Chapter Summaries

Lin Qin discovered and destroyed a Dark Church Soul Gathering Array deep in Devil Rock, then returned to the village and flew toward Red Flame City to report the threat. The Dark Church’s larger plans remained unknown.

• Lin Qin followed the evil energy into an underground cavern and found two Dark Church members inspecting a Soul Gathering Array.
• Carl and her companion attacked Lin Qin with dark magic, but he dispelled their spells and restrained them with earth magic.
• Lin Qin searched the frightened cultist’s memories, learned they had used the Grudge Devourer to gather souls, and killed both cultists.
• Lin Qin destroyed the Soul Gathering Array, purifying its blood pool and ending the evil activity in the cavern.
• Lin Qin returned to the village, told the villagers the monster and array were gone, and gave them gold coins.
• Lin Qin flew toward Red Flame City to turn in the mission and alert the Mercenary Guild and the Empire about the Dark Church.

Lin Qin returned to Red Flame City and reported the Dark Church’s soul-gathering scheme to the Mercenary Guild and Emperor Joanne. He refused the emperor’s offer to join the Empire, then received a letter from Aileen warning that Fenlai City was also unsettled as he resumed cultivation.

• Lin Qin submitted the Black Crystal and his intelligence about the Dark Church and Soul Gathering Array to the Mercenary Guild, which promised to report it to the Empire and reward him.
• A royal guard summoned Lin Qin to Emperor Joanne’s study, where Ralph and Hederson heard his account of the Dark Church’s plan to feed a sealed being with collected souls.
• Emperor Joanne offered Lin Qin the position of Saint Protector of the Kingdom, but Lin Qin declined to join the Empire and promised to oppose threats to the continent’s peace.
• Hederson warned Lin Qin that the Dark Church might target him, and Lin Qin acknowledged that his Thick Earth Seal had improved.
• Lin Qin returned to the inn, decided to stay in Red Flame City to gather information and cultivate, and received Aileen’s letter saying Fenlai City was unsettled.

Lin Qin reunited with Linley while traveling near the Magic Beast Mountain Range and watched him defeat a Level Nine Wind-Thunder Rhino. They shared news of their pursuits before parting, with Linley planning to follow leads about his mother's death and train in the Arctic Ice Plains.

• Lin Qin heard fighting in a valley and found Linley battling a Level Nine Wind-Thunder Rhino.
• Linley refused Lin Qin's offer of help and killed the beast with a decisive strike into its neck wound.
• Linley told Lin Qin that he was investigating his mother's death but wanted to handle the matter himself.
• Lin Qin revealed that he had recently entered the Saint Realm, and Linley congratulated him.
• Linley said he would continue following leads and then train in the Arctic Ice Plains, and the two friends parted the next morning.

Lin Qin investigated a mine near a small town after black water and monsters threatened its residents. He destroyed the tainted source beneath the mine, then left to continue his journey, convinced that dangerous experiments were spreading across the Yulan Continent.

• Lin Qin heard adventurers complain that people entering the mine had vanished or gone mad, then learned that black water and monsters were advancing toward town.
• Lin Qin raced to the mine and destroyed the mud monsters outside before entering the tunnels.
• Lin Qin found a corrupted shadow above a black-water spring and used the Thick Earth Seal to cleanse and seal its source.
• Lin Qin returned to town and told the old hunter that the mine was safe, then replenished his water and departed.

After months of cultivation in the O'Brien Empire and the Arctic Ice Plains, Lin Qin returned to find Fenlai City destroyed and hurried to the Magic Guild’s refuge to find Aileen. After reuniting, they learned more about the catastrophe and agreed to travel together, leaving the temporary base to face an increasingly dangerous continent.

• Lin Qin returned from the Arctic Ice Plains, heard that Fenlai City had been destroyed, and rushed to search its ruins for Aileen.
• Lin Qin found Aileen at the Magic Guild’s temporary base, where she told him the Guild had survived the disaster behind a barrier while many people died.
• Lin Qin told Aileen he had reached the Saint Realm, and she explained that the Magic Guild was considering relocating its headquarters.
• Aileen admitted she had feared never seeing Lin Qin again and insisted on accompanying him wherever he went; Lin Qin agreed.
• Lin Qin stayed at the base for several days, learned that a terrifying expert from the Plane Prison had appeared during the battle, and left with Aileen after she took leave from the Guild.

