Chapter Summaries

Ian brewed a Basic Purification Potion that proved far more effective than ordinary versions and began selling it through Old Lame Man's Herb Shop. After receiving a report about Li Xing's potion and possible Darkstar Society activity, Old Chen raised Li Xing's Merchant Alliance authority and arranged secret protection for him.

• Ian used Flamegrass, Moonflower petals, and Starlight Dust to brew a Basic Purification Potion, while Li Yao watched and learned it could sell for at least thirty Dust Crystals.
• Ian sold the potion to Old Lame Man after it rapidly purified corrupted flesh, and the shopkeeper offered to buy his future potions at market price plus five percent.
• Ian tried to contact Old Chen at the inner city gate but was turned away, then returned home to brew more potions and train promising young people as his cultivation neared a breakthrough.
• Old Chen received a report that Li Xing had brewed a potion twenty percent above market standards and that the Darkstar Society might be active in the outer city.
• Old Chen upgraded Li Xing to Second Order Collaborator, granted him purchasing benefits, and ordered two Late Awakening guards to secretly watch over him.

Ian secured a potion formula and supplies through the Crimson Radiance Merchant Alliance, then began training twelve youths in rune cultivation. After they reached the Essence Absorption Stage, he and Li Yao encountered a boy named Tree being robbed, and Li Yao defeated the three attackers.

• Ian exchanged his credit line for the Origin Energy Tempering Potion formula, a rune pen, and materials, while Manager Wang arranged two secret guards for him.
• Ian explained rune cultivation to twelve youths and inscribed basic rune formations on them, bringing them to the Essence Absorption Stage.
• Ian asked the white-bearded old man to source medicinal ingredients, then left the courtyard with Li Yao.
• Li Yao attacked and incapacitated three men who were robbing Tree, using combat techniques taught by Ian.
• Ian gave Tree two Dust Crystals to repay his debt and offered help if his mother did not recover, then continued toward the Merchant Alliance branch.

Ian’s projection broke through to the Initial Forming Stage, completing his Stellar Imprint and awakening the Starpath Halo and stronger gravity manipulation. The breakthrough gave his true body new insight into gravity and improved the Gravity Collapse Ball spell model, though Ian still needed deeper understanding to stabilize it.

• Bitter completed his rune cycle first, and Ian awarded him a Dust Crystal; Stone and Little Boat followed and received crystals as well.
• Ian appointed Li Yao to lead the youths in practicing the Combined Assault Formation and promised to take them outside the city for real combat once they mastered it.
• After a month of cultivation, Ian used the Starfall Core to complete his Stellar Imprint, break through to the Initial Forming Stage, and manifest the Starpath Halo.
• Ian tested his enhanced Gravity Manipulation, which could affect a 200-meter radius, and saw his bloodline skills advance to Mastery.
• Ian’s true body received the projection’s breakthrough experience, optimized the Gravity Collapse Ball spell model, and identified three critical flaws that still needed fixing.

Ian learned that the Crimson Court and Withering Council had withdrawn their bounties for now, while his family expanded under Latour's leadership. He agreed to have Alivia reserve him a place at the Endless Sea Ruins, then sensed Li Yao leading apprentices through the Projection World.

• Ian gave the five Activated Fruits Star Dew and Blood Essence to help them recover, and they thanked Gaga for previously sharing Blood Essence.
• Gaga told Ian that the Crimson Court and Withering Council had withdrawn their bounties, though Ian suspected they were only waiting for a better opportunity.
• Ian read and burned a letter from Latour, who had advanced to a Rank One Bloodline Wizard and begun annexing three kingdoms.
• Gaga reported that the Endless Sea Ruins would open in about half a year and that Alivia could secure Ian a place.
• Ian agreed to have Alivia reserve a spot while he considered the dangerous expedition and planned to use time in the Projection World to strengthen his understanding of Gravity Sorcery.
• Ian sensed the altar and saw Li Yao leading thirteen runic apprentices across a wasteland.

After reaching Form Condensation, Ian entered Blue Cavern Mountain's inner city and met with Chen Jingshan, who made him a core advisor of the Crimson Radiance Merchant Alliance. Ian accepted the alliance's generous benefits and agreed to give it priority purchasing rights for his Purification Potions, then left with crystals to support the people in the outer city.

• Ian used his Form Condensation aura to convince the inner-city guards to let him pass.
• Ian ran into the bald man, who was shocked to learn Ian had advanced from Late Awakening in just over a month and offered to lead him to the Merchant Alliance.
• Chen Jingshan confirmed Ian's breakthrough and made him a core advisor, granting him inner-city access, storehouse discounts, a monthly stipend, and access to the alliance's Knowledge Base.
• Ian agreed that the Crimson Radiance Merchant Alliance could buy his Purification Potions first at ninety percent of market price.
• Chen Jingshan gave Ian twenty Standard Crystals in advance so he could support the people in the outer city, then told Manager Wang that Ian's talent offered hope for humanity.

