Chapter Summaries

Richard’s attack left Mas apparently unharmed, but Mas later collapsed into an unresponsive state after reaching Wan An. Wan An brought Wizard Feili to see Mas and accused Richard of hiding his true identity, leaving Feili to consider whether Guluo was real.

• Richard followed Mas after the Power of Fate seemed to have no effect on him.
• Mas reached Wan An’s building, then collapsed and became unresponsive as he tried to speak.
• Wan An carried Mas inside and suspected Richard had inflicted the condition as a warning or threat.
• Wan An brought Wizard Feili to examine Mas and claimed Richard had harmed his student to silence him.
• Wan An told Feili that Richard’s claim to be Guluo’s student might be false, since they had never clearly seen Guluo.

Wan An accused Richard of being an impostor who had killed Guluo and led Feili and Auer to search Guluo’s residence for evidence and her inheritance. Richard appeared from a secret room, and Wan An’s confidence faltered when Richard pointed out their personal grievances.

• Wan An convinced Feili that Richard was likely a dangerous impostor and persuaded him to help expose Richard and claim Guluo’s inheritance.
• Wan An brought Feili and Auer to the Wooden Building and found Guluo’s preserved corpse in the underground space.
• Wan An declared that the corpse proved Richard was a fraud and proposed searching the residence and taking its valuables.
• Richard emerged from a secret room, and Wan An accused him of killing Guluo and threatened to expose him.
• Richard questioned why Wan An would spare him despite their conflict, making Wan An realize Richard was more perceptive than he had assumed.

Richard confronted Wan An and Feili after they threatened to expose his identity, then killed Auer with the Blood-Red Short Staff and crippled Wan An when he attacked. Wan An claimed several people were ready to spread the news, but Richard calmly suggested he could reshape the situation instead of escaping the trap.

• Richard questioned whether Wan An and the others could stop him, then attacked as Auer and Feili prepared to cast spells and Wan An moved to raise the alarm.
• Richard used the Blood-Red Short Staff to shatter Auer’s defenses and kill him, though the weapon damaged Richard’s magic source.
• Feili begged Richard to let him go and offered to help silence Wan An’s contact, while Wan An insisted several people knew about Richard’s identity.
• Wan An attacked Richard with Stone Cones, but Richard blocked them with a Non-Newtonian Fluid Shield and struck Wan An’s feet with silver needles.
• Richard picked up a broken Stone Cone and told Wan An that he did not have to break out of the plan from within, hinting that he could reshape it.

Richard revealed that he had let Wan An frame him as a spy so he could turn the accusation against Wan An and Feili, then prepared to leave the underground chamber. After Richard escaped, a device he had planted detonated, engulfing the chamber in white light and leaving Feili unconscious.

• Richard explained that he had planned to use a supposed spy attack and a staged scene to make Wan An and his allies appear responsible for Guluo's death.
• Richard called for Pandora, who finished packing the supplies into Eden Garden and climbed into the Space Suitcase.
• Feili reached for his pendant, but a needle pierced his hand and exploded, destroying half his arm; Richard warned him to cooperate.
• Richard placed the Energy Membrane-wrapped metal ball on the ground, said farewell, and sped out of the underground space.
• Feili and Wan An rushed toward the exit as the metal ball's membrane broke and the device exploded, filling the chamber with white light and rendering Feili unconscious.

After an explosion destroyed Master Guluo’s residence, Eva stopped Van Helsing from killing the unconscious Richard and ordered an investigation. Several days later, Richard testified at a public trial that Wan An, Feili, and Auer had ambushed Guluo, but Van Helsing interrupted before the gathering reached a conclusion.

• An explosion destroyed Master Guluo’s building and left Richard unconscious beside a huge crater.
• Van Helsing tried to kill Richard, but Typhon stopped him and argued that the facts had not been investigated.
• Eva arrived, halted the confrontation, and ordered Richard taken away for a thorough investigation.
• At a public trial several days later, Eva questioned Richard about the explosion while using a mental spell to influence him.
• Richard testified that Wan An, Feili, and Auer had ambushed Master Guluo, who helped Richard escape before perishing with them in the explosion.
• After Eva summarized Richard’s account, the Wizards fell silent until Van Helsing stood up and interrupted.

