Chapter Summaries

After Ian won the alchemy assessment with his Damage-Resistance Potions, the masters recognized the value of his techniques and tried to win his favor. The chapter ended with Alexei, Gose, and Vana preparing gifts for Ian while Kalansir was left ashamed of his earlier mockery.

• Master Vana reviewed Ian's performance, realized no one present could have taught him, and decided to improve the first-place rewards to compete with the Ellen Family and Platinum-Iridium Workshop's support.
• Ian explained to Alexei how reusing Origin Matter Structure could increase large-scale potion production by around ten percent and described his separate method for temporarily strengthening a Regeneration Potion.
• Alexei asked Kalansir to hear Ian out, and Kalansir blushed with shame after realizing Ian had not been boasting about his emergency medicine.
• Gose praised Ian and received his sincere thanks for the textbooks that had helped him understand alchemy.
• Alexei promised to prepare a gift for Ian, Gose insisted that he had won their bet, and Vana assured Ian that he would like her gift.

Ian left Elan with Elder Pude and reunited with the wounded Hilliard at Sighing Cliff, where he treated his injuries. Hilliard began recounting the truth behind the Dark Moon Turmoil: it was a rebellion led by Crown Prince Anbide to assassinate Emperor Inaga II.

• Elder Pude accepted Ian’s decision to leave, gave him a silver hand cannon, and kept Elan in his care.
• Ian reassured Elan, then left Harrison Port and traveled through the storm to Sighing Cliff.
• Ian found Hilliard, treated his abdominal wound, and gave him regenerative medicine.
• Ian and Hilliard staged a misleading conversation to confuse Weges, who could overhear sounds near his psychic mark.
• Hilliard told Ian that he had served as a knight under Emperor Inaga II and that the Dark Moon Turmoil was an assassination attempt led by Crown Prince Anbide.

Ian piloted the battered naval armored suit through the Crocodile Dragon’s earth-made defenses and used its grappling claws to outmaneuver the Great Shaman. He ejected his companions and pushed the Alchemy Furnace Core into a 400-percent overload, preparing to sacrifice the suit to strike the Crocodile Dragon.

• Ian realized his Immovable Fortress inheritance let him endure the violent acceleration and impacts of armored-suit combat.
• The Great Shaman raised stone spikes and explosive earth spheres to block the armored suit, but Ian used its grappling claws to swing around the hazards and reach the Crocodile Dragon’s flank.
• Ian repeatedly circled the Crocodile Dragon, dodging its tracking spikes while his passengers were battered by the suit’s high-speed maneuvers.
• As the Crocodile Dragon formed a giant stone claw to crush the suit, Ian ejected Master Gose, Isengard, and the Elf pirate.
• Ian set the Alchemy Furnace Core to 400-percent overload, intending to use the armored suit’s destruction to severely wound the Crocodile Dragon and possibly kill the Great Shaman.

Ian and Teres led the Patrol Knights through Azure City toward the laboratory, where they encountered a powerful two-headed Azure Demon Bear Beast. The beast fought with human ascension martial arts, leaving Teres facing an enemy whose abilities exceeded their expectations.

• Teres explained that the Church of Light's Embrace would not intervene directly in the Avak Region, but its Paladins could rescue survivors and turn them over to the Empire.
• Ian and Teres advanced through the corpse-filled streets as the Patrol Knights cut a path toward the laboratory, while Teres listened for nearby enemies.
• Teres sensed an approaching foe, drew its attention, and attacked a towering two-headed Azure Demon Bear Beast hidden in the darkness.
• Ian recognized that the beast combined an Azure Demon Bear Beast with a human head and warned Teres that it might know more than brute force.
• The Azure Demon Bear Beast blocked Teres's Sonic Wind Sword with the ascension martial art Scale Armor Fist and launched a counterattack.

Ian realized the Light Calamity was caused by a damaged Cradle membrane releasing light that had been trapped for ages, and he saw a future in which another Ian used a supernova to launch the Dragon of Light beyond the Star-Prison. The ship escaped the Cradle, but Terminus noticed it, and Ian’s vision ended as the cosmic entity turned toward the Dragon of Light.

• Ian reasoned that the damaged Cradle’s spacetime membrane had slowed and accumulated light, and that the Mechanical Dragon’s passage disrupted it and triggered the Light Calamity.
• Ian recognized that the Dark Gold Dragon had never escaped the Star-Prison because the membrane had stopped it, and he weighed humanity’s survival against leaving the Cradle.
• Ian and the Gale Dragon King followed a future five years ahead, where Terra had been emptied of life and the sun began to collapse into a supernova.
• A Dragon of Light rode the supernova’s outflow and passed through the Star-Prison’s breach, carrying humanity’s hope beyond the Cradle.
• Terminus noticed the Dragon of Light outside the Star-Prison, and Ian’s vision went dark.

