Chapter Summaries

Ian was rescued by Anfa, Sheo, and Elder Manyan, who brought him to their ritual chamber to recover. While hiding nearby, he overheard their dealings with Marquis Barton and realized the Dragon-Worshiping Cult and the Marquis had coordinated Nauman City's unrest to mislead outside forces and expose infiltrators among the Southern Ridge’s nobles and Ascenders.

• Anfa explained that a mole in Nauman City had exposed her, and Elder Manyan agreed to take the injured Ian in for care.
• Sheo carried Ian to a clinic, treated his wound, and told him that Oak Master’s arrival could have made his dragon blood a liability in Nauman City.
• Sheo noticed Frost Butterfly in Ian’s hair, spoke with it briefly, and left Ian alone to rest.
• Two hours later, Ian overheard Elder Manyan say that Marquis Barton had agreed to release captured cultists if they identified the moles and the people who attacked Ian.
• Anfa said she suspected the mole and revealed that the ship’s passengers had been bait while the real item was with her.
• Ian concluded that the Dragon-Worshiping Cult and Marquis Barton had staged the crisis to expose infiltrators from outside the Southern Ridge.

Ian and his team learned that the aberrant beasts revealed the Xenobiology Research Institute’s advanced technology, which threatened to provoke conflict among the nations. After the Mountain King warned them about the escalating danger and offered a safe withdrawal, Ian chose to keep the Origin Matter Chip and continue toward the third floor.

• Ian explained that the Magic Beasts were networked, and Anfa identified their modifications as rushed attempts to create powerful aberrant beasts.
• Ian connected the beasts’ technology to the Empire’s experiments in Awak Domain, while Fourth Energy Level leaders recognized the technology as a threat and began confronting one another.
• The Mountain King reached Ian’s team, explained that the beasts could enable a Second Ascension Revolution, and warned that rival teams might turn to killing as the nations fought over the technology.
• Ian realized the Maze Lord had revealed the technology to provoke chaos, declared that he could defeat the other exploration teams, and refused to hand over the Origin Matter Chip.
• The Mountain King warned Sheo about the laboratory’s dangers and left after promising to answer her call; Ian urged the team to secure the chip and head to the third floor.

The Blazing Flame Lands' demon army destroyed Karma Knight's fortress while Ian's armored squad raided the demons' camp and damaged the Cursed Earth Altar. Death Knell repelled Ian's ambush and concluded that Southern Ridge was forcing a decisive battle, then entered the Void Realm to prepare a hidden trump card.

• The demon army slaughtered Karma Knight's forces and the residents of his domain after bypassing the fortress defenses, and Karma Knight charged the demons as the iron doors broke.
• Ian sent twelve elite armored units led by Azure Tide to fire rockets and drop explosives on the demon camp's Cursed Earth Altar before retreating.
• Death Knell attacked the fleeing armored squad, destroying one unit, but Ian intervened with a frost shield and escaped after confronting the demon general.
• Death Knell assessed that Southern Ridge had outmatched the demons in intelligence and was pushing them toward a decisive battle, while the surviving demon officer reported that the altar could be rebuilt.
• Death Knell decided to reveal a trump card, entered the Void Realm, and looked toward a region consumed by the Cursed Earth.

After Ian was invested as Baron Silverpeak, the Empire rewarded him with armor-maintenance equipment, agricultural supplies, and the rehabilitation of the Chehalorvo Family. As Xiahui Territory drew attention, First Prince Carlos analyzed Ian’s reforms and concluded that religion could help him manage the upheaval they might cause.

• Viscount Dikas briefly invested Ian as Baron Silverpeak and presented the Empire’s rewards, including armor-maintenance equipment, Bison Bulls, premium seeds, and the Chehalorvo Family’s rehabilitation.
• Ian planned to use the new equipment to adjust the Cyclops and eventually study Aether Armor furnace cores, while hoping to repair Viscount Grant’s Tidebreaker.
• Merchants and nobles took notice of Xiahui Territory after Viscount Dikas praised Ian’s agricultural, alchemical, and mining development to the Imperial Capital.
• First Prince Carlos told Dikas that Ian’s reforms aimed to automate basic industries and expand manufacturing to employ the population.
• Carlos concluded that Ian could use a new religion under his control to contain unrest as his reforms transformed Xiahui Territory.

At Xiahui Territory’s training camp, Azure Tide trained the first batch of students while Ian used their progress to investigate a self-reliant path to Ascension. After training, Azure Tide sensed Elder Manyan and an Alchemy Association envoy meeting with Ian about exploring the Xenobiology Research Institute.