Eva questioned Richard Austin at the Public Trial and kept his freedom restricted while the investigation continued. She privately told Typhon that she suspected Richard but had to consider him innocent because the explosion pointed to Master Guluo’s power.

• Van Helsing accused Richard of being a spy and threatened him until Eva warned him to stop.
• Eva questioned Richard, then ended the meeting and had him taken to a guarded building while his freedom remained restricted.
• Eva told Typhon to increase security around Richard and watch Van Helsing for any attempt to harm him.
• Typhon admitted he thought Richard’s story seemed logical but still felt something was wrong.
• Eva said she suspected Richard, but the explosion’s power could only be explained by Master Guluo, so she had to declare Richard innocent.

Richard was cleared of suspicion and recognized as an independent Wizard in the Dark Forest Gathering Place. As winter arrived, Steward Muse learned that the next stage of a long-running plan would require her to face a dangerous enemy.

• Eva told Richard that the investigation had confirmed his innocence and offered him the choice of a new teacher or independent Wizard status.
• Richard chose to become an independent Wizard, explaining that he trusted his own strength and would accept no teacher besides Guluo.
• Richard built a two-story Wooden Building, improved “Death Finger,” and continued investigating “Yadis” while living in the Gathering Place.
• Van Helsing repeatedly harassed Richard until the other Wizards condemned him, forcing him to leave the Gathering Place.
• Franklin told Muse that the plan’s preliminary arrangements were complete, then warned that she would personally face a formidable enemy when it proceeded.

Muse pushed Franklin to carry out her plan so she could leave the East Coast and return to the Main Continent. Meanwhile, Sig prepared Deep Blue Fort for a major operation, and Macbeth, Nancy, and Gelo rode west after meeting with the fort, uncertain but committed to their alliance.

• Muse told Franklin that the organization’s plans on the Main Continent could not wait and ordered him to carry out their plan.
• Sig met with a Black-Robed Man, who assured him that their operation was proceeding smoothly and that its resources and personnel were ready.
• Sig learned that the White Stone Tower visitors had noticed changes at Deep Blue Fort but did not intend to cause trouble.
• After a meeting at Deep Blue Fort, Macbeth, Nancy, and Gelo rode west along Taklamakan Lake.
• Macbeth told Nancy and Gelo that Sig’s takeover had caused conflict at Deep Blue Fort, but White Stone Tower’s survivors had no better choice than to trust the fort and prepare an assembly.

Circe delivered White Stone Tower's invitation for an East Coast Exchange Conference, which Deep Blue Fort supported to address the threat of a hidden organization seeking to restore the Black Spirit Empire. Richard learned of the conference and questioned why Jungle Hut Wizards would attend, but Typhon explained that Jungle Hut had ties to Deep Blue Fort.

• Typhon mistook Circe for a Demonized Creature before she identified herself and explained that White Stone Tower had asked Green Forest Gathering Place to distribute conference invitations.
• Circe told Typhon that White Stone Tower believed its base had been destroyed by a hidden underground organization, possibly Mad Wizards trying to restore the Black Spirit Empire, and that Deep Blue Fort supported an Exchange Conference.
• Circe handed Typhon an invitation for Dark Forest Gathering Place and left to return to her students, Hai Di and Nellide.
• Typhon passed the invitation and Circe's account to Eva, then told Richard about the conference when he met him outside the Wooden Building.
• Richard asked why Jungle Hut Wizards would attend, and Typhon said many would show respect because Jungle Hut had ties to Deep Blue Fort.

Richard learned that Master Yadis was born in Yadis Village near Deep Blue Fort, not near Witch Forest, and confirmed the information in the Gathering Place archive. He decided to attend the Exchange Conference so he could search for the Black Spirit King's ultimate secret.