Lin Qin and Aileen traveled toward the Yulan Empire, where Lin Qin rescued a merchant caravan from bandits without revealing himself. They resumed their journey after Aileen reflected on the need to grow stronger.

• Lin Qin and Aileen headed toward the Chaos Territory while discussing Aileen's magical training and progress.
• Lin Qin sensed blood and energy nearby while they camped, and Aileen set up a warning barrier as he went to investigate.
• Lin Qin found bandits attacking a Violet Merchant Guild caravan and broke Scarface's wrist with a ranged strike.
• Lin Qin's spiritual pressure sent Scarface and the other bandits fleeing, and he told the surviving caravan members to leave quickly.
• Lin Qin returned to camp, where Aileen resumed meditating and resolved to become strong enough to face future dangers beside him.

Lin Qin and Aileen entered the Yulan Empire and discovered that the Dark Church was secretly corrupting towns’ water supplies to weaken residents and collect their souls. After capturing a cult operative, Lin Qin learned the church was preparing a large-scale ritual, and the pair set out for the southwestern Empire near the Dark Forest.

• Lin Qin and Aileen crossed into the Yulan Empire and heard reports of the Dark Church fighting the Purple Flame Legion in the Withered Bone Hills.
• In Blue Water Town, Aileen healed a boy suffering from dark corruption, and she and Lin Qin traced the contamination to black rune-carved stones in the river.
• Lin Qin taught Aileen to detect and cleanse dark corruption as they traveled, and they found another town whose residents had been poisoned through its water supply.
• Lin Qin caught a Dark Church operative preparing to contaminate a town’s water and searched his memories to learn that the church was gathering weakened souls for a large-scale ritual.
• Lin Qin and Aileen decided to investigate the Dark Church’s activity near the Dark Forest in the southwestern part of the Empire.

Lin Qin and Aileen traced the darkened water sources to Silent Valley, where they discovered a vast soul ritual and hundreds of captive sacrifices. Facing three Saint Realm leaders, they prepared to sabotage the altar before the ritual began.

• Lin Qin and Aileen investigated illness and tainted water in Graystone Town, where a mercenary named Hans reported seeing bound people taken toward Silent Valley.
• Lin Qin and Aileen traveled secretly to Silent Valley and evaded the guards at its entrance to enter the valley.
• Lin Qin used his mental strength to scout the valley's center, where they found a huge altar, a Soul Vortex, and hundreds of weakened captives gathered as sacrifices.
• Lin Qin and Aileen saw three Saint Realm figures overseeing the ritual: a dark magic practitioner, a Necromancer, and a Shadow Assassin.
• Lin Qin planned to draw the ritual leaders' attention while Aileen used water magic to erode the Bone Pillars, then began channeling Saint Power toward the ritual's presiding figure.

Lin Qin and Aileen disrupted the Soul Vortex ritual by keeping the Dark Saint Realm experts occupied and destroying the Bone Pillars. When the possessed officiant struck at Aileen, Lin Qin took the beam of darkness for her and confronted him while wounded.

• Lin Qin attacked the officiant and fought off the Necromancer and Shadow Assassin on the altar.
• While Lin Qin drew the enemies’ attention, Aileen sabotaged the Bone Pillars with Water Element magic.
• Lin Qin opened his Thick Earth Domain to pin down the three Dark Saint Realm experts as Aileen destroyed more pillars.
• The Soul Vortex collapsed, freeing its bound souls and restoring a faint glimmer of awareness to the sacrifices.
• The officiant’s black gem unleashed an ancient darkness, and Lin Qin intercepted its beam before it struck Aileen.
• Wounded by the beam, Lin Qin shielded Aileen and told the officiant that he had made him angry.

Lin Qin and Aileen attacked the altar to disrupt the ritual planned for the next full moon, with Lin Qin drawing the Saint Realm defenders away while Aileen damaged the Bone Pillars. The Shadow Assassin returned as Lin Qin fought the High Priest and Necromancer, while Aileen prepared another strike.

• Lin Qin and Aileen learned that the ritual would begin the next night and decided to attack the altar that night.
• Aileen began preparing Deep Water Touch against the altar’s eastern Bone Pillars while Lin Qin watched the guards and waited for an opening.
• When the Shadow Assassin left and the Necromancer checked the sacrifices, Lin Qin attacked the Necromancer to draw the High Priest’s attention.
• Aileen’s spell cracked the Bone Pillars and disrupted the altar’s energy as Lin Qin broke free of the High Priest’s binding magic.
• Lin Qin kept the High Priest and Necromancer occupied while Aileen moved to safety and prepared to target another set of Bone Pillars.
• The Shadow Assassin raced back as the battle spread across Silent Valley.

