Chapter Summaries

Ian used Liam’s map to reach a suspected Stellar Core storage room, where a battle had left the Silver Circle and Crimson Court wounded and a Living Corpse Guardian damaged. The Guardian’s Fallen Starcore attacked Ian at the doorway, and Gaga’s Shadow Storm struggled to hold it back.

• Liam gave Ian a partial maze map and warned his Silver Circle team not to provoke him after he demonstrated an instant-cast Second Order spell.
• Ian studied the map, identified the suspected Stellar Core storage room, and continued toward it while rogue wizards nearby retreated from the area.
• Ian found three corpses outside the sealed stone door, recognized signs of a Shadow Fragment attack, and opened the door with Gaga ready beside him.
• Ian entered a vast hall where Silver Circle and Crimson Court survivors faced a wounded Living Corpse Guardian powered by a cracked Fallen Starcore.
• The Guardian unleashed a dark red energy ripple and sent tendrils toward Ian, while Gaga used its Shadow Storm to intercept them.

Ian killed the Living Corpse Guardian and two Crimson Court wizards, then forced a Silver Circle elder to hand over what he knew about the Civilization Spark. After collecting the Fallen Star Marrow and other spoils, Ian and Gaga continued deeper into the labyrinth, where battle rumbles and inhuman howls echoed ahead.

• Ian used Gaga’s Shadow Binding and his Gravity Collapse Ball to destroy the Living Corpse Guardian’s Stellar Core and kill it.
• The two Crimson Court wizards attacked Ian, but he killed one with Crystallized Filaments and the other with gravity magic and a Frost-Ember Ray.
• Ian questioned a Silver Circle elder about the Civilization Spark and let him leave after taking the elder’s scattered intelligence on the Star Spirit Ruins.
• Ian collected the Fallen Star Marrow and examined damaged murals depicting the Star Spirits’ corrupted Star Core Cultivation System.
• Gaga gathered the group’s spoils, and Ian and Gaga left the side hall and continued deeper into the labyrinth.

Ian faced the Mirror Demon’s visions of his possible deaths and a tempting vision of absolute power, then rejected both fatalism and power for its own sake. He declared that he wanted to live freely and would break every cage, while the confrontation remained unresolved.

• Ian noticed the passage shadows copying his movements with a delay, and the mirror hall trapped him in visions of his former life and possible deaths.
• Ian endured visions of Bazar torturing him, Silas extracting his soul, and his Starbloodline counterpart dying in battle, while the Mirror Demon insisted he could not escape those futures.
• Ian acknowledged that the dangers could happen but rejected the idea that fate was predetermined.
• The mirrors showed Ian as a Fourth-Level Wizard ruling through fear, and the Gift of the Abyss offered him power in exchange for his bonds and the Projection World coordinates.
• Ian rejected the mirrored vision’s promise of power, said he only wanted to live freely, and declared that he would break every cage.

Ian defeated the Mirror Demon by recognizing that Gaga’s genuine soul bond could break its deception, then used a delayed Gravity Collapse Ball and precise attacks to destroy its reflection. He emerged from the shattered domain with a Mirror Fragment and Star Spirit knowledge, his Mental Sea closer to Rank Two and a new starlight mark in his eyes, then continued deeper into the passage with Gaga.

• Gaga failed to break the mirrors with Shadow Messenger, but used their soul link to reach Ian and remind him that their bond was real.
• Ian rejected the mirror reflection, exchanged spells with it, and exploited the Status Panel’s optimal solution to destroy its energy nodes and collapse it with gravity.
• Ian awoke as the Mirror Demon Domain shattered, and he thanked Gaga for helping him return.
• Ian collected a Mirror Fragment and a dark blue crystal containing Star Core Condensation Method knowledge, which clarified the nature of a Stellar Core.
• Ian noticed silver starlight in his eyes, reflected on seeking freedom from fate rather than mere power, and set off with Gaga.

Ian descended into the passage’s third-floor rift and fought Bazar, a Second Order body-refining wizard waiting to kill him. Ian disrupted Bazar’s domain and escaped through the rift, but Bazar pursued him, determined to eliminate him.

• Ian followed the Star Spirits’ lingering call down the stairs and found Bazar guarding the rift beside the corpses of Withering Council wizards.
• Bazar attacked Ian with his Blood Boiling Domain and Blood Blade, weakening Ian’s spells and forcing him to dodge.
• Ian struck Bazar with compressed Frost-Ember Ray and Gravity Collapse Ball, breaking his shoulder armor but failing to overcome his powerful physique.
• As Bazar activated Scarlet Berserk and charged again, Ian unleashed his Entropy-Change Domain, disrupted Bazar’s domain, and fled toward the rift.
• Ian trapped Bazar briefly with three improved Black Hole Potions and escaped through the rift, but Bazar broke free and pursued him.

