Chapter Summaries

Locke’s Orkney Giant Bear bloodline evolved into the First-Ring Giant Bear King Orkney, and the Poison Lake then pushed his other bloodlines through further transformations. The chapter left Locke enduring a third, more powerful surge of venom as an Eight-Legged Death God attacked him.

• Locke awakened the Giant Bear King Orkney bloodline and gained its gravity-manipulating power, strengthening his body by at least a third.
• The Poison Lake continued corroding Locke’s body to draw out more of his bloodline potential, and the Poison Pearl helped him survive the toxins.
• Locke’s Three-Eyed Tiger-Eyed Cat Bloodline reached the First-Ring Crystallization Stage after absorbing antidotes released by the Poison Pearl.
• A third wave of toxins targeted Locke’s Mysterious Dragon Clan Bloodline, and an Eight-Legged Death God emerged from the venom and bit his neck.

Nidhogg mistook the Poison Lake’s tremors for evidence that Locke had endured three rounds of poisonous purification and hurried to kill him. After discovering that the earthquakes had been caused by the lake’s guardian, Nidhogg realized Locke had interfered with his spider intuition and began considering which First-Ring Magic Plant could have done so.

• Nidhogg sensed three tremors and concluded that Locke had survived three rounds of poisonous purification, making him a threat to the Basil Family’s bid for power.
• Nidhogg used Ritual Magic and power from the Blood River Plane to enlarge and strengthen himself before striking at the Poison Lake.
• Nidhogg’s attack killed a poisonous toad instead of Locke, and he extracted and ate its Poison Pearl.
• Nidhogg found the green fireflies around the lake and realized the poisonous toad, not Locke, had caused the tremors.
• Nidhogg suspected Locke had used a Magic Plant to disrupt his spider intuition and considered several First-Ring divination plants and their limitations.

Locke emerged from Poison Lake with three strengthened bloodlines and a newly awakened Immortal Dragon Scale that granted him increased defense, lifespan, and unstable Super Intuition. He discovered three spiderwomen seeking help to escape the secret realm, but Nidhogg emerged and confronted him after realizing Locke’s intuition came from his bloodline.

• Nidhogg used the thirty-one bloodlines within him to disrupt prophetic abilities and then headed toward another tremor.
• Locke’s True Dragon Bloodline reached the First-Ring Vaporization Stage, but Toxic Valley’s toxins ran out before it could progress further.
• Locke discovered that the Immortal Dragon Scale gave him dragon power, temporary immortality, about three hundred extra years of life, and an unstable Super Intuition.
• Blanche and two spiderwomen offered Locke information and help in exchange for enough Poison Pearls to let their companions leave the secret realm.
• Locke revealed that he had sensed a hostile wizard hiding behind a rock, and Nidhogg stepped out and accused the spiderwomen of betrayal.
• Nidhogg enlarged himself with Bloodline School spells and concluded that Locke’s bloodline had interfered with his prophetic perception.

Locke fought Nidhogg after the wizard attacked him and the three spider women, overpowering him with Mister's Power and severing several of his legs. Nidhogg fled into the Toxic Valley and hid, while Locke pursued him with Eye Grass and tried to lure him out.

• Nidhogg used the Magic-Eyed Viper's ocular power against Locke and the three spider women, but Locke reflected it with his Dragon Might and shielded them.
• Locke summoned Mister's Power and cut off one of Nidhogg's spider legs, then severed three more as Nidhogg's attacks failed to breach his defenses.
• Nidhogg spat poisonous web at Locke and fled, but Locke struck him in the back with Sea Golden Sand before giving chase.
• Locke sent Shadow Grass and Eye Grass through the Toxic Valley to track Nidhogg, who shrank himself with the Clear Cricket Worm's Shrinking Spell and hid in a crevice.
• Locke flew above the valley and called out to provoke Nidhogg into revealing his location.

Locke used Archaeology Magic to summon the King of the Dead and locate the fleeing Nidhogg, while Sea Golden Sand’s pain pushed Nidhogg toward using Ritual Magic. The King of the Dead pointed out Nidhogg’s position as the pursuit continued.

