Chapter Summaries

During the break, Lin Qin took mercenary jobs in the Magic Beast Mountain Range and gained wilderness and combat experience. Back at the Ernst Institute for the new semester, he applied what he had learned and decided he would return to the mountains.

• Lin Qin took gathering and hunting jobs in the Magic Beast Mountain Range, using his magic and swordsmanship to defeat magical beasts, including an Iron-Backed Mountain Cat and a Sharp-Clawed Eagle.
• Lin Qin learned to track magical beasts, use the terrain, and attack efficiently, while rising from Black Iron to Bronze mercenary rank.
• Lin Qin returned to the Ernst Institute and resumed training, showing Luo De and the others how actual combat had changed his movements and demeanor.
• When Barker noticed Lin Qin's improved swordplay and combat awareness, Lin Qin said he had taken mercenary jobs, and Barker remarked that actual combat was the best teacher.
• Lin Qin looked toward the Magic Beast Mountain Range and resolved to return there.

Lin Qin helped Aileen solve a problem with a Water Element magic array, and they talked about training and his mercenary work. They agreed that Aileen could ask him for help with magic in the future, while Luo De teased Lin Qin about their time together.

• Lin Qin sat beside Aileen in the library and used diagrams about Battle Qi to explain how to guide the magic array's energy through a difficult node.
• Aileen thanked Lin Qin and asked about the mercenary jobs he had taken over the break; Lin Qin said he had faced some trouble and gained experience.
• Lin Qin warned Aileen not to overwork herself, and they discussed magic control before walking toward the dormitories together.
• Aileen asked if she could consult Lin Qin about magic problems, and he agreed before they said good night.
• Luo De teased Lin Qin about returning from the library with Aileen, but Lin Qin said they had only discussed magic.

Lin Qin teamed up with Aileen to clear a Burrowing Badger nest, and their successful quest brought them closer. Aileen asked to accompany him as he pursued strength and explored the world, and Lin Qin agreed.

• Lin Qin accepted a D-rank quest to clear Burrowing Badgers and agreed to team up with Aileen, who had reached the third level as a mage.
• Lin Qin and Aileen traveled to the mountains north of Black Stone City and used a plan to defeat the Burrowing Badgers together.
• While gathering the beasts’ claws and pelts, Aileen asked about Lin Qin’s goals, and he said he wanted to grow stronger, see more of the world, and understand power.
• Aileen asked whether she could someday see the world with Lin Qin if she became stronger, and he earnestly agreed.
• Lin Qin and Aileen turned in the quest and split the reward, then agreed to team up again on a suitable quest.

Lin Qin and Aileen grew closer through training and shared time, then attended an outing at Crescent Moon Lake with their friends. After Lin Qin told Aileen she was an important companion he wanted beside him as they grew stronger, their bond settled into a new understanding.

• Barker asked Lin Qin if he and Aileen were dating, and Lin Qin said they were friends who helped each other improve.
• Aileen invited Lin Qin to a day trip to Crescent Moon Lake with Yale, Linley, Reynolds, and George, and Lin Qin agreed.
• At the lake and on the ride back, Lin Qin and Aileen looked after each other.
• Aileen asked Lin Qin what they were to each other, and Lin Qin called her an important companion he hoped would stay by his side.
• Lin Qin walked Aileen to the girls' dormitory and realized his life now had a clear place for her.

Lin Qin continued his winning streak in the elite tournament, using solid swordsmanship and instant Earth Element magic to defeat his opponents. He beat Cain in the quarterfinals and advanced to the semifinals.

• Lin Qin defeated a fifth-level warrior by blocking his attacks and knocking him off the stage.
• Lin Qin wore down a Light Element mage’s defenses and won after disrupting his casting rhythm.
• Lin Qin advanced through the tournament as Aileen cheered him on, while Linley also moved forward with ease.
• Lin Qin dodged Cain’s Lightning Arrows and used Earth Spike Spears and an earthen wall to disrupt and withstand Cain’s spells.
• Lin Qin slowed Cain with Gravity Technique, disarmed him with a heavy sword strike, and won the quarterfinal match.

After two years of disciplined cultivation and mercenary work, Lin Qin broke through to become a sixth-level warrior and began exploring fourth-level Earth Element magic. He told Aileen about his breakthrough and encouraged her to advance at her own pace.