Aileen and Lin Qin battled the High Priest, Kasa, and the Shadow Assassin while destroying the Bone Pillars that powered the Ten Thousand Soul Bone-Eroding Array. The ritual was interrupted, but the three enemies launched a furious attack against the injured Lin Qin and exhausted Aileen.

• Aileen damaged the altar’s south-side Bone Pillars, weakening the Soul Vortex, while Lin Qin blocked the High Priest’s Dark Spear.
• The High Priest and Kasa attacked Lin Qin together, but he held them off as Aileen moved to destroy the remaining Bone Pillars.
• The Shadow Assassin tried to stab Aileen, but Lin Qin protected her with a Stone Shield and trapped the assassin with Gravity Cage.
• The High Priest and Kasa struck Lin Qin with a Dark Devour Sphere and Bone Dragon Breath, injuring him as he defended himself.
• Aileen unleashed Water Dragon Roar, destroying the northern Bone Pillars and interrupting the ritual.
• The High Priest, Kasa, and the Shadow Assassin charged the injured Lin Qin and magic-depleted Aileen.

Lin Qin and Aileen fought the High Priest, Kasa, and the Shadow Assassin after the ritual was interrupted. Lin Qin destroyed the altar with the Thick Earth Seal, stopped the ritual, and left the valley gravely wounded with Aileen’s help.

• Lin Qin shielded the exhausted Aileen and charged the slowed Shadow Assassin, badly wounding him with an earth-powered strike.
• The High Priest restrained Lin Qin while Kasa attacked with skeletal hands, but Lin Qin broke free and endured their spells behind the Thick Earth Seal.
• Lin Qin poured his remaining power into the cracked Thick Earth Seal and detonated it at the altar, killing the Shadow Assassin and blasting the High Priest and Kasa away.
• The explosion destroyed the altar, freed the surviving sacrifices from the ritual, and made the Soul Vortex vanish.
• Lin Qin shielded Aileen from the blast but was gravely wounded, so she helped him leave the valley before Dark Church reinforcements could arrive.

Lin Qin and Aileen escaped into a hidden valley after the battle, where he began recovering from grave injuries while Aileen guarded him and helped him heal. Days and seasons passed as Lin Qin’s breathing and earth energy strengthened, while Aileen recovered and continued to improve her magic.

• Aileen supported the badly wounded Lin Qin as they fled the Dark Forest and reached a secluded valley in the hills.
• Aileen treated Lin Qin with their healing potions, then set up concealment and warning barriers while he entered seclusion to heal.
• Aileen recovered her magic over three days and used water magic to help Lin Qin absorb the essence of herbs.
• Aileen continued guarding Lin Qin, tending to him and strengthening the valley’s barriers while practicing her magic.
• As seasons passed, Lin Qin’s breathing grew steadier and the earthy-yellow glow around him grew brighter, while Aileen kept watch.

During a peaceful month in the valley, Lin Qin recovered while Aileen cared for him and trained toward level eight. After Lin Qin offered advice on understanding elemental intent, they continued practicing and prepared for the possibility that the Dark Church would strike again.

• Lin Qin recovered enough to move normally and resume light training, while Aileen neared a breakthrough to level eight.
• Aileen explained that she was struggling to understand how water could take different forms, and Lin Qin advised her to guide its flow rather than force it.
• Aileen practiced sensing and guiding the water while Lin Qin trained with unfamiliar fist forms to strengthen his understanding of the Earth Element and heal his core.
• Aileen and Lin Qin discussed the Dark Church’s defeat, and Lin Qin warned that its silence could signal a greater threat.
• Aileen resolved to reach level eight as they meditated and trained through the night.

Lin Qin continued rebuilding his strength through basic greatsword exercises while Aileen learned to guide water instead of controlling it. Her insight brought her to level eight, and the two planned to spar once Lin Qin had recovered further.

• Lin Qin practiced basic greatsword swings, applying his insights into the mysteries of the Earth Element to rebuild his power.
• Aileen observed leaves drifting across the pool and realized that water could be guided rather than controlled.
• Aileen formed water into shapes with little effort and broke through to become a level-eight mage.
• Aileen used her new magic to catch fish for dinner, and Lin Qin helped prepare the meal.
• Lin Qin told Aileen he expected to be ready for real sparring in about half a month and offered to suppress his power to level eight.