Ian defeated and killed Chieftain Snake Rock, who mistook his crystal arm and dragon-like power for proof that Ian was the Dragon God's Emissary. As the Mountain Folk prepared to besiege Layan City under Chieftain Iron Dust, a Prism Ray struck one of their scouting hawks.

• Ian froze the riverbank, stopped Snake Rock's drill with the Rockforged Knight's armor phantom, and crushed his armor before pursuing him through the ruins.
• Snake Rock pleaded for his life, identifying Ian as the Dragon God's Emissary and offering his tribe's worship; Ian entertained the idea but killed him.
• Ian realized Iron Dust's forces were regrouping to attack Layan City and prepared to end the war when they arrived.
• Iron Dust ordered his troops to deploy obscuring mist, build hilltop fortifications, position Alchemical Cannons, and send sensor-equipped scouting hawks toward the city.
• A scouting hawk rose above the mist to survey Layan City, but a Prism Ray struck it.

Ian, disguised as Gloomvale, helped Light's Embrace rescue team expose and defeat a Flesh Shapeshifter that had impersonated Saide. Though Radiant Sword recognized Ian, he vowed to keep his identity secret, and the team accepted Ian as a trusted ally while remaining unsure of his purpose.

• The rescue team surrounded the exposed Flesh Shapeshifter after realizing it had replaced Saide, while Radiant Sword recognized Ian and promised telepathically not to reveal his identity.
• Ian learned that Radiant Sword knew him because Light's Embrace clerics perceived the world differently, then introduced himself to the team as Gloomvale and said he had come to save people.
• Redemptive Light's team killed the Flesh Shapeshifter and discovered that it had parasitized Saide, using his living brain to retain his memories.
• Reflected Light preserved Saide's brain, and Ian explained that he had detected the shapeshifter because its brain had unusually high density.
• Redemptive Light questioned Radiant Sword about trusting Gloomvale, and Radiant Sword argued that Ian's goal of rescuing prisoners from Avak Laboratory aligned with theirs.

Ian asserted his rule over Layan Territory, executing a grain-hoarding spy, threatening the local leaders, and ordering food distributed to the people. After the territory’s officials left and Scott organized the guard rotations, Ian entered the Void Realm and discovered an unexpected gain from the day’s battle.

• Ian introduced himself as Layan Territory’s new lord and executed Xilin for spying and hoarding grain for the Blazing Flame Lands.
• Ian warned Layan Territory’s leaders that wartime grain hoarding and unreported resource trade would be punished, then ordered them to cooperate with his family’s merchant association.
• Ian ordered Gul Tiesen to disband the former guard force, and Gul agreed to leave Layan Territory with selected people.
• Ian ordered the granaries opened and food distributed to Layan City by the next day, with any shortfall charged to the local leaders.
• Ian told Scott to organize the guard rotations, then entered the Void Realm and noticed an unexpected gain from his battle.

Ian examined Isengard after his bloodline advancement revealed an unexpectedly rapid change to his nervous system. He identified the glowing neural network as a perfect enhancement combining Light-Eater Dragon and Sun God Bird lineages, leaving Isengard to explain how the two bloodlines had joined.

• Isengard asked Ian to examine an anomaly, and Master Gesai warned Ian not to tell him what he found.
• Sheo sensed that Ethan had gained a beneficial extra sublimation module, while Anfa and Sheo chose not to interfere.
• Ian checked Isengard for physical abnormalities and learned that Isengard’s nervous system had sublimated far faster than expected.
• Golden neural lines spread across Isengard’s body, and Ian recognized the change as part of Axel’s plan.
• Ian’s vision identified the Light-Spirit Neural Network as a perfect enhancement derived from the Light-Eater Dragon bloodline and the Sun God Bird bloodline.
• Ethan explained that the Sun God Bird organ had emerged through Isengard’s Light-Eater Dragon bloodline, with the two lineages supporting each other.

A Redwood Native shaman entered Osena’s house to take Elan, but Ian’s hidden floor trap wounded him. Ian returned with Hilliard, his new teacher, unaware that the intruders were already inside his home.

• A shaman smelled human blood in Osena’s house and suspected Osena had killed his older nephew.
• The shaman decided to take Elan as a sacrifice and stepped onto the weakened floor, where a rusty knife pierced his foot.
• The shaman warned his three hunters about the traps and crouched to tend his wound, worrying that Osena had turned against them.
• Ian returned to Harrison Port with Hilliard and reflected on his new teacher’s military bearing, wanted status, and reason for coming to the South Sea.
• Ian considered the arrangement a mutually beneficial one: Hilliard could use a new identity and a child as cover, while Ian needed an adult to rely on.