• Lin Qin continued his cultivation routine, grew closer to Aileen, and advanced his Earth Element magic and Battle Qi.
• Lin Qin took mercenary jobs in the Magic Beast Mountain Range, gained combat experience, and upgraded his badge from Bronze to silver.
• Lin Qin used meditation after a simulated battle to break through the barrier to the sixth level.
• Lin Qin stabilized his new level, practiced with his greatsword, and began exploring fourth-level Earth Element magic.
• Lin Qin told Aileen about his breakthrough, and she congratulated him while resolving to keep progressing.

Lin Qin continued his training and daily life with Aileen after reaching the sixth rank as a warrior. As the Ernst Institute Elite Tournament approached, he decided to compete, and Aileen promised to watch.

• Lin Qin attended magic class with Aileen, while Linley, Yale, Reynolds, and George joined them for lunch.
• Yale noticed Lin Qin had reached the sixth warrior rank, and Linley congratulated him on his progress.
• Lin Qin trained with Barker and began incorporating his understanding of force and Earth Element mysteries into his swordsmanship.
• Lin Qin spent his free time with Aileen as students discussed the grade tournament and the Ernst Institute Elite Tournament.
• Lin Qin agreed to enter the Elite Tournament, and Aileen said she would watch.

Lin Qin defeated the well-known fourth-level Fire Element mage Dell in the elite tournament’s first round by blocking his spells and closing the distance with a sudden burst of speed. After his easy win, Lin Qin watched the other arenas, where Linley was also dominating his opponent.

• Lin Qin faced Dell in the tournament’s first round, and Dell tried to keep him at a distance with fire spells.
• Lin Qin blocked Dell’s Fireball Technique and Fire Wave Technique with fast, reinforced earth walls.
• Lin Qin interrupted Dell’s attempt to cast Flame Slash, broke through his Fire Ring Technique, and stopped his greatsword at Dell’s throat.
• The referee declared Lin Qin the winner, and Lin Qin left the arena to meet Aileen.
• Lin Qin watched Linley effortlessly toy with his opponent using Wind Element magic.

Lin Qin faced Linley in the semifinals and was defeated after Linley overwhelmed his defenses with powerful wind and earth magic. Lin Qin left the tournament as Linley advanced to the final.

• Linley opened the match with wind blades, but Lin Qin blocked them with Battle Qi and advanced.
• Lin Qin broke through Linley's Earth Prison Technique, but Linley kept him at a distance with wind magic and Gravity Technique.
• Linley unleashed Meteor Fall and concealed wind blades, forcing Lin Qin to defend behind a massive stone wall.
• Linley struck the wall with Destruction Storm, shattering it and sending Lin Qin to the edge of the platform.
• The referee declared Linley the winner, and Lin Qin congratulated him before Aileen helped him leave the platform.

After their tournament battle, Lin Qin and Linley discussed ways to improve their fighting and grew closer through memories of their shared hometown. At the dining hall, they spoke about their plans after graduation, and Lin Qin offered to help Linley if he needed it.

• Linley pointed out that Lin Qin's defenses left him vulnerable to attacks from beneath and from blind spots, and Lin Qin acknowledged the weakness.
• Linley and Lin Qin exchanged insights about magic, combat judgment, and their childhood in Wushan Town, then agreed to spar again.
• Lin Qin adjusted his training to improve his defensive stance and awareness of his surroundings.
• Yale invited Lin Qin to eat with Linley, Reynolds, and George, and Lin Qin sensed that Linley was troubled by matters beyond the academy.
• Lin Qin said he planned to keep training and might enter the Magic Beast Mountain Range, while Linley said he might leave the academy to travel.
• Lin Qin offered to help Linley if he needed it, and Linley solemnly accepted.

After graduating from Ernst Institute, Lin Qin rejected offers from major powers and set out alone for the Magic Beast Mountain Range, while Aileen took a research post in Fenlai City and Linley prepared for his own journey. A month of dangerous battles brought Lin Qin to Mist Canyon, where he joined several wary groups waiting to enter.

