Chapter Summaries

Gao De laid out his plans for the Quantitative Herbology Research Institute and urged Lainey to build a systematic research program. After returning to Phoenix, he advanced the Evergreen Longevity Sutra to the 3rd Circle, leaving him ready to pursue spell fusion with his dual 3rd Circle mana.

• Gao De explained to Lainey that the Quantitative Herbology Research Institute would organize research into specialized roles and teams, and eventually serve as a model for other research institutes.
• Lainey told Gao De that more than thirty students had passed selection for her Quantitative Herbology class, and she agreed to establish the institute's training and experimental procedures.
• Gao De returned to Phoenix with Sunaifa and prepared to advance the Evergreen Longevity Sutra beneath the Icejade Wutong Tree.
• Gao De drank a [Cold Whale Elixir] and used [Divination+] to confirm that his 3rd Circle advancement would proceed smoothly.
• Gao De completed the advancement, formed three Mana Star Rails, and raised his Mental Strength to 366.
• Gao De confirmed that his ice- and wood-element mana resonated freely, giving him the foundation to begin developing [Myriad Law Resonance] and attempting spell fusion.

Gao De practiced [Myriad Law Resonance], learning to cast [Frostbite] and [Entangling Roots+] simultaneously but discovering their opposed core logic prevented them from fusing. He identified [Magic Missile+] and [Ice Bolt] as a more compatible pair and prepared to try them.

• Gao De repeatedly failed to synchronize [Frostbite] and [Entangling Roots+] before succeeding on his 127th attempt.
• Gao De tried to fuse the spells, but their energies collided and weakened each other despite his repeated adjustments.
• Gao De realized that [Frostbite] suppressed activity while [Entangling Roots+] stimulated growth, making their core logic incompatible.
• Gao De searched his spell list and chose [Magic Missile+] and [Ice Bolt] as a pair with complementary energy traits.

Gao De successfully fused [Magic Missile+] and [Ice Bolt] into [Magic Ice Bullet], then condensed a Resonance Imprint that let him cast the spell almost instantly. After testing its limited charges, he began considering other spell combinations for his remaining imprint slots.

• Gao De used [Extrapolation] to combine [Magic Missile+] and [Ice Bolt], adjusting their mana ratio until the fused projectiles shattered and froze a boulder.
• Gao De decided the powerful, efficient spell fusion deserved a Resonance Imprint slot and returned to Phoenix to preserve it.
• Gao De condensed the fusion logic into an ice crystal Resonance Imprint and bound it to his Mental Strength.
• Gao De tested the imprint, confirmed it could trigger three times before needing to recharge, and named the fused spell [Magic Ice Bullet].
• Gao De searched his spell library for more promising combinations, including [Thorn Growth]+[Ice Thorn Growth] and [Hunter's Mark+]+[Moonlight].

After advancing to the third ring, Gao De returned to Dorne City and saw that Eli had transformed Walmart Magic Materials Shop into a thriving, carefully organized business. He informed Kellen, Grayling, and Theodore of his breakthrough, then prepared to continue the Academy Challenge in pursuit of all twelve Academy Badges.

• Gao De returned to Dorne City after three months in the Northern Territory and found Walmart Magic Materials Shop bustling with customers, its new layout and purchasing system reflecting Eli’s work.
• Gao De visited Lieutenant General Kellen and revealed that he had already advanced to the third ring, astonishing Kellen.
• Gao De told Lieutenant Colonel Grayling about his advancement, and Grayling praised him and his own decision to recommend Gao De for promotion.
• Gao De traveled to Auckland City, thanked Theodore for helping him cultivate in the Wood Elemental Demiplane, and told him about reaching the third ring.
• Gao De told Theodore he planned to gather all twelve Academy Badges and secure a substitute place in the Peerless Magic Tournament; Theodore cautioned him about the challenges in Liuge County and the City of Glory.

After advancing to the Third Circle, Gao De withdrew funds from Harland Shipyard and traveled to Avalon Academy to continue his duel tour. He defeated its first-stage Academy Defender with one fused spell and prepared to proceed to the second stage.

• Theodore wrote to the Lord's Manor to report Gao De's advancement to the Third Circle.
• Gao De visited Harland Shipyard, withdrew fifty thousand Plantagenet Coins, and returned by airship through Dorne.
• Gao De reached Fog Hidden City and used Melia's research and itinerary to travel to Avalon Academy.
• Gao De chose the No. 3 Magic Duel Arena and immediately attacked its female Academy Defender with three fused [Magic Ice Bullet] projectiles.
• Gao De's spell shattered the Defender's poison-vine barrier and triggered her Guard Badge's shield, ending the first-stage battle.
• Gao De accepted the Defender's concession and asked the stunned staff member to take him to the second-stage arena.

