
• Angel showed Gentle Wind Uranus and Camus the Wise his Drama Shadow Box and gave them another set to pass on to Greenwild Plains.
• Angel explained Anoto’s situation, and Gentle Wind Uranus ordered Anoto to remain in the Yellow Sand Cage until he had reflected on his actions.
• Gentle Wind Uranus told Angel he would share his thoughts on the Shadow Box and information about Feng the day after tomorrow.
• Camus the Wise offered Angel the choice of visiting White Sea Bay, the Forbidden Peak, or exploring Wind Island with Anoto, and Angel chose the Forbidden Peak.
• Angel refused to let Harriken visit his former subordinates at White Sea Bay yet, and Camus agreed to relay Angel’s decision to Gentle Wind Uranus.

Angel discovered a hidden passage behind the mural of Gentle Wind Uranus in Feng’s palace and followed its mysterious aura to a wall covered in rune patterns. He realized the patterns powered the Magic Cottage, but their crude, apprentice-like construction left him wondering why they emitted a mysterious aura.

• Angel sensed a faint mysterious aura near a portrait of Gentle Wind Uranus and compared the portrait with Feng’s crude map sketch.
• Angel used spiritual force to find a concealed passage behind Gentle Wind Uranus’s nostril in the mural.
• Angel shrank himself with a Transformation spell and entered the passage, expecting to find a treasure or another route between worlds.
• Angel found a wall covered in rune patterns and deduced that they supplied energy to keep the Magic Cottage standing.
• Angel found no hidden object or mechanism and began studying the crude rune pattern, which appeared to have been drawn by a beginner.

Angel investigated the Magic Cottage’s crude energy-conversion rune and concluded that a mysterious pen had enabled Feng to make it work, but he found no useful treasure or reproducible knowledge. Back in the palace, he met Qubige and began examining Feng’s paintings for clues.

• Angel repeatedly failed to reproduce the wall rune and discovered that mysterious power radiated from its conversion angle, leading him to suspect Feng had inscribed it with a mysterious pen.
• Angel left the hidden passage, decided the Magic Cottage was not worth taking, and found Qubige waiting in the palace under orders from the Wise One.
• Angel gathered Toby and searched the palace while Qubige questioned Dangros and Anoto about the hidden passage and then investigated it himself.
• Angel examined Feng’s paintings, found landscapes from across the world but no clear secrets, and memorized them in case Lord Rhein or others could recognize something later.
• After studying most of the paintings, Angel stopped before one of them.

Angel examined Feng’s paintings at Forbidden Peak and identified one as the glowing road seen in prophecies by Sparrow Sparrow and Dodolo. After visiting White Sea Bay and meeting the Three Wind Generals, Angel returned to Wind Island, where Bean Vine Jack arrived with word that Proliferation Greme’s avatar seed wanted to meet him.

• Angel recognized a painting of a glowing road through the void and believed it was the road from Sparrow Sparrow’s and Dodolo’s prophecies, possibly a clue Feng had left behind.
• Angel found no further clues in the palace, then left for White Sea Bay with Qubige while Anoto reminisced about distant scenery and its sister Salmado.
• Angel questioned the Three Wind Generals about themselves and ordered them to gather information about the other wind-element creatures.
• Angel returned to Wind Island, where Bean Vine Jack greeted Anoto and told Angel that Proliferation Greme’s avatar seed had arrived and wished to meet him.

Angel met Gentle Wind Uranus and Proliferation Greme to discuss the Drama Shadow Box and the future relationship between humans and elemental creatures. Both monarchs agreed to meet with Mr. Ma Gu and the visitors from Savage Cave, and Angel stayed behind with Gentle Wind Uranus to ask about Feng’s plans and the treasure he left in the Tidal Realm.

• Gentle Wind Uranus introduced Angel to Proliferation Greme and showed his respect for Angel by leaving his throne to sit beside him.
• Angel, Gentle Wind Uranus, and Proliferation Greme exchanged views on the Drama Shadow Box trilogy, including humanity, wizard-elemental partnerships, and the Tidal Realm’s future.
• Angel explained that voluntary agreements with wizards could benefit elemental creatures, and both monarchs agreed to meet Mr. Ma Gu and the visitors from Savage Cave before deciding their course.
• Proliferation Greme gave Angel and Toby Golden Apples, then invited them to visit the Greenwild Plains before leaving Wind Island.
• Angel remained with Gentle Wind Uranus and asked what Feng had arranged in the Tidal Realm and what treasure Feng had left behind.