Ian established the Li Xing Compound, equipped its residents, and trained Li Yao and thirteen youths into capable Corrupted Beast hunters. After discovering fresh traces of Abyssal Contamination near the compound, Ian suspected the Darkstar Society was active nearby.

• Ian distributed food, cloth, and supplies at the new base, gave Li Yao cultivation funds, and assigned the remaining crystals to the compound’s operating and emergency expenses.
• Ian vowed to train the thirteen youths for wilderness combat, and Stone and the others pledged to protect their families and neighbors.
• The refugees joined five courtyards into the fortified Li Xing Compound, and Ian trained the youths through a month of dangerous hunts until all thirteen reached Early Awakening.
• Li Yao and the youths earned a reputation for hunting Corrupted Beasts and drove away gangs that tried to extort the compound.
• After returning from a hunt, Ian identified strange stones as residual matter from Abyssal Contamination and said the fresh traces suggested the Darkstar Society was active nearby.

Ian uncovered and destroyed a Darkstar Society plot to contaminate a well serving Blue Cavern Mountain, then learned that more than thirty Society members were hidden in the city. Chen Jingshan reviewed Ian’s victory and warned that the Society should not provoke him, though its powerful backers made retaliation a concern.

• Ian detected five Darkstar Society Fallen Ones preparing a Corruption-Spreading Rune Array aimed at an eastern well and ordered Li Yao and the youths to stay hidden.
• Ian killed the five Fallen Ones, questioned the last survivor, and learned that more than thirty Darkstar Society members were in Blue Cavern Mountain before the survivor’s self-destruction restriction killed him.
• Ian neutralized the corruption tumor, then had Li Yao and the youths remove the array’s traces while explaining that the Society’s fighters often had unstable strength.
• Chen Jingshan read a report about Ian’s victory and told Manager Wang that Ian had prevented the outer city’s water from being poisoned.
• Chen Jingshan explained that the City Lord’s Manor tolerated the Darkstar Society out of fear of the Rot Abyss Cult and warned that he would help cleanse Blue Cavern Mountain if the Society retaliated.

Ian studied records about the Cataclysm, Star Veins, and the surviving sanctuary city-states, discovering a weak Star Vein Node near Blue Cavern Mountain that might help strengthen his Starcaller Bloodline. After Chen Jingshan reminded him that living was itself a form of resistance, Ian resolved to pursue the node and leave a spark of hope in the world.

• Ian borrowed three volumes from the Crimson Radiance Merchant Alliance archives, including a secret register of Corruption Rifts and sanctuary city-states.
• Ian learned that the Cataclysm began with an Abyssal Rift, and that Star's Tears and Star Veins were connected to Starblood Bearers and the Starcaller lineage.
• Ian reviewed the register and found a weak, abandoned Star Vein Node northwest of Blue Cavern Mountain, where Star-vein Crystals might form.
• Ian told Chen Jingshan that the world was vast, dangerous, and still held hope, then asked whether humanity could win.
• Chen Jingshan said humanity had not lost as long as people continued to live and resist, and Ian resolved to leave the world a spark.

After six months of training and expansion at Li Xing Compound, Li Yao led the youths with Ian toward a Star-vein Node threatened by the Darkstar Society. They found the society corrupting the Star Pool underground and prepared to attack its forces.

• Li Yao demonstrated his Forming Stage swordsmanship while Bitter, Tree, and Little Boat watched.
• Ian revealed Darkstar Society activity near a Star-vein Node and ordered the group to strike first, with Li Yao leading the team.
• Ian sensed at least forty enemies at the abandoned mine, including four Forming Stage fighters, and assigned the youths to handle the outer forces while he and Li Yao targeted the stronger foes.
• Ian and Li Yao entered the cavern and found more than twenty cloaked figures corrupting the Star Pool while a Peak Form Condensation fighter guarded it.

Ian and Li Yao defeated the Fallen Ones guarding the Star Pool and recovered a Star-vein Crystal. After returning to Li Xing Compound, Ian used the crystal to raise his Form Condensation progress and glimpsed how his Gravity Sorcery might evolve.

