Recaps

Saine used a wide-ranging Endless Light attack to drive back the Blackwater Civilization and Flame Dragon Civilization Dominators without killing them. He and the Double Cabbage Head Dominator set off toward the battlefield’s outskirts, but the Flame Dragon God blocked their way.

• Saine unleashed Endless Light, catching the Blackwater Civilization Dominators and the pursuing Flame Dragon Civilization Dominators in its wide area of effect.
• The Dominators retreated after witnessing Saine’s power, and Saine left the battlefield with the still-stunned Double Cabbage Head Dominator.
• When the Double Cabbage Head Dominator asked who he was, Saine called himself a lonely Truth Explorer searching for his departed Little Robot.
• Saine urged the Double Cabbage Head Dominator to choose the Flame Dragon Civilization, and the latter agreed to heed his advice.
• The Flame Dragon God arrived with the Nine Dragon Pearls and blocked Saine and the Double Cabbage Head Dominator’s path.

Saine met Esolon Elback Senalon, the Flame Dragon God, who believed the Seven-Star Dragon Pearl had identified Saine as the key to winning the dimensional hegemony. After hearing about the Nine Dragon Pearls, Saine told Esolon that the Flame Dragon Civilization’s victory might depend on the Double Cabbage Head Dominator.

• Saine assessed the cautious Flame Dragon God and the nine Dragon Pearls orbiting him.
• Esolon Elback Senalon asked Saine how the Flame Dragon Civilization could win the dimensional hegemony and offered to pay any price.
• Saine said he could not openly interfere with the hegemony but could offer a suggestion.
• Saine asked about the Nine-Star Dragon Pearl, and Esolon explained that it let him merge with astral rules and become briefly rule-like and invisible.
• Saine pointed to the Double Cabbage Head Dominator as the possible key to the Flame Dragon Civilization’s victory, leaving both him and Esolon astonished.

Saine persuaded the Flame Dragon God to appoint Double Cabbage Head Dominator to lead external affairs and recruit aid for the Flame Dragon Civilization, negotiating generous compensation and autonomy for him. Saine refused to join the Dimensional Hegemony, warning that his participation would provoke the Balance Rules, but said he would observe the war and study how its rules worked.

• Saine explained that the Flame Dragon Civilization's domineering reputation made neutral Dominators more likely to favor the Blackwater Civilization.
• Saine recommended Double Cabbage Head Dominator as the Flame Dragon Civilization's external liaison, and the Flame Dragon God appointed him to recruit outside aid.
• Saine negotiated compensation, recruitment rewards, and greater autonomy for Double Cabbage Head Dominator, and the Flame Dragon God accepted the terms.
• The Flame Dragon God considered hiring Saine, but Saine refused to participate in the Dimensional Hegemony, warning that the Balance Rules would punish him and might unleash powerful enemies.
• Saine said he would observe the war to understand the rules and mechanisms of a Dimensional Hegemony, while the Flame Dragon God looked toward the Blackwater Civilization army.

The Double Cabbage Head Dominator joined the Flame Dragon Civilization’s faction and recruited two otherworldly Dominators, while Saine stayed to study the war and the Nine-Star Dragon Pearls. The Flame Dragon God revealed how it gathered all nine Pearls and became the civilization’s leader as Saine’s alchemical arcana advanced.

• The Double Cabbage Head Dominator accepted the Flame Dragon Civilization’s resources and began representing its supporters on the Dimensional Battlefield.
• In its first year, the Double Cabbage Head Dominator recruited two Level-7 Dominators it knew from the battlefield’s outskirts, offering them high rewards.
• Saine stayed in the Despair World to observe the Dimensional Hegemony and study the Flame Dragon Civilization’s Nine-Star Dragon Pearls.
• The Flame Dragon God lent Saine a Dragon Pearl in exchange for a Seven Revolutions Golden Pill, and Saine studied the Pearls one at a time.
• The Flame Dragon God told Saine how the previous Level-9 leader hid the nine Pearls and how it found them to become the Flame Dragon Civilization’s new leader.
• As Saine examined the Dragon Pearls, his alchemical arcana continued to improve.

After nearly four thousand years studying the Nine Dragon Pearls and observing the war, Saine prepared to leave the Despair World as the Flame Dragon and Blackwater Civilizations’ conflict reached its bloodiest stage. The wounded Flame Dragon God hurried from the front lines to meet him and asked whether he was leaving so soon.

