Chapter Summaries

Lincon ignited the Sunlight Sunflowers with Purifying Fire to stop the Pale Wraith and the Black Tide from overrunning Longwind Fortress. The fire drove the dark creatures away, but the Sunlight Sunflowers burned to glowing dust, and the survivors saw Lincon as their savior.

• Lincon faced the approaching Pale Wraith and Black Tide while searching for a way to protect the people behind him.
• The Sunlight Sunflowers sent Lincon their thoughts, offering their lives as fuel for Purifying Fire.
• Lincon ignited the sea of Sunlight Sunflowers, and their flames illuminated Longwind Fortress and purified nearby dark creatures.
• The Pale Wraith and the scattered Black Tide retreated from the fire.
• After the sunlight returned, Li Zhouhai realized the Sunlight Sunflowers had willingly sacrificed themselves and looked toward Lincon.

After the Sunlight Sunflowers sacrificed themselves to save the refugees and Longwind Fortress, Lincon found one surviving Ashen Purifying Sunflower and vowed to restore it. Zhang Rui organized the refugees under Lincon’s authority, and the first 832 new subjects entered the fortress.

• Zhang Rui saw the exhausted survivors gathered outside Longwind Fortress after the darkness ended.
• Lincon found the charred Ashen Purifying Sunflower among the ashes and promised to bring it back to life.
• Lincon told Zhang Rui to manage the refugees and have Li Zhouhai help enforce order.
• Li Zhouhai identified himself as a D-Class Ability User and publicly acknowledged Lincon as Longwind Fortress’s sole lord.
• Zhang Rui addressed the refugees, established the fortress’s rules, and registered their identities as Lincon observed their loyalty rise.
• With Li Zhouhai and other helpers assisting, Lincon welcomed the first 832 subjects into Longwind Fortress.

Lincon faced a shortage of food and housing after bringing hundreds of refugees to Longwind Fortress, and learned that grain seeds might be found in the dangerous ruins of Shangmai City. Liu Ying offered a half-cooked potato her mother had saved, and Lincon used his plant-growing ability to cultivate it into a seedling, revealing possible advancement routes for the potato.

• Zhang Rui reported that the fortress lacked enough housing and food for the refugees, and Lincon asked Li Zhouhai whether he had any grain seeds.
• Li Zhouhai said Shangmai City's experimental base might have seeds, while explaining that most people survived on coarse grain flour made from rice and husks.
• Liu Ying quietly offered a half potato her mother had left her, and Lincon's panel showed that the tuber still contained faint nutrients despite contamination.
• Lincon planted the potato in the Sunlight Sunflower ashes and used Accelerated Growth to make a green sprout emerge as Li Zhouhai and the refugees watched.
• Lincon's panel identified the sprout as a Potato and displayed advancement routes for a Sunlight Potato and a Potato Mine.

Lincon harvested Sunlight Potatoes, recruited Liu Ying and assigned her and her father to cultivate them for the fortress. After tasting the new crop, Lincon recalled the White Umbrella Mushroom’s evolution paths and turned his attention toward the forest where the Pale Wraith was.

• Lincon evolved the small potatoes into Sunlight Potatoes and saw that Liu Ying had reached the loyalty needed to become his subject.
• Lincon recruited Liu Ying and entrusted her and her father with growing potatoes, recognizing Liu Ying’s Growth Acceleration talent.
• Lincon planted and accelerated Sunlight Potatoes, discovering that their sprouts absorbed sunlight and their mature tubers looked unusual.
• Lincon, Zhang Rui, Li Zhouhai, and Liu Ying roasted and tasted the potatoes, and Liu Ying and Li Zhouhai delighted in their flavor.
• Lincon remembered the White Umbrella Mushroom’s Beautiful Abalone Mushroom and Giant Mushroom evolution paths and looked toward the forest where the Pale Wraith was.

Lincon evolved White Mushroom into a Giant Mushroom and used it to create shelters for Longwind Fortress before preparing the fortress for another dangerous night. He cleared the remaining dark creatures, completed his task, and received the Seed of Life as his classes fused into a single mark.

• Lincon evolved a White Mushroom into a Giant Mushroom and grew one large enough to serve as a house.
• Lincon explained the shelter plan to Zhang Rui, then grew more Giant Mushrooms and left Zhang Rui to organize the housing.
• As night fell, Zhang Rui and Li Zhouhai kept the residents orderly while Lincon distributed candles and gave rune-strengthened Shrines to subjects with loyalty of at least 80.
• After resting and recovering some spiritual power, Lincon patrolled the fortress and killed the remaining dark creatures.
• Lincon completed the task to clear dark creatures from his territory and received the Seed of Life as his two class marks fused together.

