Chapter Summaries

Hillman found a secluded cave in the Magical Beast Forest but had to defeat the Level Nine Rock Armor Giant Rhino guarding it. He made the cave his base and began absorbing the beast’s magic core as he prepared for a harsher trial and his push toward the Saint-level.

• Hillman followed his map to a promising mountain cave, where a Rock Armor Giant Rhino emerged and charged at him.
• Hillman evaded the rhino’s attacks and used his perception of the earth’s pulse to trigger a boulder fall that cracked its rocky armor.
• Hillman repeatedly struck the cracks in the rhino’s armor and killed it with a sword thrust to its head.
• Hillman cleared the cave entrance, inspected the shelter, and retrieved the rhino’s Level Nine Magic Core.
• Hillman began absorbing the magic core’s energy in the cave, which he chose as his base in the forest.

Hillman gathered clear spirit grass to cure the earth-element toxins from his wound, then completed the system’s emergency quest and upgraded his earth affinity talent to intermediate. He rested in the cave as a new trial began to brew outside.

• Hillman followed the system’s map to a stream valley to gather three stalks of clear spirit grass, since he was too weakened to hunt a powerful magical beast for a detoxifying core.
• Three sixth-level Demon Wolves approached, and Hillman ambushed and killed them with Whirling Slash before returning to the cave.
• Hillman made juice from the clear spirit grass and applied it to his wound, eliminating the toxins and completing the emergency quest.
• The system rewarded Hillman with faster battle qi recovery and increased earth affinity proficiency, allowing him to upgrade his talent to intermediate and unlock Earth Shield.
• Hillman resolved to advance through the Magical Beast Forest while another trial began brewing outside the cave.

Hillman used his Earth Shield and Earth Power to defeat an approaching Level Nine Berserk Bear, evolving Whirling Slash into Earthshaking Whirling Slash during the fight. After gaining experience, Battle Qi, and rare loot, he felt the barrier to the ninth-level peak loosen and decided to break through.

• Hillman constructed an Earth Shield as a Level Nine Berserk Bear approached the cave, attracted by the Rock Armor Giant Rhino's blood.
• Hillman blocked the bear's first attack with the shield, then dodged its next blow and failed to pierce its throat with his longsword.
• Hillman struck the bear's hind legs with Earth Spikes, exposed its abdominal weakness, and stabbed it while binding its limbs with earthen vines.
• Hillman's Whirling Slash evolved into Earthshaking Whirling Slash, which stunned the bear and let him deliver a fatal strike between its brows.
• Hillman received experience, Battle Qi, and loot, then chose to attempt a breakthrough after sensing the ninth-level peak barrier loosen.

Hillman used the Earth's Heart and the Rock Armor Giant Rhino's magic core to break through the ninth-level peak barrier and reach half-step Saint-level. The system then gave him a quest to hunt a half-step Saint-level magical beast and extract its Saint-level foundation.

• Hillman began his breakthrough in the cavern using the Earth's Heart and the Rock Armor Giant Rhino's magic core to strengthen his battle qi.
• Hillman resonated with the pulse of the earth and cracked the ninth-level peak barrier with a surge of earth power.
• Hillman poured the remaining energy into the barrier and shattered it, reaching half-step Saint-level and unlocking Earth Cage.
• The system assigned Hillman a quest to hunt a solitary half-step Saint-level magical beast, and he set out toward the forest.

Hillman entered Mist Canyon to challenge a half-step Saint-level magical beast and defeated a Winged Bird Dragon head-on, completing his quest. When the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon approached in fury, Hillman used a Mist Pearl to orient himself and fled toward the canyon’s outskirts.

• Hillman followed the system’s warning into Mist Canyon and learned that the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon ruled the forbidden ground.
• Hillman found Blue Heart Grass, then accepted the system’s challenge against an approaching Winged Bird Dragon.
• Hillman used his Earth Shield, Earth Spike, and Armor-Piercing Slash to injure and kill the Winged Bird Dragon.
• Hillman completed the quest, gained experience and Battle Qi, and received the Earth Roar skill and other rewards.
• The Spined Iron-Armored Dragon approached, so Hillman collected the Mist Pearl and Blue Heart Grass and fled toward the canyon’s outskirts.