• Ian used sixfold gravity and starlight needles to kill thirteen Awakening Stage Fallen Ones, then defeated the mid-Form Condensation attackers and the Peak Form Condensation leader with his Starpath Halo and Starlight Pierce.
• Li Yao used Ian’s Reverse Current Slash to kill the Early Form Condensation Fallen One, despite suffering several poisoned wounds.
• Bitter and twelve other youths arrived and reported that they had killed all fifteen Awakening Stage fighters outside.
• Ian took the Star-vein Crystal, purified Li Yao’s wounds, and led the group back to Li Xing Compound with the recovered crystal.
• Ian meditated with the Star-vein Crystal on the rooftop, raising his Form Condensation progress from 38% to 40% as he sensed his Gravity Sorcery’s future evolution.

After four years of gathering resources and training Blue Cavern Mountain’s youths, Ian reached the Manifestation Stage by drawing down the power of the stars. His breakthrough awakened [Starry Sky Domain] and sent a torrent of insight into the Gravity Rule through a soul connection to another world.

• Ian learned that Li Yao had trained fifty new youths to complete the rune cycle and accepted Chen Jingshan’s invitation to the Crimson Radiance Merchant Alliance’s hundredth anniversary celebration.
• Ian sealed the Star-Attracting Tower for seven days as he prepared to break through to the Manifestation Stage.
• At midnight, Ian summoned the stars, and silver pillars of stellar power struck the Star-Attracting Tower as Blue Cavern Mountain’s residents watched in alarm.
• Ian endured the stellar power’s assault, expanded his miniature galaxy, awakened [Starry Sky Domain], and entered the Manifestation Stage.
• Ian demonstrated his vastly enhanced Gravity Manipulation, then sent his new insight into the Gravity Rule through a soul connection to another world.

Ian received the projection’s understanding of gravitational rules and used it to perfect his [Gravity Collapse Ball], leaving him stronger and close to Rank Two. With the Endless Sea Ruins expedition approaching, he planned to seek potions and further improve his power.

• Ian received a flood of conceptual knowledge about gravity from his projection, transforming his understanding of gravitational rules.
• Ian redesigned the [Gravity Collapse Ball], stabilizing its structure, improving its precision, extending its duration, and reducing its Mental Power cost.
• Ian tested the improved spell on Abyss-Resistant Alloy, cleanly piercing it and confirming that its power surpassed the threshold of Rank Two spells.
• Ian’s Mental Sea expanded, raising his realm from 74.5% to 81.8%, though he chose to wait until reaching 100% before attempting advancement.
• Ian considered the approaching Endless Sea Ruins expedition and decided to seek potions to strengthen himself during the three months before departure.

Ian improved the Black Hole Potion into a controllable tactical weapon and spent two months stockpiling potions before receiving Alivia’s instructions to gather at Dragonbone Harbor. With twenty days left before departure, he prepared to train Gaga and finish mastering Frost-Ember Ray.

• Ian developed three Starlight-Stabilized Black Hole Potions with fivefold greater stability, adjustable activation delays, and preset blast radii.
• Over two months, Ian produced twelve improved Black Hole Potions and more than two hundred other potions for meditation, combat, healing, and scouting.
• Gaga gave Ian Alivia’s letter, which named Dragonbone Harbor as the ruin’s gathering point and warned that several factions had already arrived.
• Ian fed Star Dew and Blood Essence to Lucy, Vivian, Amy, Millet, and Dum-Dum, then told Gaga they would leave within the next few days.
• Ian checked that Frost-Ember Ray was close to mastery and took Gaga to the training room.

Ian broke through Frost-Ember Ray’s limits and created an Entropy-Change Domain, then tested its range and power. He met Alivia to review the forces gathering for the Endless Sea Ruins expedition and learned that she would not be joining Shadowmoon Tower’s group.

• Ian combined ice and fire energy into a stable microcirculation, then an unstable singularity formed as he practiced Frost-Ember Ray.
• Ian stabilized the singularity into an Entropy-Change Domain, whose ray destabilized a target and nearly overwhelmed the practice room’s defensive runes.
• Ian tested the spell in a valley, where it struck a mountain five thousand meters away and triggered a collapse.
• Ian visited Alivia, who mapped the forces gathering around Dragonbone Harbor and warned him about the dangers beyond the port.
• Alivia told Ian that Herman would lead Shadowmoon Tower’s eight-person expedition and that she would not be going.

Alivia explained why she would not join the expedition to the Endless Sea Ruins, and Ian traveled with Herman and six other wizards to Dragonbone Harbor. After encountering enemies from the Crimson Court and the Withering Council, Ian entered the teleportation array with his team as the ruins expedition began.