• Saine remained uninvolved in the war while studying the Nine Dragon Pearls and learning more about Dimensional Hegemony.
• The Flame Dragon and Blackwater Civilizations suffered heavy Dominator casualties, and the Double Cabbage Head Dominator recruited thirteen outside Dominators for the Flame Dragon Civilization.
• The Flame Dragon Civilization attracted more outside allies as neutral Dominators judged the two factions’ conduct, while the battlefield grew increasingly deadly.
• Saine decided he had learned what he could from the Despair World and planned to lead the Mechanical Civilization to victory in a Dimensional Hegemony.
• The Flame Dragon God withdrew from the frontline with severe wounds and asked Saine if he was leaving so soon.

Saine left the Flame Dragon Civilization after revealing that the nine Dragon Pearls concealed a Dimensional Beacon and advising the Flame Dragon God to follow their guidance if the civilization won. After roaming the Despair World, he entered the Slaughter Space, where he began exploring as the Fallen Ones struggled to approach him.

• Saine told the Flame Dragon God that the nine Dragon Pearls concealed a Dimensional Beacon and advised it to heed them after winning the Dimensional Hegemony.
• Saine asked the Flame Dragon God to invite the Double Cabbage Head Dominator to visit his laboratory if it ascended into High-Dimensional Time-Space.
• Saine traveled east through the Despair World for several hundred years and noticed that its Dimensional Hegemonies affected only certain regions.
• Saine tore open a Time-Space Rift and entered the blood-red Slaughter Space.
• Saine gathered Blood Crystals and moved through the Slaughter Space, while Fallen Ones saw him but could not draw near.

After leaving the Slaughter Space, Saine explored the Flowing Light Retrospective World, investigating its unusual temporal rules and searching for Time Worms. He discovered two Time Wormholes but found no living Time Worms before continuing his research.

• Saine studied a crimson rule node in the Slaughter Space and gathered Blood-colored Crystals and other Rule Materials to potentially give Demon Sky Great Sage Li Qingshan.
• Saine entered the Flowing Light Retrospective World and chose to explore beyond the old battlefield where the Evil Tide Civilization and the Decayed Civilization had fought.
• Saine flew northeast in search of Time Worms, noting that his sworn sister Lisa was also likely exploring the world for them.
• Saine spent several thousand years investigating unfamiliar Rule Anomalies and discovered two Time Wormholes, but he did not encounter a living Time Worm.

Saine researched two Time Wormholes connected to the Material Star Realm three million years in the past and five hundred thousand years in the future, collecting traces left by a missing Time Worm. His work was interrupted when he encountered an unfamiliar Level-9 Being, an Earth Element practitioner who mistook him for a young man before recognizing his true level.

• Saine identified the two Time Wormholes’ destinations and found signs of a Time Worm’s habitation, including mucus and shed shell fragments.
• Saine studied the wormholes and discovered that time flowed differently in the region, but the Time Worm did not return.
• An old man appeared behind Saine and warned him not to enter the wormhole leading five hundred thousand years into the future.
• Saine and the old man recognized each other as Level-9 Beings after a startled silence.
• The old man offered to leave because Saine had discovered the place first, but Saine called out to stop him.

Saine stopped Tu Hunyuan from leaving the Time Worm subspace and persuaded him to exchange knowledge and rule materials. They parted on friendly terms after sharing insights, while Saine learned that Tu Hunyuan had an unusually abundant Level-9 soul and a strong preference for plant element rule materials.

• Saine stopped Tu Hunyuan at the subspace exit and assured him he meant no harm.
• Saine invited Tu Hunyuan to exchange insights, and Tu Hunyuan agreed despite remaining wary.
• Saine introduced himself as the Ashes True Spirit and the God of Machines, while Tu Hunyuan gave his name and the title Wall Guardian.
• Saine and Tu Hunyuan exchanged knowledge about their laws and abilities, including the rules manifested through their feet.
• Saine gave Tu Hunyuan rule materials in return for the arcane truths he shared, and Tu Hunyuan accepted the plant element materials.
• Saine observed that Tu Hunyuan's Level-9 soul was nearly full and wondered whether he had ever fought other Overlords.

Saine traded with Tu Hunyuan, a cautious Level-9 Being who shared stories of his peaceful life and knowledge of Plant Element rules. Tu Hunyuan tried to leave after examining Saine’s unusual treasures, but the seven Rule Stones Saine revealed stopped him.