• Typhon told Richard that Master Yadis had called herself a person from Yadis, a village near Deep Blue Fort.
• Richard asked whether Yadis Village still existed, then told Typhon he would consider attending the Exchange Meeting.
• Richard visited the Gathering Place archive and asked Teddy Phils for records about Master Yadis's life.
• Richard read the records and confirmed that Yadis in the metal ball cube referred to Yadis Village, not Holy Land Yadis.
• Richard concluded that Yadis Village was the location of the Black Spirit King's ultimate secret and decided to go to Deep Blue Fort for the Exchange Conference.

Richard traveled with the convoy to Deep Blue Fort’s Exchange Conference and investigated the legend that Taklamakan Lake was the Sea of Death. After Van Helsing’s mockery gave him a new clue, Richard continued on without revealing his guess.

• The Dark Forest Gathering Place sent Richard, Administrator Eva, and other Wizards and Wizard Apprentices with the convoy to the Exchange Conference.
• At Taklamakan Lake, Wizard Teddy told Richard that its name meant Sea of Death and recounted a legend about a God of Death killing nearby life every few centuries.
• Richard examined the stones and water but found no evidence that the lake’s water was dangerous.
• Wizard Van Helsing mocked Richard’s investigation and pointed out that the lake supported abundant fish, shrimp, and shoreline plants.
• Richard said Van Helsing’s insult had suggested a new explanation for the lake and continued traveling without sharing it.

Richard arrived at Deep Blue Fort's encampment and received permission to search its library for records about Yadis Village. Meanwhile, Nancy and Gelo sensed the fort's residents were afraid, and Nancy thought she saw someone familiar near the library.

• The Dark Forest Gathering Place convoy arrived at Deep Blue Fort's encampment and was assigned comfortable lodgings ahead of the Exchange Conference.
• Richard asked Roland for access to Deep Blue Fort's library so he could research the area around the encampment and Yadis's origins.
• Roland gave Richard a VIP token granting him access to the library's first three floors, and he hurried there.
• Nancy and Gelo discussed the fearful mood in Deep Blue Fort and wondered whether to ask Macbeth about its internal affairs.
• Nancy spotted someone near the library who looked familiar and wondered if it was Richard.

Richard searched old records for Yadis Village and rode west to investigate one of several possible locations. There he discovered Nancy and Gelo had followed him, and their argument ended with Gelo accepting Nancy’s blame.

• Richard pieced together contradictory historical records and narrowed Yadis Village’s possible location to an area west of the Deep Blue Fort garrison.
• Richard rode to the first candidate site and considered excavating it to find evidence of the village.
• Richard sensed people hiding nearby, warned them to emerge, and used Spell Salt to blast apart a rock when they stayed silent.
• Nancy and Gelo emerged after surrendering their swords, and Gelo explained that they had followed Richard out of curiosity.
• Nancy blamed Gelo for being noticed, struck him with a Short Staff, and made him admit it was his fault.

Richard reunited with Nancy and Gelo, exchanged accounts of how they survived White Stone Tower’s destruction, and learned about Macbeth’s dangerous method for gaining power. After Nancy revived their old attendant agreement, the three began digging at Richard’s suspected site of Yadis, Jungle Hut’s founder’s birthplace.

• Nancy told Richard that she, Gelo, and Macbeth had survived White Stone Tower’s destruction, and explained that Macbeth had used a forbidden method to gain power at the cost of an unstable life force.
• Richard told Nancy and Gelo how he had survived, traveled north, and eventually become an independent wizard after studying under Wizard Guluo.
• Nancy reminded Richard of their agreement that he would become her attendant once she became a wizard, then vowed to surpass him and make him her attendant later.
• Gelo asked why Richard had left the Deep Blue Fort station, and Richard explained that he had come to investigate the suspected site of Yadis, Jungle Hut’s founder’s birthplace.
• Gelo and Nancy volunteered to help Richard dig at the site, and all three got to work.

Richard, Nancy, and Gelo dug across an area with magic, searching for something buried beneath the soil. Exhausted after an hour, Gelo struck something underground and called Richard over to uncover it.