Hillman fought to escape the enraged Spined Iron-Armored Dragon after it caught up with him in Mist Canyon. He reached the canyon’s outskirts, where the territorial dragon ended its pursuit, and collapsed unconscious.

• The Spined Iron-Armored Dragon caught Hillman and wounded him with a corrosive claw strike.
• Hillman’s Earth Shield shattered when the dragon charged him, leaving him severely injured and nearly out of Battle Qi.
• Hillman used Earth Cage to briefly trap the dragon, then fled through Mist Canyon with the Mist Pearl guiding him.
• The dragon broke free and pursued Hillman, but the canyon’s narrow, wooded terrain slowed it down.
• Hillman left Mist Canyon, and the dragon returned to its territory rather than continuing the chase.
• Hillman collapsed unconscious on the grass as the Mist Pearl and blue heart grass in his storage space glowed faintly.

Hillman recovered from his fight with the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon, tempered his body, and strengthened his battle qi while preparing to challenge the dragon again. He entered Mist Canyon with blue heart grass, determined to take the dragon’s blood and awaken his Dragonblood Warrior bloodline.

• Hillman used healing herbs, practiced the Dragonblood Secret Manual’s Healing Method, and refined the Winged Bird Dragon’s magic core while recovering in the woods.
• Hillman studied the blue heart grass and reviewed his earlier defeat, refining his tactics for facing the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon.
• Over half a month, Hillman healed his injuries, tempered his body with the Mountain-Shaking Art, and advanced to the peak of the half-step Saint-level.
• Hillman mastered Earth Roar, improved Earth Shield and Earth Cage, and set out for Mist Canyon to challenge the dragon again.
• Hillman entered Mist Canyon, where the system reported that the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon was cultivating and that his chance of victory was 40%.

Hillman returned to Mist Canyon and repeatedly fought the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon, learning its attacks as both grew stronger and more familiar with each other. After the dragon saved him from a ravine, Hillman offered it dried demon wolf meat, and they settled into a bond of mutual respect while he vowed to defeat it next time.

• Hillman challenged the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon again, but it wounded him and drove him from the canyon.
• Hillman returned after recovering and used the terrain to harass the dragon, leaving small wounds before it knocked him away.
• Hillman fought the dragon repeatedly in the following days, refining his tactics as his battle qi and body grew stronger.
• The Iron-Armored Dragon began sparing Hillman and helping him during their fights, eventually catching him when he fell into a ravine.
• Hillman offered the dragon dried Level Eight Demon Wolf meat, and the two rested together as he called it an old friend and promised to beat it next time.

After five months of sparring with the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon, Hillman had greatly strengthened his skills and neared the Saint-level breakthrough. He said farewell to his friend and left Mist Canyon to explore the depths of the Magical Beast Forest.

• Hillman and the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon spent five months sparring, and their deadly fights became a friendly rivalry.
• Hillman refined his Mountain-Shaking Art and battle qi while his half-step Saint-level bottleneck began to loosen.
• After their final sparring match, Hillman shared the last piece of dried Level Eight Demon Wolf meat with the Iron-Armored Dragon and promised to return after reaching Saint-level.
• Hillman left Mist Canyon and headed deeper into the Magical Beast Forest as the Iron-Armored Dragon watched him go.

Hillman traveled deeper into the Magical Beast Forest on his way to Blackwind Valley, where he hoped to reach Saint-level. After barely escaping the collateral damage from two battling Saint-level beasts, he took shelter in a cave to recover and refine the Winged Bird Dragon magic core.

• Hillman ignored the system's suggestion to cultivate and continued toward Blackwind Valley, following the Dragonblood Secret Manual's directions.
• The system detected a battle between the Purple-Striped Black Bear and the Crimson Flame Demon Python, and Hillman hid nearby to watch them fight.
• Hillman fled as the beasts' shock waves spread, but an attack veered toward him and shattered his Earth Shield, severely injuring him.
• Hillman swallowed a top-grade healing pill and kept running until the system confirmed he had left the danger zone.
• Hillman found a secluded cave, took more healing pills, and began refining the Winged Bird Dragon magic core.