• Azure Tide instructed the students in the Tidal Rise Breathing Method and warned them that advanced training could cause severe injury or death.
• Ian’s research plan aimed to use rigorous training and Meditation Methods to help students achieve Soul Illumination without relying on Magic Potions.
• Azure Tide identified promising students and planned to ask Ian for resources to develop them.
• Azure Tide sensed Elder Manyan of the Dragon-Worshiping Cult and a Third Energy Level figure from the Alchemy Association meeting with Ian.
• The chapter ended with Ian facing invitations from both factions to explore the Xenobiology Research Institute.

Ian recognized a dragonkin phantom as Sheo and concluded that the Avak Region was undergoing a Void Realm ritual called the Silent Abyss, likely enveloping the suspected laboratory. As Ian’s group pushed deeper to investigate and capture a projection, Viscount Avak’s Knight Order appeared as a charging mass of phantoms.

• Ian and Teres encountered a powerful dragonkin Void Realm projection that Ian identified as Sheo, and Ian suspected the region’s phantoms came from souls imprisoned in the laboratory.
• Ian and Teres advanced cautiously through a ruined village while Ian analyzed the region’s psionic fluctuations and identified the Silent Abyss ritual.
• Ian told Hua An and Mo Feng that the ritual was creating a Void Realm overlap zone around the laboratory, and they warned that its collapse could leave a lasting wound in the Void Realm.
• Teres ordered the vehicles to press farther inward, and the group soon found a large gathering of phantoms.
• A force of seventy or eighty riders charged toward Ian’s group, and Teres recognized them as Viscount Avak’s Knight Order.

Ian left Harrison Port with his Inspector Knight Apprentice papers after Marquis Barton revealed that he knew Ian was the Maze Lord and advised him to visit Madam Ellen. Barton and the Second Prince, Mikael Setar, discussed Ian’s role in the deaths of Lapol and Solas, the First Prince’s plans, and the Empire’s past as Ian headed toward the Imperial Capital.

• Marquis Barton told Ian that he knew he was the Maze Lord, urged him to give Madam Ellen his regards, and said Grant could do as he pleased.
• Ian collected his Inspector Knight Apprentice Registration Papers and left, still puzzled by Barton’s kindness and advice.
• Barton and Mikael Setar suspected Ian had helped bring Lapol and Solas into conflict and discussed the threat posed by the First Prince’s gathering forces.
• Barton said he would kill Chris if Chris kept acting against Ian, while Mikael wondered whether the late Emperor had left a hidden contingency in Harrison Port.
• Barton said the late Emperor had secured the Empire’s rebirth through his death, and that the greatest winner had been the current Emperor.

Yintian Shenyin reflected on his long journey toward creating worlds and introduced Above the High Heavens as a fantasy story about curiosity, yearning, and dreams. He announced its April 1 release with ten guaranteed chapters and additional chapters tied to subscriptions, votes, and tips.

• Yintian Shenyin recalled how childhood games, drawing, and fantasy novels inspired him to create worlds.
• Yintian Shenyin described his early failed attempts at drawing and writing, followed by years of learning and completing two long books.
• Yintian Shenyin explained that Above the High Heavens would portray a world through Ian's perspective and explore people's yearnings and dreams.
• Yintian Shenyin promised ten chapters on release day, with extra chapters based on first-day subscriptions, monthly votes, and tips.
• Yintian Shenyin announced that Above the High Heavens would release at 12:05 AM on April 1st.

Ian discovered that a heavily armed fleet was hostile toward him and found a Second Energy Level combat armor aboard its flagship. He left Sha Sha behind and moved closer to investigate the fleet.

• Ian realized the Ironclad Shark was in danger because the fleet was fishing nearby, and Sha Sha stayed close to him.
• Ian used Precognitive Vision to scan the fleet and found powerful sublimators and Alchemical Cannons among its ships.
• Ian detected the fleet’s overwhelming hostility and suspected it might be connected to Patrick from the Imperial Capital.
• Ian scanned the fleet more closely and counted five First Energy Level sublimators and more than twenty Alchemical Cannons.
• Ian spotted a purple aura in the flagship’s aft cabin, then identified its source as a modified Canaanmore Fourth-Generation Full-Coverage Combat Armor.

Ian witnessed a dragon fly over Nauman City and chose to delay his visit, heading for Twin Tree Town instead. Meanwhile, a Spirit Cognition Institute observer investigated the deaths at Battle Canyon before someone grabbed him and demanded to hear his theory.

• Ian recalled Linda's prophecy and realized his actions might have changed what the Spirit Cognition Institute would obtain in Nauman City.
• Ian watched an unknown dragon fly from the western mountains over Nauman City and rise beyond the clouds toward the Fafute Mountains.
• Ian used Frost Butterfly's color to judge the danger around Nauman City and decided to travel to Twin Tree Town before going there.
• A cloaked Spirit Cognition Institute observer examined Battle Canyon and concluded that someone other than Baron Layan and Section Chief Solas had killed them both.
• An unseen person seized the observer by the neck and demanded that he share his guess.