Angel learned that Feng had been drawn to the Tidal Realm by fate, but gained little about the reasons behind his plans or the painting “Light Road.” After leaving Wind Island with several wind-element companions, Angel reached Soft Wave Sea ahead of schedule and agreed to consider Qubige as a possible elemental partner.

• Angel learned from Gentle Wind Uranus that Feng had followed Fate Guidance to the Tidal Realm and that Frost Isel and Naimeicui might know more about “Light Road.”
• Angel arranged for nearly a hundred wind-element creatures and three wind generals to remain on Wind Island, with Sage Camus and Gentle Wind Uranus overseeing them.
• Angel brought Lober and Swift Spirit aboard the Gondola, and Swift Spirit boosted its speed so they reached Soft Wave Sea in half a day.
• Angel brought Qubige along after Sage Camus asked him to consider making the sprite his elemental partner, and he agreed to assess their compatibility first.

Angel traveled by sea toward the Maraya Iceberg and studied Qubige, realizing the wind spirit’s obsession centered on Sage Camus and that Camus had persuaded him to leave Wind Island without telling him the real reason. When Dangros pressed Qubige about Camus’s mysterious true form, Qubige began to reveal it.

• Angel and his companions sailed smoothly across the Soft Wave Sea toward the Maraya Iceberg while Toby watched Qubige, hoping he might transform like the flying pig from a film.
• Angel inferred that Qubige’s misbehavior on Wind Island had been an attempt to win Camus’s attention and that Qubige remained attached to the island.
• Qubige told Angel that Camus had encouraged him to travel and grow, unaware that Camus had wanted to send him away.
• Angel chose not to expose Camus’s deception or consider Qubige as an elemental companion unless Qubige freely wanted it.
• Angel redirected Dangros’s questions toward a rumor about Camus’s true form, and Dangros pressed Qubige to answer.
• Qubige began revealing Sage Camus’s true form.

On the Gondola, Angel and Lober's tail head speculated that Qubige might be an independent clone of Camus, though Angel still could not explain why Camus hid its true form. After arranging for Nis to be contacted, Angel entered the Dream Wilderness to check on Frod and found someone else in his office.

• Qubige said Camus's true form looked exactly like him, prompting Angel to ask Lober's tail head for its thoughts.
• Lober's tail head suggested Camus might have shown Qubige a false form, then considered that the two might share a special connection.
• Qubige described being born beside Camus, and Angel grew more convinced that Qubige was a clone who had developed an independent consciousness.
• Angel decided not to let Qubige become an elemental partner unless Camus clarified the unresolved questions.
• Angel used the Church of the Dead and Dream Conch to arrange contact with Nis, then entered the Dream Wilderness.
• Angel went to Frod's office in Skyvault Tower and discovered someone else there with Frod.

Angel met Dumartin in Dream Wilderness and learned that the research-minded wizard was studying Firstheart City's residents. Angel allowed Dumartin to investigate them using prisoners if needed, then heard that Yada had completed his possession training but was causing trouble at Star-Lake Castle.

• Dumartin greeted Angel, asked about his ability to choose an entry point in Dream Wilderness, and invited him to exchange ideas.
• Frod told Angel that Dumartin had spent hours reading records of Firstheart City's residents, and Angel agreed to let him study prisoners rather than innocent residents.
• Angel learned that Yada had completed possession training and cleared the death energy from his soul.
• Frod reported that Yada had been possessing people at Star-Lake Castle and recently made roasted meat as a maid, upsetting her when she woke up.

Frod told Angel that reports of a ghost suggested the farm owner killed by Little Saim might have reached Saint Saim City, prompting Angel to ensure Little Saim was protected. Angel then spoke with Dumartin about studying Dream Realm residents’ bodies and agreed to provide criminal subjects instead of the law-abiding residents Dumartin had selected.

• Frod explained that Yada’s possessions frightened Star-Lake Castle’s residents, while Sunny remained at risk of corruption and required Frod’s constant watch.
• Frod told Angel that reports of ghosts traced a path from the Silver Yun Duchy toward Saint Saim City, and Angel warned Frod to protect Little Saim in case the ghost was the farm owner seeking revenge.
• Frod said Neya had stationed the Imperial Wizard Corps around Star-Lake Castle and was personally helping protect Little Saim.
• Angel visited Dumartin, who described his interest in studying the bodies of Firstheart City’s residents and asked Angel to provide people for his research.
• Angel agreed to support Dumartin’s research but refused to use the law-abiding residents listed in Dumartin’s records, proposing that they study criminals instead.