• Locke concluded that Nidhogg’s only way to escape Sea Golden Sand’s agony was to use Ritual Magic, and he searched the valley for him.
• Locke summoned a King of the Dead with an Archaeology Spell and ordered it to find the second wizard.
• The King of the Dead identified Nidhogg’s location, while Nidhogg hid in a stream and used bloodline abilities to evade Locke’s attacks.
• A Shadow Grass found Nidhogg, who fled again as Locke’s Magic Pressure approached.
• Nidhogg debated whether to use the Blood River Plane’s power to relieve his pain, despite wanting to avoid a head-on clash.

The southeast editor sent Locke’s article on Mister’s Power for blind review, while Cloud Marsh rejected his submission because he was not yet a First-Ring Crystallization Wizard. As Locke fought Nidhogg in the Wizard Secret Realm of Toxic Valley, he recorded his use of Mister’s Power as proof for Harlan Vela, then realized Nidhogg’s Ritual Magic borrowed strength from the Blood River Plane.

• The editor-in-chief of southeast selected Dean Earl Thompson and Wizard Harlan Vela to review Locke’s article about the creation and principles of Mister’s Power.
• Earl Harry rejected Locke’s article for Cloud Marsh because Locke had not yet become a First-Ring Crystallization Wizard, and suggested he submit it to Green-Grass Cloud Marsh with practical proof.
• Harlan Vela privately asked Locke whether he had submitted an article to southeast and successfully acquired Mister’s Power.
• Nidhogg used Ritual Magic to draw on the Blood River Plane and attacked Locke, who summoned the Nine-Headed Snake Magic Plant and formed a battle-axe from Mister’s Power.
• Locke recorded the clash with a True Sight Crystal and told Harlan Vela that seeing Mister’s Power in action was better than hearing about it.
• Locke realized that Nidhogg’s Ritual Magic borrowed external power from the Blood River Plane rather than drawing on power that truly belonged to Nidhogg.

Locke fought Nidhogg, who used Ritual Magic to borrow escalating power from the Blood River Plane. Nidhogg lost control and was taken through a Plane Gate, leaving Locke with a deeper understanding of Ritual Magic and a surge of magical energy to collect.

• Nidhogg used the Blood River Plane's power to break through Locke's defenses, while Locke countered with his spells and severed several of Nidhogg's spider legs.
• Locke activated his Primordial Rune and raised his Magic Pressure to 9,999, but Nidhogg borrowed more power and drove Locke to consider forcibly leaving the secret realm.
• Nidhogg's borrowed power overwhelmed him, and the Blood River Plane began reclaiming his body and soul through a Plane Gate.
• The Blood River Plane's will offered Locke limitless power in exchange for a contract, but Locke refused.
• The Blood River Plane pulled Nidhogg through the gate and reclaimed his soul, while Locke collected the released Magic Tide energy in his Druid's Ring.

Locke left the Wizard Secret Realm with increased Magic Pressure after Nidhogg was summoned away by the Blood River Plane. He explained Nidhogg’s fate to the Basil Family wizards, who fled under Locke’s Dragon Might and Great Wizard Sura’s rebuke.

• Locke collected seventeen Poison Pearls, gave thirteen to the three Spider Women, and directed them to seek help from the Plutarch Family rather than become his servants.
• Locke left the secret realm with his Magic Pressure increased to 8,000, and the Basil Family wizards demanded to know where Nidhogg was.
• Locke said Nidhogg had died after the Blood River Plane summoned him, and he showed that he had recorded the event with the True Sight Crystal.
• The Great Wizard Sura explained that Nidhogg had borrowed too much power from the Blood River Plane and summoned him for his actions against Locke.
• The Great Wizard Sura blamed Nidhogg for his own death and ordered the Basil Family wizards to leave, and they fled in fear.

After defeating the Basil Family’s attack, Locke returned to the White Dragon Tower and spoke with Witch Catherine, a Third-Ring Throne Wizard who assessed his potential. She ended their brief image conversation after recognizing the Immortal Dragon Scale, leaving Locke to await Director Morrison’s reply.