Hillman escaped the battlefield gravely wounded and found an underground spring rich in Earth Element origin power. After healing and sensing Earth Pulsation, he broke through to the Saint level and began his journey onward.

• Hillman fled the battle between the Purple-Striped Black Bear and the Crimson Flame Demon Python and hid in a cavern as the shock waves spread.
• Hillman followed the underground passage to an Origin Spring where the system detected Earth Pulsation.
• Hillman used a supreme-grade healing pill and the Dragonblood Secret Manual to heal his wounds and restore his Battle Qi.
• Hillman sensed Earth Pulsation and drew on the Earth Element origin power until his Half-Step Saint-level bottleneck shattered.
• Hillman reached the Saint level, gained an initial understanding of the Laws of the Earth, and turned toward the cavern exit.

Hillman returned to Mist Canyon as a Saint-level powerhouse and sparred with the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon, matching its attacks before the friendly contest ended. He told his old friend he would leave the Magical Beast Forest soon and promised to return after gaining a deeper understanding of the Laws of the Earth.

• Hillman reached Mist Canyon and called for the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon, which had grown stronger and charged at him.
• Hillman countered the dragon's charge with the Mountain-Shaking Art and defended against its energy blades with an Earth Shield imbued with the Laws of the Earth.
• Hillman and the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon fought through more than a hundred exchanges, each holding back from lethal blows.
• The dragon playfully bumped Hillman after he aimed for its neck, and Hillman ended the spar by admitting the dragon was still stronger.
• Hillman shared ninth-rank magical bear meat with the dragon and told it he planned to leave the Magical Beast Forest, promising to return for another fight.

Hillman defended Mist Canyon from an early Saint-level Gold-Eater Demon Ape and earned introductory comprehension of all Earth Element laws from the system. After the ape fled, Hillman absorbed the new insights and received the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon’s approval.

• The system gave Hillman the Defend the Canyon quest after warning that a Gold-Eater Demon Ape was approaching Mist Canyon.
• Hillman reached the canyon entrance and blocked the ape, then endured its thrown tree behind an Earth Shield and clashed with its golden fist.
• When Earth Cage failed to restrain the ape, Hillman used Laws of the Earth: Devouring to absorb its attack and countered with Explosion.
• Hillman drove the injured Gold-Eater Demon Ape out of the canyon and completed the quest.
• The system granted Hillman introductory comprehension of all Earth Element laws, and the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon showed its approval.

Hillman learned to command earth elemental particles and reached the introductory stage of the Earth Element Profound Mysteries. After sparring evenly with the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon, he looked ahead to studying the Profound Mystery of Strength.

• Hillman studied the earth element's particles and formed a Sand Sword that pierced a stone before collapsing back into sand.
• Hillman dismantled granite and reshaped it into a stone shield, then practiced forming and controlling earth in different shapes.
• Hillman reached 100% compatibility with the Earth Element Profound Mysteries, and the system announced improved control, reduced skill consumption, and increased power.
• The Spined Iron-Armored Dragon challenged Hillman to spar, and Hillman used shields, spears, sand, and stone walls to fight it on even terms.
• After more than a hundred exchanges, Hillman and the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon stopped to rest, and Hillman said he would next study the Profound Mystery of Strength.

Hillman mastered the Profound Mystery of Strength by compressing Earth Element Battle Qi into a single point, then tested his new power against the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon. After their fierce sparring, he looked ahead to comprehending the Earth Travel Technique Profundity.

• Hillman trained on the rocky ground in Mist Canyon, repeatedly compressing his Battle Qi into his fist until he found the critical point.
• Hillman punched the hill-sized black rock into powder and received the system’s confirmation that he had gained an initial grasp of the Profound Mystery of Strength.
• Hillman used a casual punch to shatter a dark iron rock, then welcomed the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon when it arrived to spar.
• Hillman’s first clash with the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon drove the dragon back, and they fought fiercely for more than a hundred exchanges.
• Hillman and the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon stopped at sunset, both wounded and exhausted, while Hillman anticipated studying the Earth Travel Technique Profundity.

