Chapter Summaries

Shell Ian moved to seize Jose’s Rune Workshop and use the Rune Constructs Jose had made to strengthen Brandon Jeros’s claim in the struggle for the throne. He left Quincy Ether to present himself as a Third Circle Rune Artificer, while the workshop’s secret command remained unrecovered.

• The vice-chairman told Shell Ian that Jose had died and that he had failed to obtain the Rune Workshop’s secret command after Gao De intervened.
• Shell Ian ordered the vice-chairman to reclaim the workshop and its contents through an asset deed, keeping the operation secret.
• Shell Ian reflected on his ambition to help Brandon Jeros become king and gain greater influence and resources for himself.
• Brandon Jeros and Quincy Ether met with Shell Ian, who revealed that Jose had bought enough materials to make five or six sets of Third Circle Rune Constructs.
• Shell Ian planned for Quincy Ether to claim that he had become a Third Circle Rune Artificer once they obtained Jose’s constructs, bolstering Brandon’s faction against Wenlun Jeros.

Gao De refused the Vice-Chairman’s attempt to claim Jose’s Rune Workshop and secretly infected Tony Esar with parasites. Back in his room, he asked Flora to learn how to use Jose’s hidden key to the Workshop’s rune array.

• Gao De visited the sealed Rune Workshop, where the Vice-Chairman offered compensation for Jose’s secret order and Tony Esar dismissed him.
• Gao De left without answering and caused a midge and a tick to appear on Tony Esar, where they began feeding unnoticed.
• Gao De returned to his room and asked Flora to help him with a task.
• Gao De showed Flora Jose’s Lacquer Jade Paper key, which could activate a back door in the Workshop’s security system, and Flora agreed to learn how to use it.

Gao De discovered that his Adaptive Specialty improved his ability to endure and function in the cold river while collecting a Maiden Mussel. Meanwhile, Quincy Ether’s team broke the Rune Workshop’s defensive array, but the blast destroyed its contents and Jose’s research notes.

• Gao De applied for permission to collect a Maiden Mussel, paid the fee, and dove into the waters beneath Labor Cliff.
• After several dives, Gao De realized Adaptive had increased his cold resistance, sensitivity to currents, and underwater oxygen intake.
• Quincy Ether and a veteran Second Tier Runesmith began breaking the Rune Workshop’s defensive array by testing its nodes one by one.
• The Vice-Chairman believed Gao De had lost the dispute and that Dean Shell Ian would make things difficult for him.
• The Rune Workshop’s array erupted and collapsed after an alarm sounded, leaving no casualties but reducing the workshop, its materials, and Jose’s notes to wreckage.

Quincy Ether searched the ruined Rune Workshop but found none of Jose’s Rune Constructs, while Gao De returned from gathering a Maiden Mussel and completed the Comprehend Languages Spell Elixir. Just as Gao De prepared to resume studying Endure Elements, the Vice-Chairman arrived with two Logistics Department mages and had him seized.

• Quincy Ether searched the destroyed Rune Workshop and concluded that Jose must have kept the finished Rune Constructs elsewhere.
• Gao De retrieved a Maiden Mussel from the river and reflected on how Adaptive had improved his underwater abilities.
• Gao De returned to his room, where Flora read his notes and demonstrated that she could make certain objects and plants appear.
• Gao De brewed the Comprehend Languages Spell Elixir using the Maiden Mussel and the other ingredients, then drank it.
• The Vice-Chairman arrived with two Logistics Department mages and ordered them to seize Gao De.

Gao De was detained after the Rune Workshop array exploded, despite having an alibi, and realized the academy was using the incident to pressure him for information. In the dungeon, Quincy Ether demanded to know where Jose had hidden his Rune Construct, but Gao De denied knowing anything about it.

• The Vice-Chairman accused Gao De of causing the Rune Workshop array explosion and had him detained despite Gao De's alibi beneath Labor Cliff.
• Gao De recalled that he had asked Flora to activate Jose's back door and destroy the array, while grieving the loss of Jose's notebooks and vowing to preserve his teacher's legacy.
• As guards escorted him into Ceres Mage Tower, Gao De suspected the academy's real interest was not the damaged workshop but something else.
• Quincy Ether introduced himself as a Second-Order Rune Artificer and demanded that Gao De reveal where Jose had put his Rune Construct.
• Gao De denied knowing about the Rune Construct and maintained that Jose had never told him about one.