Half a month after recovering from his injuries, Lin Qin began sparring with Aileen and coached her through a demanding day of practice. Aileen lost but improved her spell control and battlefield timing, and she asked to continue training the next day.

• Lin Qin began sparring with Aileen, limiting himself to the strength of an Eighth-level Warrior while she used magic to attack him.
• Aileen combined water and ice spells in successive attacks, and Lin Qin blocked them while advising her to manage her mana more efficiently.
• Aileen unleashed Water Dragon Roar, but Lin Qin destroyed it with Earth Split and ended the morning sparring session.
• Lin Qin increased the difficulty during the afternoon practice, and Aileen adapted her casting and tactics as her reactions improved.
• At dusk, Aileen asked to continue sparring the next day, and Lin Qin agreed.

After Aileen noticed an unnatural chill in the pool, Lin Qin searched its depths and found a rare Cold Jade Marrow. Aileen confirmed its value for water and ice magic, and Lin Qin planned to search the pool for more the next day.

• Aileen told Lin Qin that the pool had grown unusually cold, and Lin Qin sensed a strange energy coming from below.
• Lin Qin dove into the pool and found a fist-sized object buried in a hollow at the northwest corner.
• Lin Qin brought the object ashore, where Aileen identified it as Cold Jade Marrow.
• Aileen tested the Cold Jade Marrow with Water Element magic and found that it enhanced the surrounding water elements and cleared her mind.
• Lin Qin considered whether an altar's energy shock or their training had revealed the material and said he would search the pool again tomorrow.

Lin Qin found four more pieces of Cold Jade Marrow, and he and Aileen began using them to improve their cultivation, potion-making, and sparring. They kept the stones for future use, though they lacked the expertise to turn them into magical accessories or a magic array.

• Lin Qin searched the pool and found four more pieces of Cold Jade Marrow near the hollow where he had found the first.
• Aileen mixed a small amount of Cold Jade Marrow powder into herbal juice, creating a potion with stronger calming and healing effects.
• Aileen used the largest piece during meditation, while Lin Qin found its aura helped him focus and study elemental laws.
• Aileen's Water Element and Ice magic grew more precise during sparring, giving Lin Qin tougher attacks and defenses to handle.
• Aileen regretted that they had no alchemist or rune master to make better use of the stones, and Lin Qin said they could save them for later.

Lin Qin followed a relentless training schedule in the secluded valley, using Heaven Rewards Diligence to refine his strength and deepen his understanding of Earth Element power. His insights began to shape a vibrating sword technique, and he sensed that a catalyst might soon push his comprehension past its current threshold.

• Lin Qin trained in basic exercises each morning, steadily recovering and refining his Saint Realm power through Heaven Rewards Diligence.
• Lin Qin meditated by the stream and sensed the earth’s deep Pulsation and its quality of bearing, though progress came slowly.
• Lin Qin’s new vibrating sword strikes disrupted Aileen’s Water Curtain Heavenly Splendor during their sparring, and he told her he was testing new ideas.
• Lin Qin reviewed his sparring afterward and used Cold Jade Marrow at night to help steady and restore his mental energy.
• Aileen asked Lin Qin whether he ever tired of training, then resolved to work harder herself after hearing his answer.
• Lin Qin sensed that his understanding of Earth Element power was nearing a threshold and that a battle or sudden insight could serve as a catalyst.

Lin Qin refined his vibrational Battle Qi through training with Aileen, learning to use it in his attacks, movement, and defenses. After a month, he broke through a final barrier in his understanding of Pulsation and told Aileen it was time to leave.

• Lin Qin used a vibrational greatsword strike to break through Aileen's defenses and explained how he had combined vibration with Battle Qi and force.
• Lin Qin trained to sense the earth's Pulsation and use vibrational Battle Qi to deflect or weaken Aileen's spells.
• Lin Qin used the Cold Jade Marrow at night to restore his mental strength and clarify his insights.
• A month later, Lin Qin shattered Aileen's three Ice Walls and Water Curtain Heavenly Splendor with one vibrational strike, stopping his greatsword before her nose.
• Lin Qin realized he had integrated Pulsation with the heaviness of his power and told Aileen it was time for them to leave.