• Alivia told Ian that the ruins had a high death toll, that wizards sometimes killed their companions, and that she would stay behind to continue her research.
• Ian and Herman arrived at Dragonbone Harbor aboard the Shadowmoon with six Rank One Liquefaction Wizards, then dispersed to prepare for the ruins opening.
• Ian encountered Blood Blade Bazar of the Crimson Court and Deathspeaker Silas of the Withering Council, both of whom showed him killing intent.
• Ian rented a room at the House of Tranquility, prepared his potions, and noticed a Silver Circle witch staying at the inn.
• Three days later, Herman briefed the team on the dangers of the ruins and gave them the option of using his Space Anchor to regroup.
• Herman activated the teleportation array, transporting Ian, six other wizards, and Gaga toward the ruins.

Ian entered the Fallen Court of Ascalon with Shadowmoon Tower and encountered its dangerous, memory-filled corridors. After splitting from Herman, he found Annihilation Vines blocking his passage and sensed two other wizards approaching.

• Ian arrived with Herman, Gaga, and Shadowmoon Tower at the Gate of the Court as it opened beneath the Inverted Star Chart.
• Ian crossed into the silent ruins, where Herman warned the group about memory contamination and Gaga noticed that the shadows moved on their own.
• Herman regrouped the party in a hall and sent them through three passages; Ian chose to travel alone while the others split into pairs.
• Ian took the left passage and found Annihilation Vines blocking the way.
• Ian sensed two liquefied wizards approaching through the passage.

Ian killed two Liquefaction wizards who tried to rob him, then destroyed the Annihilation Vines blocking the passage. After collecting some of their sap, he continued deeper into the passage, confident that the attack would not bring Herman’s retaliation.

• Ian spotted two Liquefaction wizards waiting ahead and killed the tall one with a Frost-Ember Ray before the pair could attack.
• Ian used gravity to overcome the short wizard’s poisonous mist and crush him into dust, then took useful items from the wizards’ possessions.
• The Annihilation Vines stirred after the fight and attacked Ian with their Silence Field active.
• Ian and Gaga restrained the vines with shadow manipulation and gravity, while Ian’s Frost-Ember Ray cut and destroyed them.
• Ian collected Annihilation Vine sap and continued deeper into the passage, telling Gaga that he had acted in self-defense and that potential threats had to be eliminated early.

Ian explored a Star Spirit ruin, recording its star runes before guiding Gaga to a fragment of Eternal Shadow. Gaga defeated three Shadow Binders and awakened its Shadow Messenger talent again; Ian and Gaga then continued through the ruin toward an underground river.

• Ian recorded the star runes on a crystal pillar and chose the passage glowing with water-element energy.
• Ian and Gaga found a fragment of Eternal Shadow beside a deep-blue pool, where three Shadow Binders attacked Gaga.
• Gaga absorbed shadow energy during the battle, awakened its Shadow Messenger talent, and destroyed the three Shadow Binders.
• Ian retrieved the fragment of Eternal Shadow, which dissolved into shadow energy as Gaga took it in.
• Ian and Gaga continued through a narrow passage and reached a stone bridge over a dark-purple underground river.

Ian ambushed and killed all five members of the Withering Blade squad in the Corridor Maze, then entered the ruins’ second level with Gaga. Leonard, Bruder, and Doria witnessed the slaughter and decided to avoid Ian and warn their teammates against provoking him.

• Ian detected five Withering Council wizards preparing a Soul Shackles ambush and used compressed rays and a Gravity Collapse Ball to kill the burly wizard and cripple Mars.
• Ian appeared from above and killed the young witch with Floating Crystal Spikes, then pierced Mars’s soul to extract fragments of his memories and learned that Deathspeaker Silas had ordered the squad to kill him.
• Gaga returned with the heads of the two wizards he had killed, and Ian collected the squad’s rings, cursed Wizard Tools, and other spoils.
• Leonard, Bruder, and Doria watched the fight from the shadows, then retreated and agreed to warn their surviving teammates not to provoke Ian.
• Ian and Gaga reached the bone-and-crystal door to the second level and entered as the door closed behind them.

Ian navigated the Corridor Maze and confronted a Silver Circle patrol blocking the central passage. After demonstrating his power, he learned that the maze’s deepest area contained Fallen Star Marrow and ruins of the Civilization Spark.

• Ian destroyed an Echo Mirage Spirit with a Gravity Singularity and entered a stable passage through the maze.
• At a fork, Ian found fresh tracks and recognized the Silver Circle’s ring symbol at the middle passage.
• Captain Liam and two Silver Circle members confronted Ian, demanded his Dimensional Ring, and threatened to search him.
• Ian demonstrated his Entropy-Change Domain by blasting a crater into the wall, forcing Liam’s group to let him pass.
• Ian questioned Liam about the Royal Court Core Area, and Liam revealed it lay at the maze’s deepest point beside a vein of Fallen Star Marrow and ruins of the Civilization Spark.