Quincy Ether imprisoned Gao De and had him tortured with Agonizing Shriek to force him to reveal where Jose's Rune Constructs were. Gao De refused to give in, and Adaptive steadily raised his pain tolerance until the torture no longer affected him much.

• Quincy Ether dismissed concerns about imprisoning Gao De without Dean Sheer's approval and ordered the search for Jose's Rune Constructs to continue.
• Gao De reasoned that the Rune Constructs might be stored at the Okenly Merchant Guild and decided to insist truthfully that Jose had never told him about them.
• A hooded figure used Agonizing Shriek to torture Gao De and demanded to know where Jose had hidden the Rune Constructs.
• Gao De insulted the torturer and endured repeated castings of Agonizing Shriek as Adaptive increased his pain tolerance.
• After more than half an hour of torture, Gao De stood and taunted the figure, having adapted enough that the spell barely troubled him.

Gao De realized Quincy Ether had never intended to spare him, and he was taken from Ceres Academy to the Royal Capital Mage Prison despite Jerica’s attempt to intervene. Trapped in a rune-warded cell, he resolved to use Adaptive to improve his dark vision and study the prison’s runes.

• Gao De concluded that Quincy Ether would have targeted him regardless of whether he revealed Jose’s hidden Rune Constructs, and decided the academy was no longer the right place for him.
• After Gao De resisted Agonizing Shriek, the hooded torturer left him alone in the dungeon beneath the Mage Tower.
• Jerica asked Shell Ian to investigate Gao De’s arrest, but Shell Ian told Vice-Chairman only to keep the matter from happening inside the academy.
• Vice-Chairman explained that Quincy Ether suspected Gao De knew where Jose had hidden the Rune Constructs, and Shell Ian let the interrogation continue as long as it did not harm the academy’s reputation.
• The academy’s mages transported Gao De to the Royal Capital Mage Prison, restrained him with an alchemical item, and locked him in its deepest cell.
• Gao De studied the darkness and the runes on his cell walls, prompting Adaptive to increase his dark vision by 0.1%.

While Gao De studied the prison’s runes, the Holy Empire’s Iceflame Legion surrounded Saint Sien City and forced the Sien Duchy to surrender, turning it into Sien Province. The chapter ends with the occupying legion announcing a general amnesty.

• Quincy Ether promised the Vice-Chairman that he would make Gao De confess and eliminate any loose ends, while Jerica learned that Gao De had been sent to Saint Sien Mage Prison.
• Gao De adapted to the prison’s darkness and became absorbed in studying the rune patterns.
• The Iceflame Legion’s war airships appeared outside Saint Sien City, and King Jeros XIII’s council concluded that the city could not resist or expect timely aid.
• King Jeros XIII ordered the city to surrender, and the Jeros Royal House declared that the Sien Duchy had joined the Holy Empire as Sien Province.
• The day after occupying Saint Sien City, the Iceflame Legion announced a general amnesty for the new subjects.

After the Holy Empire took control of Saint Sien City, Gao De was released from prison and retrieved Jose’s Fourth Circle Rune Construct, realizing Jose’s work had established a new system of Runelore. An advanced Okenly airship and Mage Dunlay Okenly arrived to retrieve Jose, leaving Shell Ian stunned when Helen announced their purpose.

• A young mage ordered Gao De released from Saint Sien Mage Prison after the Holy Empire occupied Saint Sien City.
• Gao De saw the Holy Empire’s flags throughout the city and decided to leave the Sien Duchy before its former powerful nobles could threaten him again.
• Gao De retrieved Jose’s Rune Construct from locker 666 and discovered it was a Fourth Circle construct created by a 3rd Circle Mage, confirming Jose’s new Runelore system.
• An advanced Okenly airship arrived in Saint Sien City, and Helen inspected the family’s Imperial passage permit before allowing its operation to proceed.
• Dunlay Okenly and his party met Helen, who brought them to Shell Ian and announced that they had come to take Jose Okenly away.

The author explained the volume’s title, cultivation system, worldbuilding, and alternate outline, then discussed the ending and reader feedback. The next volume might be titled Ode to Winter's Chill, and the author planned to take a day off to organize its outline.