Gao De defeated Avalon Academy’s second-round defender, Lynn, with a fused mental spell and advanced to face Varian in the third round. As the duel began, Gao De saw through Varian’s concealed illusion trick, but Varian unleashed a vast poisonous fog that fed on the Shadow Rot Swamp’s miasma.

• Gao De entered Avalon Academy’s second-round arena and found that the Soul-Eating Miasma did not harm him, while its toxins stimulated his adaptive ability.
• Lynn attacked Gao De with rotten roots, poisonous vines, and toxic mist, but Gao De struck him with the fused spell [Comforting Spike], disabling him mentally and winning the duel.
• Gao De asked the staff member to lead him to the third-round arena, where academy mages and local nobles had gathered to watch.
• Gao De flew into the arena and used [Piercing Illusion] to detect the hidden illusion in Varian’s taunting voice.
• Varian unleashed [Poisonous Fog], which rapidly filled the arena and absorbed the surrounding Soul-Eating Miasma.

Gao De overcame Varian’s poison fog and illusions in their Magic Duel, using Frost Nova and Misty Step to evade Varian’s decisive attack and strike back. The Academy Steward recognized Gao De as the Sea Sentinel who had returned as a third-circle mage, while Varian was caught in a sudden ice attack protected by his Guard Badge.

• Varian spread Poisonous Fog and prepared a strengthened Swamp Acid Arrow, but Gao De’s Lesser Amber Physique and Purified Blood Organ neutralized the toxins.
• Gao De pierced the fog with Frost Nova, breaking Varian’s Shield Spell and freezing him through his second layer of defense.
• Varian created two Greater Phantom duplicates and sent three apparent Swamp Acid Arrows at Gao De, hiding his real Corrupt Heart arrow among them.
• Gao De used the Mandora Demon Eye to see through the illusions, pretended to be deceived, then escaped the real arrow with Misty Step.
• Gao De unleashed Frost Nova at Varian, whose Guard Badge formed a protective shield as the Academy Steward recognized him as Gao De of Sea Sentinel.
• The Academy Steward realized Gao De had returned as a third-circle mage after previously defeating academies across three counties.

After defeating Varian and winning Avalon Academy’s badge, Gao De entered Shadow Rot Swamp to strengthen his physique by adapting to its Soul-Eating Miasma. As he ventured deeper, he discovered that the miasma could drain lifespan and then noticed a faint, ancient sacred energy that he approached to investigate.

• Gao De defeated Varian, received Avalon Academy’s badge, and left the academy as its mages recognized him as a Third Circle Mage.
• Gao De flew into Shadow Rot Swamp to expose himself to concentrated Soul-Eating Miasma and increase his resistance through [Adaptive].
• Gao De used the Mandora Demon Eye to avoid Shadow Rifts, Corpse Mud Vortices, and other concealed dangers while moving deeper into the swamp.
• Gao De sensed that Soul-Eating Miasma secretly devoured lifespan, explaining why [Adaptive] reacted so strongly despite his lack of obvious poisoning.
• Gao De advanced toward the swamp’s core, detected a faint energy fluctuation with an ancient sacred aura, and cautiously approached it.

Gao De excavated a mysterious fragment containing sacred and Void energy in Shadow Rot Swamp, but could not decipher its ancient writing. He then continued adapting to the Soul-Eating Miasma and reached 200% adaptation, triggering another bodily evolution whose results had only begun to unfold.

• Gao De sensed faint Void energy near the swamp depression and used Divination+, which returned a neutral result before he chose to investigate.
• Gao De protected himself, used Mage Hand+ to recover a dark silver fragment, and watched it release a final burst of corrosive Void energy that destroyed one Ghost Hand.
• Gao De cleaned the fragment and found an incomplete character resembling “Li,” indecipherable magical writing, and a complex magic circle with an empty central socket.
• Gao De put away the fragment and resumed adapting to the Soul-Eating Miasma, whose toxins activated his Purified Blood Organ and strengthened his toxin resistance.
• Gao De's adaptation reached 200%, jade-green patterns spread across his body, and a new bodily evolution began as information flooded his consciousness.

After evolving into an Intermediate Amber Physique, Gao De crossed the Shadow Rot Swamp safely and gathered rare ingredients while traveling toward an academy in the next county. He acquired a [Fireball] Spell Elixir and reviewed the Third Circle spells he had awakened through his Truefrost Bloodline.