Ian fought off Bazar and Deathspeaker Silas in the turbulent currents, then escaped to a palace bearing stellar runes and a pure stellar fluctuation. With rival factions gathered at its entrance, he forced Bazar and Silas to stand down and pressed his hand to the gate, sensing the Star Spirits' final call.

• Ian wounded Bazar with a Gravity Collapse Ball and Frost-Ember Rays, but Bazar activated Scarlet Berserk as Deathspeaker Silas joined the fight.
• Ian and Gaga combined their attacks with six Black Hole Potions to unleash a gravitational storm, then escaped through a gap in the turbulent currents.
• Ian drank a Recovery Potion and headed toward a bone-and-crystal palace after sensing a pure stellar fluctuation he suspected was the Civilization Spark.
• Ian arrived at the palace gate, where more than fifty figures from several factions had gathered, and confronted the pursuing Bazar and Silas.
• Wizard Ganna stepped forward as Bazar and Silas restrained their killing intent, and Ian placed his hand on the gate as its stellar runes glowed.

The Star Spirit Trial suppressed everyone’s realm and scattered them across a star-sea illusion realm, but Ian’s core abilities remained powerful. After killing two Crimson Court wizards, he tracked down the wounded Silas and prepared to attack him.

• The colossal gate activated the Star Spirit Trial, suppressed the Rank Two wizards to Peak First Order, and pulled everyone into the star-sea illusion realm.
• Ian discovered that his realm was suppressed but his core methods retained their power, while Gaga’s shadow perception had become sharper and could sense approaching danger.
• Ian traveled to a nearby platform and killed two isolated Crimson Court wizards with Frost-Ember Ray and Gravity Collapse Ball.
• Ian sensed Silas’s death energy erupting nearby and rushed toward the platform where Silas was fighting three powerful Shadow Mutants.
• Silas blocked Ian’s Frost-Ember Ray with a triple Wall of the Dead, and Ian closed in, summoned three Gravity Collapse Balls, and demanded payment for their past score.

Ian defeated and killed the Rank Two Wizard Silas after combining gravity, shadow, entropy, frost, fire, and physical attacks. He left the battle with Silas’s belongings and discovered a Withering Council token marked with coordinates in the Endless Sea’s Darktide Fjord.

• Ian used Gravity Collapse Ball to break through Silas’s defenses, while Gaga’s Shadow Storm interrupted Silas’s attempt to activate his Death-Substitution Talisman.
• Ian expanded his Entropy-Change Domain, disrupting Silas’s magic and energy as Silas tried to detonate his Corrupted Heart Pendant.
• Ian used Mimicry to close the distance, wounded Silas with Frost-Ember Ray, and struck him down with a fist empowered by the Forge Body Tempering Art.
• Silas launched a final Soul Pierce, but Ian blocked it and killed him with a strike to the glabella.
• Ian searched Silas’s belongings and found a Withering Council token bearing coordinates for the Shipwreck Graveyard in Darktide Fjord.

Ian fought toward the Star Sea Illusion Realm’s core as the trial grew more dangerous and its remaining participants were eliminated. After reaching the Living Corpse Guardian Legion, he encountered Ganna, a Rank Two Wizard who claimed the platform and threatened him.

• Ian sensed the trial accelerating, defeated three mutated Shadow Binders, and bypassed a platform where Star Spirits’ defenses had killed three Tide Society members.
• Bazar pushed toward the core but encountered three Peak First Order Shadow Mutants.
• Ian passed Liam’s injured group, learned that Starshard Guardians had appeared, and continued toward the core despite their warning.
• Ian met Herman’s injured Shadowmoon Tower group and learned that Ganna had shattered a Starshard Guardian with one punch.
• Ian found a Living Corpse Guardian Legion blocking the route to the core, then encountered Ganna, who demanded that he leave the platform.
• Ian raised his hand toward Ganna and prepared to confront him.

Ian fought Ganna in a battle of physical strength, using the Earth Resonance of the Rock Bear Potion and the Forge Body Tempering Art to withstand his attacks. Ian shattered Ganna’s arm and killed him with a Frost-Ember Ray, leaving the platform silent.

• Ian attacked Ganna with Frost-Ember Rays and a Gravity Collapse Ball, but Ganna’s defenses and regeneration withstood them.
• Ian activated Earth Resonance and the Forge Body Tempering Art, growing to four meters tall and challenging Ganna to a direct fistfight.
• Ian and Ganna traded blows, but Ian’s stone armor and Earth Resonance absorbed impacts while Ganna’s bones began to crack.
• Ganna used the limit-breaking power of his Immortal Body and charged at Ian with a stronger punch.
• Ian met Ganna’s punch head-on, shattered his right arm, and pierced his forehead with a full-power Frost-Ember Ray, killing him.