Lincon discovered that the Seed of Life had merged with Longwind Fortress and created a domain that purified the territory but consumed Sunlight each day. He then found Li Zhouhai suffering from Mental Pollution, subdued him, and used Purifying Fire to cleanse him, ordering him to come see him after dawn.

• Lincon examined the Seed of Life and learned that its Glimmer Life Sphere covered Longwind Fortress while consuming 50 Sunlight daily.
• Lincon heard a commotion in a nearby house and found Guan Teng and others struggling to restrain Li Zhouhai, who had been infected by Mental Pollution.
• Li Zhouhai broke free and attacked Lincon, but Lincon overpowered him with a punch and sent him crashing into a wall.
• Lincon inscribed the Purification Rune, used Purifying Fire to cleanse Li Zhouhai, and told Guan Teng to have him come see Lincon after dawn.

Lincon investigated Li Zhouhai’s mental pollution, kept him in the fortress while they watched for further cases, and tested his strength in a sparring match. Over the next three days, the fortress was rebuilt with Giant Mushroom houses and new greenery, growth Lincon knew came from the Seed of Life.

• Lincon told Guan Teng to have Li Zhouhai visit after dawn, then used the Seed of Life as it consumed sunlight.
• Li Zhouhai thanked Lincon for easing his mental pollution, and Lincon warned him to report anyone with similar symptoms while holding him accountable for concealing the contamination.
• Lincon kept Li Zhouhai in the fortress until they could check for other cases and made him serve as a sparring partner.
• Li Zhouhai activated his Avatar ability, but Lincon’s boxing overwhelmed him; Lincon said he had only studied ancient martial arts.
• Over three days, the fortress residents cleared the ruins while Lincon cultivated Giant Mushrooms, leaving the fortress filled with mushroom houses and fresh greenery.

Lincon led an expedition to the upper reaches of Longwind Lake to find and purify its polluted water source. The group discovered a poisonous swamp and a giant demonic tree at the heart of it.

• Lincon decided to personally lead a team from Longwind Fortress to investigate Longwind Lake’s water pollution.
• Li Zhouhai led Lincon and more than twenty loyal men toward the forest believed to contain the lake’s source.
• Lincon placed a Purification Shrine beside the foul stream, then continued into the dark forest with the Ancient Maple Guardian clearing their path.
• The Ancient Maple Guardian stopped before a poisonous swamp, where Li Zhouhai spotted rotting plants and animals and a huge demonic tree at its center.

Lincon discovered that the terrifying Demon Ancient Tree had a childlike consciousness and powerful advancement paths, then chose to camp beside it as darkness fell. When a Devouring Worm attacked the group, the tree suddenly emitted light, allowing Lincon to strike the creature with his Shadow Sword.

• Lincon learned that the Demon Ancient Tree feared the swamp, then used his spiritual power to communicate with it and discovered its advancement paths.
• Lincon emerged from his prolonged communion as night approached, and ordered the group to camp rather than attempt the journey back to Longwind Fortress.
• Li Zhouhai and the others formed a defensive line as dark creatures gathered around them and a Devouring Worm crawled out of the darkness.
• Li Zhouhai attacked the Devouring Worm with his glaive, but the darkness prevented him from harming it, so he moved to shield the group.
• The Demon Ancient Tree suddenly blazed with light, and Lincon pierced the Devouring Worm's head with his Shadow Sword.

Lincon defeated the Devouring Worm while the Demon Ancient Tree lit the swamp with its Nightglow Life Circle. As Lincon gathered the glowing plants, Li Zhouhai spotted new Dark Creatures approaching and rallied the group to defend him.

• Lincon used the Shadow Sword to consume the Devouring Worm, then received sunlight and experience for killing the D-Rank Anomaly Calamity.
• Li Zhouhai saw the swamp’s plants and fungi glow and asked Lincon how he had known they would shine at night.
• Lincon thanked the Demon Ancient Tree, learned that it had formed a Nightglow Life Circle, and identified several evolved plants growing within it.
• The Demon Ancient Tree gave Lincon permission to gather plants, and Lincon began collecting them while Guan Teng and two others guarded him.
• Li Zhouhai sensed Dark Creatures approaching and ordered the group to prepare for battle.