• Alicia checked that Locke was unharmed, while Great Wizard Sura reflected on Locke’s remarkable strength and the Second Ring characteristics he had displayed.
• Locke and Alicia discussed Potions, and Locke’s research into the Grass Aging Potion helped deepen his understanding of it.
• Great Wizard Sura apologized for the Basil Family attack and explained that Wizard Nidhogg’s death had weakened the family’s hardliners, though the situation remained sensitive.
• Locke returned home, accepted Witch Catherine’s friend request, and answered her image conversation request.
• Witch Catherine noticed Locke’s depleted Light of Mind, advised him to sleep, and explained that she was assessing his value at Director Morrison’s request.
• Witch Catherine recognized Locke’s Immortal Dragon Scale, told him to await Director Morrison’s reply, and ended the call; Locke reflected on the vast gap between their levels.

Locke earned special privileges at the Feathered Serpent Ancient Pavilion after the Bloodline Test Ring revealed his Immortal Dragon Scale marked him as a True Dragon. He entered the third Heavenly Ladder round, which required him to prepare a Luck Potion within three years, and left with the formula still out of reach and his usual aids prohibited.

• Locke presented seven bottles of Grass Aging Potion, and the Red Dragon Half-Dragon discovered the Immortal Dragon Scale made him a True Dragon.
• The Red Dragon Half-Dragon granted Locke the right to pause between Heavenly Ladder stages, access one potion formula daily, and use the potion room at half price.
• Locke passed the second round and received a Pureflow Filter Stone, which could improve potion effects by filtering impurities.
• The Red Dragon Half-Dragon explained that the Feathered Serpent Ancient Pavilion’s Dragon Nest Protection Art increased Locke’s luck there.
• Locke chose to enter the third round, which gave him three years and ten sets of materials to prepare one Luck Potion, while forbidding him from using the Primordial Fire or Pureflow Filter Stone.

Locke traded his improved Holy Spring Nectar Potion formula for the Spiritual Breath Crystal Potion formula, then met the Black Wizard Leonis, who sought his help brewing a Furnace Potion. Their archaeological spells revealed parts of each other's secrets, and Locke agreed to the trade only if Leonis gave him half the historical materials in his Fairy Book.

• Locke sold seven Grass Aging Potions for fourteen Magic Crystal Cards and exchanged his perfected Holy Spring Nectar Potion formula for the Spiritual Breath Crystal Potion formula.
• The Red Dragon half-dragon told Locke that his mysterious master admired him and had high hopes for him.
• Leonis introduced himself as an archaeological professor from the Spiral Basin and summoned a Great Sage to investigate Locke's background, but the sage could not see the full truth of Locke's bloodline.
• Locke used Summon: King of Ancient Tombs to learn that Leonis possessed eleven ancient bloodlines, including a phoenix bloodline, and stripped away Leonis's magical artifact.
• Leonis offered one-third of his Fairy Book's historical materials in exchange for Locke brewing a Furnace Potion, and Locke demanded half instead.

Locke negotiated with Leonis to brew two doses of Cinder Lord's Secret Brew after recovering, then arranged a place for him to stay. Director Morrison reported on his negotiations with two Advanced Truth Institutes and explained why Boniface University had disappointed him.

• Leonis asked Locke to brew two doses of Cinder Lord's Secret Brew, and Locke agreed to make them after recovering.
• Leonis accepted Locke's offer of a residence, and Locke warned him not to harm the servants.
• Locke accepted Director Morrison's image conversation and saw him overseeing aeroponic cultivation of potato Magic Plants.
• Director Morrison said Witch Catherine had made unexpected concessions while seeking to join the Ten-Person Plan.
• Director Morrison said Boniface University refused to concede project autonomy because its new dean, Valentinian, specialized in Textile Studies and knew little about Botany or Breeding Science.

Director Morrison explained the generous contract and research opportunities Locke could receive at Golden Crown Mountain and advised him to choose it over Boniface University. Locke learned that Golden Crown Mountain’s vast scale dwarfed the wizard organizations he had known, leaving him to consider the opportunities and challenges ahead.