• Lin Qin passed the graduation assessment and declined offers from major powers, while Aileen accepted a research position at the Magic Guild in Fenlai City.
• Lin Qin and Aileen parted after exchanging farewells and a talisman, and Lin Qin later said goodbye to Linley.
• Lin Qin accepted an A-rank mission to investigate abnormal energy fluctuations in Mist Canyon and bought supplies for the expedition.
• Lin Qin fought dangerous magical beasts on his way through the mountain range, sharpening his combat skills and combining Earth Battle Qi with Earth magic.
• After a month, Lin Qin reached Mist Canyon and found three other groups gathered at its entrance, so he rested apart from them and watched both the canyon and his potential companions.

Lin Qin entered Mist Canyon, survived its hazards, and joined Herbert and the other mages to kill a pursuing Crimson Flame Fierce Ape. A far greater earth-element presence awakened in the canyon’s depths, and Lin Qin led the others toward it despite the danger.

• Lin Qin entered Mist Canyon last and killed a sixth-level Mist-Hidden Poison Lizard before continuing through the fog and its dangers.
• After a day in the canyon, Lin Qin encountered Herbert and two other mages fleeing a level-eight Crimson Flame Fierce Ape.
• Lin Qin distracted the ape and blocked its attack with a stone wall, giving Herbert time to wound it with Flame Heaven-Burning Spear.
• Lin Qin killed the wounded ape with a thrust through its mouth, and Herbert proposed sharing the valuable spoils.
• An immense pressure carrying earth-element laws surged from the canyon’s core, and Lin Qin sensed that his cultivation bottleneck was loosening.
• Lin Qin headed toward the source of the pressure, and Herbert led his companions after him.

Lin Qin discovered a Saint Realm Elemental Lifeform guarding an Earth Origin Light Orb and broke through during its attack, gaining an initial understanding of the Earth Element Profound Mysteries. He urged the other groups to hold the creature back while he raced toward the orb.

• Lin Qin and the others reached an underground cavern where a Saint Realm Elemental Lifeform guarded an Earth Origin Light Orb in a lake of liquid Earth Element essence.
• Lin Qin began cultivating beside the lake, and the awakened creature attacked everyone with quicksand and stone spears.
• Lin Qin used his first understanding of the Earth Element Profound Mysteries to withstand the attack and break through to Eighth-level Warrior and peak fourth-level Mage.
• Lin Qin called on the others to distract the creature while he claimed the core treasure, then raced toward the orb as the creature launched another attack.

Lin Qin absorbed the Earth Element Heart and broke through to the Saint Realm, then suppressed and destroyed the Saint Realm Elemental Lifeform. After rewarding the others with the lake’s remaining essence, he left Mist Canyon and set his sights on the O’Brien Empire.

• Herbert and the others combined their attacks to delay the Elemental Lifeform as Lin Qin reached the Earth Element Heart.
• Lin Qin absorbed the Earth Element Heart, transformed his body and soul, and broke through to the Saint Realm.
• Lin Qin used the Laws of Earth to bind and annihilate the Elemental Lifeform.
• Lin Qin let Herbert and the others collect the remaining liquid Earth Element essence as a reward for their help.
• Lin Qin left Mist Canyon and headed north toward the O’Brien Empire.

Lin Qin reached Red Flame City, gathered news about the Empire, and accepted a mercenary mission to hunt a Golden-Eyed Thunder Eagle in the Black Wind Mountain Range. After attracting the notice of the city’s Saint Realm figures, he left the next day to begin the mission.

• Lin Qin entered Red Flame City and heard reports of a Saint Realm battle at Gale Canyon and trouble involving the Baruch Clan in the Kingdom of Fenlai.
• Lin Qin registered at the Mercenary Guild and accepted an A-rank mission to hunt a Golden-Eyed Thunder Eagle in the Black Wind Mountain Range.
• Baruch, deputy commander of the Imperial Household Guards, greeted Lin Qin, asked about his origins, and warned him to follow Red Flame City’s rules.
• Lin Qin sensed other Saint Realm powerhouses noticing him and looked toward War God Mountain, aspiring to reach God-level power.
• Lin Qin left Red Flame City the next day and headed for the Black Wind Mountain Range.

Lin Qin consolidated his Saint Realm power in seclusion, then traveled to Iron Rock City in the O'Brien Empire. After Young Master Kevin of the Basil Clan tried to seize his Black Jade Stone, Lin Qin subdued Kevin's guards and left, prompting Kevin to report the incident to his clan.