Angel brought Dumartin to a canyon in the Dream Wilderness so he could study its animals, then sent him to seek elemental creatures from Rhein. Angel went to New City to arrange an exhibition of Feng’s paintings from Forbidden Peak before leaving the Tidal Realm.

• Dumartin asked Angel for login devices so he could research how different creatures’ bodies formed in the Dream Wilderness, and Angel offered him access to a canyon instead.
• Angel led Dumartin through the canyon, where trees opened a path and a herd of ordinary animals charged toward them before the trees sealed the way again.
• Dumartin examined the animals and said elemental creatures would make the best research specimens, so Angel offered to take him to Rhein, who had some in the Dream Wilderness.
• Angel arranged for Dumartin to log out and back in near New City, where Dumartin headed toward Rhein at Rosewater Hall.
• Angel left without approaching Rhein and went to find a conspicuous venue for an exhibition of Feng’s paintings, hoping other wizards might notice secrets he had missed.

Angel planned an exhibition of nearly a hundred paintings by the Magic Painting Witch Feng, hoping other wizards might uncover secrets he had missed. Liana arranged for the show to open at Rosewater Hall and later move to a secluded manor, where Rhein, Iron Armor Granny, and Dumartin began inspecting the paintings for clues.

• Angel searched the task dispatch area for a suitable exhibition venue and told Liana he wanted to display Feng's paintings to investigate whether they concealed secrets.
• Liana persuaded Angel to hold the exhibition in New City for an extended period and proposed a secluded manor behind Rosewater Hall, but Angel rejected it as too remote.
• Angel and Liana agreed to display the paintings at Rosewater Hall before the Tea Party and move them to the manor once the event began.
• Liana converted Rosewater Hall's second floor into a gallery, drawing Rhein, Iron Armor Granny, and Dumartin to see the paintings.
• Rhein and the others recognized Feng's work and questioned Angel about the collection of previously unseen paintings, but he urged them to look for clues themselves.

Angel displayed the Magic Painting Witch’s paintings, leaving Rhein and Iron Armor Granny to suspect they depicted a subsidiary plane. He then found a new patch of pink Sin Mist near a mountain forest and warned Frod that its flying Sin Creatures might eventually reach Firstheart City.

• Dumartin told Angel that Tidewave Garden’s sole water-element creature was being studied by Woodleaf Rose Nian Night Sylvie, 'Old White' Wallace, and the Tree Spirit Lord, so he could not obtain it.
• Rhein, Iron Armor Granny, Liana, and Dumartin examined Angel’s paintings but could not explain their strange scenes, while Angel repeated his earlier explanation and left.
• Rhein and Iron Armor Granny suspected that Feng’s paintings depicted a subsidiary plane rather than places native to the Wizarding World.
• Angel found pink Sin Mist shrouding a small hill and summoned Frod to inspect it.
• Angel told Frod the mist was a Flying Nest that could produce flying Sin Creatures, which might spread to Firstheart City about a thousand li away.

Angel traveled across the Soft Wave Sea toward Maraya Iceberg and learned from Lober that Frost Isel might be more approachable than the Fire Region’s account suggested. With Ice Kara guiding the Gondola, they continued toward the moving iceberg, while Angel planned for Lober to contact Frost Isel.

• Angel returned from the Dream Wilderness to the Gondola and asked Lober about Maraya Iceberg and Frost Isel.
• Lober described Frost Isel as kind and explained that Stormwind Ridge had friendly ties with Maraya Iceberg because Hurricane Xiubolio had studied wind control under her.
• Angel assigned Lober to contact Frost Isel when they arrived.
• The Gondola passed a small iceberg where Angel spotted a snow leopard, and Lober went down to speak with her.
• Lober introduced the snow leopard as Ice Kara, who offered to guide them because she was also trying to return to Maraya Iceberg after her iceberg drifted away.

Angel traveled across Maraya Iceberg with Lober and encountered Troisha, ruler of the Mena Ice River, who offered to take him to Frost Isel in exchange for Dangros. Angel refused to hand Dangros over, leaving them to find another way to reach Frost Isel’s palace.