Ian and Master Gose defeated Andor’s submarine armor, but a lightning-wielding blond man in black armor struck Gose into the sea. Ian recognized the attacker as Patrick and plunged into the South Sea with Isengard as Patrick turned toward the Nearlight.

• Andor dived underwater in his armor, but Ian called out his position and Master Gose launched an alchemical plasma attack that overloaded the armor and knocked Andor unconscious.
• Master Gose returned toward the Nearlight, exhausted, while Ian realized a dense deathly aura still surrounded him.
• Ian shouted a warning, but a powerful lightning bolt shattered Gose’s defenses and knocked him into the sea.
• Ian spotted a blond man in black carapace armor, who watched Gose fall and then turned toward the Nearlight.
• Ian grabbed Isengard and plunged into the South Sea as he recognized the armored man as Patrick.

Redemptive Light and Radiant Sword investigated the ruined experiments near Third Barrier Lake, collected evidence, and prepared to condemn the Empire and the Spirit Cognition Institute. Radiant Sword recognized Ian’s presence in the psychic traces as the witnessing process began, while Ian was preparing to leave Layan Territory.

• Redemptive Light and Radiant Sword arrived in Layan Territory, purified the bones beneath the Flower Sea, and followed clues toward Loneflame Peak.
• At Third Barrier Lake, Redemptive Light and Radiant Sword examined the battlefield, cultivation chambers, and Baron Layan’s corpse.
• Radiant Sword concluded that Baron Layan and the Spirit Cognition Institute had collaborated on human transmutation before turning against each other.
• Redemptive Light found clues that the Blazing Flame Lands trail had been a diversion, but chose not to pursue the truth further.
• The two Cathedral Executors recorded and inventoried the evidence, then Radiant Sword sensed Ian and murmured that the witnessing process was underway.
• Ian said goodbye in Layan Territory as he prepared to leave.

Ian sensed a pirate fleet approaching the Nearlight as the South Sea storm intensified and the Labyrinth’s mutation began. The chapter ended with cannon fire striking the sea around the ship.

• Ian detected the approaching fleet and warned Master Gose that it might be associated with Canaanmore pirates.
• Master Gose slowed the Nearlight as the lightning grew denser and called the Ascenders together.
• Ian reported that the storm was shifting the South Sea’s natural psionic field and could trigger the mutation.
• Ian realized the Deepsea Crystal Dragon was closely connected to the Labyrinth and had helped ignite the abnormal storm.
• Master Gose rushed onto the deck as explosions erupted around the Nearlight, and the crew identified them as cannon fire.

Elan Silverpeak awakened Terra's Heart and joined Aldo to save humanity from extinction, transforming the defeated Federation into an expansionist civilization under the Eternal King. Terra Civilization launched an endless series of universal wars, while the chapter concluded that twelve millennia remained until the pioneers returned home.

• Aldo confronted Elan in the Void Realm and urged him to guide humanity rather than watch it perish.
• Ian's remembered words helped Elan accept that he could shape civilization according to his own vision, even if it differed from his brother's path.
• Elan awakened Terra's Heart, which manifested as a silver stellar lightship and arrived at the Federation's warfront in Federation Year 720.
• Terra's Heart defeated both sides, absorbed the remaining Terrans and fleets, and began an endless expedition under the Eternal King.
• Terra Civilization fought successive universal wars, earning the name Calamity of the Stars and Eternal Skyfire.

Ian made rapid progress with the Guidance Technique, which improved his sleep and seemed to help his psionic power flow more smoothly. He continued training and studying the Origin Seed, while Hilliard left disguised as Osena; Ian ended the chapter working to control Precognitive Vision.

• Hilliard saw that Ian had fallen asleep while practicing the Guidance Technique and carried him back to bed.
• Ian woke refreshed, noticed his Precognitive Vision mist moving faster, and realized the technique had left him intensely hungry.
• Ian exercised before eating fish soup with Hilliard, who explained that he could sleep with half his brain while the other half stayed awake.
• Ian told Hilliard he had found the framework of the Origin Seed, and Hilliard advised him not to rush its condensation or the later Magic Potion.
• Ian continued exercising as Hilliard went out disguised as Osena, then spent two hours studying how to control Precognitive Vision.

Ian’s connection with the Silver Sky Gate revealed countless alternate lives and his first life on Terra, where he had been a curious transmigrator named Ian. The chapter ended with Hilliard preparing to investigate the Ellen Family’s plan to take Isengard to the South Sea Grand Labyrinth.