• Lin Qin spent a month in a secluded valley mastering his Saint Power, Earth Element techniques, and flight.
• Lin Qin entered the O'Brien Empire and arrived in Iron Rock City, where he went to a weapon shop to find materials for his greatsword.
• Young Master Kevin demanded the Black Jade Stone Lin Qin was examining and ordered his guards to attack when Lin Qin refused to yield it.
• Lin Qin's Saint Realm pressure knocked the guards unconscious and frightened Kevin into silence, after which Lin Qin bought the stone and left.
• Kevin ordered a surviving guard to tell the Basil Clan that a Saint Realm expert had come to Iron Rock City and made an enemy of them.
• Lin Qin settled at an inn and planned to travel to Red Flame City the next day to seek information about Linley and continue cultivating.

Lin Qin completed his mission in the Black Wind Mountain Range and killed two Saint Realm experts who tried to take his prize, using the encounter to test his Earth Element abilities. After turning in the mission in Red Flame City, he noticed growing tension and rumors about the movements of Saint Realm experts.

• Lin Qin found and killed the Golden-Eyed Thunder Eagle, then collected its mission materials.
• A gray-robed Sword Saint and a blue-robed Saint Magus demanded the eagle's Magic Crystal Core, and Lin Qin refused.
• The Sword Saint and Saint Magus attacked Lin Qin, who killed them with his Earth Element abilities and took the Saint Magus's belongings.
• Lin Qin left the mountain range, completed his mission in Red Flame City, and exchanged unwanted magical items for gold and rare ores.
• Lin Qin noticed that Red Flame City was tense and that people were discussing the movements of several Saint Realm experts.

Lin Qin met the Rock Sword Saint Hederson at Red Flame City's training ground and sparred with him, gaining valuable insight into the Earth Element Profound Mysteries. After Hederson warned that a storm was coming, Lin Qin returned to seclusion as news of his strength began spreading among the Empire's powerful experts.

• Lin Qin visited Red Flame City's public training ground and watched two warriors spar before Hederson's arrival silenced the crowd.
• Hederson recognized Lin Qin as a young Saint Realm expert and invited him to trade moves, which Lin Qin eagerly accepted.
• Lin Qin adapted to Hederson's earth-law attacks and endured his Momentum Slash by creating the prototype of his Thick Earth Seal.
• Hederson praised Lin Qin's potential, warned that the Empire might soon face a storm, and left the training ground.
• Lin Qin returned to the inn to refine his Thick Earth Seal, while word of his spar with Hederson began circulating among Red Flame City's upper circles.

After drawing attention for his battle with Hederson, Lin Qin rejected Prince Kasa’s offer to serve the O’Brien Empire and accepted a mission investigating abnormal Black Storms in the Death Desert. He reached Devil Rock, where strange energy and a gathering storm suggested the mission concealed a larger mystery.

• Lin Qin improved his Thick Earth Seal while cultivating, then accepted an imperial invitation to a banquet and an A+ mission investigating the Black Storms.
• Lin Qin prepared for the Death Desert by buying maps and supplies, then attended the imperial banquet, where Prince Kasa tried and failed to recruit him.
• Lin Qin left Red Flame City the next morning and flew toward Devil Rock, finding wreckage and human remains along the desert’s northern edge.
• Lin Qin sensed chaotic energy near Devil Rock and spotted black clouds with dark-red lightning gathering, then raced toward the storm.

Lin Qin investigated the Black Storm terrorizing a village near Devil Rock, then destroyed the creature at its center. He found a crystal formed from resentful souls and dark energy and continued deeper into Devil Rock to seek the source.

• Lin Qin found a frightened village near Devil Rock and learned that a demon in the Black Storm had been attacking travelers and livestock for two months.
• When the Black Storm surged toward the village, Lin Qin used the Laws of the Earth to disperse it and wounded the shadow inside.
• The shadow fled into Devil Rock, and Lin Qin pursued it while the villagers watched and hoped he would destroy the demon.
• Lin Qin caught the shadow and annihilated it with the Thick Earth Seal, leaving behind a black crystal.
• Lin Qin recognized the crystal as the product of a failed evil ritual and continued investigating the deeper reaches of Devil Rock.