• Tu Hunyuan told Saine about his peaceful life in the Star Realm and his travels through smaller planes and Rule Dangerous Lands.
• Saine traded Jue Teng Tree Demon rule materials to Tu Hunyuan, who suspected they came from a Level-9 Plant Element Dominator’s corpse.
• Saine showed Tu Hunyuan the Wood God Sword and Green Source Grass Ring, and Tu Hunyuan identified curse traces on the sword and possible energy-storage and guiding functions in the ring.
• Tu Hunyuan refused Saine’s offer to cooperate with experiments and tried to leave, but stopped when Saine revealed seven Rule Stones.
• Tu Hunyuan asked how many Level-9 Beings Saine had killed, and Saine replied that he had killed two, though someone else had been the main attacker for one.

Saine persuaded Tu Hunyuan to cooperate in three experiments in exchange for an Earth Element Rule Crystal, then spent three thousand years studying him. Through the experiments, Saine developed the Earth Source Rule and discovered he could slowly grow stronger by absorbing the source of the space-time around him.

• Tu Hunyuan agreed to Saine's three experiments after Saine offered him an Earth Element Rule Crystal.
• Saine and Tu Hunyuan began their experimental collaboration under a detailed Rule Contract, and Tu Hunyuan considered withdrawing partway through.
• Saine used Truth Exploration to study Tu Hunyuan's body, mind, soul, and rules, and learned how his Earth Rule Ripples helped him remain in the Star Realm.
• Saine replicated part of Tu Hunyuan's ability and combined the Earth Rule Ripples with his Root-Touching Rule to establish the Earth Source Rule.
• Saine realized he could slowly grow stronger by absorbing the source of surrounding space-time, though he wondered who could inherit his Truth Arcana.

After finishing three thousand years of experiments, Saine urged Tu Hunyuan to preserve his noninterfering nature if he became Astral Realm Overseer. Tu Hunyuan left with gifts for Saine, who considered sharing the Earth Element materials with Little Star and the Sky Star Remnant Race.

• Tu Hunyuan completed the experiments, accepted an Earth Element Origin Rule Crystal from Saine, and prepared to leave.
• Saine raised a barrier against eavesdropping and asked Tu Hunyuan not to interfere with civilizations if he became Astral Realm Overseer.
• Tu Hunyuan agreed, and Saine suggested they might meet again after Tu Hunyuan's term ended.
• Tu Hunyuan gave Saine high-end Earth Element Rule Materials, including stones taken from his Rules True Body.
• Saine considered giving an Earth Crystal to Little Star and the Star Body Creatures of the Sky Star Remnant Race.

After leaving his long-term experimental site, Saine explored the Flowing Light Retrospective World and the Land of Exile before deciding to visit the Gray Burial Land. He found the new spacetime perilous and lifeless, with little to offer him.

• Saine abandoned his wait for the Time Worm, left his experimental site, and spent another two thousand years exploring the Flowing Light Retrospective World.
• Saine discovered buried ruins of ancient Top-Level Civilizations, collected some artifacts, and decided to leave the Flowing Light Retrospective World.
• Saine returned to the Land of Exile and spent more than two thousand years exploring, capturing two Dominator-class Beings who told him about the Gray Burial Land.
• Saine released the two Dominators after verifying the Gray Burial Land existed, then decided to visit it and the Illusory World before leaving the Material Star Realm.
• Saine entered the Gray Burial Land, found a dangerous, deathly still environment with few inhabitants, and gained little from his visit.

After concluding his travels through the special spacetimes, Saine prepared to leave the Material Star Realm and invited Duan Ning to accompany him to the Higher Dimensional Plane. Duan Ning agreed after arranging to return to the Immortal Domain and bid farewell to her family and fellow disciples.

• Saine rescued three Wanderers from a black storm in the Gray Burial Land, took hair samples from them, and departed.
• Saine returned to the Land of Exile and ordered the Mechanical Civilization to accelerate its final resource gathering as familiar Dominators prepared for his departure.
• Saine visited Duan Ning in the Pill Refining Room and invited her to help refine pills while traveling with him; she accepted and planned to tell Duan Po first.
• Duan Ning returned to the Immortal Domain to pack and say goodbye to Duan Po, Laozi, and her fellow apprentices.
• Duan Ning encountered Nezha and Little Dragon Girl preparing to travel together, exchanged gifts with them, and watched them depart into the starry sky.

After the Gate Contention War ended, Saine prepared to leave the Material Star Realm with his forces and returned to the Wizard World for a final visit. Hela, Befu, the Guardian of Summer, and Bai Xing joined him, while the Rules of Summer passed to a young successor.