• Gao De's Intermediate Amber Physique let him absorb the Soul-Eating Miasma as nourishment and detect toxins throughout the fog-shrouded swamp.
• Gao De located and carefully extracted a Fourth Order Purple Violet Root from the swamp.
• Gao De decided to prioritize challenging academies over further exploring the Shadow Rot Swamp and left it safely with a large haul.
• Gao De visited Mist Hidden City's three major magic materials shops and acquired more ingredients for Third Circle Spell Elixirs, including the [Fireball] Spell Elixir.
• Gao De reviewed the twenty-four bloodline spells awakened by his Third Circle Truefrost Secrets and described their uses.

Gao De arrived in Morrison County to challenge its academy and search for the Angmar Flame Curse Tree. At the Molten City branch of Walmart Magic Materials Shop, he learned that Flamefruit from the tree had already been obtained and sent to the main store, completing his collection of the four elemental magic plants.

• Gao De reviewed his Truefrost spells, drank the ingredients for a Fireball Spell Elixir, and used his airship journey to Morrison County to prepare a new Spell Model.
• Gao De arrived in Molten City and decided to visit the academy the next day after finding an inn, while first sampling local food and visiting Walmart Magic Materials Shop.
• Gao De enjoyed Scorched Fire Bread and grilled Flame Scale Fish, then bought a cartload of Scorched Fire Wheat to ship north for trial planting.
• Gao De asked the Molten City branch to ship the wheat to Harland Shipyard and inquired about the Angmar Flame Curse Tree.
• A clerk told Gao De that a mage hunter had sold the branch a bag of Flamefruit, which had been sent to the main store in Bairo County.
• Gao De realized that the Flamefruit completed his collection of all four elemental magic plants.

Gao De completed and enhanced his [Fireball] spell, then arrived at Morrison Academy for the Academy Challenge. The Academy Steward welcomed him and brought him to the academy’s highest-standard duel arena.

• Gao De learned that the Molten City branch had built a modest reputation and was adapting its stock to local demand for Fire Attribute materials.
• Gao De completed the 999-Starseed [Fireball] Spell Model and swallowed the Zhuo Er Spell Essence, which reduced the spell’s mana cost and casting time.
• Gao De spent four Third Circle origins to enhance [Fireball] into [Fireball+], adding the ability to weaken magical defenses.
• Gao De arrived at Morrison Academy, where the guards recognized him and escorted him to the Heart of Molten Fire Magic Duel Arena.
• Academy Steward Fien greeted Gao De and said the academy had been awaiting his arrival since he boarded the airship.

Gao De challenged Morrison Academy and faced its third-stage defender, Rody, in the Heart of Molten Fire Magic Duel Arena. Gao De overwhelmed Rody with a series of unusually powerful Fireballs, and the chapter ended as Rody’s Guard Badge shone to protect him from the fifth attack.

• Fien agreed to begin the challenge at the third stage and sent Rody to defend Morrison Academy.
• Rody prepared to test Gao De with his signature Fireball, but Gao De cast his own Fireball first and much faster.
• Gao De’s Fireball overpowered Rody’s spell and pierced through his Shield Spell, burning him despite his fire resistance.
• Rody cast Protection Energy Damage (Fire), but Gao De’s next Fireball corroded the defense and injured him again.
• Gao De launched three more Fireballs in succession, leaving Rody badly burned, depleted, and unable to counterattack.
• As Gao De’s fifth Fireball neared Rody’s chest, Rody’s Guard Badge lit up with golden radiance.

Gao De continued his Academy Challenge journey, winning badges with repeated Fireballs until he became the dynasty’s record-holding Challenger Mage. He then arrived at the City of Glory, where the capital’s immense walls and Anti-Magic Stone construction left him stunned.

• Gao De defeated Rody at Morrison Academy with [Fireball+] and claimed its Academy Badge.
• Gao De won the Okney Academy challenge with six Fireballs and the Willendorf Academy challenge with five.
• Gao De collected badges in Pembroke, Rutland, and Kelvin Counties, tying and then surpassing the Challenger Mage record with ten badges.
• Gao De traveled toward Glory County, passing through its orderly, Anti-Magic Stone-built landscape and feeling its suppressive effect on his mana.
• Gao De reached the outskirts of the City of Glory and stared in shock at its vast walls and imposing architecture.

Gao De arrived in the City of Glory, where the Glorious Colossus and Anti-Magic Stone shaped the city and its mage culture. After reaching Glory Academy, he was allowed to skip its first two assessments and waited in the Anti-Magic Ring for his duel with Academy Defender Karen.