Ian defeated Ganna and Bazar on the way to the Core District, then entered the Star Spirit hall and found a sphere that might be the Civilization Spark. The chapter left him facing the miniature artificial plane at the center of the hall.

• Ian recovered Ganna’s Dimensional Bag, Undying Body Tempering Potions, token, and secret-art notes after killing him.
• Ian reached the final platform and confronted the injured Bazar, who had been waiting to kill him.
• Ian trapped Bazar with Gravity Collapse Balls, struck him with a Frost-Ember Ray and Floating Crystal Guards, and killed him with a punch.
• Ian collected Bazar’s Dimensional Bag and Blood Blade, then entered the rift with Gaga.
• Ian arrived in a vast hall containing sealed Star Spirits and a floating sphere he suspected was the Civilization Spark.

Ian witnessed the destruction of the Ascalon Empire and chose to complete the Star Spirits’ unfinished consciousness upload. After he stabilized their collective consciousness, every survivor was expelled from the ruins, while Ian reappeared at the entrance.

• Ian saw memories of the Star Spirits’ civilization falling to monsters and the high priest’s interrupted consciousness-upload ritual.
• The high priest offered Ian the choices to seize the Civilization Spark, complete the upload, or destroy it, and warned that failure would assimilate his consciousness.
• Ian chose to complete the upload and used his spiritual power to repair and guide the Star Spirit consciousness fragments within the Spark.
• The Star Spirits’ consciousness fragments merged into a stable collective consciousness, and the ruins expelled all surviving visitors.
• The survivors gathered outside the ruins, wondered who had reached the Spark, and Liam spotted Ian among them.

Ian received the Star Spirits' blessing and a Star Seed, which let him break through to Rank Two and crystallize his Mental Power. After strengthening his spells and learning that almost no time had passed outside, he was teleported from the Spark Hall as the High Priest and Civilization Spark faded away.

• The Fireseed's final consciousness returned, and the High Priest restored the Star Spirits to peaceful slumber before granting Ian the Star Spirits' blessing and the Star Seed.
• The Star Seed transformed Ian's Starry Sky Rite into its second layer and strengthened his soul connection to Li Xing, whose Starbloodline began to boil.
• Ian's Mental Power reached 100% liquefaction, overcame the ruins' suppression, and crystallized into a core containing the Star Seed.
• Ian used the Wizarding World's presence to complete his Second Order innate spells, [Gravity Collapse Ball] and [Frost-Ember Ray], while his other abilities also improved.
• The High Priest told Ian that only an instant had passed outside, then teleported him away as the High Priest and Civilization Spark vanished.

Ian returned from the Star Spirit Ruins, concealed his new Rank Two powers, and sailed back to Annoria Continent aboard the repaired Shadowmoon. Back at his residence, he used the Star Seed to awaken the Abyssal Altar and prepared to return to the Aran Continent, where six years had passed.

• Ian reunited with Herman and two wounded Shadowmoon Tower wizards, then passed the Undying Heart’s detection test by hiding his identity and powers.
• Ian rested in Dragonbone Harbor and examined his strengthened Gravity Collapse Ball, Star Seed, and Astral Body Tempering before the Shadowmoon departed for Annoria Continent.
• Herman warned Ian that the factions would seek answers after losing Ganna and suffering heavy casualties, and Ian agreed to keep a low profile.
• Ian returned to his residence, secured the Star Seed, Star Marrow, and other spoils, and destroyed items that might reveal or track him.
• Ian activated the Abyssal Altar with the Star Seed and announced that he would return to the Aran Continent, where six years had passed.

After six years of development in Aran, Ian awoke from Deep Meditation to find the Starlight territory thriving and his projected body, Li Xing, at the peak of Manifestation. He renewed his command over the Starlight Guard and resolved to pursue the True Form Stage and uncover the source of the Abyss, though he judged his progress still insufficient.

• Ian awoke in the Star-Attracting Tower after three months of Deep Meditation and learned from Li Yao that the Starlight territory was peaceful, prosperous, and protected by a full-strength army.
• Ian ordered Li Yao to arrange a meeting with Chen Jingshan and summon the thirteen guard captains to the Starwatch Platform.
• Ian met the thirteen captains in Starlight Hall, renamed them the Starlight Guard, and declared them his personal guards and eternal watchers of the Pure Land.
• Ian used Starshine Power to lift the kneeling guards to their feet, then sent them back to their posts.
• Ian surveyed the flourishing territory and planned to advance to the True Form Stage and investigate the world's truth and the source of the Abyss.

After returning from the Star Spirit Ruins, Ian resumed managing his shop and received warnings that the factions were investigating survivors and that he had drawn attention. He decided to prepare to leave Anoria and the East Coast for the Wizard Continent, while arranging his affairs and building his strength.