• Nancy showed Gelo how to use earth magic to dig pits, and Richard told them to keep clearing the area.
• Nancy and Gelo continued digging despite growing tired, while Richard steadily cleared a much larger area.
• Gelo became exhausted and started lazily stabbing at the soil as he worried Nancy blamed him for the difficult work.
• Gelo's sword struck something underground, and he excitedly called it a great discovery.
• Richard told Gelo to move aside and began clearing the spot where the sword had struck.

Richard and his companions excavated an ancient village, but he determined it was not Yadis Village and suspected its residents had died because of a mystery connected to Taklamakan Lake. Richard and Nancy headed to the lake to investigate, while Gelo hurried after them.

• Richard uncovered a corpse and led Gelo and Nancy in clearing an ancient village.
• Richard explained that the village was not Yadis Village because its buried skeletons lacked the Emerald Green Stone Bracelets its residents had worn.
• Richard observed that the skeletons showed no injuries and suggested the villagers had died naturally for an unusual reason.
• Richard connected the village to Taklamakan Lake, also called the Sea of Death, and decided to examine the lake more thoroughly.
• Nancy followed Richard south, and Gelo, left behind after barely resting, chased after them.

Richard warned Nancy that Taklamakan Lake was dangerous, then continued searching for Yadis Village with Nancy and Gelo. The next morning, Hai Di and Nellide arrived at Deep Blue Fort to find Richard, and Gelo invited them to help with his excavation.

• Richard inspected Taklamakan Lake and warned Nancy to keep her distance from it.
• Richard led Nancy and exhausted Gelo away to check another possible location for Yadis Village.
• Nancy told Gelo he had to get up early and keep helping Richard dig, concealing that she had agreed in exchange for Spellcasting Materials.
• Hai Di and Nellide arrived at Deep Blue Fort looking for Richard and told Nancy that he had saved their lives.
• Gelo explained the excavation to Hai Di and Nellide and suggested they join the work.

Richard led a group of five in excavating seven sites around Deep Blue Fort to find Yadis Village, but they found nothing before the Exchange Conference. He agreed to attend the conference and bring Hai Di inside as his guest.

• Hai Di and Nellide offered to help Richard dig, and Teddy joined after learning Richard was searching for Yadis Village.
• Richard led Nancy, Gelo, Hai Di, Nellide, and Teddy in excavating sites outside Deep Blue Fort over several days.
• After the group found nothing at seven locations, Richard called off the search until after the Exchange Conference.
• Hai Di asked Richard to bring her into the Exchange Conference, and Teddy confirmed that Richard could bring a Wizard Apprentice from the same organization.
• Richard agreed to bring Hai Di and led the group back toward Deep Blue Fort to rest before the conference.

Gelo enjoyed a foot soak until Nancy startled him, then delivered his payment and warned him to prepare for the Exchange Conference. Meanwhile, Wizard Circe treated Hai Di’s injuries while Nellide complained about being left out.

• Gelo soaked his feet in warm water and screamed when he noticed Nancy watching him.
• Nancy gave Gelo two High-grade Crystal Coins as payment from Richard for his work and told him to prepare for the Exchange Conference.
• Gelo regretted spilling his foot-soaking water after Nancy left.
• Wizard Circe applied ointment to Hai Di’s injured arm and reminded her that Richard had invited her to the Exchange Conference.
• Nellide said Richard had offered to pay them, then complained that Wizard Circe was treating Hai Di but not her.

On the eve of the Exchange Conference, Richard focused on finding the Black Spirit King’s final secret while most Wizards dismissed the Mad Wizard threat. Macbeth also hoped the conference would pass peacefully, as unseen plans moved toward completion.

• Teddy complained about Richard’s demanding work, drank a fatigue-relieving potion, and left with E Si La to meet old companions, including Grace.
• Richard watched Wizards gather at Deep Blue Fort and concluded that most treated the warning as exaggerated, while he planned to resume searching Yadis Village after the conference.
• Richard reflected that he wanted to uncover the Black Spirit King’s secret and then leave the East Coast with Pandora, hoping nothing would disrupt the conference.
• Macbeth ate Orange Jam atop a Stone Tower, worried that fighting would shorten his life, then dismissed his concerns and flew into the night.
• As the night passed, unseen figures quietly carried out the final arrangements of their plans.