Lincon used Living Water Shrines to purify the marsh water feeding Longwind Lake and began to suspect that their arrangement formed a Rune Array. The work was interrupted when Li Zhouhai encountered a powerful Mutant Creature, leaving Lincon intrigued by how animals had adapted to the darkness.

• Lincon received Sunlight rewards while Li Zhouhai and the others hunted dark creatures, and he realized that cultivating ability users to hunt for him could help him gain Sunlight.
• Lincon learned that the Demon Ancient Tree's black resin had polluted Longwind Lake and instructed the tree to discharge future resin in one designated location.
• Lincon used Purification Stones and three Living Water Shrines to filter the marsh water, producing cleaner water as it flowed downstream.
• Guan Teng compared Lincon's Shrine setup to a Spirit Array, prompting Lincon to consider whether he had accidentally formed a Rune Array.
• A wild-bull-like Mutant Creature overpowered Li Zhouhai, and Lincon recognized that it was not a dark creature and wondered how animals had adapted to the darkness.

Lincon subdued the Raging Bull and offered it food, clean water, and a chance to come with him. At dawn, he left the Demon Ancient Tree connected to his territory through three Shrines, while the bull still had to choose whether to join him.

• The Raging Bull attacked the Defense Corps after Li Zhouhai's team struck it, and Lincon learned it had come to eat Nightglow Plants and drink near the Demon Ancient Tree.
• Lincon used the Ancient Maple Guardian and Shadow Sword to stop the Raging Bull, then calmed it by feeding it Nightglow Plants.
• Lincon told the Raging Bull it could leave with him for tastier food and cleaner water or be killed for beef.
• At dawn, the Demon Ancient Tree expelled the resin it had promised to Lincon and asked whether he was leaving.
• Lincon explained that the three Living Water Shrines would connect him to the region and promised to visit, then turned to await the Raging Bull's choice.

Zhang Rui managed Longwind Fortress as visitors from Black Iron City arrived, including the messenger Li Sheng, whom Zhang Rui recognized from his past. The trench-coated ability user killed Li Sheng without warning, leaving Zhang Rui convinced the visitors had come with ill intent.

• Zhang Rui organized Longwind Fortress's workers and continued planning its farms, repairs, and other needs.
• A man reported that ability users from Black Iron City had arrived while Lincon and Li Zhouhai were away, and Zhang Rui went to meet them.
• Zhang Rui recognized the messenger Li Sheng and rejected his attempt to act like an old friend.
• The trench-coated ability user struck Li Sheng's head, killing him in front of Zhang Rui and the gathered residents.
• Zhang Rui concluded that the visitors from Black Iron City had come with ill intent.

Lincon returned to Longwind Fortress just as Zhou Qing, a C-Class Ability User from Black Iron City, attacked Zhang Rui. After Lincon stopped him, Zhou Qing changed his approach and claimed he had come to establish diplomatic relations.

• Zhou Qing introduced himself as a Black Iron City investigator after killing Li Sheng and questioned Zhang Rui about Longwind Fortress's growth.
• Zhang Rui refused to let Zhou Qing enter without the absent lord's permission, then told him Lincon was away on business.
• Zhou Qing grew angry and lunged at Zhang Rui with an ice spike.
• Lincon appeared, seized Zhou Qing's wrist, and stopped the attack as the fortress's subjects rejoiced at his return.
• Zhou Qing dispersed his ice energy and told Lincon he had come on the Black Iron City lord's orders to establish diplomatic relations.

Lincon negotiated diplomatic relations and a potential trade with Zhou Qing of Black Iron City by revealing that Longwind Fortress could produce fresh food in Dead Soil. After Zhou Qing left with a Sunlight Potato and a list of desired materials, Lincon recognized the fortress’s vulnerability and resolved to strengthen it.

• Lincon accepted Zhou Qing’s apology for threatening Zhang Rui and agreed to discuss diplomatic relations and trade instead of escalating the conflict.
• Lincon showed Zhou Qing a Sunlight Potato and explained that he could grow plants in Dead Soil as a Plant Cultivator, prompting Zhou Qing to warn that other cities might try to seize Longwind Fortress.
• Lincon gave Zhou Qing a list of rare materials to trade for Sunlight Potatoes, and Zhou Qing left with one potato to take back to Black Iron City.
• Zhang Rui questioned Lincon’s decision to reveal the potatoes, and Lincon said their secret would be exposed eventually and that he needed to strengthen the fortress.
• Lincon had Li Zhouhai restrain the Raging Bull after it began eating the Sunlight Potato plants, then returned to his courtyard with the Nightglow Plants.