• Ian returned to his courtyard, fed the five growing Activated Fruits, and checked on the shop, where Kenna reported strong sales and stable operations.
• Ian warned Kenna, Robert, Wade, and Monica to watch for unfamiliar people asking about him or the shop, then visited Alivia, who passed on Tower Lord Morton’s advice to keep a low profile.
• Alivia gave Ian Starlight Feather Dew for Gaga and suggested that leaving Shadowmoon Tower to seek a wider world might be worthwhile.
• The Crimson Court and Withering Council ordered investigations into the deaths of Bazar and Silas and began screening wizards who had survived the ruins.
• A month later, Ian concealed his breakthrough to Rank Two and resolved to leave Anoria and the East Coast after preparing his resources and settling his affairs.

Ian killed Matthias, a hidden Eye of Twilight agent who had once tried to murder him, and uncovered and destroyed the spy’s records in Shadowmoon Tower. After confirming that his old ties and unfinished investigations were settled, Ian prepared for the next step while saying he would leave soon.

• Ian used [Gravity Collapse Ball] to kill Matthias in his hidden valley refuge and recovered a high-quality soul artifact containing the old man’s memories.
• Ian learned from the memories that Matthias had infiltrated Shadowmoon Tower for the Eye of Twilight and had targeted apprentices, including Ian.
• Ian obtained the Tower Master’s authorization to use the [Eye of Inspection] and traced Matthias’s past transfers and suspicious Magic Power fluctuations to the Abandoned Tome Archives.
• Ian found Matthias’s hidden book of intelligence and spy records in the archives and burned it, then told Gaga that everyone who needed investigating or killing had been dealt with.
• Ian reflected on his past at the Abyssal Altar, decided he could leave without worry, and said that a few things still needed to be finished before he left.

Ian sent his father Latour a final cache of resources and a warning to preserve the family, then traded secret Withering Council coordinates to Tower Master Morton for the fourth level of the Starry Sky Rite. With Shadowmoon unable to shield him from the Undying Heart, Ian agreed to leave the East Coast for the dangerous Central Continent.

• Ian sent Latour resources, bloodline research, and instructions to abandon the family castle if necessary, then declared that he would no longer involve himself in the family's affairs.
• Ian visited Tower Master Morton and offered Silas's incomplete coordinates to a Withering Council resource site in exchange for the fourth level of the Starry Sky Rite.
• Morton verified the coordinates and warned Ian to leave the East Coast because the Undying Heart was investigating Ganna's death; Ian accepted the exchange and recorded the rite's teachings.
• Morton explained that the Central Continent held far greater resources and knowledge but was fiercely dangerous, and advised Ian to go there rather than remain on the East Coast.
• Morton agreed to delay the Crimson Court and the Withering Council, asked Ian to return his core elder authority, and arranged to tell others that Ian had gone traveling to the outer islands.
• Ian left the Starwatch Platform with Gaga and resolved to reach the Central Continent alive.

Ian entrusted the Alchemy Sapling and its five Activated Fruits to Malena before arranging affairs on the Aran Continent through his Li Xing projection. With his responsibilities settled, he left Shadowmoon Tower for Vielt, intending to cross the Endless Sea to the Central Continent.

• Ian gave Malena the Alchemy Sapling, its five Activated Fruits, and supplies, and she agreed to care for them.
• Ian used the Abyssal Altar to send a soul projection to Li Xing on the Aran Continent and reorganized Blue Cavern Mountain's defenses and leadership.
• Ian secured the Crimson Radiance Merchant Alliance's support, strengthened the Star-Attracting Tower's defenses, and left Li Yao an Inheritance Star Mark.
• Ian returned from the Aran Continent, dismantled the Anchor Stones and Abyssal Rune Stone, and prepared to leave Shadowmoon Tower.
• Ian departed for the teleportation area, planning to travel to Vielt and sail across the Endless Sea to the Central Continent.

Ian left Shadowmoon Tower and reached Vielt Port, where he bought an emergency cabin on the Sky Leaper to travel to the Central Continent. With half a month until departure, he processed seized Wizard Tools for valuable death essence and began preparing for the voyage.

• Ian rode Gaga to Vielt Port after Gaga's transformation increased its wingspan to forty meters and brought it near the peak of the First Order.
• Ian disguised himself as Gray Moon and pressured the Giant Sail Trade Alliance to arrange a Sky Leaper ticket despite the sold-out voyage.
• Derek offered Ian an emergency cabin for one thousand High-grade Magic Stones, on the condition that he assist if the ship encountered a crisis, and Ian accepted.
• Ian paid for the cabin and received a passenger token for boarding at Pier Three in half a month.
• At an inn, Ian extracted and bottled death essence from Wizard Tools seized from Withering Council wizards.
• Ian discussed the Central Continent and the dangerous voyage with Gaga, then began cultivating while preparing for departure.