• Saine learned that Han Li had taken the Twisting Gate, a Level-8 Peak locust Dominator had entered the Death Gate, and a Level-7 Late-Stage Dominator had entered the Life Gate.
• Saine returned to the Wizard World as his forces prepared to leave the Land of Exile, and he found Hela ready to depart with Jormungandr.
• Hela asked Saine to take Befu with them, and Befu agreed to leave.
• The Guardian of Summer, Shana, decided to leave with Saine and transferred the Rules of Summer to her black-haired Level-6 successor.
• Bai Xing chose to join Saine and arranged it through Tourmaline.

Saine prepared to leave the Wizard World with his companions and visited Ming to ask him not to target the Wizard Civilization. Before departing for good, Saine began creating a lasting legacy for the Wizard World as its first Level-10 Being.

• Saine and Rose prepared to leave the Wizard World with Befu, Shana, Bai Xing, and their followers, while Rose sent Naige'er a set of black Magic Robes through Hexiu.
• Saine told Befu to have the Source of Fire visit the Mechanical Secret Realm near coordinate point 508.6 southeast to find something that could help it advance.
• Saine entered Ming's Overseer Space and asked him not to target the Wizard Civilization; Ming promised to leave it alone during his remaining years as Overseer.
• Saine left the Overseer Space and returned to the Material Star Realm, where he spread a concealing mist of elemental rules toward the Wizard World and Wizard Star Universe.
• Saine said he would leave something behind for his civilization and acknowledged that he had become the Wizard World's first Level-10 Being in the Material Star Realm.

Saine concealed Wizard Civilization from outside observation with a protective elemental haze, then prepared to leave the Material Star Realm and pursue his Truth. He entered the Illusory World, followed by Ming, who wondered how Saine could travel to such places without an Overseer’s authority.

• Saine used concealment to shroud Wizard Civilization, making it difficult for outsiders and divination to reveal its affairs.
• Ming realized he could neither stop Saine nor challenge his power, while Saine said he still planned to leave the Star Realm for the Higher Dimensional Plane.
• Saine looked toward the Wizard World, entered a gray vortex, and left the Material Star Realm.
• Ming followed Saine into the Illusory World, intending to watch where he went.
• Ming wondered how Saine could enter the Illusory World and Overseer Spaces without borrowing an Astral Realm Overseer’s authority.

Saine took Little White to the Illusory Lake, where she reacted with terror and hid in his Cube Space as something stirred beneath the water. After Saine promised the unseen presence he would care for her, he left with Ming and headed for the Star Realm’s borderlands.

• Saine explored the Illusory World with Little White and Ming, observing its layered illusory spaces and collecting Rule materials.
• Little White showed signs of pain and recalled something as they approached the Illusory Lake where Saine had caught her.
• Little White screamed in terror at the lake and fled into Saine’s Cube Space as the water began to boil.
• Saine told Ming that an unwelcome presence might be at the other end of the lake, then promised the presence he would take good care of Little White.
• After Saine and Ming departed, a giant white pupil and Illusion-type Rule tentacles appeared in the lake before vanishing.
• Saine left the Illusory World and traveled to a passage leading toward the Star Realm’s boundary.

Saine and Ming reached the Astral Realm Border, where Saine studied its expanding frontier, newborn worlds, and rare materials. After learning that Level-9 Beings risk getting lost in the darkness beyond the safe white band, Saine flew into it to explore.

• Saine and Ming emerged from the Jet-Black Passage onto the Astral Realm Border’s white band as the passage closed behind them.
• Saine observed the Pioneer Material and nearby newborn planes, and Ming explained how long their worlds would take to develop complete rules and support life.
• Saine wondered whether Top-Level and Ultimate Body Civilizations had ways to advance beyond the Star Realm.
• Saine asked Ming about the depths of the dark space, and Ming warned that the Astral Realm Will forbade approaching it and that Level-9 Beings could become lost there.
• Saine flew away from the white band into the boundless darkness, and Ming let him go without further warning.

Saine explored the boundless darkness beyond the Material Star Realm, sensed its strange rules, and returned without venturing farther into the unknown. He then chose to visit a Higher Dimensional Plane by traveling with Ming through a passage to the Land of Exile.

• Ming reflected on Saine’s decision to enter the darkness beyond the Star Realm and wondered whether Saine might suffer the calamity of exile.
• Saine entered the boundless Darkness Space, found that he could use power beyond Level 9 there, and considered how it might relate to the Darkness Space from the White Spine Scepter.
• As Saine drifted away from the white band of rule-light, he gathered unique Rule Materials and recorded his impressions of the darkness with the Magic Cube.
• Saine unleashed his full strength to return to Ming, then decided to leave the darkness’s secrets for the future and visit a Higher Dimensional Plane first.
• Saine opened a Black Passage to the Land of Exile and invited Ming to follow him; Ming asked whether Saine would have killed him beyond the Star Realm’s boundary, and Saine said no.