Lincon developed Rune Stones that let ordinary people use rune power, then used them to create a Purification Rune Array for Longwind Fortress. The array improved the courtyard’s air and earned him enough experience to raise his Guardian level to 10.

• Lincon considered the threat posed by other factions and concluded that Longwind Fortress needed stronger defenses of its own.
• After accidentally chipping a Shrine, Lincon realized he could store rune energy in stones and successfully created a Reinforced Rune Stone.
• Lincon used the Rune Stone to reinforce a Shrine, confirming that ordinary people could use its rune power.
• Lincon combined a Reinforcement Rune with a Purification Shrine and recreated a Purification Rune Array.
• The Purification Rune Array cleared the air in Lincon’s courtyard, and Lincon’s Longwind Fortress Guardian reached level 10.

Lincon created Purifying and Weird Candles, then entrusted them to Zhang Rui and planned a Rune Workshop to expand the use of Runes. Zhang Rui proposed recruiting refugees and survivors from the Jiangzhou region, leaving Lincon aware that the world beyond Longwind Fortress was more complex than he had realized.

• Lincon made Purifying Candles that repelled darkness and Weird Candles that attracted dark creatures, though the latter could endanger their users.
• Lincon gave Zhang Rui candles and Rune Stones, explained their uses, and warned him to treat Weird Candles as a last resort.
• Lincon told Zhang Rui to distribute the items and select clever people to help experiment with Runes in a new Rune Workshop.
• Lincon asked Zhang Rui to identify talented people in production, intelligence, and other fields for him to assess.
• Zhang Rui proposed bringing back surviving D-rank ability users from Shangmai City and inviting other people stranded in the darkness to join Longwind Fortress.
• Zhang Rui described exiled ability users, wilderness residents, and surviving villages around the Jiangzhou region, prompting Lincon to recognize how little he knew beyond the fortress.

Lincon advanced two Nightglow Plants into powerful Spirit Plants while considering a counterattack against Dark Creatures and the need to expand Longwind Fortress’s intelligence network. Zhao Mu volunteered to become one of the fortress’s messengers, determined to help build the only place where he had found hope.

• Zhang Rui left after explaining what he knew to Lincon and carrying away a heavy box.
• Lincon classified the gathered Nightglow Plants and used the Seed Mark to advance the Red-veined Berry Bush into an Explosive Berry Thicket and the Golden-Needle Reed into a Reed Assassin.
• Lincon assessed the new plants’ abilities and regretted that his remaining Sunlight was too low to advance more plants.
• As darkness approached, Zhao Mu told his wife he had signed up to become a messenger for Longwind Fortress, despite her fear that the dangerous work could cost him his life.
• Zhao Mu explained that the governor had asked him to join the messenger network and that he would meet the city lord the next day.

Lincon tested the Reed Assassin and Explosive Berry outside Longwind Fortress, then gave Guan Teng three Rune Stones after hearing his wish to become stronger. He left Guan Teng to decide how to use them, hoping they might give him a chance to find new strength.

• Lincon went to the ramparts and told Guan Teng he was there to run an experiment.
• Lincon sent the Reed Assassin into the darkness with an Explosive Berry, and it killed more than a dozen Dark Creatures.
• Guan Teng asked Lincon how an ordinary person could become stronger.
• Lincon gave Guan Teng three Rune Stones and warned him not to hurt himself while using them.
• Lincon left, hoping the Rune Stones would give Guan Teng a seed of hope.

Lincon interviewed a group of specialists and assigned them roles in building Longwind Fortress, choosing Zhao Mu to train messengers for the Letter Bureau. He kept Shen Congzhi and Su Yunqing behind to help develop new technology, and Shen asked whether Runes truly existed.

• Zhang Rui brought eighteen candidates to meet Lincon, who reviewed their records and took particular interest in Shen Congzhi and Zhao Mu.
• Lincon chose Zhao Mu to train messengers, appointed Zhang Yaoyang to assist him, and placed them in charge of the Letter Bureau.
• Lincon outlined plans for fortress departments, including Qingrang Academy for researching and cultivating plants and the Light Office for internal affairs.
• Lincon kept Shen Congzhi and Su Yunqing behind to help develop new technology.
• Shen Congzhi asked Lincon whether Runes truly existed.