• Gao De saw the Glorious Colossus and learned how its Anti-Magic Stone suppressed magic throughout the City of Glory.
• Gao De entered the city and traveled by Heavy Armored Horse carriage toward Glory Academy, reviewing the academy’s anti-magic combat traditions and undefeated record.
• The guards recognized Gao De’s ten consecutive academy victories and let him advance directly to the third-stage assessment.
• Ian led Gao De to the Anti-Magic Ring, where spectators gathered and discussed his record and the coming challenge against Karen.

Gao De met Karen, Glory Academy’s third-round defender, and the two entered the Anti-Magic Ring to begin their duel. The chapter then explored Candlekeep and its dragon guardian before Du Wei emerged from a three-month study and noticed unusual activity at the academy.

• Drian introduced Karen as Glory Academy’s third-round defender, and Karen and Gao De exchanged words before completing the inspection procedure.
• Gao De and Karen put on their Guard Badges and flew into the Anti-Magic Ring, where the anti-magic field began suppressing their magic.
• The chapter described Candlekeep, the Lister Family’s restricted ninth floor, and its guardian, Shadow of Elminster, an ancient Silver Dragon’s soul.
• Du Wei emerged from Candlekeep’s ninth floor after three months of studying dragon-language magic, and Theron warned him about the strain on his health.
• Du Wei ate the beef soup Theron had prepared and noticed that students and instructors were heading toward the academy square.

Du Wei predicted that Gao De would defeat Karen, while the duel showed Gao De using spells and tactical feints to counter Karen’s close-range assault. After Karen resisted Gao De’s mental attack, Gao De teleported back through the lingering mist behind him, leaving Karen’s next move uncertain.

• Du Wei told Theron that the adaptable Bairo County challenger Gao De would likely defeat Karen, but declined to attend the duel.
• Karen enhanced his sword and body with [Magic Weapon] and [Acceleration Spell], while Gao De slowed him and attacked with [Fireball+].
• Karen split the fireball with his enchanted sword and charged Gao De, who escaped with [Misty Step].
• Karen anticipated Gao De’s position and pressed his attack, but Gao De cast [Comforting Spike]; Karen resisted it with his Enhanced Soul Resistance.
• Gao De used [Misty Step] again, then reappeared from the lingering silver mist behind Karen after his sword missed.

Gao De defeated Karen at Glory Academy after a relentless barrage of Fireballs forced Karen’s Guard Badge to save him from the final blast. With the eleventh badge secured, Gao De left the academy and began exploring the Mage District of the City of Glory.

• Gao De used Frost Metal to freeze Karen’s sword, and Karen dispelled the frost at the cost of his Magic Weapon enhancement.
• Gao De repeatedly bombarded Karen with Fireballs, forcing him to dodge until he was exhausted and badly burned.
• Karen’s Guard Badge shielded him from Gao De’s eighth Fireball, and Karen conceded defeat.
• Drian announced Gao De’s victory and gave him the eleventh Glory Academy Badge.
• Gao De left Glory Academy and strolled through the City of Glory’s Mage District, browsing its extraordinary shops.

Gao De learned how antiques in Ancient Horn Street held extraordinary value through their links to history, lost knowledge, and time-sealed Mystic Items. He discovered a crowded stall practicing Antique Gambling, where buyers paid to examine an unappraised object and wager on its hidden worth.

• Gao De entered Ancient Horn Street and recognized its dusty wares as antiques that attracted mages and collectors.
• Gao De spoke with shop owners and learned how antiques could aid historical spells, preserve lost techniques, and conceal time-sealed Mystic Items.
• Gao De decided he lacked the knowledge to appraise antiques and left a shop without buying anything.
• Gao De followed a crowd to a stall where its owner offered a rusted, boiler-shaped object from Morrison County for a reserve price of Two Hundred Plantagenet Coins.
• Gao De watched buyers examine the object with gloves and tools as they debated its possible value, and he recognized their activity as Antique Gambling.

Gao De learned about antique gambling and discovered that Eevee sensed Astral Energy in a damaged dial among a stall's junk. He bought the dial and the rest of the pile for fifty Plantagenet Coins, leaving with a possible treasure hidden in his sack.

• The chapter described visible-item gambling, Blind Boxes, and Secret Hoard Unsealing, including Ellason's rise through an antique discovery.
• Gao De was about to leave the stall when Eevee urgently alerted him to weak Astral Energy in a pile of miscellaneous items.
• Gao De examined a badly damaged, dial-like object and recognized that Eevee's senses indicated it held something extraordinary.
• An old mage bought a boiler-shaped antique for Two Hundred Plantagenet Coins, and the stall owner later offered his remaining junk pile for one hundred coins.
• Gao De feigned hesitation and negotiated the pile down to fifty Plantagenet Coins, then paid the stall owner and left with the damaged dial.