Saine prepared to leave the Material Star Realm for a Higher Dimensional Plane with Mechanical Civilization and Duan Ning. He left his four children behind, asking Duan Po to keep an eye on them as Wizard Civilization and the Immortal Domain pursued their separate plans for expansion.

• Saine arrived in the Land of Exile and gathered the Mechanical Civilization forces into his Magic Cube before preparing to ascend alone.
• Wizard Civilization planned to focus its expansion on the Demon Domain Starry Sky and the Demon Subjugation Alliance, leaving the Nightmare Star Territory to the Immortal Domain.
• Duan Ning returned, and Duan Po came to see her and Saine off, giving his sister spirit medicines and immortal materials for the journey.
• Saine asked Duan Po to look after Nasi Xiu and his other children, who would remain in the Material Star Realm.
• Saine judged that his four children had promising futures, especially Nasi Xiu, and left them as a bond between Wizard Civilization and the Immortal Domain Dragon Race.

Saine said goodbye to his family and the allies who would remain in the Material Star Realm, then departed through the Dimensional Ascension Gate toward the Higher Dimensional Plane. The Astral Realm Will’s force pushed him onward, and his personal Rule-based transformation reached 99% as he entered the Space-Time Channel.

• Saine left Nasi Xiu behind to face his remaining trial, while Master Tongtian would keep watch over him and Nicole was expected to lead much of the Sky Star Remnant Race.
• Saine decided that he and Rose would wait until reaching the Higher Dimensional Plane before having another child, and he urged Old Master Naige'er to cultivate so he could meet his future grandson.
• Saine’s allies and Mechanical Civilization Legion entered his Cube Space, while he entered the Dimensional Ascension Gate alone because they knew little about the passage beyond it.
• Astral Realm Overseer Ming suggested that Saine look into Wizard Civilization’s future, but Saine refused and trusted its future generations to handle their own troubles.
• Saine entered the gray Space-Time Channel, reached 99% personal Rule-based transformation, and continued toward the Higher Dimensional Plane as the Material Star Realm faded behind him.

Saine reached the end of the Dimensional Ascension Channel but chose not to follow the route selected by the Astral Realm Will. Guided by the Magic Cube and a branch from Dreadful Treant, he entered a dangerous passage through the channel’s barrier and continued toward the God of Machines and Dreadful Treant.

• Saine examined a Rule Stone and inferred that the Higher Dimensional Plane ahead leaned toward the Fire Element, though its rules remained unclear.
• At the white exit, Saine sensed that the Astral Realm Will’s chosen destination might not be the place he wanted to go.
• The Magic Cube guided Saine toward the God of Machines, while the branch from Dreadful Treant pointed toward a nearby but different location.
• Saine pierced the channel barrier to the left of the white light and entered the dangerous space between the rules.
• Saine endured the barrier’s rejection and damage as he advanced through cracks between the rules, following the guidance of the Magic Cube and the branch.

Saine led his companions through a Crystal Channel while searching for a path for Mechanical Civilization. He and Befu eventually spotted an Ancient Moon Tree and a Bronze Gate ahead.

• Saine traversed the gaps between rules, collected unusual materials, and entered a safer Crystal Channel.
• Saine released Befu, Lina, Nataya, and the others from the Magic Cube, but most eventually returned inside while he continued onward.
• Saine asked Befu whether she regretted leaving because their route might take her far from Locke and the others, but Befu said she would rely on Saine’s strength.
• Saine and Befu discovered several exits along the channel, then spotted an Ancient Moon Tree on a black-gray platform with a Bronze Gate behind it.

Saine brought Befu and the others close to the Ancient Moon Tree, where they found Lilith’s palm print and traces of her power. He judged that Lilith and the Supreme Knight Dominator had not entered the Bronze Gate, then left a message on the tree before the group continued along their own passage.

• Saine warned Befu that the Bronze Gate led into a dangerous parallel space-time channel and brought the group near the Ancient Moon Tree to inspect it.
• Saine, Lina, and Little Tenth identified the palm print on the tree as Lilith’s, preserved with her Power of Death.
• Saine concluded that Lilith had continued onward after learning something from the tree and that the Supreme Knight Dominator had not entered the Bronze Gate.
• Saine refused to cross into the parallel channel, but promised to steer their journey toward the choices Knight Locke and the others had made.
• Saine inscribed information on the Ancient Moon Tree, which trembled and shed silver blossoms in response.