• Ian used his Guiding Star to activate the Silver Sky Gate, and its beam swallowed the Dark Gold Dragon and its occupants.
• Inside the gate, Ian rejected visions of his many reincarnations and demanded to see the origin of all Ians.
• Korizen and another overseer supplied immense energy to the Silver Sky Gate, which revealed Ian’s first life as a White Folk infant born in Terra in 758.
• Young Ian impressed Hilliard with his intelligence, earned basic instruction in the Path of Sublimation, and later helped Weges seek out the vanished knight.
• Hilliard returned to Harrison Port, agreed to take Ian as his disciple after an operation, and suspected the Ellen Family was taking Isengard to the South Sea Grand Labyrinth for a conspiracy.

Ian transferred the Fireseed Furnace Core into his left arm, linking it to the Ancient Dragon Core and gaining a self-replenishing source of energy. After the Aether Crystal Dragon died, Ian rejoined the group with three eggs, and they prepared to leave the ruins.

• Ian endured the painful transfer of the Fireseed Furnace Core, which fused Morien Steel into his left arm and connected to his brain through the Silver Chip.
• Ian linked the new energy channels to the Ancient Dragon Core, increasing its completion and realizing he could advance to the Second Energy Level, but he suppressed the breakthrough.
• The Aether Crystal Dragon died after Ian promised to help continue its bloodline, and Ian closed its eyes before leaving with three dragon eggs.
• Ian told the group the Crystal Dragon had asked him to preserve its bloodline, and Master Gose proposed taking the two unhealthy eggs to the Imperial Capital for professional care.
• Ian led the group toward the exit, leaving the ruins behind.

Ian arranged to leave the Imperial Capital for the Southern Ridge, using his family’s potion inheritance and plans for his territory to make his departure seem ordinary. As Ian prepared to go, Mikael reflected on the Empire’s living Imperial Capital and headed to meet his father, the Emperor.

• Ian rejected leaving the Imperial Capital at once and decided to submit the Cyclops design through Isengard while preparing to return to his territory.
• Ian told Isengard he had restored the Chehalorvo Family’s Silverpeak Envoy Magic Potion and needed to stabilize his Southern Ridge territory, easing the danger shown by Hua An and Frost Butterfly’s visions.
• Isengard agreed to submit the Cyclops design and help Ian gather supplies and people for the journey, while Hua An and Frost Butterfly welcomed the trip south.
• Ian spent two more nights in the Imperial Capital before his planned departure, while Mikael learned of his plans and reflected on Ian’s concealed abilities.
• Mikael walked through the Upper District, considered the Imperial Capital’s living nature and the Immovable Fortress inheritance, then entered the palace to see the Emperor.

Marquis Barton ordered the Magnetic Light Knight to help imprisoned allies escape while hunting two unknown spies, and Ian recovered and prepared to return to Twin Tree Town. Before Ian left, Elder Manyan asked him to travel to the Imperial Capital and find the Dragon God's Ritual Book, taken from the Mountain Folk two hundred years earlier.

• Marquis Barton told the Magnetic Light Knight to withdraw the Empire’s people and give prisoners tools to escape, then tasked him with finding two moles leaking intelligence.
• Marquis Barton revealed that His Majesty had planted several spies in the Governor’s Mansion and instructed Chris to leave them alone while keeping them occupied.
• Elder Manyan examined Ian, confirmed his injuries had healed, and advised him to combine his Fairy Bloodline with a dragon-related Soul Light Body in the future.
• Ian asked the Dragon-Worshiping Cult for digestive organ materials from First Energy Level earth-element Magic Beasts, preferably with dragon-blood lineages.
• Elder Manyan offered the materials in exchange for Ian’s help finding the Dragon God's Ritual Book in the Imperial Capital.

Ian treated a man who was crushed by a transport truck, even after hearing the man and his son beg him to let him die rather than survive with devastating injuries. He used regeneration medicine to save the man's life and left the family with a promise of compensation if the treatment proved successful, just as medical personnel arrived.

• Ian saw a transport truck run over a middle-aged man in the Sixth Layer District and found that the crowd had not helped him.
• Ian used alchemical medicine and frost to stop the man's bleeding and stabilize him, while discovering that the man's son had begged him not to save their father.
• The injured man regained consciousness and also pleaded with Ian to let him die, fearing that surviving would leave him unable to work and burden his family.
• Ian recalled Azure Tide's father and rejected the family's pleas, then gave the man regeneration medicine as an experimental treatment.
• Ian told the man's children to report the results and promised payment if the Alchemy Association recognized his patent, as medical personnel and a cleric arrived.