Hillman practiced matching his aura to the rock’s vibrations and gained an initial grasp of the Earth Travel Technique Profundity. After mastering silent, freely directed underground travel, he set his sights on the Life Force Profundity.

• Hillman trained at the western cliff, and the system advised him to merge with earth particles rather than try to control them.
• Hillman synchronized his spiritual power and Battle Qi with the rock, then sank into the granite and emerged from another cliff face.
• Hillman spent several days improving his underground speed, silence, and ability to change direction.
• Hillman silently approached the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon from underground, and the system announced his Earth Travel Technique Profundity compatibility had reached 100%.
• Hillman learned new ways to develop the technique and declared that he would next study the Life Force Profundity.

Hillman awakened the dying Blue Heart Grass and a dead tree by drawing on the earth’s vitality, thereby gaining an initial grasp of the Life Force Profundity. He tested his new abilities while sparring with the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon and looked ahead to mastering Gravity Space.

• Hillman used spiritual power and Earth Battle Qi to nourish the nearly dead Blue Heart Grass until it regained its vitality.
• Hillman awakened a remnant Wood Soul in a dead tree, causing a green shoot to emerge and bringing his Life Force Profundity affinity to 100%.
• Hillman learned that Vitality could heal injuries, replenish Battle Qi, animate plants, and combine with his other Earth profound mysteries.
• Hillman sparred with the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon, using vines and self-repairing stone shields while his wounds healed quickly.
• Hillman reflected that he had grasped Earth Element, Strength, Earth Travel Technique, and Vitality, and that Gravity Space was next.

Hillman trained in the Gravity Space Profundity, mastering a gravity domain that could suppress enemies and amplify his attacks. After reaching 100% compatibility, he sensed the Earth’s pulse and said that only one of the six great profundities remained.

• Hillman used the Mountain-Shaking Art and the Earth Vein Power to study gravity, then learned to control its strength and coverage instead of relying on brute force.
• Hillman tested his gravity domain on the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon, slowing it at ten times normal gravity and easing its burden when he reduced the force.
• Hillman combined gravity with the Profound Mystery of Strength, the Life Force Profundity, and the Earth Travel Technique Profundity, then practiced compressing gravity into shackles and his longsword.
• Hillman raised gravity to thirty times normal, collapsing the ground, and the system announced that his Gravity Space Profundity compatibility had reached 100%.
• Hillman received insights into advancing the profundity and sensed that he was nearing the Saint Realm Mid-Stage, then told the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon that only the last of the six great profundities remained.

Hillman attained godhood through External Godhood, creating an Earth-law Divine Clone while keeping his original body at Early Saint-level. He left Mist Canyon for Fenlan City, and the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon chose to accompany him.

• Hillman comprehended all six profound mysteries of the Laws of the Earth and chose External Godhood over Internal Godhood.
• Hillman endured the pain of his soul splitting, formed an earthen-yellow Divine Spark, and became a Lowgod while his original body remained at Early Saint-level.
• Hillman tested his mastery of the six profound mysteries and decided to return to Fenlan City to reunite with his family and old friends.
• Hillman said goodbye to the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon, but the dragon showed it wanted to leave Mist Canyon with him.
• Hillman rode the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon toward Fenlan City as they departed Mist Canyon at sunset.

After two years away, Hillman returned to Fenlan City with the Iron-Armored Dragon and made his way to Hogg’s home. Hogg opened the door and recognized him, freezing in shock as joy and excitement filled his eyes.

• Hillman flew toward Fenlan City on the Iron-Armored Dragon, reflecting on how much he had grown since leaving two years earlier.
• Hillman left the Iron-Armored Dragon in the woods outside the city and asked it to wait for him.
• Hillman eased the townspeople’s fear of the dragon’s presence with the gentle pressure of his Lowgod power, then entered the city.
• Hillman walked through familiar streets, remembered Hogg’s care and wondered how Linley was doing at the Ernst Institute.
• Hillman reached Hogg’s residence and knocked on the door.
• Hogg opened the door, recognized Hillman, and froze in astonishment as joy and excitement overtook him.