• The author said Breath of the Wild was the Rune Construct’s name and explained how the cultivation system drew on D&D multiclassing and eastern classes.
• The author described two possible starting routes for the story, the hand-drawn world map, and setting elements adapted from Valoran.
• The author said the volume’s ending had been foreshadowed and explained that the Okenly Family was a safety net, but would not rescue the protagonist from the prison calamity in this plot.
• The author noted that farming would have a substantial role and that Gao De’s next destination had been foreshadowed in the first volume.
• The author discussed the book’s category, detailed writing style, update schedule, reader feedback, and subscription performance.
• The author said the next volume might be titled Ode to Winter's Chill and announced a day off to organize its outline.

Gao De secretly traveled north beneath the grain ship Herring, using the journey to train his Adaptive ability as he headed for the Northern Territory to find a remote place to plant trees with Flora. He reached Airaheim at the foot of Mount Danton, paid for the clothes and food he had taken, and prepared to continue toward the Erwinlaya Mountains.

• The captain of the aging Herring argued with his sailors about replacing the ship as it carried grain north toward Airaheim.
• Gao De boarded the ship at night to eat and rest, while Flora questioned his decision to take supplies without asking first.
• Gao De recalled how he had attached himself beneath the ship and explained that he was traveling north to hunt for Origin and find a secluded place for planting trees.
• As the ship approached the Erwinlaya Mountains, the water grew colder and Gao De's cold resistance rapidly increased.
• The Herring reached a small harbor, and Gao De left five Sien Gold Coins aboard before changing into warm clothes.
• Gao De disembarked and entered Airaheim, a dim, rugged city at the foot of Mount Danton.

Dunlay Okenly arrived too late to see Jose, whose workshop had also been destroyed, and learned that Jose’s student Gao De had disappeared after retrieving an item from the Okenly Merchant Guild. Dunlay discovered that the item was a set of Fourth Circle Rune Constructs and ordered the search for Gao De to continue.

• Dunlay Okenly learned that Jose had died three days earlier and ordered his remains and research materials brought back to Seacoast City.
• Shell Ian revealed that Jose’s Rune Workshop had exploded after Quincy Ether tried to break its formation, and that Jose had left his property to his student.
• Dunlay learned that Jose’s student, Gao De, had been imprisoned and released in an amnesty, then ordered Helen to find him and had Quincy Ether taken away.
• Dunlay recognized that Jose’s materials list showed he had been researching Fourth Circle Rune Constructs, while Helen reported that Gao De had left the city after visiting the Okenly Merchant Guild branch.
• Three days later, Helen and the Okenly Family still could not find Gao De, and Dunlay learned that Gao De had retrieved Jose’s set of Fourth Circle Rune Constructs from the Bronze Treasury.

Gao De arrived in Airaheim and prepared to cross Mount Danton by gathering advice and planning the equipment and spells he would need. After hearing that another young climber had arrived the day before, he asked the locals where that person was staying.

• Gao De found The Serpent and Mouse, a tavern that also offered lodging, and went inside to eat.
• Gao De asked the bartender what he would need to climb Mount Danton and learned about essential clothing, gear, and supplies.
• Gao De reviewed his plan to take the Northern Ascent Route and considered finding formulas for Ice Skating or Ice Walking.
• Gao De overheard locals mocking him and mentioning another young climber who had arrived the day before.
• Gao De approached the locals and asked where the other climber was staying.

Gao De arrived in Airaheim, secured a room across from a handsome young outsider, and obtained the Ice Skating spell formula he needed for his climb of Danton Peak. After buying climbing gear and gathering the spell-elixir ingredients, he prepared to build the spell model and continue toward the Northern Territory.

• Gao De learned that the pale-faced outsider was staying at the Serpent and Mouse inn, rented Room 202, and paid the innkeeper to identify the outsider's room as 201.
• Gao De gave Flora a gold coin as a reward for helping detonate the Rune Workshop's magic array, then visited the young man across the hall to ask for the Ice Skating spell formula.
• The young man initially refused to sell the formula but returned to give it to Gao De for free, warning that Danton Peak was beyond him.
• Gao De examined the Ice Skating elixir formula and planned to gather the ingredients and prepare for the climb.
• Gao De bought climbing equipment and found all the spell-elixir ingredients for twenty-three gold in Airaheim.

Gao De mastered the Ice Skating Spell while preparing in Airaheim to cross the Erwinlaya Mountains. After gathering tree seeds for Flora and completing his spell model, he set out for Danton Peak, where the immense snowy mountain greeted him.