• Ice Kara brought Angel and his companions to Maraya Iceberg, then refused to guide them and warned them that flying through the creatures’ airspace could provoke them.
• Angel crossed the ice on foot, avoiding several territories before entering the domain of a powerful water-element creature at an ice river.
• Troisha emerged from the Mena Ice River, and Lober identified her as one of the powerful guardians around Frost Isel’s palace.
• Troisha offered to take Angel directly to Frost Isel’s palace if he handed Dangros over to her.
• Angel refused Troisha’s demand and chose to keep Dangros with him.

Angel persuaded Troisha to let him meet Lord Frost by revealing Toby’s resemblance to Kalomengqisi and trading Troisha an experience with Ocean Rhythm. Troisha sent Angel and his companions through the ice river toward Lord Frost’s palace, then explained that she had wanted to meet Dangros to judge whether it deserved to call itself Kalomengqisi’s descendant.

• Angel refused Troisha’s demand to leave and said he had an important matter concerning the Tidal Realm to discuss with Lord Frost.
• Angel transformed Toby into a flaming griffin resembling Kalomengqisi, convincing Troisha that his business might affect the Tidal Realm’s future.
• Angel offered Troisha an experience with Ocean Rhythm in exchange for being sent to Lord Frost’s palace, and Troisha accepted after gaining a profound insight from it.
• Troisha opened an ice river and sent Angel and his companions through it inside a bubble, accompanying them in her mermaid form.
• Angel asked why Troisha had wanted Dangros, and Troisha said she had hoped to judge whether it deserved to call itself Kalomengqisi’s descendant before dismissing it with a disdainful glance.

Angel entered Maraya Iceberg’s Crystal Palace to meet Frost Isel and discuss Mr. Feng, while Sage Aikimo claimed Angel’s arrival was guided by fate. Frost Isel questioned whether Angel was the person Mr. Feng had predicted would follow his footsteps, then tested him with a sudden surge of pressure that Ermi blocked.

• Angel and his companions reached the Crystal Palace after Frost Isel let them pass through the blizzard and Troisha escorted them to its entrance.
• Angel entered the palace, crossed its Four Seasons Theater, and approached Frost Isel on the Frozen Throne.
• Frost Isel asked about Mr. Feng, and Angel said he had followed in Mr. Feng’s footsteps to reach the realm.
• Sage Aikimo appeared and said fate had guided Angel there, prompting Angel to suspect Aikimo was repeating things he had heard from Mr. Feng.
• Frost Isel recalled Mr. Feng’s prediction that someone might follow in his footsteps and asked Angel whether he was that person.
• Frost Isel released a wave of pressure toward Angel, and Ermi revealed himself to block it.

Angel confronted Frost Isel, who tested his qualifications and then agreed to share what she knew about Feng. After watching Angel’s Shadow Box Trilogy, Frost Isel accepted his proposal to open the portal and promised to support him and meet Sage Ma Gu in the Fire Region.

• Frost Isel raised her pressure against Angel’s companions, but Angel’s Green Patterns and the guards’ strength made her recognize him as a serious threat.
• Frost Isel explained that she had tested Angel to see whether he was qualified to follow Feng, then accepted that he had passed.
• Angel recalled his companions, and Frost Isel learned that Lober and Swift Spirit had signed a twenty-year Dingyuan Merck Oath with him.
• Frost Isel invited Angel to enter Feng’s former home alone, but Angel first showed her the Shadow Box Trilogy and its vision of the Tidal Realm’s future.
• After watching the trilogy, Frost Isel agreed to Angel’s proposal, pledged to stand with him, and promised to meet Sage Ma Gu in the Fire Region.

Angel learned that Frost Isel trusted him because Feng had been waiting for him, and that Feng had once returned to the Tidal Realm six hundred years ago. Frost Isel revealed that Feng discussed the paths of fate during that return, leaving Angel to wonder why Feng had chosen him.

• Angel accompanied Frost Isel through the White Gate, and she explained that her experience in the void had made her willing to cooperate with human wizards and that she trusted him because Feng had been waiting for him.
• Frost Isel showed Angel the mural Feng had painted of her and explained that Feng had spoken of fate as having many paths shaped by different choices.
• Angel realized Feng had foreseen someone following in his footsteps, but Frost Isel said she did not know why Feng had chosen him.
• Frost Isel told Angel that Feng had returned to the Tidal Realm six hundred years ago, the same period when Odecras said Feng had visited Ice Valley in the Abyss.
• Frost Isel revealed that Feng had spoken about the paths of fate during his return six hundred years ago.