Ian learned the Dragon-Worshiping Cult’s purpose and why dragon-blooded people were sought after, while Elder Manyan warned him to hide his blood from the Spirit Cognition Institute and the Truth Institute. Ian showed Manyan his crystallized left hand as his dragonification.

• Ian listened as Elder Manyan explained that Ancient Dragon blood could awaken within its bearers and guide them toward dragon power.
• Elder Manyan described the Dragon-Worshiping Cult’s factions, its interest in dragon-blooded people, and the danger of the institutes discovering Ian’s blood before he reached the advanced Second Energy Level.
• Elder Manyan invited Ian to join the cult, explaining that it could provide research and materials about dragon blood more readily than official channels.
• Elder Manyan revealed his steel dragon horns and asked Ian where his own dragonification had appeared.
• Ian removed his gauntlet and showed Elder Manyan the azure crystal patterns covering his left hand.

Ian learned that the children had foreseen a coming struggle in Nauman City over a precious object connected to a religious sect, and he agreed to oppose the Spirit Cognition Institute on his own terms. After the children erased themselves and Ian covered up the battlefield, he left for Layan Territory before dawn as two glowing figures arrived at the valley.

• Linda told Ian that her prophecy showed mysterious people in black joining others in Nauman City to obtain a precious object, though his arrival had changed the foretold events.
• Ian agreed to stop the Spirit Cognition Institute from succeeding because he wanted to, while the Baron's eldest son and the other children chose to depart and repay their debt with death.
• The children used Mo Qiu's spiritual energy to dissolve their bodies and erase their traces, and the Ephemeral Skull lost most of its power.
• Ian gathered the broken sword and armor fragments, altered the appearance of Baron Layan's and the deputy section chief's corpses, and left the battlefield.
• Ian hurried toward Layan Territory to establish an alibi, and two glowing figures arrived at the valley after the rain clouds cleared and dawn came.

After surviving a native attack, Ian realized that using Origin Matter as well as gathering it improved his cultivation and prepared to form his Origin Seed. Hilliard returned with rare resources and confirmed Ian was ready to begin, while Ian revealed that the elder knew about his psychic powers.

• Ian recognized that using Origin Matter strengthened his body and made him more adept at circulating it.
• Ian reflected on the native attacks and decided the natives had to die to protect his own safety.
• Hilliard returned home, praised Ian for surviving the attack, and learned Ian wanted to form his Origin Seed that night.
• Hilliard brought rare resources from the elder’s guard and identified them as mountain ox jerky.
• Ian told Hilliard that the elder already knew he had psychic powers.

Ian captured Director Idema in the underground laboratory, where Mikael exposed Idema’s repeated failures to defect and ordered him to hand over the key. Ian killed Idema and removed the Brain Attachment that served as the key, earning Mikael’s approval.

• Ian used his abilities and Silent Sound Ring to bypass the laboratory’s guards and capture Director Idema.
• Ian showed Idema Mikael’s Soul Light Body, and Idema claimed he had been waiting to defect.
• Mikael explained that Idema had ignored three chances to defect and had even attacked inspector knights, including a squad carrying Mikael’s Soul Light Body.
• Mikael demanded the key and promised to spare Idema’s family, but Ian killed him when he continued trying to bargain.
• Ian removed the Brain Attachment from Idema’s brainstem and showed it to Mikael as the key.
• Mikael praised Ian and said talking to him was much more comfortable.

Ian warned Teres to prepare for a deadly mission at the Western Border, then joined Hua An, Mo Feng, and Frost Butterfly in investigating a psychic distortion in the Void Realm. They entered the Void Realm and found its southwest burning.

• Ian saw that Teres and his team faced grave danger, warned Teres to bring psychic defenses and drones, and watched the danger around them lessen.
• Ian learned Hua An and Mo Feng were heading to the Void Realm on a Dream Institute mission concerning a psychic distortion, and realized the site was at the Empire's Western Border.
• Ian recognized that Hua An, Mo Feng, and Frost Butterfly were in danger if they entered the Void Realm without him, so he offered to accompany them.
• Ian, Hua An, Mo Feng, and Frost Butterfly entered the Void Realm, where they saw the southwest burning.

Ian visited Baron Layan to obtain Rosy Radiance Grass extract, and agreed to appraise an ancient mountainfolk relic in return. In the baron’s laboratory, Ian recognized a crystal skull whose connection to a prophet left his Precognitive Vision showing nothing.