• Director Morrison told Locke that Boniface University had offered no favorable contract, but he had negotiated a better deal with Golden Crown Mountain.
• Director Morrison described Locke’s salary, immediate access to a Superior Meditation Method, startup funding, housing, and laboratory access.
• Director Morrison explained the Truth Institute Project Fund and Special Grant Fund, and warned Locke that securing funding and earning a Completion Credential would be difficult.
• Director Morrison showed Locke the contract Witch Catherine had negotiated, including independent control of funds and permission to recruit two assistants, and advised him to join Dragon Fern Garden at Golden Crown Mountain.
• Director Morrison outlined Golden Crown Mountain’s academies and factions and told Locke that a single garden could contain over a hundred Formal Wizards.
• Locke compared Golden Crown Mountain’s scale with the wizard organizations he had known and realized how powerful the institution was.

Locke accepted Director Morrison’s advice to join Golden Crown Mountain and bought seven Sea Golden Sand plants to develop through synthesis. Half a month later, he created the mutated Flash Sea Golden Sand by grafting Sea Golden Sand with an Alsophila Tree Fern, leaving him with a strengthened Level 8 Magic Plant.

• Locke agreed to sign a contract with Golden Crown Mountain, where Witch Catherine would be his mentor and employer, and Director Morrison warned him about the mountain’s factions.
• Locke bought seven Sea Golden Sand plants for twenty thousand Magic Stones each, spending the money he had recently earned.
• Locke used the equipment at the Dragon Crystal Ecological Dome and the help of Tacitus and Leopold to synthesize Sea Golden Sand.
• Locke grafted Sea Golden Sand with an Alsophila Tree Fern and created the Level 8 Flash Sea Golden Sand, whose magical power was doubled.

Locke tested his enhanced Golden Magic and learned to summon a Styx Ferryman using his strengthened [Sect Master's Book]. The ferryman carried Locke and Leonis into a hidden space within the White Dragon Tower, where they were caught near the Elemental Fission Pool and hurled outward by a powerful force.

• Locke used the Flash Sea Golden Sand to cast Golden Sandstorm, Flowing Gold Hand, and Flowing Gold Finger, confirming that he had mastered a powerful new attack.
• Locke prepared three bottles of Furnace Potion for Leonis, who drank one and found that it accelerated the formation of his Phoenix Bloodline.
• Leonis transferred half of his historical records to Locke's Dragon's Book, raising the [Sect Master's Book] to the First-Ring Liquefaction Stage.
• Locke summoned a Styx Ferryman, and he and Leonis paid Underworld Gold Coins to ride its invisible vessel through White Dragon Street and the White Dragon Tower.
• The ferryman's vessel carried Locke and Leonis into the hidden Elemental Fission Pool space, where its gravity pulled them toward the pool until Locke invoked his priority control and a powerful force pushed them outward.

After escaping the White Dragon Tower’s chaotic Elemental Fission Pool, Locke learned about Demon God Summoning and exchanged potions with Leonis before choosing Golden Crown Mountain’s contract. Witch Catherine urged him to come to Cloud Marsh Wetland immediately, and Locke told her that Cloud Marsh had rejected his article but Green-Grass Cloud Marsh had received another submission.

• Locke and Leonis emerged in an abandoned mine near the Shadow Pool, and Locke concluded that the White Dragon Tower’s Elemental Fission Pool had distorted spacetime.
• Leonis explained that Demon God Summoning was the pinnacle of First-Ring Tomb Spirit Summoning but required First-Ring Crystallization Stage ability, and Locke offered to trade potions for archaeologists’ historical materials.
• Locke and Leonis exchanged five Underworld Gold Coins for five bottles of Locke’s improved Holy Spring Nectar Potion before Leonis departed.
• Locke compared contracts from Boniface University and Golden Crown Mountain, chose Golden Crown Mountain’s more generous offer, and signed it.
• Witch Catherine told Locke to report to Cloud Marsh Wetland immediately because she had reserved a dormitory and a project position for him, and Locke agreed to travel there soon.
• Witch Catherine asked about Locke’s recent submissions, and he said Cloud Marsh had rejected one article while Green-Grass Cloud Marsh had received another.