• Gao De brewed and drank an Ice Skating Spell Elixir, then reflected on his slow cultivation progress as a First Circle Mage.
• Gao De spent four days exploring Airaheim, asking about mountain climbing and gathering pine, fir, and birch seeds for Flora.
• Gao De learned that the young man in Room 201 had left to challenge Danton Peak.
• Gao De completed the Ice Skating Spell Model on the final day of Icebound Month and confirmed the spell and elixir formula were correct.
• Gao De checked out of The Serpent and Mouse inn, traveled to Danton Peak, and took in its vast, snow-covered slopes.

Gao De and Flora traveled through Danton Peak, where they encountered a Small Ice Elemental hidden beneath the snow. Gao De defeated it with fire and magic, then recorded progress toward Wind Spirit Moon Shadow.

• Gao De continued climbing Danton Peak as his Adaptive ability increased his resistance to intense light.
• Flora noticed something hiding in the snow, and Gao De used Detect Magic+ to locate its aura.
• Gao De attacked the Small Ice Elemental with Flame Arrow+, forcing it out of hiding.
• The Small Ice Elemental launched an ice vortex, but Gao De blocked it with Shield Spell.
• Gao De defeated the Small Ice Elemental with Flame Arrow+ and Magic Missile Burst while Flora praised him.
• Gao De checked his progress and saw First Circle—Small Ice Elemental (1/7).

Gao De climbed the Northern Ascent Route toward Danton Peak, relying on magic and Flora’s scouting while enduring the cold and searching for more Ice Elementals. He encountered the handsome young man from Room 201, Du Wei, who yielded a good campsite to him and pressed onward as night approached.

• Gao De found an Ice Stone after killing a Small Ice Elemental and asked Flora to watch for danger as they traveled.
• Gao De carefully made camp, checked the next day’s weather with Druid Trick, and shared a meal and conversation with Flora.
• Over the next two sunny days, Gao De climbed higher, hunted Snow Rabbits, and felt the increasing cold improve his cold resistance.
• Gao De met the handsome young man from Room 201, who warned that he should not have come, while Flora insisted the man was not bad.
• Du Wei gave up his prepared stopping place for Gao De and hurried onward, believing he should show compassion to a rookie climber.

Du Wei Lister and Gao De continued their separate climbs up Danton Peak, each facing the mountain’s growing dangers. At the Observation Deck, Du Wei spotted a familiar figure in Airaheim below.

• Du Wei used Darkvision to find a campsite and reflected on the Lister family’s Eight Glories tradition.
• Du Wei assumed Gao De could not keep up with him and continued climbing alone.
• Gao De pushed onward despite his exhaustion, excited by the challenge of Danton Peak.
• After three days, Du Wei reached the Observation Deck, where he considered the Holy Empire’s annexation of the Sien Duchy and his father’s troubles.
• As Du Wei prepared to leave the Observation Deck, he noticed a familiar figure below in Airaheim.

Gao De and Flora took shelter from a fierce wind on Danton Peak, where a falling person smashed through their tent. The stranger lay unconscious as Gao De tried to turn him over, while Flora reminded him that people could be blown away.

• Du Wei spotted Gao De climbing toward him and hurried upward to get farther ahead.
• Gao De reached the halfway point, rested, and continued climbing with Flora as the weather grew colder.
• Gao De found a sheltered slope, predicted strong winds for the next day, and secured his tent before settling in for the night.
• Flora woke Gao De because the gale frightened her, and they waited inside the tent as the wind howled.
• A person fell from above, crashed through the tent, and landed unconscious; Gao De began turning him over while Flora pointed out that he had dismissed her warning.

Gao De rescued Du Wei after a gale and avalanche sent him tumbling onto the roof of Gao De’s tent, then cared for him as he recovered. Once the storm eased, they shared a meal and learned each other’s plans, while Du Wei realized Gao De could endure extreme cold without a spell or magical clothing.

• Gao De found Du Wei unconscious in the snow, checked him for injuries, and moved him onto a sleeping bag while he and Flora waited out the storm.
• Du Wei woke in Gao De’s ruined tent, reluctantly acknowledged Gao De’s advice, and drank the water he offered.
• Gao De and Du Wei introduced themselves, and Du Wei conjured a rare spell that created a campfire for their meal.
• Gao De stayed on the sheltered slope for two days so Du Wei could recover, and Du Wei thanked him before asking about his journey.
• Gao De said he was heading through Danton Peak to the Northern Territory, and Du Wei realized he endured the freezing cold without Endure Elements or magical clothing.