• Baron Layan welcomed Ian, offered him excellent-quality nourishing extract, and asked him to appraise an ancient treasure.
• Ian met Linda, the baron’s adopted daughter, and told Layan that his younger brother also struggled to express himself.
• Baron Layan claimed thieves from the Blazing Flame Lands stole refined Rosy Radiance Grass extract and cut off his left arm.
• Ian entered the alchemy laboratory and noticed a crystal skull among the relics.
• Ian sensed the skull’s connection to a prophet after his Precognitive Vision showed no mist around it.

During Nauman City’s lockdown, Chris of Magnetic Light met Night Snake, a Spirit Cognition Institute agent, and told him about the vanished Dragon-Worshipping Heretical Cult clues and the sealed Candlebearers. Night Snake refused to help investigate after learning Church of Light’s Embrace executors were closing in on his experiments in Layan Territory, and left to destroy evidence while Chris took the Redstone laboratory key.

• Chris of Magnetic Light stopped Night Snake and his black-clad party outside Nauman City, which was under lockdown after an assassination attempt on Marquis Barton.
• Chris told Night Snake that clues about the Ice-Mist Dragon had gone missing after a cult-linked ship sank, and that two Candlebearers were sealed inside the city.
• Chris asked Night Snake to help investigate the Dragon-Worshipping Heretical Cult, while Night Snake requested help restoring the sealed Redstone Alchemy Workshop’s operations.
• Chris warned Night Snake that Redemptive Light and Radiant Sword were investigating disappearances in Layan Territory, prompting Night Snake to abandon the information-gathering task and return there to destroy evidence.
• Night Snake gave Chris a twelve-sided key and ordered him to keep the Redstone laboratory staff confined and silence them if they discovered his involvement.
• Night Snake and the party entered Nauman City with Chris, while Night Snake slipped away into the darkness.

Ian learned that Ila, Mo Qiu, and Linda had influenced Baron Layan to begin the plan because they wanted him to kill them, then resolved to stop them. As Baron Layan and his children prepared to fight, Ian unleashed a massive ice projectile from the sky, colliding with the Rockhorn Cannon’s shot.

• Ila, Mo Qiu, and Linda told Ian they had chosen to make Baron Layan start the plan early so they could die and give their brother back to him.
• Ian decided the children were too dangerous to spare and prepared to attack them despite their pleas for him to fulfill their wish.
• Baron Layan, overwhelmed by a feeling of loss, powered up with his Rockwood White Deer abilities and formed the Rockhorn Cannon.
• The ghostly wraith joined Baron Layan, adding its psychic power as the cannon gathered earth, stone, and vines around him.
• Ian rose high into the sky and used frost mist and rainwater to form a massive ice spike, then launched it as Baron Layan fired the Rockhorn Cannon.

Ian left Harrison Port with a White Chamber Trading Company caravan, beginning his journey toward Layan Territory. He departed with armor, a sword, money, and support from his family and friends, while Elan stayed behind with Elder Pude.

• Ian showed Elder Pude his knight's medal, said farewell to him and Elan, and returned home to collect his luggage.
• Ian joined a caravan bound for Nauman City, where he reunited with Brin and received farewells from Sainan and others.
• Viscount Grant and Lamar gave Ian his armor, sword, and a bag of silver, and the Viscount provided him with a residence in Nauman City as a fallback.
• Ian donned his armor, checked his equipment, and waved goodbye to Elder Pude, Elan, Azure Tide, and the others.
• Ian's caravan left Harrison Port and headed north toward a wider world.

Mr. Silverfang told Ian about the Dragon-Worshiping Cult’s history, its ability to cause disasters, and the Federation’s Candlebearers. Ian arranged to explore Twin Tree Town alone that night and entrusted his Razorclaw Tiger hide to Mr. Silverfang, who promised to support his travels.

• Mr. Silverfang explained that the Dragon-Worshiping Cult had caused a massive earthquake while trying to revive the Void Desert Dragon in the Ushtarav Mountains.
• Mr. Silverfang described the Cult’s interest in Ancient Dragon power and explained that the Candlebearers hunted secret organizations and foreign spies.
• Ian declined Mr. Silverfang’s offer of pocket money and asked for a secluded room so he could explore Twin Tree Town on his own.
• Ian entrusted his Razorclaw Tiger hide to the Silverfang Chamber of Commerce, and Mr. Silverfang insisted on rewarding him for helping establish ties with the Poyin Workshop.
• Mr. Silverfang told Ian that he could support his travels through the Southern Border, while Ian would need his noble friend’s help beyond the Golden Plains.
• Ian looked out at Twin Tree Town’s busy midnight streets and reflected on the support networks available to traveling knights and Ascendants.