Locke received Witch Catherine’s invitation to join the Advanced Truth Institute after his paper was accepted by Southeast, then prepared to leave the Land of Six Towers. He and Alicia spent one night together before parting, while Alicia chose to stay and take responsibility for her family and homeland.

• Witch Catherine told Locke that Southeast had accepted his paper, advised him to resubmit his rejected Cloud Marsh paper after reaching the First-Ring Crystallization Stage, and urged him to travel to her institute.
• Fafnir warned Witch Catherine that Locke’s Immortal Dragon Scale and outsider background made him a risky choice, but she said she needed capable assistants for her project and wanted his presence to help control her true dragon bloodline.
• Locke sold potions to afford an airship ticket to Cloud Marsh, then returned home and found Alicia waiting for him in the dark.
• Locke and Alicia acknowledged that they had chosen different paths, spent the night together, and parted the next morning after Locke left her a farewell letter.
• Alicia revealed that she had chosen to remain in the Land of Six Towers, help the Plutarch Family, and reform the wizard land after advancing to the Second-Ring.

Locke discussed joining Lilith's Cottage as an external researcher to help restore Mister's Power and the Forest Sanctuary, negotiating a higher salary and funding for the work. He agreed to co-train his old acquaintance Albert, whose final chance to become a Formal Wizard would involve the new research plan, as the airship reached Golden Crown Mountain.

• Locke told Harlan Vela that his article on Mister's Power had raised Lilith's Cottage's standing and discussed the value of joining its research institute.
• Locke said he would help Lilith's Cottage only if it funded the work adequately and paid him three Magic Crystal Cards per month, with three cards in advance; Harlan agreed to arrange the money.
• Harlan Vela explained that Lilith's Cottage had chosen Albert for the Mister's Power Reappearance Plan after three failed attempts to become a Formal Wizard.
• Locke agreed to join the plan and contact Albert, while Harlan warned that Albert had changed after his repeated failures.
• The Wizard Airship reached the area near Golden Crown Mountain.

Locke arrived at Golden Crown Mountain and marveled at its advanced magical agriculture and weather-control systems. On the Airship, he met fellow incoming student Daniel Brook, who demonstrated how Maxim Mages used written spells to affect minds, and the two parted after landing.

• Locke surveyed Golden Crown Mountain’s magical forests, cultivation fields, weather-control system, and gyro power stations from the Airship.
• Locke spoke with Daniel Brook, a Weather Wizard from the Fission Mausoleum Plains who had won the Three Marshes Cup and gained admission to the Advanced Truth Institute.
• Daniel learned that Locke was also joining the Institute and explained that they would be colleagues with different collaborative mentors.
• Daniel demonstrated Maximology by writing [Stop] and [Fear] on a Serpent-Tailed Yellow Lion, suppressing its mind and movement.
• Locke analyzed the Maxim Spell Model’s effects and limitations before the Airship landed and Daniel hurried to report in.

Locke and Daniel arrived in Cloud Marsh Wetland and explored the crowded market around the Wizard Ship’s docking area. When a stall owner learned they were researchers from the Advanced Truth Institute, he refused their business and fled as Golden Crown Mountain enforcement wizards approached, leaving Locke and Daniel to meet their welcoming party.

• After disembarking, Locke reflected on how Dragon Might could counter Maximology spells and considered what he had learned from Daniel.
• Locke and Daniel entered the marketplace and saw its many magical goods, games, and gambling stalls.
• Daniel decided to try a stone-guessing game, but Locke declined and said he would go report to the Advanced Truth Institute.
• The stall owner heard Locke mention the Truth Institute, returned Daniel’s Magic Crystal Card, and said he would not do business with its researchers.
• When someone announced that Golden Crown Mountain enforcement wizards were coming, the stall owner packed up and fled on a Radiant Unicorn.
• Locke and Daniel saw First-Class Wizard Apprentices and a First-Ring Crystallization wizard holding signs welcoming Researchers Locke Augustine and Daniel Brook.